Can't believe I discovered this musical so late.
It breaks my heart that I didn't manage to see it live in NYC in its run in late 2021 - it would have easily been worth the what 3 weeks of quarantine upon returning to Hong Kong!! But I am so grateful they had shot the final closed(?) performance on film.
The casting of Hagelberger is beyond perfect. It's great he fumbles lyrics on rare occasions: a very affable "chew the lights" in the song "One, Two". It's great he strains to reach a couple of high notes: he has trouble getting to the D5 in the climax of "On with the Show", and I think he even reworks the lyrics (on the fly?) to skip over an Eb5 in the final "so let's go on" a few seconds later, replacing the phrase with a delightful, knowing smile. He truly brings so much pluck and authenticity to Trevor, adding tremendous credibility and joy to his triumphant transformation in the week and a half over which the story takes place.
Versus the 2017 lead (based, however, only on a few online clips) whose facial expressions come across to me as wise cracking and smirky. Though he did hit that Eb5.
Hagelberger also always has perfect timing. He impeccably lands every single one of his punch lines, with tones / infections that are genuine and sincere.
Plus the emotions the viewer can see in his closeups afforded to by the film version -- just wow. Some examples in the song "One of these Days": a side glance at Pinky's hand over his shoulder the first time Pinky touches him in a social setting ("a decade and I could be having it all"); his eyes staying longingly on Pinky who looks outwards to sing ("totally see we are meant to be"); a blink and you will miss it flit of the tongue as Pinky gives him a hug ("you're the best, Trevor"). There is no way a theatre audience could discern or appreciate so many of these emotive subtleties that Hagelberger brings to his Trevor.
From start to finish, Hagelberger's Trevor is "a kind of person that makes me, and everyone, feel, you know, really. Happy."
Some small observations ...
I love that, unlike in the short film, Trevor joins Diana in "Endless Love" (their one and only duet; a call back to "a song we sing together, with harmonies"), and that Jack also gets to mouth Diana's words and mimic her movements.
The attempted assassination is the most brilliant Chekov's Gun -- with an incredibly moving and succinct payoff.
The small patches of rainbow colours on the two mean kids are a nice touch (a dangling belt end for Mary, and the sweater with thin stripes for Jason).
As is having Hagelberger's Trevor with Pinky behind the dumpster change his posture from legs crossed (as seen in the production stills) to the "pyjama party position". This adds so much more intimacy and sweetness to the scene moments before the cruelty becomes vicious.
Oh and what heartbreaking differences a couple of seconds would've made - Trevor would've gotten to express his feelings to Pinky privately at the dumpster.
Pinky finishes Frannie's sentence ("--- every second that goes it keeps on growing") in "Can't Wait", but can't finish his own ("Trevor, I am so ---") in the Finale. I don't know whether to laugh or cry about this.
I'm not a musicals buff or anything - it was only by the third watch when I figured out why the gym teacher wasn't in the curtain call. But this one is the only one I have ever felt compelled to seek out commentary online and in reddit (and disappointingly finding just one thread) and to write my thoughts.
Thank you again to the creatives, the actors, and everyone else who was part of this production, filming and recording. I do wish "Endless Love" was part of the soundtrack, though I understand likely why it wasn't.
The libretto in case anyone was wondering can be found in a reddit thread and available on issuu.
