The Count of Monte Cristo: The Musical

You need to go into show with your eyes open. Writer, director and producer Kelly D’Angelo is certainly ambitious in undertaking to stage a Broadway style musical of “The Count of Monte Cristo.” There’s no denying the show has problems, most of which D’Angelo might have avoided if she had limited the number of hats she’s wearing here. Running the two hour show without an intermission is perhaps not the wisest decision The production suffers from a clumsy book and repeatedly plunging the audience into blackouts that a more inventive director could have worked out. But these flaws and others should be judged with some generosity. That this show is not a total success should be no surprise That it succeeds as well as it does, however is ... full review

#ChanceItLA - This is a true chance it. The music is beautiful and on the whole sung with great skill. It definitely has moments reminiscent of shows like Les Mis and Scarlet Pimpernel. I walked to my car after singing the final number. However, it does suppose a pre-knowledge of the story - so brush up before you go. It could use some cutting and the direction is clumsy at best. I would love to see this after a trimming of the script and in the hands of an experienced director.... full review

It was a Shakespearian experience: The story's the thing. I am inspired to go back and read Dumas' story of jealousy, greed, betrayal and revenge. The sets and staging were simple, yet effective. Musicals are meant to have large stages and this was no exception, but the intimate nature of this production in the small Lounge Theatre was very nice. Though the recorded music was at times too loud to hear and some of the songs and story were lost, I very much enjoyed that the singers had no mics. The pre-recorded music displayed the colors of a large scale production though I think a smaller ensemble of musicians would have been the ticket in this intimate setting. (But then, I am a bass player so I will admit to my prejudice against canned mu... full review

With book and lyrics by Kelly D’Angelo and music by Matt Dahan, the team who also produces, directs and musical directs the production, the WORLD-PREMIERE of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO: THE MUSICAL is based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas centering on the story of one man, Edmond Dantès, and his dark transformation into the antihero known as the Count of Monte Cristo who seeks against his enemies after serving 14 years in prison. The musical expands on the many motifs raised in the novel while offering a fresh perspective on the nearly thousand-paged piece of literature. Originally written as a three-hour production, thankfully the Fringe show has been edited down to two. Those not familiar with the novel, however, may find themselves a bi... full review

According to Wikipedia, there have been nine musical adaptations of Alexandre Dumas’ The Count Of Monte Cristo in the past fifteen years alone, leading one to wonder… Do we need a tenth? The answer, at least for Hollywood Fringe Festival-goers, is no, not if it’s Kelly D’Angelo and Matt Daman’s well-intentioned but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to transform the 1844 tale of revenge into a musical for 21st Century tastes. Click on "Original Review" to read my complete review at StageSceneLA.com.... full review

Rather than merely give us another shortened movie version of this literary classic, writer Kelly D’Angelo, who has read over six versions of the story including one in French, has no less than attempted to put as much time into creating the musical and include as intact a narrative as could be possible for stage — as did Dumas put into the actual literary writing. Only thing is, all that pre-study didn’t quite translate. Read the full review at Gia On The Move (official press) http://giaonthemove.com/2015/06/19/gia-hff15-reviews-the-count-of-monte-cristo/... full review