Saw the play tonight. First we were very lucky that Parsons was able to perform (albeit with a brace shoe and a cane) this being his first performance after tripping on the stair at the Saturday afternoon curtain call. Mixed feelings about the production though. Having seen the original off-Broadway production and the subsequent film, the performances given by Leonard Frey, Cliff Gorman and Kenneth Nelson which were iconic, resulted in the show being a shadow rather than a full experience for me. It was interesting seeing other actors in their rolls, but it is like trying to top Merman in Gypsy...no matter how good it is impossible to come up to the original.
Parsons, for me, is in the same category as James Stewart - no matter what role he plays - or how good he is - he is always himself. His persona does not get lost in the part and this is a distraction. Zachary Quinto does a very creditable job but it pales in comparison to Frey's tour-de-force. Robin De Jesus as Emory also had an impossible act to follow. Gorman was Emory and no one else will ever be able to top or even come up to what he did with the part. Kenneth Nelson embodied Michael in my opinion. There was a pathos that was mesmerizing in Nelson's performance.
The standout performance for me was Andrew Rannells as Larry. Charlie Carver as Cowboy was also right on. I am a big Matt Bomer fan, but the part is very low key. I think I would rather have seen him as Michael.
All that being said, I do think it was well worth it to see the play. Production was tight and acting good in all cases. I think I would have had a better reaction if I had not seen the original.