It Is Impossible To Underestimate The Magnificence Of Ruthie Ann Miles In ENCORES! "The Light In The Piazza!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                      When Ruthie Ann Miles enters from upstage right, the audience went wild.  Before she even sang a note.  And when she and Anna Zavelson go into the thrilling opening number, "Statues And Stories," the audience is off on a gloriously lyrical, operatic and insightful adventure with Margaret and Clara Johnson.

                          Director Chay Yew devises an interesting concept at the start.  As the orchestra launches into the overture, atop the set of Florentian like pillars, a group of ballet dancers appear to foreshadow what is to come, what the audience is going to see.  It is beautiful to watch, though does it add something?  Not really.  But it has a lovely, lyrical look.

                           This show is not so much a musical as a mini opera.  When Anna Zavelson sings "The Beauty Is," in Act One, expressing Clara's hope and yearnings for a future of normality, she breaks the audience' hearts.  And while Miss Miles does the same song in Act Two, it is even more devastating, as the audience knows she is not only letting go of Clara, but through this song, mining all this actress has gone through, including losing a child, then a miscarriage, and finally giving birth to a daughter named Hope.  I felt as much for Ruthie as I did for Margaret, and both do not disappoint.  It is to Miles' credit as a performer and a strong individual that she is able to perform this nightly.

                               Ruthie Ann Miles is the busiest woman on Broadway.  Aside from this, she gives, I hear, a heartrending performance as the Beggar Woman in the "Sweeney Todd" revival, which I hope to see on July 5.

                                For the unimitated this show is about Margaret Johnson and her developmentally disabled daughter Clara, two Southern American ladies, who go to Florence, Italy on a vacation in the late 1950's.  But something unexpected happens.  Clara meets and finds love with Fabrizzio Naccarelli, sung wonderfully by James D. Gish.  All of the ensemble and actors in this production have glorious voices, which Guettel's score demands.  In terms of design, the pillars, and moving frescoes and statues make the city of Florence come alive; there is even a nun in the ensemble, which I would love to play!

                                  Really, this is the best production of this ENCORES! season.  Had this moved to Broadway, of if it should, Ruthie Ann Miles would earn another TONY nomination.

                                     Those who got to experience the magnificence of this production have memories to cherish forever.

                                       It is what we audience members go to the theater for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!