Most people will recognize Hugh Jackman as the (sometimes unwilling) superhero Wolverine. A tough, heavily muscled, don’t-take-crap-from-no-one type of guy. After all, he did portray Wolverine in 9 movies going from 2000 until 2017, with one of those movies being a cameo as Prof X and Magneto were looking for mutants. I find that people often overlook his more creative and heartfelt achievements such as Les Miserables and The Greatest Showman; non-musicals such as Kate and Leopold and Real Steel; along with his voice acting with Happy Feet and Rise of the Guardians. And this doesn’t even include his theatre performances such as The Boy from Oz on Broadway in 2004 which he earned a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, and a Theatre World Award. There is so much deeper to this man than just muscles and action. He can sing, he can dance, and just last night I learned firsthand that he can tell amazing stories that can captivate an audience.
In The Man, The Musical, The Show, Mr. Jackman does not just sing and dance. He tells some of his life stories. He tells jokes. Interacts with the audience. He inspires. He speaks in such a way that you stay on the edge of your seat, hanging on to every single word. And his smile is absolutely contagious. He is a performer that enjoys what he does and truly appreciates the audience along with his fellow dancers, singers, and band. This is no celebrity just trying to play to the current crowd and then moving on to the next. He is with the audience throughout the entire performance and probably has as much fun on stage as we have watching him. It is also obvious in the smiles of those on stage with him that they enjoy being there as well.
I attended the Houston performance at the Toyota Center and was lucky enough to get a seat only feet away from the circular front stage; and I’m not ashamed to admit that as my friend and I sat down in our chairs, we screamed like 15 year old teenage girls. While we were not some of the lucky few who got a chance to interact with Mr. Jackman, we were certainly right in the middle of it. After the opening act of “The Greatest Show,” Mr. Jackman started talking to the audience, telling us how great it is to be in Hugh-ston (bah-dum-sh) and ensuring us that even though he was going to Dallas the following night, he is not a Cowboys fan. As he’s talking to the audience, a gentleman trying to find his seat catches Mr. Jackman’s eye and Mr. Jackman turns to him, chats a few moments, and shakes his hand. A short time later the man is coming back, maybe still looking for his seat, and Mr. Jackman again starts talking to him while an employee is trying to help the lost man. Mr. Jackman asks the employee his name, shakes his hand, tells the employee he’s doing a great job, then continues with the show. And this happens several times throughout the performance where he’ll be talking and interacting with the audience. He took a sip of a fan’s beer, took a selfie with a young girl, and after some joking around also took a selfie with a woman who had a Ryan Reynolds mask.
(My regular camera was not allowed)
And the night only gets better from there. At one point in the beginning, he talks about how he can’t say no. The audience reacts very adult-ish to this news and Hugh Jackman is quick to respond that he’s very good at saying no to those things. “You don’t stay married for 23 years without becoming good at saying no,” he says laughing. Then he launches into being an actor and that you don’t say no to anything, especially when just starting out, even if you don’t know how to do what they’re asking. His first musical role was Gaston in the theatre production of Beauty and the Beast, but he didn’t know how to sing. I won’t spoil the story but he does land the part and as we can all tell, he can certainly sing now.
He tells the audience that he’s a very indecisive person but every once in a while, he just knows something is right and he acts on it. One of those times was when he met his wife, the beautiful Deborra-Lee Furness. She’s the one who keeps him steady and when he was almost fired as Wolverine within about a month of working on the film, she patiently listened to him then told him to just do what he does, do the best he can, and don’t worry about it. He’s got this. And he certainly did. He sings the song they first waltzed to at their wedding at the front circular stage and when he’s done, he walks down the stairs, right past me, and literally 5 rows directly in front of me is his wife, who he hugs and kisses with the biggest grin on his face a person can have.
One of the more inspirational aspects of the show came when he described a heartbreaking moment in his life as a child. He felt at his lowest and just broken. But he wished he could go back, and tell that boy that his journey isn’t over. And to reach out for the people who are going to lift you up again. I can’t write the words down that were said and even if I could, the power behind those words, that voice, the emotion, cannot be conveyed in text. Then he begins this absolutely beautiful rendition of “You Will Be Found” from the musical Dear Evan Hansen. The Lake Houston Chamber Choir joins in as well, adding their amazing voices to the song and really bringing forth the sense of community and strength within humanity when we come together to help each other.
One of the most entertaining parts of the night was the second half of the show when Hugh Jackman got into character as the great Peter Allen, the Australian singer, songwriter, and performer in which the Broadway hit The Boy from Oz was created about and which Mr. Jackman won three awards for. Mr. Jackman was flamboyantly amazing and entertaining as Peter Allen. Taking off one (literally) flashy shirt after another. But the greatest thing to happen during live shows, is when the performer is speechless from shock. From what I can tell, during his shows he picks someone from the audience and pulls them up on stage. He just happens to pick Miguel from the audience who confidently walks up onto the stage as if he’s born to it. Mr. Jackman mentions his confidence and come to find out, Miguel is a salsa instructor! And not just any salsa instructor, he teaches salsa at NASA. Yes. The NASA. Mr. Jackman is floored and the audience is laughing. They dance together, with Miguel leading Mr. Jackman who says he’s never been lead before, and I would bet this is probably the best time he’s had doing this part of his show. After this bit is done, he comes out of character for just a short bit in amazement that he happened to not only pull a real dancer out of the audience, but a dance instructor for NASA.
Need more reasons to check out this incredible show that you’ll remember the rest of your life? How about some tap dancing to AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck?” You read that correctly. Tap dancing and AC/DC in the same sentence. Mr. Jackman and his fellow dancers are just awe inspiring tap dancing to a variety of different songs but no louder cheering happened than when AC/DC started playing and they blew us away. The finale was the topping on the cake – with a drumstick in each hand, he did the Wolverine pose, slashed through the air a couple times, then says, “Let’s see Ryan Reynolds do that!”
After the excitement of the tap dancing and getting into his Wolverine character for a few moments, Mr. Jackman gets serious. Nostalgic. Patriotic. Respectful. He goes back to his Australian roots and on stage comes two men with didgeridoos and a woman’s voice, I believe he said her name is Olive, could be heard in the native aboriginal tongue of Australia as the didgeridoos play. Mr. Jackman is there using the drumsticks, hitting them together in rhythm with them. It’s just absolutely gorgeous to listen to and spiritual in a way. They are three aboriginal people from Australia that Mr. Jackman has met and have been traveling with him for quite some time. Ms. Olive is an elder of the aboriginal people and sat across from Parliament when Australia officially and formally apologized for the treatment of the Australian aboriginal people. As Mr. Jackman calls her, “She is the mother of a nation.” And it is truly an honor to have her and the two gentlemen from Australia perform for people all over the world and get a taste of their culture.
While he is the obvious showrunner, no one can forget the incredible dancers, singers, and band as well. He certainly does not forget them. He pointed out one of the clarinet players who is from Houston and had the performer play a solo. He also asked one of the dancers, the beautiful Camille, to come out and do a freestyle dance which she chose to do with the clarinet playing. He asked Shay, another gorgeous dancer, to come to the front of the stage as well, introducing her as the dance captain and for those who weren’t aware, also letting us know that she was in The Greatest Showman as well. He states he was in tears when she agreed to go on tour with him. He named all the dancers by name who did a short solo performance, introduced the band and composer, the pianist, the guitarist, the two incredible female singers, and thanked the Lake Houston Chamber Choir as well.
He is so humble and spoke about how he likes to take a step back and realize he’s only 1 of 7 billion people on this planet. And that somehow a boy from a small place in Australia, was able to become a performer in movies and theatre like he’d only ever dreamed. And he was so grateful that of all the activities we could be doing at that moment, we bought tickets and came to see his show. We took time out of our schedules, and money out of our pockets, to see him. And he was so honest and appreciative of that. He said he wouldn’t be where he was today without the audience and began “From Now On” from The Greatest Showman.
But here I save the best for last. The act that inspired us all to give a standing ovation. A performance so moving that I was close to tears and thought my heart would burst. An all-enveloping number of inclusion and the urging to following your dreams. “A Million Dreams” comes from the movie The Greatest Showman and while it’s a song between two lovers, who become husband and wife and parents to two daughters, and discussing the dreams they have together, it’s an anthem to anyone who has dreams of their own. What makes this one so special are the inclusive aspects of the performance along with just the sheer beauty of the voices and visual coming together of so many people. The first point to notice is they use sign language through most of the song. The second one I want to point out is that on the right side of the stage (as you’re looking at it) there are two men dancing as a couple. As Mr. Jackman sings his part and comes up the walkway to the circular front stage, the Lake Houston Chamber Choir walks down the floor aisles, lifting their voices to the amazing harmonies already in play.
There is so much more left unsaid about this outstanding show. More personal stories of his life, stories about the productions he’s been in, and more. It is hands-down the best performance I have ever seen in my life and I am still reeling from it all. I could have literally stayed for hours to watch not only Hugh Jackman perform, but all of the dancers, singers, and band as well. He is an incredible storyteller, singer, dancer, and actor. Even the 20 minute intermission felt like it flew by. It is a perfect blend of musical talent, comedy, emotion, inspiration, and more. Every performance is laid out impeccably with the next and the audience is left with the perfect emotional rollercoaster that leaves you craving more. I highly encourage anyone who is able to see this show. The Man. The Music. The Show. You will not be disappointed, except that it has to end sometime.
(The better pictures are from my friend, Jill Himmelstein)
The Geektacular Collective 