Me & Ella NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (41)
See it if you enjoy great singing. MAE is more of a concert than a piece of theater. Andrea weaves her story and Ella's bio, not always successfully.
Don't see it if you want coherent story-telling. The 2 threads get tangled. Songs are mostly wonderful, but not all. Selection should be carefully weighed. Read more
See it if Wonderful music by Andrea F. and jazz trio. Good portrayal of Ella. Parallel story of a young woman following in Ella's footsteps.
Don't see it if The story is disjointed, the bio too worshipful, and the characters are shallow with little conflict or struggle. Music-A. Story-C.
Critic Reviews (7)
"Frierson is not imitating but paying tribute to the great lady as she intertwines her own life in music and theater, giving insightful information about Ella...The ease and love with which Frierson performs makes her immediately likable...There needs to be better definition going forward as the lives of Ella and Andrea unfold side by side, lest this be thought of as an embellished cabaret show rather than a theater piece."
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"Provides the perfect blast of nostalgia to revive your love for Ella Fitzgerald...Frierson punctuates her storytelling with songs from Fitzgerald’s career that resonate with the moment she’s narrating. Frierson’s gorgeous voice and sparkling stage presence allow the show to shift seamlessly from song to story, creating an immersive experience that covers the breadth of her experiences and Ella Fitzgerald’s life through artistry."
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"Tribute shows are done exponentially, but rarely to the level of quality demonstrated by Ms. Frierson in her warm and winning solo show...Although it lacks intense dramatic stakes, Frierson’s story is worth hearing...Directors Murphy Criss and Paul Kreppel lend gentle touches to both the material and their leading lady by keeping the memoir floating along at a brisk 80-minute pace...As it stands now, it is in excellent form."
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“Ms. Frierson does not imitate nor does she have the emotional impact of Ella; instead she gives insightful information about Ella’s historical career…What keeps this show together is the jazz trio, led by the incomparable Ron Abel…The direction by Murphy Cross and Paul Kreppel seemed a little at odds, as the show is not seamless. If you sink into the rich arrangements and the stylings of Ms. Frierson, it is sure to be an evening filled with musical highlights.”
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"Frierson’s notion is to intertwine Fitzgerald’s celebrated career with her story...The frequent effect is that the braided stories, as Frierson tells them, start stepping on each other...What’s problematic is that the comparison hinted at in the title gets in the way...Never mentioned are some of the most important Fitzgerald’s recording highlights...A curious lapse...'Me & Ella' would undoubtedly be better were it simply Frierson offering her own story."
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“The show is described as a work in progress, but it is already extremely enjoyable in light of Frierson’s talent and likability…Frierson has a potent voice, expert delivery and holds her own captivatingly, with songs well integrated into the text. The direction by Murphy Cross and Paul Kreppel keep the focus on target with simplicity…The overall effect is to both introduce an audience to Frierson’s considerable vocal talent and remind us anew about what a treasure Ella Fitzgerald was.”
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"Signature numbers...arrive with confidence and style. Frierson is a fine singer. She has superb control, a classy swing, mellow scat, and a long note that never pushes...The show is in development. At this point Frierson’s own story...intrudes too often with tenuous analogy in order to include certain songs...'Me & Ella' is thoroughly entertaining. Fitzgerald’s story is well told. Much of Frierson’s history is charmingly related. The artist can clearly act and boy can she sing!"
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