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"I've seen two performances so far--had to swap my Lane/Cornejo tickets due to an emergency, which was really annoying as they were the ONE CAST I really, really wanted to see this year. I will have to wait another year to finally see Lane. I saw the opening night with Copeland/Simkin and last night with Seo/Stearns. I have tickets to the Abrera and Murphy (+ Hoven) shows this weekend also.\n \n\n\n\tOpening night was much of the same cast-wise as many shows I saw last year and the year before and last night seemed to either have debuts or castings I've not seen before (not clear which). Luis Ribagorda and Gabe Stone Shayer seem to be on double duty each show I've seen and are both fantastic: Shayer has been the Cook, Harlequin, a Bee, and Russian. Ribagorda has been the Recruit, Russian, the Butler/Major Domo. It is so great to see him back onstage; he's lost none of the charm and presence from before he left.  Courtney Lavine was the Nanny/Sugar Plum last night and I don't think I saw her as this before--I thought she was charming. She also seems to be cast in everything and doing a great job. I thought Skylar Brandt was disappointing as Chinese on opening night (no crazy pirouettes at the end) but lovely in Nutcracker's sisters. Patrick Frenette was the Recruit last night with Catherine Hurlin as canteen keeper; not sure if this is a debut but he had a lot of faces going on that suggested he wasn't super comfortable with some of the choreography, even behind the eye mask. I have a hard time with the costumes for Snow and Flower--they are SO unflattering for so many of the dancers, especially flowers. They make everyone look like they have a short stocky waists.\n \n\n\n\tThe little kids opening night were excellent--they had all the cues right and the Fritz especially had that \"little sh*t\" vibe that really sells the role. I saw him onstage last night as part of the kids group and wanted him back in front causing trouble!\n \n\n\n\tAs far as the leads go, Copeland/Simkin were fine, passable. She lacks a lot of twisting and bending that makes the choreography, especially in her solo. Simkin had to save her quickly from falling out of the ending of the a la seconde unsupported pirouette at the end of the pas--though at least they tried it unsupported; Stearns, fairly expertly, made it look as if he let Seo go but kept her in his fingertips. I don't have the same anti-Seo stance that a lot of people have, probably as I haven't seen her in every role whether suitable or not. I thought she was very lush and lovely last night. She and Stearns clearly have a great rapport; he obviously enjoys dancing with her and is so much better at making eye contact and looking like a real person who wants to interact with her. He did a great job at making some of partnering look beautiful especially one of the first lifts where she is gradually raised (dead weight) higher as they spin in a circle. Didn't get a lot of that personal rapport from Copeland/Simkin. Anyway I would rather see Seo again over Copeland or Boylston (probably in most roles, frankly).\n \n\n\n\tI feel our repeated discussions of the torch lift have made a difference. Neither cast is doing the \"stop, leg up into the hand, hoist up\" nonsense. There is now a clear running jump and even if it takes an extra push to get the woman in the air, the lift looks SO MUCH BETTER. Perhaps they all needed to see Abrera and Hammoudi pull it off last year to have the confidence.\n "
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