VANITIES UPDATES
VANITIES UPDATES
joanntom
Stand-by Joined: 4/17/06
#1VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 8/27/08 at 1:24pm
I thought that we could start a thread of he changes made.. As of last night theyve eliminated the intermission and the show runs less than 1:50 . Similar to the original play.
My friends are seeing it tonight. So we shall see.
Did anyone see the original WICKED or HAIRSPRAY previews etc.. I was just wondering how many changes were made on those.
#2re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 8/27/08 at 7:05pmDropping the intermission is a good move.
Faced with these Loreleis, what man can moralize!
#2re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 8/28/08 at 3:49am
I just got back from Vanities tonight, 8/27. Having seen the Theaterworks production two years ago, I was disappointed in some of the changes. Quite a few of my favorite lines/moments from the show were cut or changed.
This is pretty long and I am tired, so I apologize for any confusion.
SPOILER ALERT
-They cut a song that Mary sang in between the second and third acts. The song was about going to Europe and having sex and doing drugs. The purple lighting and smoke really gave it that '60's feel. I was very disappointed that it was cut.
-Mary had a line in the third act reunion where she asks herself (and I'm paraphrasing from memory) "Why am I here? I guess it is to see if I still like my friends." I liked that line because I have asked myself that question many times when I'm with friends I haven't seen for a long time and feel disconnected with. It was one of those lines that made me connect with the show and the character. Even though Mary is rather mean during this scene, I still had some sympathy for her because of that line.
-The added scene: At the Theaterworks production the added scene was the three women at their vanities telling about what happened later on in their lives. Joanne had a funny line where she said she found out that her son "played for the other team" and she would visit him and his partner in San Diego. I liked that line because Joanne is the conservative, naive one, and now she is accepting of her gay son.
Now the added scene takes place at the funeral of Mary's mom. However, during the transition between act 2 and 3 (and the beginning of act 3) they make it seem like it is Mary who passed away. They even have Mary disappearing into the set change as if it were a coffin. This was obviously done on purpose, but I don’t see why. It actually took the audience out of the scene when we discover it wasn’t Mary who died. It was completely unnecessary.
The three women go to the restroom at the church and in front of the mirror they reminisce about their friendship. They then dance and sing a happy song about friendship. It was strange to see that kind of a song at a church during a funeral. Also, Mary dealing with the death of her mom seemed really forced. She had a few lines, emoted, and then moved on. The whole thing seemed unnecessary.
The Theaterworks production ended with the girls singing a song and almost walking into the sunset with a big chicken wire set piece (moon, I think) in the background. That refers to the ongoing joke about Kathy always making chicken wire decorations. They reference it so much in the show that it was fun to see the chicken wire decoration at the end.
-The book was weak in places. The actors didn’t “fill in” the needed subtext at times. One example was during the third scene when Mary asks Kathy if she wants a drink, Kathy replies that she doesn’t, and then Mary says something like, “Just as I suspected”. Suspected what? An alcoholic? It isn’t referenced to before or after. The line just left me with more questions.
The sets were very effective. The music did not strongly enough reflect the time period. It seems like they could have made such interesting songs with the influence of the time period. None of the songs were stand outs, except possibly for “Fly into the Future”. Sarah Stiles was very funny. I liked the other actresses I saw at Theaterworks (Megan Hilty and Leslie Kritzer) better than Lauren Kennedy and Anneliese Van Der Pol. Megan Hilty made Mary edgy and rebellious from the first act, so it was easy to see how Mary could end up how she does. Van Der Pol seemed too young for the role. And I’m not talking about looks, I mean her maturity. I wasn’t convinced during the 3rd act that she was 28 years old.
Overall, I liked the Vanities that I saw at Theaterworks better. Hopefully the show will do what it needs to be successful on Broadway.
broadwaybelter
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/26/04
#3re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 8/28/08 at 4:07amWow! So they cut the intermission, then added two more acts?!! Crazy!
Mo3
Swing Joined: 8/2/05
#4re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 8/31/08 at 4:08pmA disappointing experience. I, too, like TheaterWorks better. I can't see this doing much on Broadway, but it's early days yet. As far as the acting at TheaterWorks - wow, way superior. But they have time.
stupidbeans
Broadway Star Joined: 8/30/08
#5re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 8/31/08 at 4:09pmMo3, it's still going to develope and change and get better
"And We Have A Shepherd's Pie Peppered With Actual Shepherd On Top" - Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney Todd
#6re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 8/31/08 at 7:01pmhttp://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-et-vanities1-2008sep01,0,7020612.story
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#7re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 8/31/08 at 7:07pmThank you Lizzie!
"I'm a bagel on a plate full of onion rolls!"-Funny Girl
HappyFingers
Swing Joined: 3/18/05
#8re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 9/2/08 at 3:03am
We finally made the trip down from San Jose and saw Vanities this weekend & had a terrific time. The only dissapointment was that Sarah Stiles who I remember was one of the highlights of the TheatreWorks production (& the only one they kept) was out last night, but the understudy did pretty good especially since I heard someone saying it was her first time in the role.
Anyway I think the review linked above is a little harsh; but given how many changes there's been in the production since it played up here, it's fair to guess that there will be a lot more before it goes to New York. As far as what I thought of the "updates" there's no comparison between the two productions; I enjoyed the one here, and TheatreWorks always does good works, but it's the difference between a regional premiere and a Broadway bound production (& if I remember, the TheatreWorks one got dismissive reviews; that's why I remember being surprised I liked it so much)
The new version has a more artful scenic design, a fuller band, two new performers who seemed much more solid in their parts than the people who did it before (Anneleise Van Der Pol especially is impressive) and two or three new songs that are great. (And for the record, someone above mentions missing a song that I don't even remember; a number about one of the characters smoking & having sex & doing drugs? Itsjustshowbiz, what were YOU smoking? LOL) All in all a fun Labor Day weekend trip and looking forward to heading back in a few weeks for 9 to 5.
#9re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 9/2/08 at 9:20am
^
When I saw Vanities at Theaterworks there was a transition scene between the 2nd and 3rd act where Mary sang that song about doing those things in Europe. Since the show was constantly changing, it may not have been there when you saw it.
It was much better than the transition they have now.
#10re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 9/6/08 at 7:20am
i think youre talking about "fly into the future"
which they did keep - it's mary's solo about heading to europe as a present from her parents, though they dont know it yet and how her mom is an alcoholic, etc.
#11re: VANITIES UPDATES
Posted: 9/6/08 at 8:17pmNo, it wasn't Fly Into The Future. As I stated, it was sang during the Act 2 and Act 3 transition. If you don't believe me, there is "evidence" of it out there.
