GROUNDHOG DAY Previews- Page 12

[evic]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 4:45pm

I think Karl is terrific but from what I have been reading and hearing from friends....this seems to be another Rocky for him.  Run 4-6 months at a loss and then die.  He will get his big shot soon and a Tony.  He deserves it.

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 4:57pm

I'd guess it's would run the summer and potentially in the Holiday season.  It has name recognition and the house is smaller than the Winter Garden.  He was fine, it's everything else that needs work.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 5:16pm

Newintown, you make a brilliant point regarding screenwriters adapting their own works for the stage. I never thought of it like that. Writing for the stage and for the screen are two totally different animals, and I can't name many people who successfully pulled off both. I just didn't put 2+2 together!

Another guilty party: Barry Levinson for Diner.

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 5:52pm

Look at the seats avail a few days out, then compare that to ANASTASIA and CHARLIE ... That should be a big enough red flag that GROUNDHOG is in trouble... I've been worried about it for months... I mean it's already on GOLDSTAR! Oy...

Wish they had done a better job with the promotion...

[jbird5]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 5:59pm

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "Newintown, you make a brilliant point regarding screenwriters adapting their own works for the stage. I never thought of it like that. Writing for the stage and for the screen are two totally different animals, and I can't name many people who successfully pulled off both. I just didn't put 2+2 together!

Another guilty party: Barry Levinson for Diner.

 

"

Still, I bet it would have turned out better if Harold Ramis had been involved.

[EvanK]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 8:49pm

Skimbleshanks2 said: "Look at the seats avail a few days out, then compare that to ANASTASIA and CHARLIE ... That should be a big enough red flag that GROUNDHOG is in trouble... I've been worried about it for months... I mean it's already on GOLDSTAR! Oy...

Wish they had done a better job with the promotion...

"

 

I cant imagine this has much to do with the promotion... I just don't think anyone really cares about Groundhog Day... it was a cute film, but does it really scream "make me a musical" to anyone? Broadway is expensive and people are going to go to the shows that actually seem worthy of being on Broadway. 

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 8:54pm

I wonder what will close first, this or IN TRANSIT?

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 8:55pm

ACL2006 said: "I wonder what will close first, this or IN TRANSIT?"

At the rate it's going, Phantom, Hamilton, Wicked, Mormon, and Aladdin will all close before In Transit.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 8:56pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "ACL2006 said: "I wonder what will close first, this or IN TRANSIT?"

At the rate it's going, Phantom, Hamilton, Wicked, Mormon, and Aladdin will all close before In Transit.

 

"

LOL. 

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 8:59pm

This was a massive disappointment for me. I adore Tim Minchin, and thought this idea had great potential. This show has no focus. It has no idea where it's trying to go, or what it really cares about. The score is shockingly bland. Phil is just some asshole, and I didn't particularly care for him to get better. The women are barely characters, but the attempt to fix this by shoehorning in songs (about what they want in men/love?) does nothing to help. It just keeps the show unfocused. There's not much of a design concept at work besides, like, turntables? Really expected some more inventive staging for this story. More than anything, it's boring. It felt endless, and had very few genuine laughs. As newintown pointed out, it's almost always a mistake to get the screenwriter to write a book without any theater experience. 

 

Better luck with the next one, Tim. The sophomore slump happens to many of the best. 

[FrontLtGuy]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 11:16pm

Scarywarhol said: "This was a massive disappointment for me. I adore Tim Minchin, and thought this idea had great potential. This show has no focus. It has no idea where it's trying to go, or what it really cares about. The score is shockingly bland. Phil is just some asshole, and I didn't particularly care for him to get better. The women are barely characters, but the attempt to fix this by shoehorning in songs (about what they want in men/love?) does nothing to help. It just keeps the show unfocused. There's not much of a design concept at work besides, like, turntables? Really expected some more inventive staging for this story. More than anything, it's boring. It felt endless, and had very few genuine laughs. As newintown pointed out, it's almost always a mistake to get the screenwriter to write a book without any theater experience. 

 

Better luck with the next one, Tim. The sophomore slump happens to many of the best. 

 

"

Couldn't disagree more with every single thing you've listed. 

its GROUNDHOG DAY people....how deep do you expect it to go?! Stop dooming it for not being whatever your expectations are... it works and makes sense for the story that it is! If it's not for you then so be it, but none of you kow how long the show will last. It's not the next Hamilton or DEH and it's not trying g to be!!

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 11:30pm

I like plenty of frivolous musical comedies that work on their own terms. This show, in my opinion, does not come within spitting distance of working. 

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 11:35pm

Outside of Rocky, 21st Century, and Groundhog, did Andy Karl have some big breakout role that made everyone go crazy for him? I don't get the appeal and I'm assuming it comes from some other star-making performance. It may just be personal preference. I don't know. He's definitely working hard in this show and I give him a lot of credit for it!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 12:40am

Saw this tonight via the lottery (amazing mid-mezz seat. Perfect view.) And I LOVED it. I'm not a huge Minchin fan. I thought Matilda was great because of the staging and thought the songs served it well, but by no means was I ravaged by the score. But I loved the music here. I tend to like the singer-songwriter type stuff, it's what I tend to listen to, so I liked how simple a lot of the songs were and I thought they suited the characters and the show. I'm glad there were no American Idol type songs, or whatever. I thought Rita's "Prince" number towards the end of Act 1 was a highlight. Brilliant lyrics and gorgeous melody. I need to hear that song again. And I loved "Playing Nancy" and the Doctor's Song - again, brilliant lyrics. 

I've never seen the movie, but I thought the show had total focus and drive. I was never bored or found myself wandering away from it. I think "Playing Nancy" and Ned's song both served a great purpose, and also highlighted the show from Phil's perspective. He's getting to know these people, as we are. 

Barrett Doss was remarkable. She was so effortless in everything she did. Her voice is gorgeous, and she just has a great presence. 

Andy Karl really had the audience in the palm of his hand. I think he really delivered - although I think he might have been a bit off vocally - but he still was 100% into it. And loved his Act II solos. 

I think Warchus does incredible work. I love his sense of staging and design. I thought the direction was flawless. A lot of fun to watch and so inventive. I mean the Groundhog walking around? Hilarious and genius. I loved how high tech and yet so low tech the whole show was. I loved how trippy a lot of the sequences were. And I'm not sure what you'd cut? I think Ned's song brought about a really cathartic moment for Phil. And I think Nancy's song is pretty, and shows a nice counterpoint to the other female character, Rita. 

I just thought it was all brilliant, and I will def. be going back again to see how much better it gets. The whole cast is phenomenal. 

And just on a side note: I loved that their was an interracial relationship at the core of the show, yet it had nothing to do with race, and the fact that a "bigger" girl was involved and not once did she complain about her size, or the fact that a gay character was in the show and not once was he criticized or had to have a "coming out" moment. Really a leap forward for entertainment. 

Updated On: 3/29/17 at 12:40 AM

[HSky]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 4:50am

newintown said: "Danny Rubin has one successful movie credit to his name (Groundhog Day) and that credit was twenty-four years ago. He has no theatre credits at all. Why would one expect him to create a hit multi-million dollar show? That kind of thinking isn't optimistic, it's just foolish."

Speaking of Danny Rubin, here's an article from Vulture about him and Groundhog Day: http://www.vulture.com/2017/03/danny-rubin-groundhog-day-musical.html

 

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 5:21am

HSky said: "Speaking of Danny Rubin, here's an article from Vulture about him and Groundhog Day: http://www.vulture.com/2017/03/danny-rubin-groundhog-day-musical.html"

Great article! That makes me want it to succeed even more...

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 7:46am

HSky said: "newintown said: "Danny Rubin has one successful movie credit to his name (Groundhog Day) and that credit was twenty-four years ago. He has no theatre credits at all. Why would one expect him to create a hit multi-million dollar show? That kind of thinking isn't optimistic, it's just foolish."

Speaking of Danny Rubin, here's an article from Vulture about him and Groundhog Day: http://www.vulture.com/2017/03/danny-rubin-groundhog-day-musical.html


"

Thanks for posting - super interesting read. Danny Rubin sounds like a great guy, I hope Groundhog Day the musical finds as much success as the movie did.

Updated On: 3/29/17 at 07:46 AM

[newintown]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 8:09am

theatergoer 3 asked, "Outside of Rocky, 21st Century, and Groundhog, did Andy Karl have some big breakout role that made everyone go crazy for him?"

I first heard of him in 2005, when he made a pretty good splash in Altar Boyz (as the sexy boy). In 2007, he played the sexy UPS guy in Legally Blonde, which got him more attention. And he was good in the 2012 revival of Drood. He was in Nine To Five, but I don't recall him in that.

I see that he was a replacement in Saturday Night Fever and an understudy in the Off Broadway Saturday Night back in 2000; I don't know what he did between then and 2005.

[djoko84]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 8:41am

Skimbleshanks2 said: "Look at the seats avail a few days out, then compare that to ANASTASIA and CHARLIE ... That should be a big enough red flag that GROUNDHOG is in trouble... I've been worried about it for months... I mean it's already on GOLDSTAR! Oy...

Wish they had done a better job with the promotion...

 

"

You can't compare GD to Charlie and Anastasia. Charlie and Anastasia both have big built-in family followings that tourists go crazy for. You can put crap like Finding Neverland on Broadway and still run for a while because of that following.

 

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 8:53am

"You can put crap like Finding Neverland on Broadway and still run for a while because of that following."

 

Uh, Finding Neverland was a hell of a lot more enjoyable than the things that win critical praise and awards and are ordeals to sit through like Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, and the unendurable Sunday in the Park With George. And unlike these --- and Groundhog Day ---  Finding Neverland had good music!
 

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 9:58am

No. No, it didn't 

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 10:01am

After Eight said: "Finding Neverland was a hell of a lot more enjoyable...Finding Neverland had good music!"

You're kidding, right?

Updated On: 3/29/17 at 10:01 AM

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 10:18am

"You're kidding, right?"

 

Nope. It had very good music.

[canadian fan]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 10:18am

newintown said: "theatergoer 3 asked, "Outside of Rocky, 21st Century, and Groundhog, did Andy Karl have some big breakout role that made everyone go crazy for him?"

I first heard of him in 2005, when he made a pretty good splash in Altar Boyz (as the sexy boy). In 2007, he played the sexy UPS guy in Legally Blonde, which got him more attention. And he was good in the 2012 revival of Drood. He was in Nine To Five, but I don't recall him in that.

I see that he was a replacement in Saturday Night Fever and an understudy in the Off Broadway Saturday Night back in 2000; I don't know what he did between then and 2005.

 

Andy Karl was in Altar Boyz in 2005?? That's crazy! My wife and I saw that show in 2005 during our first ever trip to NY. I had no idea he was in that show, I'm going to have to dig out my old playbill and take a look.  I have my tickets for GHD and am looking forward to seeing it!

 

Updated On: 3/29/17 at 10:18 AM

[newintown]

Posted: 3/29/17 at 10:22am

After Eight said: "Finding Neverland was a hell of a lot more enjoyable...Finding Neverland had good music!"

This is a strange day - After Eight championing a score of generic light Europop music, written by a pair of light Europop newbies to the theatre.