SIDE SHOW at Kennedy Center- Page 2

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 6/13/14 at 1:12am

Wow, I love the look of the costumes & makeup! I love the period this show is set in, though I'm not crazy about the show itself.

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 6/13/14 at 5:32am

The costumes really are something else. The Geeks costume took my breath away the first time I saw it.

[JRybka]

Posted: 6/13/14 at 1:26pm

I have been waiting to see this again since I saw it on Broadway. I have heard they cut "Tunnel of Love which devistates me but I am sure it will be a great production non the less. I have tickets for the 3rd of July (matinee) cause I wanted front row balcony seats to get the full effect. (Plus they were less expensive)

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/13/14 at 2:25pm

We are seeing this next week with friends and am looking forward to it. I love DC and seeing shows at TKC. I'm not thrilled with the casting of the two leads, but will try not to prejudge. Ryan should make a great Terry...but there's always trouble with the male leads...they are very hard to like.

For the previous poster who mentioned how poorly it was received, it actually was received pretty well as far as the critics are concerned, but no one wanted to see it. We saw it and had to go right back as it was closing...and loved it both times.

Sad about losing "Tunnel of Love", as it was a great number and it gave the girls a way to speak about their sexuality. Perhaps it's done in a different way, but that number was great in the original.

[ggersten]

Posted: 6/14/14 at 6:39pm

bump as there is more information in this older thread than the one which was just started.

[RW3]

Posted: 6/14/14 at 9:17pm

Is it intermission yet? How is it going?

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 6/15/14 at 10:20am

Any updates from last night? ;o)

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 6/15/14 at 6:43pm

I got to see the first DC performance last night and enjoyed it very much. I did not see the La Jolla production, so cannot tell what has changed since then. But, I had seen the original Broadway production, which I'm a huge fan of. As noted previously, the "freaks" in this production have much more elaborate costuming and make-up. The chorus needs to change into and out of the freak costumes a few times, which is impressive. It was great to see Charity Dawson, who was great in Disaster earlier this year, as the Fortune Teller.

The biggest changes to the story are the addition of a montage related to Daisy and Violet's backstory - their birth, their abusive Auntie, consideration of having the doctors "Cut Them Apart", the assignment of their legal guardianship to Sir, one of Auntie's suitors, their move to the U.S., an attempted escape from Sir, and an encounter with Houdini (who has an unnecessary solo ballad). There is also a focus on the legal proceedings that freed the girls from Sir and allowed them to leave the side show. Other than that, there are fewer production numbers, which allows for the expansion of the story. Less emphasis is placed on the racial storyline with Jake - some of the lyrics in You Should Be Loved have been changed to make Violet less racist. Many of the best songs are still intact, with minor lyric changes. A number of new songs have been added, but I don't think any of them are better than what was already there. I was somewhat unhappy that Tunnel of Love was no longer in the show, but pleased to hear the melody relatively intact in the song Coming Apart at the Seams, which comes at essentially the same part in the show. 1+1=3 has been expanded to a big production number with cupids and cherubs.

The actors playing Terry and Buddy sound incredibly like Jeff and Hugh from Broadway and were both really good. This production makes it much clearer that Buddy is gay, with Terry at one point calling him a "pansy ass." All of the "Say Goodbye to the Freak Show" lyrics have been changed to "Say Goodbye to the Side Show." I guess it is the title of the show after all. I also enjoyed the recreating of Tod Browning's Freaks, which bookends the show.

Erin Davie and Emily Padgett were lovely as Daisy and Violet. David St. Louis handled the demanding role of Jake very well, although it would be tough to be inevitably compared to Norm Lewis, who was flawless.

Henry Krieger was in attendance a couple of rows behind me and was noticeably excited by the standing ovation at the end. All in all, I don't know if it is an overall improvement from the original. The missing production numbers were a lot of fun, but didn't advance the story. The added backstory is interesting and gives it a little more of a documentary feel. If there are Broadway aspirations, its success will really depends on whether audiences will be more likely to attend than they were for the original run.









Updated On: 6/15/14 at 06:43 PM

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 6/15/14 at 6:44pm

Updated On: 6/15/14 at 06:44 PM

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 6/15/14 at 6:47pm

Updated On: 6/15/14 at 06:47 PM

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 6/15/14 at 7:35pm

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 6/15/14 at 7:49pm

I noticed the addition of the Russian duo. Do Jordanna James and Josh Walker have roles outside of the Side Show? I'm making the assumption that they don't, as they are less likely to blend into other roles in the ensemble.

Can you just mention "Coming Apart At The Seams"? Is it still the same idea as Tunnel Of Love?

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 6/15/14 at 8:32pm

Coming Apart at the Seams is very similar in idea and tone to Tunnel of Love. It is the part of the show where Violet recognizes she is making a mistake with Buddy, and things start to fall apart. They are also considering whether to go through an operation to separate them. They are struggling with leading separate lives vs. giving up the one thing that makes them unique and famous. Where Tunnel of Love built to the big "Where is mine?" moment, that line is now "We might die!" (from the operation).

Jordanna and Josh do appear in other scenes as party guests, ensemble, and as a cherub and cupid in 1+1=3.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 6/15/14 at 9:20pm

Another great review from last night!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phn3gXqatTY

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 6/16/14 at 5:34am

Thanks! Once last question.. is the set the same as it is in La Jolla based on photos from the production?

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 6/16/14 at 7:22am

Based on the La Jolla photos I have seen, the sets look identical.

[bryan2]

Posted: 6/16/14 at 9:04am

They cut We Share Everything??? wow that was one of the best songs...very surprised...

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 6/16/14 at 2:06pm

That review by the Kid was really good. I didn't even know what the word "Powerful" meant at his age. I love that he adored Jake (David St. Louis) whose voice was powerful and for me the best in the cast at the La Jolla Playhouse.

Thanks to Menken Fan for posting the music list and more from the Kennedy Center!

Looks like there were musical number changes from the La Jolla Playhouse production most in the 2nd act which was where it was needed most as pointed out by the critics.

Act 1 has all the same songs except for one by the Brothers--"Brother! Brother!" which I didn't particularly like so no loss.

Act 2 has 3 songs deleted from La Jolla that were before "Coming Apart at the Seams" which as I see is sung by Daisy, Violet, Terry, Buddy & Texans. Have a feeling that this integrates storyline quicker from the 3 deleted songs: "Sideshow" sung by Daisy & Violet; "Almost as Famous as Them" sung by Sir (Robert Joy) & Texans and "Our New Beginning" which was sung by Daisy & Violet.

Looking forward to hearing more thoughts from people during the run in DC.

[ggersten]

Posted: 6/17/14 at 5:55am

bump

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/19/14 at 9:27am

I originally didn't have any desire to see this, but since most performances were listed on Goldstar, I purchased a ticket. Unfortunately a very large school group came in 10-15 minutes into the first act. They happened to be in the first three rows of the section I was seated in (including my row). As a result, waiting for them to get settled really took me out of the show.

I had seen the original production (sans Emily Skinner). I was in the 6th row center orchestra and what amazed me from that production was that Daisy (Lauren Kennedy) and Violet (Alice Ripley) really seemed conjoined. The two actresses were truly in sync. Although Erin Davie and Emily Padgett were quite good, I just didn't have the same connection to them as I had to their Broadway predecessors.

I liked the set and costume design. Some of the Side Show freaks were truly creepy.

The show ran smoothly. The one song I felt could be cut is the one Houdini sings (All in the Mind). It makes a point, but did nothing to further the storyline.

David St. Louis gave a very strong and emotional performance as Jake.

I think this production is very well done, and although the performances were good, I came away realizing I just don't care for this particular show.

[trentsketch]

Posted: 6/19/14 at 9:43am

An oddly specific question. Can anyone explain why some of the musicians in the Playbill have an asterisk next to their names?

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 6/19/14 at 9:49am

* Denotes Guest Musician

Same section at the top of the page on right

[trentsketch]

Posted: 6/19/14 at 10:31am

Thank you.

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 6/19/14 at 12:01pm

I'm wondering with the lackluster "Bullets" if this hits Broadway if Betsy Wolfe would replace Padgett as originally planned? Or what, if any, other casting changes may occur.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 6/19/14 at 1:31pm

There is a long, LONG way before Side Show hits Broadway. And the creatives are very realistic. First, it will need rave reviews at the Kennedy Center, and even then, a Broadway transfer is no sure thing. This might be a good piece for a Lincoln Center production, and then, if successful, possibly a Broadway transfer, but raising the necessary capital will be difficult, as investors will be asked to invest in a show with an unsuccessful history and no stars. Wait, I've got it. Cast Idina Menzel and Lea Michele as the twins. Oy.