Groundhog Day Free First Preview

[sorano916]

I won, too. And I took one for the team and got some separated single seats so that people won't have to work around leaving them stranded. Heh.

[a-mad]

Somewhat off-topic... but I just re-watched Groundhog Day (the movie) last night.  Damn, what a fine film!  I really want this musical to succeed.  I think it would be great if there were several successes this season, and not the typical year of 1-2 successes and a whole bunch of failures...

[ALittleFallofRain]

"Somewhat off-topic... but I just re-watched Groundhog Day (the movie) last night.  Damn, what a fine film!  I really want this musical to succeed.  I think it would be great if there were several successes this season, and not the typical year of 1-2 successes and a whole bunch of failures..."

Do you think that Phil's charm comes from Bill Murray's quirky / befuddled air? I don't get that same vibe from Andy Karl and curious how the character works in the show.

[BOM]

I won too. Already had tickets for May, but it will be cool to see the first preview.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

FallofRain, I agree. I love me some Andy Karl, but he definitely does not come across as a Bill Murray type. He's almost too conventionally handsome for such a goofy character.

Then again, we're also getting a Chinese-American Amelie and a Jenna Hunterson who is almost 40...both of whom are sure to be terrific. So what do I know about playing for/against "type!"

[Hamilfan2]

No luck for me either

[RippedMan]

To be it almost seems a bit conventional to have Karl. We could have had a quirky character man leasing role, and instead they gave the part to a handsome leading man. That already turns me off from the show. Like, oh, we need him to be conventionally handsome for us to care about him?!

[ALittleFallofRain]

"To be it almost seems a bit conventional to have Karl. We could have had a quirky character man leasing role, and instead they gave the part to a handsome leading man. That already turns me off from the show. Like, oh, we need him to be conventionally handsome for us to care about him?!"

Yeah... I mean, I'm excited to see the show based on what I hear from London, but to be quite honest, it doesn't feel like a moment in history for another handsome, cis, hetero, white man to be redeemed. Of course that's  outside of the scope of his performance -- which I'm sure will be incredible. I have really enjoyed Karl everything I've seen him in.

[Mister Matt]

it doesn't feel like a moment in history for another handsome, cis, hetero, white man to be redeemed.

You're right.  He shouldn't even be auditioning for anything.

[a-mad]

I don't think Andy Karl's looks matter - it's how he portrays Phil Connors that will be the clincher... and based on the London reviews, I'm hopeful he's nailed it.  Phil is a jerk for much of the movie (and I'm guessing the musical as well...) before he goes through his "redemption".  I disagree that a traditionally handsome man shouldn't be cast as such.  Bill Murray, while not a matinee-idol pin-up, was certainly an attractive leading man in this and many other movies in the 80's and 90's.  But I don't necessarily think that the shows creator's main focus was to try and find a musical version of Bill Murray for the stage...

[newintown]

On a similar note, does anyone remember the musical version of ARTHUR that was being peddled around back in the late 80s, early 90s (written by the creators of "Friends"? It hit a few regional markets, trying to make it to Broadway; cast in Dudley Moore's role, instead of a comic genius was... Gregg Edelman.

[Mister Matt]

OMG...I was just attempting to listen to the demo of Arthur last week.  I got through about two songs before I had to stop.  Despite the vocal talents of Liz Callaway and Harry Groener, it was just awful.

[newintown]

I didn't even know there was a recording with them, Mister Matt. I saw it with Edelman and Carmello (not yet married) and, even that long ago, thought it was just poisonous.

The music was by the then-husband of "Friends" co-creator Marta Kaufman, Michael Skloff, who had done the music for Off Broadway's Personals (also with Kaufman and David Crane), the theme song for "Friends," and little else of note. He doesn't even have a Wikipedia page.

The Times said it best about Arthur, when David Richards (aka Mr. Leonard Foglia) wrote "The score by Michael Skloff is second-rate Marvin Hamlisch -- and not the Marvin Hamlisch who wrote "A Chorus Line" either, which might be tolerable, but the Marvin Hamlisch who gave us the forgettable "They're Playing Our Song." When Mr. Crane and Ms. Kauffman's lyrics deal with matters of the heart, they tend to be mawkish; when they go for humor, they tend to be moronic."

[Mister Matt]

Second-rate Hamlisch is right.  Listening to it reminded me of The Goodbye Girl, but even less memorable (if that's even possible).

[Alexander Lamar]

FWIW, I don't find Karl handsome in the least bit.  

[newintown]

Mulling the saga of Kaufman and Crane, one realizes that it offers an invaluable lesson to young wannabe writers of entertainment - you just can't underestimate the value of a trust fund. These two wealthy young Philadelphians had the economic freedom to plug away at their writing for about 10 years of little financial success, until finally turning to television with shows like "Dream On" and "Friends."

[froote]

I have my issues with the show but Karl's performance isn't one of them. He is absolutely the highlight. 

[TheSassySam]

Does anybody know if there is extensive use of projections in the show?