Some Thoughts on a Priscilla Preview Oct 17/2010

[sabrelady]

Posted: 10/23/10 at 7:41pm

I have hesitated to put much down as the show in Toronto is still in preview and it's not really fair to call this a review as there is still opportunity for change. So these are just some of my personal reactions to the show I saw.
From the moment the orchestra starts up the overture and the big disco ball in the theatre covers everything w pink almost teardrop lights- you are transported. Just like the stage curtain which shows a map of the journey Sydney to Alice we are noted to be "off the map" watching all these Oz (sic) episodes.
Listening to the original Australian cast there have obviously been several changes. One of the 1st was the opening number is now "It's Raining Men" before the OCR has "Downtown"( side note: the creators said they always wanted Its Raining but had been unable to obtain the rights,now a LOOONG time a go there was a little show in the Mirvish's Royal Alex called Godspell. It's musical director was a fellow called Paul Schafer- who also is the writer of "It's Raining Men" and now the Mirvishes have the song in their show- just a coincidence?) There is a MAH velous
Tina Turner tribute by Nathan Lee Graham ( What's Love Got to Do With It?) contrasting nicely w Tick's phone call to his ( aw hell it's not so secret) hidden son. Will Swenson's Tick was very touching as a man who can hardly believe he has this relationship and really doesn't know what to do about it. The song "I Say A Little Prayer for You" will be his recuring theme but I did find him a bit tenuous on some of the notes and wondered if he was saving his voice or possibly had a health issue with his throat.
Nick Adams as Adam/Felica is as camp as all get out, over the top is neccesary when you sing Material Girl in full Madonna garb but sans wig. He also seems the most proficient dancer of the three leads and his singing is big and brassy.
Tony Sheldon ( as I mentioned on the Toronto board) is in excellent voice as Bernadette, going from the goofy disco queen to a tender longing when realization that love may still be possible.( ok, the man HAS had time to get it right!) The courtship features a tribute to bygone glamour with "A Fine Romance" with an amazing Steve Scheps as the Young Bernadette. C David Johnson is good as that last-of-the-outback-gentleman, Bob, showing the inherent niceness of the man ( which is also in the film).
Priscilla- was ever a bus required to do as much? All the electronics that take her from drab to pretty to a DIVA, all while trucking down the road.( there is a throwaway bit about roadkill with the old "Skippy" theme that broke me up)
I liked the Sempre Libre number but if you remember it from the film, it's hard to recreate the same effect on stage but full marks ( and the audience loved it)for trying, it would have been missed if it hadn't been there.
Jaqueline B. Arnold, Anastacia McCleskey, and Ashley Spencer- the three SINGING Divas- these chicks RULE! Half the time suspended from the rafters these girls are the device that keeps this show moving seamlessly through (most) of the big disco numbers.
OK the costumes are everything you remember from the movie and they can actually survive beyond the few moments of film. There were some slight screw ups w the head gear. There was a side
ponytail that converts to a pom pom that came off unexpectedly which caused a certain amount of humour later when it seemed to be pinned under a set piece and inspite of repeated(casual) efforts did not seem to want to come off so they turned it's removal into a bit that got a great laugh).

Two things that were not as enjoyable for me was the"Floor Show" in Alice. It's basically an extended joke of watching speeded up versions of some of the performances/rehersals we've seen earlier The music gets sped up to the point where it sounds like the Chipmunks on speed. I can kinda get they need some time for costume changes for the Terrific Trio but it went on too long for me and the sound really grated.
OK in the original cast recording , when the gals are in Broken Hill Bernadette sings Both Sides Now, a lovely rendition as far as I'm concerned.
It's been changed to "True Colours" and while I "get" the "Gay positive" thing- I've just never liked the song and find it needlessly morose. Maybe they lost the rights, wanted to use what has become a (sorta) Gay anthem but i wish they'd used the original Both Sides Now, The Rose (Hello Ms Midler!) or even There's Got to Be a Morning After- another dropped song.( edit Morning After is briefly heard in the start of the Floor Show)

I know people have been concerned if this show is going to be too pricey but Ya Know? I think when people go out for a good time, this is just the kind of show they'll want, colourful, w incredible effects and costumes ( hey you see where you're money was spent!) and a feel good ending. ( if not quite what was in the film) I think this is gonna be a big ole hit on Broadway and more power to 'em.

On a final note, I did miss my FAVORITE line from the film and I SO wish they'd have found a way to use it:
"I've said it before and I'll say it again, NO MORE F*CKING ABBA!!"

Updated On: 10/24/10 at 07:41 PM

[alterego]

Posted: 10/23/10 at 9:03pm

You say the show is pricey. How much more are the tickets than other musicals now playing?

Sabrelady, you are all over these boards proclaiming the joys of PRISCILLA so I'm puzzled by the above "review" written as though you'd never seen it before. What's that about?
Updated On: 10/23/10 at 09:03 PM

[Urban]

Posted: 10/23/10 at 9:12pm

Nice review

Though the Chipmunk speed of the floor show was kinda the point I thought. Fast forwarding through two weeks of the story timeframe so to speak.

[Q]

Posted: 10/23/10 at 9:25pm

Now I'm curious what the ending is.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 10/23/10 at 11:21pm

urban I agree w the joke of the Chipmuck spped it just went on too long for me ( and I didn't see that hint of mint bit either in the rest of the show)

alter- price is a bit relative- the top price in Canadian $ is about $130.00 I paid $75 for a discount preview tkt I don't know yet what the final U.S. price will be.

Oh, and I am hardly "all over these boards" (@ least about Priscilla!) I posted one quick blurb about how much fun it was ( and I stand by that) w a nod to Tony Sheldon in specific plus a few mentions earlier about how excited I was to go ( and I was).
I certainly have not seen the musical before only the film, I DO have the OCR and so reference that only for the differences.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 10/24/10 at 12:06am

I am DYING to see this show, so I really enjoyed reading your thoughts. Thank you for posting them.

I love the Australian cast recording so much I'm a little disappointed to hear about all of these changes, but I'll reserve judgment until I can see it for myself. I personally love "True Colors" when Cyndi Lauper sings it, but "Both Side Now" was such perfection on the cast recording I'm having a hard time picturing this as an improvement.

/And I loved the "Downtown" opening....

[alterego]

Posted: 10/24/10 at 4:57am

Fair enough sabrelady.

[Urban]

Posted: 10/24/10 at 6:51am

Ah, I get ya. Sorry for being slow on the uptake!

I saw it twice, once in Melbourne and once in London and loved it both times.

I know the only stuff in London that was changed was all the little cultural references that where spread out throughout the show, but the English replacements where just as good.

Intereting to read about all the cuts, some don't really matter either way (Kylie for example - other then the medley it wasn't really that big anyway - just a few throughaway lines), some are 'interesting' (ie I thought "Downtown" really worked - but the new opening sounds pretty good as well).

sabrelady - I did enjoy your review. Thank you for posting it.

[Khashoggi]

Posted: 10/24/10 at 11:02am

Are you able to post a full song/scene and understudy list for the show, please? x

[canmark]

Posted: 10/24/10 at 1:41pm

If you're visiting Toronto for Halloween, check out the Priscilla bus.

A Priscilla bus (not *the* Priscilla bus) will be parked on Church St. on Halloween to promote the show.

==========
During the block party, the bus will be stationed just north of Wellesley St on the east side in front of Cawthra Park on Sunday from 7 pm to 11 pm., said David Wootton Church-Wellesley Village Business Improvement Area (CWVBIA) manager.

“We just got approved from the city and Mirvish Productions today,” he said excitedly. “Performers will be on the street in costume promoting the show.”

It’s not the official light bulb-covered Priscilla bus used on stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre, he said. It’s a promotional bus that will be pumping music onto the street with an army of dancing performers in costume spilling out.

Wootton said organizers will be out giving away tickets to Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical at several Halloween events.

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/Halloween_on_Church_St_will_be_frightening_and_fabulous-9334.aspx
==========

For those who haven't been, Church St. is closed to traffic on Halloween night and the street is full of costumed revelers--and people who come to admire and gawk at the costumes. Here's some photo sets I found on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hc916/sets/72157594362715213/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gustavothomastheatre/sets/72157622581892883/with/4062535307/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daker9/sets/72157622725735984/with/4071791685/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/15443602@N00/pool/with/4065568430/

I would expect to see some Priscilla-themed costumes this year.

Updated On: 10/24/10 at 01:41 PM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 10/24/10 at 3:50pm

Understudies:
Divas...Susan Dunstan/Elly Marie Marsh
Tick(Mitzi)..Gavin Lodge/Eric Sciotto
Miss Understanding...Thom Allison/ James brown III
Marion...Susan Dunstan/Ellyn Marie Marsh
Benjamin...Trek Buccino/Luke Mannikus ( actually I think the kids rotate in the role)
Farrah/Young Bernadette...Joshua Buscher/Jeff Metzler
Adam(Felica) Steve Schepis/Bryan West
Shirley...Susan Dunstan/Ellyn Marie Marsh
Jimmy...Thom Allison/ David Lopez
Bernadette...Thom Allison/ Gavin Lodge
Bob...Mike McGowan/Tad Wilson
Cynthia...Susan Dunstan/Ellyn Marie Marsh
Frank..Kyle Brown/Gavin Lodge

I think the song list may be listed elsewhere.
Updated On: 10/24/10 at 03:50 PM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 10/24/10 at 4:11pm

PRISCILLA - Song List. OCR

ACT 1.
Overture
Downtown
I've Never Been To Me
What;s Love Got To Do With It
Don't Leave Me This Way
Venus
Go West
I Say A Little Prayer
I Love The Nightlife
Both Sides Now
Follie! Delirio vano e' questol...Sempre libera ( La Traviata)
Colour My World
I Will Survive

ACT 2
Thank God I'm A Country Boy
A Fine Romance
Shake Your Groove Thing
Pop Musik
A Fine Romance ( Reprise)
Girls just Want To Have Fun
Hot Stuff
All By Myself
Mac Arthur Park
Boogie Wonderland
The Morning After
All By Myself (reprise).
Always On My Mind
Confide In Me
We Belong
Finally ( Finale)


Toronto production
It's Raining Men
What's love Got to Do With It?
I SAya Little Prayer For You
Don't Leave Me This Way
Material Girl
Go West
Holiday.Like A Virgin
I Say a Little Prayer (reprise)

I Love the Nightlife
True Colours
Sempre Libre
Colour My World
I will Survive

Thank G*d I'm a country Boy
A Fine Romance
Country Boy (reprise)
Shake Your Groove Thing
Pop Muzik
A fine Romance(reprise)
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Hot Stuff
MacArthur Park
Boogie Wonderland
(Floor Show Medley @ High speed)
Always on My Mind
Like a Prayer
We Belong
Finally/Medley

( flops down in semi exhuastion)








Updated On: 10/24/10 at 04:11 PM