Carly Rae Jepsen and Fran Drescher Extended in Cinderella- Page 3

[tmbyru]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 4:51pm

I guess Cinderella lives until June now.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 4:54pm

^^On the website, it says that it's running until September

And I was really hoping to see someone new for Cinderella in May like Sierra Boggess or whoever. I may try to get Carly’s understudy. No offense to Carly. She sounds great, but since I missed Laura Osnes over snow in January, I want to see a woman like her. But, I am stoked about Fran though! She sounds awesome!

[tmbyru]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 5:01pm

Fran was fun but can't sing. Carly's voice is too thin for the part.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 5:06pm

"I guess Cinderella lives until June now."

I predict that it will stay open at least through the summer since it is a good show for families on vacation to see.

Updated On: 3/13/14 at 05:06 PM

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 10:53pm

Decided to rush the show for tonight since it was the only night I could during my vacation. It was BITTER cold this morning and the walk from the place I was staying was pretty miserable with all the wind. We got to the box office around 10:10 or around that time, but after 10:00 (Which was when the Box office was supposed to open). There was a small line outside and after a couple of minutes we were lead in. There were about 5 people ahead of us, not sure how many were behind- but we got 2 tickets 3rd row orchestra off to the side and the view was perfect! From the angle we had, you could not only see the stage but off stage too and could watch all the goings ons in the wings. It was funny, a lady tried to get student rush with her daughter's high school ID. when the women at the box office informed her that it was only College Students, she tried to argue it but the woman would not budge and told her "If we gave student rush to all the high school kids that came here, we wouldn't make any money."
On to the show, Carly Rae seemed to whisper most of the score, it was pretty boring to watch really and she seemed uncomfortable. I mean, her singing has passable, but nothing more- it was hard to hear a lot of her words. Her acting was okay, though some of her choices were a little off. Fran Drescher basically played herself, and attempted mean, but did not quite succeed. Many of her line deliveries were odd, but I still loved her- I mean, it’s Fran Drescher! She was trying, it just came off really forced. She dosen’t have much of a voice (speaking or singing) but you could tell she was really trying. Joe Carroll was B-O-R-I-N-G for most of the show. He was flat a lot and it just was not working. However, he did improve a little in act 2, as did Carly. Ann Harada was wonderful as usual and Stephanie Gibson was surprisingly great too. Todd Buonopane was pretty great as Jean-Michel too. I really do miss the OBC soo much! As many have said, Victoria Clark steals the show, and was spectacular as always! During ‘It’s Possible’ her flying was cut and she just came back on stage and stood next to the coach and sung- however, she did fly in ‘Music in You’ during the wedding. I did not stage door because it was pretty cold, and I knew that Fran wouldn’t be signing or anything.

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 11:00pm

@Darreyl102..a little OT but i had no idea the office didn't accept high school student ID's? i remember back in 2008/2009 when i started rushing shows (and was in high school) i was able to get a ticket with my h/s ID. hmm.

Also, so, now Cinderella is following their rules and making it student rush only? lol. i had thought it was student rush since their website AND playbill.com both state student but my friend has told me several times that it's been general for the past few months, not to mention, I've seen adults rush the show and get rush priced tickets...2, at that, when their website also says 1 per ID. wonder if they've been cracking down since fran and carly joined the show?

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 11:10pm

Those adults could still be college students- my mother who is 54 and is a college student LOL, and we both got tickets. Not sure, if its 1 or 2 per ID, we just told the lady we wanted two student rush tickets and showed both our IDs.

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 11:14pm

@Darreyl102 - yeah i realize there are tons of adults who are students but they weren't asked for ID when i was there, and neither was i. sorry, forgot to mention that in my original post.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 11:16pm

Also I must saying be soo close to Andy Mills in his Fox costume made me swoon. He and Cody Williams (But especially Andy) fill out those leotards quite nicely- especially in the front! I haven’t be soo drawn to a man’s area since the last time I watch Labyrinth. That Boy's got talent.

Updated On: 3/14/14 at 11:16 PM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 12:59am

You're entitled to your opinion, but I disagree, especially when it comes to Joe Carroll, who is exquisite in my point of view.

A BWW user said: "Why is everyone talking about Carly Rae and Fran Drescher when the real new star of the show is Joe Carroll! His Prince Topher is sweet, funny and well-sung. I liked him more than Santino and it was the most developed I have ever felt that character. He had an easy chemistry with Carly, which greatly helped her performance too.

As for Drescher: her voice was completely shot. She sounded like Joan Rivers and her singing voice evoked a less lyrical Hermione Gingold. She's simply playing a mixture of herself and the Nanny, which is what the audience wanted to see anyway. She even incorporates her signature laughter into the show. The good news is that she's having a blast and really livens up the proceedings.

Carly Rae gets off to quite a shaky start. Her singing voice is not ideal for this music; it's thin/heavily amplified, breathy and she sings her vowels with a poppy twang. In My Own Little Corner was rough, but once she got through it she seemed to settle into the role and it was her acting that finally won me over rather than her singing. She is very game for trying anything and have a nice presence onstage. She lets down the score a bit, but she sings on pitch and it's not enough to ruin the numbers or anything.

Victoria Clark was a true pro tonight. So alive and vivacious. I know Drescher is the star replacement, but come on. You shouldn't have her bow after Victoria Clark.

The show still is what it is, and I will never fully embrace this new book. DCB's book was met with tepid laughter from the few who were in theater tonight. The rear mezz has been curtained off and the rest of the mezz was a ghost town. I don't know how much longer this one is going to be around.

Overall it felt a little messy, but that quality began to play its favor, like you were rooting for the scrappy team to win the little league game"

-Ben

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 4:21am

Just posted 'A Lovely Night' from Tonight's performance.
A Lovely Night

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 5:21am

I have also posted 'In My Own Little Corner' and 'Ten Minutes ago' too. Hopefully these videos will help demonstrate what I meant in my review of the show.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 3/16/14 at 2:25pm

Darreyl, I'm loving your youtube clips!!!

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 3/16/14 at 3:12pm

Should I see Carly or try to get her understudy? A part of me wants to see Carly, but another wants to see a better actress as Cinderella

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 3/16/14 at 5:45pm

Jessica Hershberg is a great talent, and her voice is far more pleasant than Laura Osnes'. But I think that Carly is the best actress out of the three. So I say, see Carly Rae Jepsen!
I also happen to love the color of Carly's voice and I feel it works perfectly for the role of Ella. Jessica is a great singer though and definitely more suited to sing any operatic score.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/16/14 at 10:38pm

Interesting- I have seen all three and thought Carly was the weakest- but to each his own. if I were you, I'd see the understudy.

[charliebrown5]

Posted: 3/16/14 at 11:04pm

"Just posted 'A Lovely Night' from Tonight's performance.
A Lovely Night"

Sounds like Ms Jepsen was losing her voice. I can't believe she always whispers like that. (Does she?)

[jennaisjamazing]

Posted: 3/17/14 at 12:55am

I would see Jess! Carly really is so weak.. her voice just doesn't do this score justice. Jess is honestly incredible, her acting is perfect and her voice just soars. I mean, it's 2 different styles.. Carly is more pop-y and Jess is more legit.. Carly reminds me of Laura.. but either way all the orchestrations are in a lower key for Carly, and Jess sings them in the same keys as Carly, not the way they were originally written for the OBC.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/17/14 at 8:24pm

I Second that, for those who have seen her, does she always sing like that?

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 9:11pm

Yes, that's her usual voice and I think she sounds fabulous :)

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/20/14 at 1:22am

So that's the voice she always uses? Wow, that's a mess.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 5/12/14 at 10:34am

Well, here's CRJ singing Ten Minutes Ago on the Today Show. And I have to say: I'm IMPRESSED!
Carly Rae Jepsen Performs "10 Minutes Ago" from Cinderella

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 5/13/14 at 11:40am

Fran has extended till June 29.


Fran Drescher Extends Run in CINDERELLA Through 6/29

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 5/13/14 at 11:48am

Wonderful! It sounds like Carly Rae is leaving and we might get the new Cinderella soon.

[beltingbaritone]

Posted: 5/13/14 at 3:12pm

I read wish they'd let Jessica Hershberg take over full time. I know they won't, but she was so wonderful and so reminiscent of Osnes when I saw her in the role.