I was there Friday night. I thought it was vulgar and tasteless entertainment geared for the lowest common denominator of theatre goer. I am shocked, and disappointed, The NY Times listed this show as a Critics Pick. I love a good parody but this show was childish and not the least bit clever. The music all sounded the same and none of them could sing. There were audience members from the first row walking on the stage to go to the bathroom during the middle of the show. And then she came back to her seat the same way. That's who this show is geared for... people who have no idea what good theatre is about. I watched Saved By The Bell... I have a sense of humor... this show was loud and tacky. For example... the kids decide to make a spaghetti sauce to sell to make money. The secret ingredient is Schreech's ejaculation. Very funny stuff. It's sexually abusive to almost everyone.. straight or gay. It deserves to have Dustin Diamond in it... it's a perfect match. I found very little to laugh at. The theatre itself is filthy and sticky. Yuk.
Just got home from seeing this tonight (thanks, Jordan!!). It's no masterpiece, but its not trying to be. It's a fun, light parody, and yes it's vulgar, but to be fair its being advertised as Saved By The Bell meets Book of Mormon. I enjoyed the second act more than the first. Dustin Diamond's presence is completely pointless, but it just adds to the hilarity of the whole thing.
Also, I didn't buy anything in order to get to take a picture with Dustin after the show, and he gladly signed my program. Although, they were having a sale on their merchandise, and a $10 shirt was pretty reasonable, if you collect that kind of thing.
I was there on Friday night as well thanks to Jordan. I think parody musicals are very difficult to pull off and this one definitely succeeded. I'm a huge fan of the show so I got nearly all the jokes (totally forgot about Chief Henry) but was with people who didn't watch as much and still enjoyed it.
The songs were really funny. The cast was going for it across the board. I've got a bit of a crush on the Screech (not Double D!). The highlight of the evening for me was Tori (Scott, not Spelling). The actor who portrayed her (I won't spoil it) had me dying every time she was on stage. My one complaint is that it was a tad too long. I prefer my parodies to be 90 mins but I get the need for the intermission.
I find CurtainsUp review to be really off-base but do agree about the women in the front row walking across the stage to leave. A lot of the audience had little to no decorum.
"Pardon my prior Mcfee slip. I know how to spell her name. I just don't know how to type it." -Talulah
Surprisingly, my audience was really well behaved and totally into the show. One of the actresses (the one playing Jessie, I think?) called out someone for using their cellphone, but since it was on the other side of the theater, I'm not sure if it was part of the script or not.
I guess I shouldn't have said "a lot" of the audience. Mainly the woman who kept walking on the stage and the other woman in the front row drinking a PBR tall boy.
"Pardon my prior Mcfee slip. I know how to spell her name. I just don't know how to type it." -Talulah
I saw the early performance Friday night and my friend and I thought it was plain old fun. We both paid the $10 for a t-shirt and got great photos and a 5 minute conversatiom with DD who is not the uber douche I thought he was. Then we topped off the evening with pierogies at Veselka. Great night.