Shuffle Along previews

[QueenAlice]

Got it -- maybe they just haven't yet fine tuned artistically what they are trying to succinctly say about the social impact "Shuffle Along" had.  I find 'messiness' often comes because the author is trying to say 'too many" things.

[Scarywarhol]

I agree with both Kad and Smaxie--the first act is a fabulous crowd pleaser, but there's no reason to do the show without the second act. Especially, I think, for a director like Wolfe. 

[Mr Roxy]

Saw it last night as well. After the first act, I saw Wolfe pass by and told him we enjoyed the first act immensely. He thanked me and than went about his business.

 

The first act was a blast. The second act dragged because it showed what happened to all concerned after the euphoria of putting on a show. Billy Porter brought down the house with his rendition of "Low Down Blues".Audra had a solo as well but I do not recall the title and could not check the Playbill as the songs were not listed as someone else posted.The creative team needs to be able to get at least 20 minutes out of the 3 hour running time. 

 

This will be a smash but will suffer for a few months with Audra's absence. It should be classified as a new musical which unfortunately means no Best Musical Tony for it in June. It would get one in any other year but bad luck for them and all the other musicals opening this season with 1 exception. It could try to get classified as a revival but I do not think it should qualify there. It will garner a lot of other Tony's for individual achievements in numerous other categories.

 

Bravo and well done to all concerned.

[Smaxie]

Audra's Act Two solo is "Memories of You," a really gorgeous piece of writing.  

Here's Rosemary Clooney singing it, with Benny Goodman and his orchestra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26EVJzc0m8g

[Tom-497]

I also felt that Mitchell's number when he blackens only half his face was a good idea that didn't work that well in context. It evoked all sorts of potentially interesting relationships, the Janus masks of tragedy and comedy, the character's refined, real self vs. the falsified stereotype he portrayed on stage, etc. However, even as I was watching it, it caused my mind to wander back to the more memorable and effective Solomon Song done by Kevin Kline in the Wolfe-directed Mother Courage. Assuming my memory is correct (it may not be), both numbers appear late in the show, both involve the applying of make-up, both are delivered bitterly and ironically, and both even feature similar angular hand and arm movements.

 

One big difference is that, prior to the point where the song appears, the book for Shuffle Along has been superficial and cliched. There's an attempt to evoke deep feeling in regard to characters and situations that are barely sketched, and to hang weighty meaning on an exceptionally slight frame.

[Kad]

I found the l use of blackface here as compared to the use of blackface in LaChiusa's Wild Party- another Wolfe-led 1920s musical that explores some similar themes- to be surprisingly superficial. 

[Peter2]

Smaxie said: "Audra's Act Two solo is "Memories of You," a really gorgeous piece of writing.  

Here's Rosemary Clooney singing it, with Benny Goodman and his orchestra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26EVJzc0m8g"

 

It's a great song, now largely forgotten, and one of the reasons I'm so eager to hear McDonald sing it is the wide, expressive arc of the melody suits an operatic voice just gorgeously. There used to be go wonderful old LP by Joan Morris and William Bolcom called "Wild About Eubie" that showed this off to good effect. 

[Mr Roxy]

Eons ago, the revue Eubie was released on RCA Video Disc which I had. Once RCA abruptly dumped the format I gave away the discs I had to someone. I never saw the show ever released again. Maybe there will be renewed interest in it now. We shall see. I actually saw Eubie on stage with Blake which , I believe, played the Ambassador theater.

 

At the end, Lyles mentioned films he was in when he was older. I was aware of them when I was involved with my Theater Historical Society but was not aware it was him who played in them.

[PalJoey]

 

Here's Ella singing it:

 

 

[Trish2]

Just curious if they are using this Playbill now, or the one that featured the dancers legs? Thanks!

[Mr Roxy]

Dancers legs.

[Trish2]

Thanks! Odd that they haven't updated that on playbill.com.

Can't seem to find the dancer leg cover shot anywhere online any longer.

[jacobsnchz14]

Mr. Roxy, Kritzerland will be releasing a remastered limited edition of EUBIE, which is also for the first time on CD. 

http://www.kritzerland.com/Eubie.htm

[Mr Roxy]

I was referring to the video but thanks for this info. For those interested, no merchandise was being sold. I am quite sure this will be rectified soon.

 

By the way, the 63 rd St theater was torn down in 1957

[jacobsnchz14]

Thanks for the merch update, Mr. Roxy. Hoping they sell online like most shows so I can get my windowcard. :)

[Scarywarhol]

I have not gotten to see Wolfe's other work, and this is in fact the first time I have seen Blackface employed live, so perhaps that is part of why I found Mitchell's solo more provocative and heartbreaking than Kad and Tom. I agree that it could build to something clearer, and something just, well, MORE--as I remember, it is quite brief. Noting the half-blackface as evocative of the Janus masks is an interesting observation. 

[uncageg]

It was mentioned earlier in this thread that merch wasn't going to be sold until it opened. That sucks!

[Mr Roxy]

I thought Shuffle had an open ended run. According to Time Out New York, its run ends October 9.Is this true or a misprint?

[jacobsnchz14]

Tickets are currently on sale through October 9; I had thought it was an open-ended run also.

[Mr Roxy]

Can not see the sense of assembling all this talent and after getting rave reviews closing up shop 6 months later. Kind of hard to recoup or even turn a profit if they fold their tent after 6 months.

[Robbie2]

TRISH2

[Up In One]

Final curtain at today's matinee came down at 4:50. Single company bow no individual bows. Loved it - don't know if there is anything to cut - when your in such good company time is not an issue. But I am sure these pros will hone it down. Any word on whether they used the week off to make adjustments not yet put in?

[ScottK]

It IS an open end run--stars have one year contracts

Only selling tix for 6 months--and will release more as time elapses

Of course, if show becomes a "hit", tix pricing will rise for later tix

[swestminster212]

Theatreguy12, I saw the April 1 preview and I have to say I had a similar reaction... completely bemused at some of the posts written earlier on this chain! Of course, it is Wolfe’s process to use previews to hone his productions considerably—anyone who is familiar with his work should have come into early previews expecting a production in process (albeit a brilliant one).

 

By my estimate, the show ran very smoothly, with excellent pacing—the four-day hiatus seems to have put to good use. There is a shocking amount of star power between the five principals, but inevitably of course, Audra and Stokes stole the show: the former for her flawless dance and comic timing, the latter for his showstopper of a number in the second act. I left very pleased, and feeling that the company is ready for opening night. 

[theatreguy12]

Nice to hear, westminster.

If I didn't live in LA I would be there to see it again.  I really liked it when I saw it on the 26th, and if they have made modifications, cuts, whatever to "improve" on it, it must be quite a spectacle.  Because it looked pretty darned good when I saw it pre-hiatus.  Personally, I can't even imagine how you would make it better from the show I saw, or how anyone could not like it.

Thanks for sharing.  

Now I can't wait for the window card to come out, as it wasn't available when I saw it.

[kade.ivy]

Mr Roxy said: "I thought Shuffle had an open ended run. According to Time Out New York, its run ends October 9.Is this true or a misprint?

 

"

Audra, at least, has a year-long contract. Once she returns after her leave this summer, she's contracted through June 11, 2017.

http://www.playbill.com/article/audra-mcdonald-will-miss-three-months-of-shuffle-along-performances-com-362398