SHE LOVES ME closes this afternoon - Three Photo Love Letters- Page 2

[afterthesun]

Posted: 7/10/16 at 11:19pm

Regarding the mustache, this collection of photos Nicholas Barasch posted at the after party today suggests that yes, Gavin's already shaved it! https://www.instagram.com/p/BHs0j9_Bupl/?taken-by=nick_barasch

I would've loved to be at the final performance today. About three weeks ago, I decided to splurge on a good seat to see the show a final time — I tried to get a ticket for this afternoon, but based on availability, I chose this past Friday night. This show really was such a treat. I finally watched the live stream all the way through this evening (I had been wanting to "save" it). As I said earlier in the thread, I'll really miss this show! I look forward to watching the stream again when it's back on the BroadwayHD later this year. At least I have the cast recording to tide me over!

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 7/10/16 at 11:22pm

I was also at the closing earlier today, and I feel so fortunate to have been there. The house was filled with pure joy and bounds of energy. I didn't see a single empty seat in the orchestra, and there was a pretty lengthy cancellation line I noticed on my way in. 

Each member of the cast received a healthy dose of entrance applause, and the set actually did twice as well - once when it appeared and once when the shop opened up. Laura was in such fantastic voice and really went all out vocally. And needless to say, the rest of cast truly delivered as well. "Ilona" was still my favorite number of any show this season; the way it built up to Jane's split with Gavin's soaring vocals and Jane's brilliant comedic touches is something I'll never forget. This whole production, though, was truly one that'll stay with me forever. Seeing Scott Ellis and Warren Carlyle as well as Sheldon Harnick and Joe Masteroff during the curtain call made it that much more special. Bravo to all. 

 

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/10/16 at 11:30pm

They should have had him shave it with a straight razor onstage like Sting in 3Penny Opera!

[nsguy45]

Posted: 7/10/16 at 11:52pm

Does anyone know if Barbara Cook saw this production?

[phantomcrazy14]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 12:05am

Four or so years ago a friend of mine told me to check out our local universities production of She Loves Me. I went in being a little skeptical about the little known programs show, and was blown away. I fell totally in love with the show and until this revival it remained in top 5 shows I wanted revived. The music just makes me so darn happy. It truly is a lovely piece. 

  This year I finally bucked up the courage to ask this guy I had liked for awhile, and I was so so lucky to have won the lottery for that night, so I took him. It's amazing how much the story and characters relate even in the days of technology. During "will he like me" I just felt my heart swell and experienced everything Ms Benanti's character was going through. Truly wonderful, and so happy it's been preserved

[broadwayguy91]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 1:02am

phantomcrazy14 said: "Four or so years ago a friend of mine told me to check out our local universities production of She Loves Me. I went in being a little skeptical about the little known programs show, and was blown away. I fell totally in love with the show and until this revival it remained in top 5 shows I wanted revived. The music just makes me so darn happy. It truly is a lovely piece. 

  This year I finally bucked up the courage to ask this guy I had liked for awhile, and I was so so lucky to have won the lottery for that night, so I took him. It's amazing how much the story and characters relate even in the days of technology. During "will he like me" I just felt my heart swell and experienced everything Ms Benanti's character was going through. Truly wonderful, and so happy it's been preserved

 

"

lol, I'm trying not to tear up reading this because I'm in public, haha, but that's a really sweet story. Did you and the guy end the date just like how Amalia and Georg ended their story in the musical? haha

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 1:20am

I've always thought that this decidedly old fashioned show had a strange resonance in these days of computer dating. The way Ilona says "you belong to a lonely hearts club!" is just like how someone might say "You have an online dating profile!"

I believe Miss Cook did see the show and there was a BWW story about it:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/INSTAGRAM-CHECK-Broadway-Legend-Barbara-Cook-Visits-Laura-Benanti-at-SHE-LOVES-ME-20160302

I think she's the only one of the original principles still alive, other than maybe Arpad.

[broadwayguy91]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 1:35am

This is truly one of those shows that is a timeless classic.....full of charm and warmth and wit - and has some of the most soaring and beautiful musical theatre soprano songs ever. I'm so so happy and grateful that this 2016 production was preserved for public viewing via BroadwayHD add Roundabout. 

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 1:53am

I totally agree broadwayguy91. It's pretty shocking a film was never made, and while the 1978 BBC version is charming the edits really don't do the material justice. This productions shows off its assets so well and it's great that there will forever be a record of the show for generations to come.

Here are some set sketches:

Original Production - 1963 (William & Jean Eckart)









Second Roundabout Revival - 2016 (David Rockwell)









I couldn't find any sketches of the 1993 set by Tony Walton.

 

[MyFavoriteBrunette]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 2:03am

I watched the live stream this past Friday and absolutely loved the show and am kicking myself for not seeing it in person.  The set was just absolutely beautiful in its retail setting presentation.  Having worked in the beauty luxury retail sector the past 22 years, the show brought me to th days of what retail was like before the omni shopping channels came to play.  I absolutely loved The Twelve Days to Christmas as it completely resonated with what selling was like for me back in 1990, it's so different now.  A Romantic Atmosphere had me in stitches!  I loved the entire restaurant scene.  This was a lovely show and I am so appreciative that it was available to watch at home, so I didn't miss it completely.  

[broadwayguy91]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 2:52am

I wonder if any theatre company has put on SLM and reimagined it as a modern day story ala You've Got Mail. 

 

It it would probably be a disaster  but at least it would be a disaster with beautiful music 

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 2:54am

I don't think there's anything in the text that would hamper such an approach too much. 

Although why use modern dress and settings when you can use stylish 1930s Hungarian imagery!!

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 4:00am

Sadly, I haven't seen any evidence that Barbara Cook saw this revival of ''She Loves Me''. Yes, there is an Instagram photo of Cook with Benanti. But contrary to the BroadwayWorld headline, I am told that that photo was taken at Roundabout's Spring Gala in February at the Waldorf-Astoria, not backstage at Studio 54. (In the caption, Benanti says she got to welcome Cook to the stage, where Cook got to ''SLAY it like the Queen she is.'' That doesn't sound like something Benanti would've done at Studio 54.)

Updated On: 7/11/16 at 04:00 AM

[JJC]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 5:44am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/INSTAGRAM-CHECK-Broadway-Legend-Barbara-Cook-Visits-Laura-Benanti-at-SHE-LOVES-ME-20160302

[dissimilate]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 9:07am

Mr. Nowack said: "I've always thought that this decidedly old fashioned show had a strange resonance in these days of computer dating. The way Ilona says "you belong to a lonely hearts club!" is just like how someone might say "You have an online dating profile!"
"

Absolutely! I remember thinking exactly this when I saw it for the first time. The whole scene before I Don’t Know His Name could still take place today. “He could be seventy-five!” “No, the advertisement said ‘young man’.” “You haven’t even asked for a photograph?” Without the detail of the handwritten letters, I wouldn’t have believed that this was a revival. Especially since the dialogue is so well-written and snappy – I don’t associate musicals of that period with such witty lines, particularly for the women.

[10086sunset]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 10:12am

Zachary Levi is co hosting the 10am hour of the Today Show this morning.

Have to say he seems like a natural.

Impressive too, considering they closed yesterday.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 3:00pm

Here's video of Zachary Levi and Kathie Lee Gifford on ''Today'':

http://www.today.com/video/klg-to-guest-co-host-zachary-levi-you-re-not-hoda-722690115809

What a shame that Roundabout didn't shoot footage of the ''She Loves Me'' curtain call. Especially with Harnick & Masteroff there.

To JJC: You reposted the same erroneous BroadwayWorld story about the Cook-Benanti photo. If you Google Getty Images (or Zimbio) for Cook and Benanti, you'll find that that photo was shot at the Roundabout Spring Gala on Feb. 29, 2016 at the Waldorf-Astoria. In fact, Cook is wearing the same blue and black ensemble.

 

Updated On: 7/11/16 at 03:00 PM

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 3:24pm

Since some are sharing thoughts/photos about this show I just thought I'd share this ad I came across for a Broadway Concert done at Town Hall here in NYC in 1977. Just take a look at that cast!

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 3:48pm

I never saw the original, but saw the first revival 4 times.  I only saw the current revival once, because I am now an out of tower.  I loved both versions.  With the first revival, I was so excited that I was going to finally see it, that I never even noticed that the sets were low budget.  The performances were great, as they were in this revival.  

There re were four things I liked more in that revival, none of them significantly so.

 I thought that Zackery Levi was wonderful, but I thought Gaines was perfection.  He was the absolute star of that show, despite a great ensemble.  I was totally unprepared for his beautiful singing voice and wonder why he never did more musicals (I guess his Company experience may have jaded him, although he was in excellent voice the he two times I saw him in it).  When he was a certain age, I thought he would be the perfect George Bailey if the planned Harnick and Bock musical ever made it to Broadway. Oh, well.

i thought that Judy Kuhn was better than Laura Benanti, who is certainly much prettier, and has a gorgeous voice.  I just felt her acting was wooden.  And I was in the first row, so that feeling was not because I couldn't see well.  Her line readings were very sing-song and I never felt emotionally invested in her the way I did about Kuhn (or Levi, for that matter).

i thought that Jane Kraskowsi's voice was stronger, and Sally Mayes did no dancing as I recall, but I loved Sally's interpretation of the role;  and, as a result, I think her two solos are more interesting that Krakowski's.  

I thought that Howard McGillin's performance was much better than Gavin Creels's.  His voice had a more pleasant sound, and was stronger.  He seemed like an adult, where Creel seemed like an adult wanna be.

Had I not seen the previous revival, I would have still had issues with Benanti and Creel, but neither kept me from loving the show from beginning to end.  Other things made up for it...I thought the performers who played Arpad, Sipos, and Maraczeck (sic) were better than those in the 93 revival.

Thinking about it, I also thought the number in the restaurant was better in 1993, and I assume much of this is due to Jonathan Freeman's performance, for which he received a Tony nomination.

But I am still quibbling about little matters...the production of one of my favorite shows was absolutely wonderful, and I look forward to purchasing the DVD when it is eventually released.  

[MCfan2]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 4:12pm

What lovely pics! Thank you so much! Is it just me, or does Barbara Baxley in the original look a bit like Maggie Smith??

Jarethan, I loved the leads in both revivals -- though I thought Benanti was a stronger singer than actress here* -- but I am TOTALLY with you on McGillin vs. Creel.

(I say "here" because I think she's been a brilliant actress in many other roles.)

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 7/11/16 at 5:39pm

FYI: ''A Wonderful Life'' is not a Bock and Harnick musical. Harnick did the book and lyrics, but Joe Raposo did the music. ...

As for comparing the ''She Loves Me'' revivals, that'll always be a matter of taste. But Harnick says he thinks this latest one is the best of all 3 Broadway incarnations, and that's high praise indeed!

Updated On: 7/11/16 at 05:39 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/12/16 at 6:33pm

Theater_Nerd said: "

Since some are sharing thoughts/photos about this show I just thought I'd share this ad I came across for a Broadway Concert done at Town Hall here in NYC in 1977. Just take a look at that cast!

 

I actually saw this too, but didn't count it, as It was a staged reading, with some scripts in hand.  There was not a lot of rehearsal time, so some were better than others.  Barry Bostwick was the absolute star of the show (all charm and voice) and Rita Moreno was very enjoyable.  I did not particularly like Madelyn Kahn because I have always hated her singing voice (loved her in all non-musical roles, including Lili Von Schtupp, which was a comedy role).  I sorta expect Meryl Streep's singing in her upcoming movie to sound like (my opinion of) Madelyn Kahn's voice...she always sounded like she was straining to me.

 

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/12/16 at 8:04pm

There are recordings of that concert in circulation, and surprisingly Kahn is not particularly good on it. She almost talk sings parts of it. Laurence Guittard comes through the best based purely on sound. The orchestration was reduced as well.

How I wish there were recordings of KNICKERBOCKER HOLIDAY or THE GOLDEN APPLE as advertised "Upcoming attractions." Would kill to hear Richard Kiley and Guittard in those scores!

Updated On: 7/12/16 at 08:04 PM

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 7/12/16 at 8:48pm

Does anyone know if roundabout is having another musical other than Holiday Inn this season?

[Patash]

Posted: 7/12/16 at 9:16pm

What a wonderful show and a super production.  It's been a favorite of mine since I had the good fortune to play Mr. Marachek -- that's my avatar.