PRINCE OF BROADWAY Previews

[BroadwayConcierge]

Bumping so this it's near the top when hopefully some BWW posters exit the first preview shortly!

[ABB2357]

Any news on the first preview? There are a few comments on the other board.

[Jarethan]

ABB2357 said: "Any news on the first preview? There are a few comments on the other board.

 

"What is the other board?

 

[jacobsnchz14]

Jarethan said: "ABB2357 said: "Any news on the first preview? There are a few comments on the other board.

 

"What is the other board?"

 

All That Chat, I assume.

 

[whatdoesntkillme]

I was there tonight. Yikes. Performances were good, but the piece really isn't coherent. Some sections are narration-heavy, others present song after song without any real purpose. Sets are cheap, rickety-rackety, not steady at all, just a little better quality than community theater. SO many ballads, since there's no ensemble to do big production numbers. Costumes and lighting look nice! But the piece doesn't really have a central argument. Its major issue is a lack of consistency in its vision and execution. And JRB's original song sounds kinda cheesy. I wish the piece had a bigger budget, but I'm glad it's a limited run nonprofit so that it's not a commercial flop. 

[ABB2357]

Indeed! Here you go:

Prince of Broadway

[whatdoesntkillme]

Here's the song list: 

Hey There (Pajama Game) - Michael Xavier (literally just a single line, and it's prerecorded)

Heart (Damn Yankees) - Brandon Uranowitz, Michael Xavier, Chuck Cooper, Tony Yazbeck

Something's Coming + Tonight (West Side Story) - Tony Yazbeck, Kaley Ann Vorhees

Tonight At Eight + Will He Like Me? (She Loves Me) - Brandon, Bryonha Marie Parham

You've Got Possibilities (It's A Bird... It's A Plane... It's Superman) - Michael, Janet Dacal

Beautiful Girls + Waiting For the Girls Upstairs + The Right Girl (Follies) - Emily Skinner and Karen Ziemba as Phyllis and Sally, Tony Yazbeck and Chuck Cooper as Buddy and Ben, Brandon, Michael, Kaley Ann, and Janet as their young counterparts

Night Waltz + You Must Meet My Wife + Send In the Clowns (A Little Night Music) - Michael, Emily

If I Were A Rich Man (Fiddler on the Roof) - Chuck Cooper 

Wilkommen + If You Could See Her + So What + Cabaret (Cabaret) - Brandon, Karen, Bryonha

ACT II: 

Company + Ladies Who Lunch + Being Alive (Company) - Michael as Bobby, Emily as Joanne, Kaley Ann, Brandon, Chuck, Karen, Tony as other roles

Buenos Aires + A New Argentina + Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Evita) - Janet as Eva, Tony as Che, others in ensemble

Ol' Man River + Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (Show Boat) - Chuck, Bryonha, Kaley

Now You Know (Merrily We Roll Along) - Emily [weird rearrangement on this one]

This Is Not Over Yet (Parade) - Tony

Dressing Them Up + Kiss of the Spider Woman (Kiss of the Spider Woman) - Brandon, Janet

The Worst Pies in London + My Friends + The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd) - Karen, Chuck, others in ensemble

The Phantom of the Opera + Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again + The Music of the Night (The Phantom of the Opera) - Michael, Kaley

Do The Work (JRB Original) - all

[ljay889]

How many musicians are in the orchestra? 

[whatdoesntkillme]

16

conductor, piano, drums/percussion, bass, guitar, 3 reeds, 2 trumpets, trombone, french horn, string quartet

[bk]

But, but, on the other board the one guy who saw it said it was the greatest thing ever and will tour and all that jazz.  Who ARE we to believe :)

[10086sunset]

Came out of tonight feeling mostly positive about the show.  

It felt like a big slice of Broadway comfort food. 

Some moments were stellar. Bryonha Marie Parham was amazing singing Cabaret to close Act 1.

Others were slow, as the Follies segment seemed to drag. 

Thought Emily Skinner did a nice job with her take on Send in the Clowns. 

Really enjoyed "Do The Work," the new JRB song written for the show. It was a really nice way to end. 

Hal Prince was there, standing in the back. He was extremely friendly and approachable. 

Is it perfect? No.

Is it uneven? Yes. 

As far as revues go, the material makes up for the shortcomings.

[whatdoesntkillme]

I agree, Bryonha's Cabaret was a highlight, as was Michael's Being Alive. I think some of the song choices are a little peculiar, but you're right that the material (mostly) makes up for the shortcomings. 

It was nice to think how some of these songs haven't been performed on a Broadway stage in years--alternatively, in the case of Phantom of the Opera, the same songs were being performed in two different theaters on the same night! 

[10086sunset]

whatdoesntkillme, I think you raised a good point about the narration. Your earlier comment was extremely accurate. 

"Some sections are narration-heavy, others present song after song without any real purpose"

[VintageSnarker]

So the narration doesn't really establish a plot or a story about Hal Prince's life/work? Because it's sounding like a 92Y concert with more rehearsal and some set pieces. I really like some of the performers but I'm not sure it's worth paying the price you'd pay for a normal show for that. It's not like a revue can't have some driving force... or at least more razzle dazzle.

[whatdoesntkillme]

10086sunset said: "whatdoesntkillme, I think you raised a good point about the narration. Your earlier comment was extremely accurate. 

"Some sections are narration-heavy, others present song after song without any real purpose"

"

Thank you! In the beginning, I really enjoyed hearing about the story of his career show-by-show! But then the songs kept happening and the narration stopped, and I was confused/disappointed. Then all of a sudden it randomly started up again, with Merrily being the only show in which the song presented reflected the message of the narration. 

[10086sunset]

When the narration is there, it does offer a fair amount of information and insight.

I simply believe the show would be better served with more of Prince's insights. It's truly the one unique thing the show can give us.

[whatdoesntkillme]

I want to know exactly how much of the narration is Prince's words and how much was written/edited by David Thompson (or Susan Stroman, for that matter)

[TheThreadMaster]

How was Michael Xavier's phantom? and does he talk/sing with his accent?

[mamaleh]

Does anyone know how this production differs from its earlier iteration in Japan?  

And who replaced Shuler Hensley from that version?

[AEA AGMA SM]

whatdoesntkillme said: "alternatively, in the case of Phantom of the Opera, the same songs were being performed in two different theaters on the same night! "

 

Though that's not the first time this has happened. Back when Fosse was running you had some of the same songs being performed right next door to each other, as Chicago was running next door at the Shubert at the time, as well as across the street from each other ("Sing Sing Sing" was also used in Swing! across the street at the St. James).

[blaxx]

AEA AGMA SM said: "whatdoesntkillme said: "alternatively, in the case of Phantom of the Opera, the same songs were being performed in two different theaters on the same night! "

 

Though that's not the first time this has happened. Back when Fosse was running you had some of the same songs being performed right next door to each other, as Chicago was running next door at the Shubert at the time, as well as across the street from each other ("Sing Sing Sing" was also used in Swing! across the street at the St. James).

 

"

And Cabaret too. 

[ljay889]

It also happened with A Little Night Music and Sondheim on Sondheim.

[Lot666]

TheThreadMaster said: "How was Michael Xavier's phantom? and does he talk/sing with his accent?"

Also, I'm curious what kind of set they used for the Phantom sequence.

[kdogg36]

ljay889 said: "It also happened with A Little Night Music and Sondheim on Sondheim."

One more example: "I Say a Little Prayer" could be heard in both Baby It's you! and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 2011. (Furthermore, it was in Promises, Promises the previous season.)

[theatregoer3]

Am I the only one worried about what happens when Robot Hal Prince inevitably becomes a conscious being and takes over? The words “a disaster beyond your imagination will occur” come to mind here. Anyone?

[LimelightMike]

Does anyone have perspective taking this show in from the Dress Circle? Looking for perspective as to whether or not the view is worth it... Thanks! :)