Splurge on a reservation at Lincoln Ristorante, the lovely space right next to the Vivian Beaumont under the sloping green roof lawn. Pricey but yummy. Reservations a must, although they've sometimes been able to squeeze in spur-of-the-moment diners at the bar. The group-shouts in unison by the servers at the open kitchen are a show unto themselves.
I'd be curious to learn how many of those with a negative review of this show were seated farther away from the stage when they saw it. I think particularly regarding Lauren Ambrose's Eliza, being up close and personal was the ticket to catching the greatness in her performance. I myself was in the loge 3rd row center, and watched the show through binoculars the whole night long to not miss a nuance or subtle look.
When the OBC features a person of color in a role, any role, just imagine the outcry were the producers to replace that actor with a white actor. The anger would be loud and immediate (as it should be).
If you're only speaking of musicals (and NEW musicals at that), you're speaking about shows that have to take in millions in tourist dollars for years in order to break even. Did HEDWIG break even? Did the FALSETTOS revival break even? Did any of the LA CAGE revivals (hateful as I may have found them) break even? There's your answer in a nutshell.
Saw this production of Travesties last year in London. This would ONLY be a good choice if your husband is very into the Dadaist movement or Leninist history. Otherwise this would be an interminable talkfest that depends heavily on an appreciation of Oscar Wilde's Importance of Being Earnest to get half the references. We are devoted theater fans (and especially Stoppard fans), and this was a long slog even for us.
Regarding the choreography-- well there's a lot of it that is basically unnecessary-- all the skipping around during "A Little Bit of Luck" and its reprise, and especially the endless waltzing at the Ballroom long before they get to the new dialogue (cribbed from the movie), just because it's pretty, I guess.
The real sin in the choreography for me comes in Act II when "Get Me to the Church On Time" jams in a French can-can followed by a jaw-droppi
Even though their attendance in around 92%, their ticket price average is around $89-- which means LOTS of tickets already bought at discounts like TKTS.
I will say that paying full price 2 weeks ago got us the attraction of having our feet in the sand as we watched the show from front row center. It was easily the most thrilling, heartbreakingly lovely 100 minutes of theater we experienced in our altogether stellar 5-show weekend.
Can't speak to the producing skills at work, but MFL was lovely and lush and safe (except for that horrid drag-queen sequence in Act II), and never moved me further than with admiration for all their fine work.
OOTI was an absolute tidal wave of emotion from beginning to end. The tears flowed happily for most of the 100 minutes. This production singlehandedly restored interest in a forgotten (for Broadway) masterpiece with stroke after stroke of inspired direction.
We saw the tour in San Francisco starring Sarah Brightman, who was markedly miscast as Rose, who's meant to be a charismatic grand dame of the provincial theater. I knew how glorious the original Broadway production designed by Maria Bjornson had looked, but the simplicity of the touring production worked perfectly well for me. The show itself just never came together-- too hard to put up with the implausebillity of the various love stories to care about their outcomes afte
Though I enjoyed Ambrose's complete performance enormously, I agree her voice can be something of a problem in certain songs. "Show Me" was rather a disaster the night I saw it (Friday before Easter)-- weak, hiccup-y and out of breath for the most part. Her low range definitely needed help, though she did nail the high final note with ease. All the notes were there for "I Could Have Danced All Night" but not the effortlessness I wished the song had
So surprising to read that anyone would willingly opt OUT of singing "Someone in a Tree" in PACIFIC OVERTURE's original Broadway incarnation! As my screen name indicates, when sung correctly, it is perhaps the most moving song in the whole Sondheim pantheon. I chose it for that reason, as well as the following lines which encapsulate my years working on Broadway:
^ Strenuously disagree here. I thought the 2011 revival was dry, foursquare, and woefully unimaginative for a show that is all about imagination. Seeing the National Theater production in a movie theater gave me all the thrills and chills that I've pictured FOLLIES ought to have but never managed to get till then. I agree with you that the NT Loveland sequences were a big disappointment (and also agree that the Phyllis and Sally we had in New York far outshone their British counterparts),
Imagine a HELLO DOLLY film without the song "Hello Dolly". Imagine a CABARET film without the song "Cabaret". That's my response to anyone who says the film of SWEENEY TODD is a great film. Eliminate the title tune (and musical thru-line) and whatever it is, it isn't a great SWEENEY TODD film.
Of your list, I'd put WICKED and THE B0YS IN THE BAND at the top. TBITB is a stab in the dark, but the cast and director suggest it could be an amazing night. WICKED might be the last of the original (non-Disney) musicals to receive a proper mega-production-- large-scale sets and costumes by the hundreds, some witty, some hideous, but luxurious nonetheless. I've seen WICKEDs that left me unmoved and WICKEDs that brought well-earned tears-- can't vouch for this cast. But in th
How thrilling to read this recollection of Oh's. I well remember his Act II monologue describing a parable of tigers and samurai that I recall was a warning of the increasing power of the Lords of the South. But what I really remember was the beautiful movement his hands performed with a paper fan to illustrate the story. He was a key component of one of the most unique nights of theater I ever saw.
^ Which is little wonder since you're comparing the full-blown film musical to a bare bones Encores-style staging of CHICAGO onstage with glorified rehearsal clothes. Had you compared the film to the original fully staged and designed 1975 production, you might be surprised at how the theater piece would hold up.
Yay for the mention of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. There's a film that augmented the play in magnificent ways.
Without having seen Frozen, Carousel or (of course) Boys in the Band-- my 2 cents are to skip Three Tall Women and enjoy the remaining TEN shows on your list. In a theater trip we took a week ago that included Angels in America, My Fair Lady, Three Tall Women, The Band's Visit and Once On This Island, TTW was hands down the weakest of the bunch by a wide margin. Just sayin'.
