As an RN, I have taken care of many older adults. Mr. Sondheim is 89. He may have just hated the show, or he could have had some health issues that prompted him to leave. (which I won't go into) Also, the show is LOUD, if he has hearing aids, that could be a problem. (Although he can always turn it off).
Or, maybe he just hated it. For all the criticism of this show, it isn't the end of the world, and I am sure there will be other musicals with sophisticated music and lyrics. I
I saw it Saturday (3/10), enjoyed it but agree that it was way too frenetic. First act was great setup, catchy songs, but I felt the second act sort of fell apart with so much going on and the plot getting more convoluted as time progressed. I felt like I was being hit over the head with every number, and it was also pretty loud. They could crank down the volume a little. (I know, get off my lawn).
Also what's with the costumes? It looked like everybody was wearing jammies on stero
I was at the Chicago matinee yesterday (11/7) and Betty Buckley was out. At first my heart sank, but I have seen the Dolly production in NYC with both Bette and Bernadette, so I was hoping that the understudy would pull it off. Jessica Sheridan was AMAZING! The audience was a little cool at first, but I think they forget about the "celeb" Dolly thing and got into it, by the second act the applause was crazy. I'm so excited that Jessica did such a great job. Super funny, poignant
I'll try to find a bootleg if I can't get to NYC to see it. It's frustrating that certain great performances can't be preserved for us to see after the fact (for a fee), such as "Falsettos". I did get to see the performance at a movie theater, and then watched the bootleg over and over until it was taken down (mostly to watch Stephanie J. Block do "I'm Breaking Down", one of the best performances EVER). I'll try to see the live performance (I
Keep Matthew Broderick out of it. The shows I have seen him in lately he is just phoning it in. Bring in some fresh new talent! And I'm a feminist, but I think Ulla still must be a hilarious dumb blonde who can't type.
Just stumbled onto this thread, and found the video posted "Don't Even Know It" really excited me! (and I am in my golden years, not a teen). I especially loved that they featured women in the chorus wearing Hijab. (sorry, don't know how to make this plural). I hope they don't try to Americanize it too much, I saw Bombay Dreams in London and loved it. I guess when they brought it here they tried to explain the Bollywood stuff too much and it crashed and burne
JBC3 said: "Brantley reads equal parts cranky old man and legitimate theatre critic. People will be able to infer from it whether or not the show appeals to them."
Well, as an official senior citizen, I think the show sounds great (from listening to cast music on iTunes and the videos posted). I personally love shows where the young people in attendance are totally pumped. Had a great time at "Mean Girls" 2 weeks ago, loved sharing the experie
ZellMorrowsPledge said: "I was in the audience last night. I haven’t been able to see the show yet on tv but I really hope it transferred well. The energy was INSANE. Being in that pit was indescribable, and the fact that they let us keep our phones was a plus. I could write an entire essay on my experience, which was amazing from start to finish since I checked in up until I left Marcy Armory, but thanks to 1iota and NBC for the opportunity!"
As a young person, I somehow missed getting the LP of "Jesus Christ Superstar", and instead played my copy of "Hair" to death, shocking my (very Catholic) parents. So I did not have any preconceived opinions of the show. I did try to watch the 1973 movie of JCS yesterday afternoon, but just couldn't get through it. The desert setting turned me off. I also saw a live performance locally, which did not move me.
That being said, I loved the whole production, the pe
Kad said: "I agree a scaled-back revival would be most likely in NYC but for the love of god keep John Doyle away from it.
Of all the companies that produce medium-scale musical revivals, Second Stage seems like the most natural fit. Or heck, bring it back to the Public."
I agree with Kad. I was so disappointed in Doyle's production of "Pacific Overtures". Did Doyle do the production of "Company" where the actors also played the ins
I saw both parts last Saturday (3/17), and thought it was just amazing. I would see it again in a heartbeat. I did not have any trouble sitting through both parts, but I knew what to expect, having seen a production in Chicago in the 90's. Andrew Garfield was stunning, and Nathan Lane was great, but he was Nathan Lane playing Roy Cohn,. I had a little trouble with the Angel, as I was used to seeing a blinding white angel crashing through the ceiling, and this angel was definitely ki
Regarding the discussion about characters being mentally ill:
I guess I prefer to not diagnose the character. Giving them a label from the DSM-5 just does not enhance the performance for me. I found the long discussions about Evan Hansen, (is he a sociopath, etc) so tiring. This is THEATER, with a reflection of the human condition. If it was realistic, it would be life, and why go to the theater? I see these characters as having existential issues which manifest in the performance.
Interesting to read everyone's responses to the show. I personally was a little disappointed, considering the hype regarding how close it was to the "original show" (which I am really tired of hearing about). I can't help but wonder if the memories of the original 1971 show have become embellished over time. But anyways:
1. Imelda Staunton was absolutely flabbergasting. She was so good, and took over the stage whenever she appeared. I had seen Bernadette a few y
I saw it in London in 2004. I had taken my son and 2 friends to London for their high school graduation (better to travel with mom than get drunk and drive at friends' graduation parties). I personally loved it, although the 2nd act did lose some of the fun of the first act. Not sure how it will travel in this day and age, just because Jerry Springer isn't the shock icon he was before.
"ie: carousel is using a "gimmick" (oak's words) by casting a black man in the role of billy bigelow. That is the gimmick and selling point of the show. There is almost no other reason to cast a black man in this role than the gimmick and the selling of tix and Scott Rudin knows this. Josh Henry is incredibly talented, im not saying he isn't and will perform the hell out of this (probably), but the GIMMICK of him being black in a role that has ALWAYS been played by a wh
