Wasn't Shaina Taub one of the off-Bway Fates? There are only three, so...? Can someone clarify how many actresses played these roles during the NYTW production?
Yep, I'm with Rainah. I'd rather see "Way Down Hadestown" on the Tonys: a much better introduction to the show and characters than "Why We Build the Wall."
I'm generally okay with Stephen Schwartz (at the worst, I feel like he's got a case of the "a-bit-on-the-nose"-isms), but man oh man, some parts of Wicked. If I hadn't looked up the lyrics to "As Long As You're Mine," I still wouldn't know what they were singing. At first I was just like, Butz, enunciate, my man, but then when I finally looked up the lyrics, I realized that it's a losing battle to try to make any sense out
I can't answer the Telecharge/lotto question, but I did do this lotto last night (i.e., Tuesday, 8/14), and I think everyone there ended up getting lotto tickets. There were 50 available, still chosen lottery-style (calling out names), and yes, they were $59.50. We got row E in the 100s section. Merle was in, and she was amazing. Hope you get to see her!
"ps did anyone see Reeve in Canada ? has his acting improved? I heard it was caught in a web last time"
"I heard nothing but good things about the Edmonton run, Reeve included."
Yes, but can he sing the part as written? (A genuine question; I didn't see him perform it in Edmonton.) It's such a strange vocal part with so much controlled falsetto and other oddities, and while I'm not too familiar
I always think it's a little funny whenever I hear people complain about the characters in Rent being s***heads (which I completely agree that they are), because I mean, really, what could we honestly be expecting from anything that's an adaptation of La Boheme? They were a**holes in the original short stories, they were a**holes when they had the names Marcello and Rodolfo and were singing Puccini, and they're still a**holes in Rent. I can't really think of t
The Distinctive Baritone said: "Loved it, overall.
Agree about John Legend. He was fine overall but his “Gethsamene” was painful.
Norm couldn’t really hit all the low notes - he’s amazing but Caiaphas needs do be sung by a true bass. Was he wearing platform boots to appear taller? His physical presence was perfect.
As for Pilate, it is best played by an “actor who sings” like Ben Daniels, but he was off pitch severa
...This whole debate becomes very odd when you remember that in Victor Hugo's original novel, Esmeralda was ethnically 100% white French by birth, and had simply been kidnapped by gypsies as a baby and then raised among them..... :/
Does anybody else prefer the "studio" recording of "Make Them Hear You"...? I find the OBCR version hard to listen to, what with the shortening of the song, the sped-up tempo of that last note (boo!), and the dropping of lyrics that I thought gave some interesting depth to Coalhouse, i.e., "My path may lead to heaven or hell, and God will say what's best / But one thing He will never say is that I went quietly to my rest!" Also
poisonivy2 said: "The original Great Comet didn't have an "I Want" song. But for Broadway they put in "Dust and Ashes" which is definitely an I Want song.
Kiss Me Kate doesn't have an I Want song?
"
I think someone on this board expressed it well when they said that "Pierre" (the second song of the show, incidentally) functions as Pierre's "I-Don't-Know-What-I-Want" song, a q
The one time I've seen Josh Canfield on as Anatole, I liked his portrayal a lot, and most of the score he sang just fine, but I was disappointed at how he doesn't seem to fully trust his falsetto. He didn't seem entirely comfortable with the falsetto parts in "Letters," and he attempted to belt his final "Petersburg" note, which...did not quite work, let's just say. On the other hand, there were parts that he did that I thought were better&
Considering all the health issues he's had with his knee as a result of the physically demanding nature of the role (didn't he have surgery, even?), not to mention the tough vocal demands of the role, I would be surprised if he renewed his contract. At least, in an interview done a few months ago at a fashion show, when he and Amber Grey were asked whether they'd renew, they both said they didn't think they would (they've both been with the show for years now).<
BroadwayConcierge said: "qolbinau said: "I hope War Paint is advertising in mediums more accessible to the target demographic (particularly older women) and not relying on the internet/facebook/twitter. The Wednesday 2pm show is almost always the best-selling show. This target demographic is probably not best reached using facebook."
Good point. For what it's worth, I've taken Metro North trains into Connecticut a couple times over the past few m
oncemorewithfeeling2 said: "Or Matias is almost another character in the story. He's so animated in how he works, but still so precise. The nature of the show puts him and a few of the other orchestra members out so clearly that it's hard to not think if them as characters. Or's dancing and playing around during "The Duel" was fun to watch.
"
This is so true. I've always been sad if I get there and see that he's ou
This one's for the Comet fans. I just happened to get tickets for today's show (thanks, Jish!), and it turned out that it was Or Matias' last show ever. One of the hardest-working conductors I've ever seen on Broadway, and he will be missed!
Dave Malloy gave a nice little speech for him after the curtain call (Or's been with the show for four and a half years now, so he's essentially one of the "originals" ), and it was a sweet send-off
Pierre in "Natasha, Pierre" is written as a baritone role, isn't he? (And Andrei, in the brief time that he's there?)
That's one thing I always miss in a lot of modern musicals, is a broader range of voice parts represented in the lead roles. I love "Next to Normal," but it's like 4 tenors...I think there's hardly a male note in that whole show that's too low for me, and I'm an alto!
I know you guys aren't really that interested in Pierre's age, but I thought I should add that, though Dave Malloy is welcome to make his Pierre as old as he wants him to be for the musical, darquegk is quite correct about Tolstoy's Pierre, who is only about 28 in late 1811/early 1812 (this can be determined pretty accurately by counting up from the beginning of the novel, when he's said to be 21).
As for the strobe lights, I can definitely see how some might have
