Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on THE GLORIOUS ONES ( a very brief one)
Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on THE GLORIOUS ONES ( a very brief one)
#1Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on THE GLORIOUS ONES ( a very brief one)
Posted: 12/16/07 at 7:01pm
from last week....
E18 
The Glorious Ones
New Musical (OFF-BROADWAY)
Mitzi Newhouse Theater
12/9 3 pm matinee
1 hour and 40 minutes with no intermission
Tix Price : $25.00 + 3.00 processing (thru TDF) =$28.00
INTRO :
A teacher of mine in High School once said.. to be immortal you have to do two things in life : first- be a parent and raise a child and second.. plant a tree- which could figuratively translate to Arts- leave something behind.... Sometimes I worried...What If I die right now?... What legacy can I leave in this world since I have no child.... I think that -thought crossed the mind of Flaminio Scala a long time ago...in his glorious song... I WAS HERE.. Based on the novel by Francine Prose...THE GLORIOUS ONES - the new musical by the talented team of Flaherty & Ahrens about a group of Italian Rennissance traveling actors that invented the technique known as "Improvisation" which is currently playing at the Mitzi Newhouse Theater.
This new musical has a deeper meaning than the comedy itself which are- the thought of getting old.. & the thought of being forgotten..
3 Things I LIKE about the musical (out of 10)
1. The Music of Stephen Flaherty & Lyrics of Lynn Ahrens - the songs are very memorable. Among my favorite songs are:
a. I Was Here- the song of Flaminio about leaving his legacy in this world.
b. My Body Wasn't Why?- song of Columbiana about getting old and not being attractive anymore.
c. Absalom- song of Francesco- almost an ode to a father (adoptive) from a son.
e. The Comedy of Love
2. The Actors- All the actors are just great.. I specifically like Jeremy Webb who has a beautiful voice, Erin Davie - very pretty operatic voice and suprisingly.. Natalie Venetia Belcoin (Avenue Q's Gary Coleman) she showed her sexy and vulnerable side in this musical.
3. Blind Casting : I love the idea that they cast African-American and Asian Actors for the role of Italian Renaissance Actors. Natalie Venetia -Belcon as Columbiana and Julyana Soelistyo as Armanda Ragusa was just perfect.. you can really see how talented are these two actors without any said restrictions.
1 Thing I DiD NOT LIKE about the musical (out of 10)
1. The book- I just had a little problem with the dialogue for the 1st 10-15 mins.. I guess.. I am not use to the La Comedia style ..that's why I was bothered with the corny jokes that was not funny at all and with just two people laughing in the audience.
IN SUMMARY :
It's a very cute musical...the theater is very intimate and you definitely feel that you are a part of the show. I think I mentioned in another thread that Natalie Venetia Belcon kissed me during the show and I was a bit embarrased bec. it was so unexpected. Overall- I enjoyed the show- though it may not be for everyone.
Jaystarr
Score : 3/1 - I LIKE IT ! 
Lincoln Center
What is this construction ? 
Mitzi E Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center 
Production Photos
(from Playbill) 
The Playbill 
Updated On: 5/14/08 at 07:01 PM
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#2re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on THE GLORIOUS ONES ( a very brief one)
Posted: 12/16/07 at 9:33pmThanks for the (brief) report. I agree with all of your points! Especially about Jeremy and Erin. :)
"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#2re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on THE GLORIOUS ONES ( a very brief one)
Posted: 12/16/07 at 9:35pmThanks! I hope to see it soon. I believe the construction is for Juilliard.
#3re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on THE GLORIOUS ONES ( a very brief one)
Posted: 12/16/07 at 11:07pm
I only saw it in Pittsburgh and I felt that it did have book problems. I felt that if they were trying to be allegorical with the story, there was too much detail, and if they were trying to be specific, then the book was too vague.
I couldn't tell if these characters were archetypes or actual people.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I had a problem with the ending of the story, does he accidentally fall on his knife or did he kill himself. And if he did kill himself, isn't kinda silly for him to be singing a song about wanting to live forever?
"A coherent existance after so many years of muddle" - Desiree' Armfelt, A Little Night Music
"Life keeps happening everyday, Say Yes" - 70, Girls, 70
"Life is what you do while you're waiting to die" - Zorba
#4re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on THE GLORIOUS ONES ( a very brief one)
Posted: 12/17/07 at 12:16am
Thanks for the great report Jaystarr - I saw the show last Saturday night and I also found the book a little weak but the music, staging, and wonderful actors made it a very worthwhile experience.
Natalie also kissed me when she entered the theater and I'm sure I turned six shades of red because I was not expecting it!
You can't give up hope just because it's hopeless. You gotta hope even more, and cover your ears and go 'bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla!
- Phillip J. Fry
#5re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on THE GLORIOUS ONES ( a very brief one)
Posted: 12/17/07 at 8:29am
Sondheimboy- I think he killed himself. He has done that routine several times and no way he would accidentally kill himself.
No .. its not silly .. Flaminio cannot accept the fact that there is someone who is more younger and goodlooking ( Francesco-his adoptive son) and more talented (Isabella ) than him, rather than face & accept it (that he will be a second lead in their troupe) ..he decided to end his life.
I guess.. that's one of the message of the musical... No matter how good looking you are or talented -sooner or later- someone will come along and he or she will be more goodlooking or talented than you...IT NEVER ENDS.. Its a fact of life.. Everything we possess is impermanent. Flaminio thinks that he will live forever, his goodlooks and reputation (fame) will live forever, but then he realized that someone will exceed him. (RISE & FALL song) but in the end.. he did not realize that he will live forever thru his contributation in LA COMEDIA -which is "Improvisation" which up to now is evident in the works of Jim Carey, Lucille Ball, The Three Stooges, Chaplin, Keaton, The Marx Brothers and even the animated Simpsons.. are all reflections of a tradition that began with Flaminio ...though we may not know him as a person... his works continued ... making him.. immortal.... thus... THE GLORIOUS ONES !
Updated On: 12/17/07 at 08:29 AM
