While I Yet Live Previews

[brdway411]

Posted: 9/24/14 at 10:05pm

Just home from the first preview. WOW!!! This show really has potential. There are some things that need to be tightened up, but all around solid show. Will be back later in a few weeks to see the changes.

BTW, Billy Porter was there tonight and is taking 2 weeks off from Kinky Boots to fix the show.
Updated On: 9/24/14 at 10:05 PM

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 9/24/14 at 10:25pm

Good to hear. Eager to hear other thoughts on this one.

[followspot]

Posted: 9/24/14 at 10:41pm

Thoroughly enjoyed it as well, and in great shape for a first preview. Breaking new ground? No. A little rough around the edges? Yes. But vivid characters, some fine (and funny) dialogue, and a superlative cast (led by S. Epatha Merkerson and Sheria Irving).

First preview ran 2 hours 20 minutes with one intermission.

I'd happily revisit as well later in the run.


It was interesting seeing this play so soon after the last Primary Stages offering at The Duke — Theresa Rebeck's "Poor Behavior". That play was a slick, calculated piece of stage hooey without an ounce of real heart or truth. "While I Yet Live" is ALL heart. The theater was ALIVE. Quite a contrast.

Updated On: 9/25/14 at 10:41 PM

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 9/24/14 at 11:13pm

while the second act is just a touch uneven, damn this was absolutely captivating, and just give S. Epatha Merkerson a Tony right now, what a performance. Get a ticket while you still can!

[LarryD2]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 9:04am

Since this is an Off-Broadway show, there will be no Tony for Epatha. But glad to hear she's doing well--one of my favorite actors, and a lovely woman to boot.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 1:11pm

i ment it metaphorically and actually they already have a commercial producer attached....

Updated On: 9/25/14 at 01:11 PM

[dreaming]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 1:13pm

I'm sure they already do with Billy Porter's name attached (and that is meant in no way as a put down). I was there and enjoyed it very much-it's a great first preview. I will return later to see what changes get made. But it's in very fine shape.

[LarryD2]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 2:26pm

i ment it metaphorically and actually they already have a commercial producer attached....

How does one mean something like that metaphorically?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 3:24pm

Looking forward to seeing this tomorrow evening.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 7:05pm

Can someone give us a quick plot summary? "A new work about coming of age in Pittsburgh amongst a bevy of fascinating and strong-willed women" doesn't really tell you much.

[followspot]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 8:17pm

Can someone give us a quick plot summary?

I'll take a crack:

A young brother and sister attempt to walk their own paths within the constricts of a church-based family atmosphere, where mothers, aunts, and grandmothers (with their own personal struggles, conflicts, and secrets) rule supreme. Family drama with a touch of magic realism and a large amount of humor.

Updated On: 9/28/14 at 08:17 PM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:27pm

Act One was one of the most excruciating, endless experiences I've ever had in a theatre. There is so much talent involved, and none of it is working. Billy is a magnificent performer. The first act is trite, cheesey and no matter how hard Merkerson works, she cannot overcome the writing.

I left at intermission because I recall a poster here saying the second act was not as good as the first. Surprised to see so many of you liking this. But to each his own! I like a lot of stuff many of you don't, so....

BUT yikes. I really WANTED to like it. I might revisit later in the run because I like Billy Porter so much and it HAD been a long day for me.... But tonight was not fun.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:09pm

And yes, I fully admit I can't make a total opinion since I didn't see the second act....

[AC126748]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 8:52am

Potential spoilers in my post.

I was there last night, as well. It's messy. Porter seems to have not known what he wanted to write--a traditional kitchen-sink family drama, a gay coming-of-age, a meditation on faith--so he tried to write it all. The result feels like a first draft from a first-year playwriting student, not a fully formed work. And while Primary Stages is giving the play the best possible production it could get, the end result is unsatisfying.

I actually thought the first twenty minutes to half-hour were strong. Epatha Merkerson and Sharon Washington are wonderful in their extended scene, and Sheila Irving does well in the role of narrator (although the expository dialogue she's given is heavy-handed). The play goes off the rails in the second half of the first act, when the family's dead return in spirit form and act as a Greek Chorus of sorts. The dialogue is overly stylized, and the performers seem to not have the rhythm down, which makes it very awkward. (No one was prompted, but there were a few actors who didn't appear to have full command of their lines yet)

The second act is little more than an afterthought. I actually thought there was going to be a second scene when the lights were dimmed, but the actors got up to take their bows. I was left thinking...hmmm, that's it?

As mentioned, Merkerson, Washington, and Irving do the best work. The Billy Porter stand-in character is fine, but the part is pretty one-dimensional. Same for the step-father. The usually wonderful Lillias White is not particularly well-cast here, and not believable as Merkerson's mother.

[AC126748]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 8:52am

Double Post

Updated On: 9/27/14 at 08:52 AM

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 9/28/14 at 12:01am

There's actually a really good show in there somewhere, but an editor needs to make judicious cuts. The first act is 89 minutes and the 2nd act is 35 minutes. They should cut 30 minutes out of the first act and cut the intermission, to end up with a 90-95 minute crisp powerful play. Also, I would consider many of the front side seats and front center seats to be partial view, since it's very hard to see on the upper level with chairs & other actors blocking your view in the bedroom scenes upstairs.

The acting is all-around great and the 2nd act is quite poignant & powerful. The cast is extremely talented and top-notch. This has the potential to be a great show, but as of now, it's simply WAY too long.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 9/28/14 at 4:50pm

I saw this last night and am in the camp that feel the show isn't very good. The first act had some good moments and it should have ended there. I wanted to leave at intermission because I felt like everything was pretty resolved. Wish I had because boy was that second act a pile of sh!t.

***SPOILERS***
It's been said by others that the show is WAY too long and I agree whole heartedly. There is a decent 90 min play in there somewhere. My main issues come with how the plethora of issues are dealt with. There is the typical molestation subplot that you find in my family secret plays but here the child victim (and his mother who was also victimized as a child) admit to LIKING BEING MOLESTED. He makes this admission to his mother's friend. I was shocked that the issue was handled in such a manner. Something else that irritated me was the use of the ghosts. You cannot have a character learn information from a ghost that they couldn't know otherwise because it doesn't make any damn sense!

Another problem area was the direction. I wasn't shocked to see this was the same director of MOTHERS & SONS which I didn't enjoy the direction of either. I HATED the fact that the cast comes in before the show begins and starts to mill about. There are characters sitting right in front of the audience "watching TV" but staring directly at audience members. It also bugged me when the cast would be speaking to each other but facing out to the audience. After the first time jump when pretty much half the cast dies it should be made more clear as to who is dead and who is alive. Just taking away the plate in front of them isn't really clear enough.

I disagree with the majority of posters saying that there is a lot of talent on stage. It seemed to me that S. Epatha Merkerson was acting on an entirely different plane from the rest of the cast. The Billy Porter character was written so poorly and acted even worse. His phone conversation replete with such obvious jokes should be the very first thing cut.

Hopefully Billy Porter makes some judicious cuts (the whole cell phone conversation, the unnecessary weird uncle, the second act) and comes out with a good play. I won't be returning to find out though.

[Sauja]

Posted: 9/28/14 at 8:17pm

I found the first act a bit messy, yes, but still very moving. I thought the second act was a stunner. I'm surprised to see anyone say it's an afterthought since to me it was a powerful and beautiful exploration of family, forgiveness, and faith. I admit that it hit close to home for me, so maybe that affected me, but I found it immensely cathartic.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/17/14 at 9:24am

I caught this last night and was mixed about it after the first act, but was won over after the second and S. Epatha Merkerson's wow of a performance. I was so moved by her work in the second that I was able to forgive some of the cliche dialogue and jokes. I have a very distant, strained relationship with my mother and although I thankfully didn't suffer the abuses these two character experienced, the situation hit home for me.

I can't say if many cuts were made from early previews, but the first act was too long and would do well to be trimmed. There's too much going on, but I thought the cast elevated the material enough to make it work. I loved all the women and believed the family dynamics.

This is the third off-Broadway play in so many days where I have adored the lead female performance, but have not been so taken with play as whole; Tracee Chimo in Lip Together, Teeth Apart and Celia K-B in The Oldest Son being the other two, although The Oldest Son was a cut above the other two. It's hard to recommend plays like this wholeheartedly, but Merkerson is so damn good that it seems a shame to miss this one.

[chanel]

Posted: 10/17/14 at 11:33am

Review says passionate writing, but the play bites off more than it can chew:

Molestation, homophobia, cancer, dementia, disability, an affair with the preacher, and on and on...

http://www.out.com/entertainment/michael-musto/2014/10/13/love-advice-gay-20somethings-how-hook-up—and-break?page=0,1