SIX: THE MUSICAL ON BROADWAY- Page 18

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 7/29/19 at 8:28pm

ggersten said: "Meanwhile, across the pond, a mixture of illnesses, injury, vacations depleted the available cast, so Toby Marlow - one of the creators - stepped in as Parr. It was performed as a "concert" since Marlow and Genesis didn't know the choreo/blocking. (Genesis stepped in once before). Supposedly, they offered all persons with tix - including those who attended - were offered tickets to another "proper" show.

On Edit: Well, that sucks. The video looked like it posted initially, but it's not here now. So, here's a link:Toby Marlow as Parr in Six (in London)"

It was a good night to be in the house if you are a returning superfan. It's a CRAP night for anyone wanting to see it for the first time. This is now the second time that they have had issues filling the 6 roles due to these kinds of things in London. Last time, they had to totally cancel a performance. So that begs the question, are 3 alternates enough when covering 6 roles? It's not like they have such a big cast that they can combine tracks together or cut out someone in the background of a scene like you can with a BIG musical with a BIG ensemble. This is 9 women that are always in close quarters so when one gets sick it will likely travel through the ranks.

Also, it seems to me like the latest engagement is more or less a quick fix for the fact that Ever After is not ready for another run. Their set at Citadel will likely be a different set from the ART one (because Citadel makes all their sets on site to employ locally within the arts). So they send the set from ART to Ordway and the cast just flys from Canada to St. Paul after their last performance. It says alot more about Ever After being in poor shape then it does Six's road to Broadway.

 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 7/29/19 at 8:32pm

Wonder why they are scared to bring it to NYC. They aren’t tinkering with the show, correct? So why not just bring it in. This is a great season for a new musical.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 7/29/19 at 8:37pm

SouthernCakes said: "Wonder why they are scared to bring it to NYC. They aren’t tinkering with the show, correct? So why not just bring it in. This is a great season for a new musical. "

Come From Away has tryouts in La Jolla, Seattle, DC, and Toronto. How is Six any different? They’re not scared, they’re being creative and building the brand and word of mouth, and seeing as the Chicago production played full houses 95% of the time, I’d say it’s working.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 7/29/19 at 8:41pm

They’re not scared. From what I’ve heard, everything is signed for a spring Broadway transfer. Since the set and actors will most likely be free after ART until February, why wouldn’t they do another run somewhere? Sure, it’s random as hell but it’s still great press and word of mouth.

[MNNiceorIce]

Posted: 7/29/19 at 9:11pm

Scarlet Leigh said: "ggersten said: "Meanwhile, across the pond, a mixture of illnesses, injury, vacations depleted the available cast, so Toby Marlow - one of the creators - stepped in as Parr. It was performed as a "concert" since Marlow and Genesis didn't know the choreo/blocking. (Genesis stepped in once before). Supposedly, they offered all persons with tix - including those who attended - were offered tickets to another "proper" show.

On Edit: Well, that sucks. The video looked like it posted initially, but it's not here now. So, here's a link:Toby Marlow as Parr in Six (in London)"

It was a good night to be in the house if you are a returning superfan. It's a CRAP night for anyone wanting to see it for the first time. This is now the second time that they have had issues filling the 6 roles due to these kinds of things in London. Last time, they had to totally cancel a performance. So that begs the question, are 3 alternates enough when covering 6 roles? It's not like they have such a big cast that they can combine tracks together or cut out someone in the background of a scene like you can with a BIG musical with a BIG ensemble. This is 9 women that are always in close quarters so when one gets sick it will likely travel through the ranks.

 

 

Also, it seems to me like the latest engagement is more or less a quick fix for the fact that Ever After is not ready for another run. Their set at Citadel will likely be a different set from the ART one (because Citadel makes all their sets on site to employ locally within the arts). So they send the set from ART to Ordway and the cast just flys from Canada to St. Paul after their last performance. It says alot more about Ever After being in poor shape then it does Six's road to Broadway."

 

 

Agreed on this.  It’s so strange, though, that the Ordway brought Sierra Boggess here to song songs from Ever After at the big season kick-off and then it gets deemed not ready.  

Sounds like there are season subscribers disappointed to not have Ever After for the holidays but I hope they give Six a chance.  

The Ordway will be the biggest venue (1910 seats) the show has played so far, right?  It’s not quite the intimate stage they had at Chicago Shakes so I’m very curious to see how it plays there.  

Fingers crossed all the Queens stay with the show!

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/29/19 at 9:13pm

Many shows realize that they need to hire more understudies/swings after Opening Night. DEAR EVAN HANSEN started with 5, they now have 8. COME FROM AWAY started with 5, and now has 6. HAMILTON started with 5, and now has 7 New York swings + 3 Universal Swings who cover the various US companies. After the London debacle, SIX will probably come to Broadway with 5-6.

Re: The Ordway, it may seem really random, but it's probably due to the fact that it has money in the future Broadway production (via IPN – Independent Presenters Network or BAA – Broadway Across America).

Re: EVER AFTER, "not ready" could mean many things. It could mean the team feels it needs more work after the Atlanta run. It could mean that Ordway was expecting a certain amount of "enhancement" money from commercial producers, and the producers couldn't deliver. Or it could mean the show is READY for Broadway and doesn't need a third out-of-town engagement.

Updated On: 7/29/19 at 09:13 PM

[greensgreens]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 12:04pm

So glad the Ordway has finally booked something truly special! Obviously, the trick will be selling this in the Twin Cities. Right now, the tickets top off at $70 on a Saturday evening, which is pretty amazing. I'm booked for row D in November! I'm assuming tickets will probably at least triple by the time it gets to NYC, so lucky us!

I hope and pray this run is a success and the Twin Cities sees more pre-Broadway productions (which have been slim the last decade or so)! Especially glad the Ordway is getting a hot show like this - hopefully this is a sign of changes to come!

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 12:13pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Re: EVER AFTER, "not ready" could mean many things. It could mean the team feels it needs more work after the Atlanta run. It could mean that Ordway was expecting a certain amount of "enhancement" money from commercial producers, and the producers couldn't deliver. Or it could mean the show is READY for Broadway and doesn't need a third out-of-town engagement."

I mean... this is for another topic of course but I have strong feelings on the Ever After musical as well. It just seems so misguided and disconnected from what made the movie so beloved and special. Attempting to turn Ever After into basically a slightly less magical than the recent R+H Cinderella revival is the wrong path for it that it has been traveling down. It doesn't need to be big production song and dance numbers and flashy costumes and lights. It needs to be smart and heartfelt with rich and realistic costuming and designs. Like... like living Leonardo Divinici drawings. 

This has been your momentarty tangent. BACK TO SIX!

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 1:59pm

BIG DROP! The second Six singalong was today at at the end of the show they announced and dropped the the official karaoke tracks AND the sheet music online.

[Kea4]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 2:51pm

Does anyone know if they sell many/any returned tickets in Chicago the evening of a show? I'm in Chicago for work this weekend and just found out I'm free Friday night.

I'm planning on calling the box office too, just wanted to see if anyone on here had any experiences. 

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 3:05pm

New West End Alternate making her debut. Collette Guitart will go on for her first performance as Jane.

[tourboi]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 3:17pm

Re: Ordway.... is this playing their larger main stage or their smaller house? There’s two theatres in the building.

[greensgreens]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 3:58pm

This is playing the MASSIVE opera house/mainstage of the Ordway. I thought the other side was now a orchestral concert hall. But, maybe they kept that tiny theatre too, although I don't think it was used for anything other than local productions and some concerts/smaller events. For a small run like this, they might have a chance of selling the balcony, but I doubt the gallery will even be sold for Six.

Of course, I hope this really bubbles up and becomes such a sensation they have to open up the whole theatre & extend the run! This is really great for the Ordway, as their musical theatre season (sometimes this applies very loosely) usually only includes one high demand tour (and many years have not even had that).

[greensgreens]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 4:06pm

Also felt I should add that Broadway Across America is not associated with the Ordway in St. Paul, they must be part of that other group of producers. Broadway Across America is associated with the Hennepin Theatre Trust, which operates several theatres in downtown Minneapolis. This explains why the Ordway sometimes has trouble booking hot tours of shows and often gets the repeats (i.e., Chicago regularly plays the Ordway when it comes through town). I have high hopes for an association with a band of producers investing in B'way shows. The Des Moines Civic Center entered into a similar partnership and they have launced a few tours from there as well as become a "first year" city for planned tours. It's quite a wonder how these networks have improved theatre in the flyover states!

[ggersten]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 5:13pm

I just glanced at the first two performances - and it looks like people are snatching up the front row tickets. (Unless those tickets are being held back)

[greensgreens]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 5:23pm

The front row tickets weren't available for any of the performances I looked at. I assumed it would be some kind of Rent-style rush. Or perhaps seats are being saved for patrons, subscribers, and corporate sponsors. The Ordway does have a lot of those and this is a short run!

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 5:45pm

Looks like the cruise ship is still happening. They posted lookin for musicians.

[Marlothom]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 8:54pm

Scarlet Leigh said: "BIG DROP! The second Six singalong was today at at the end of the show they announced and dropped the the official karaoke tracks AND the sheet music online."

ALL of the tracks have been available on KARAFUN for months.  I've been belting these songs out at my fave karaoke bars in Chicago for a while.  

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 10:02pm

Marlothom said: "Scarlet Leigh said: "BIG DROP! The second Six singalong was today at at the end of the show they announced and dropped the the official karaoke tracks AND the sheet music online."

ALL of the tracks have been available on KARAFUN for months. I've been belting these songs out at my fave karaoke bars in Chicago for a while."

The tracks on KARAFUN are not the official tracks. There are tracks out there that were made by others online (I have some well) but many were taken down by copyright claims. These are the officially released tracks and feature the background vocals and backing tracks from the studio recording. They are fantastic and by far the best out there.

[florida theatre kid]

Posted: 7/30/19 at 10:34pm

Just out of the Chicago performance tonight. It really is a special show and I hope these six ladies get to take the show to Broadway. We had an understudy for Catherine of Aragon - Nicole Kyoung-Mi Lambert who I believe is on for the remainder of Chicago. I have to say the standout for me was Courtney Mack as Katherine Howard (of all the songs I found “All You Wanna Do” to have the most layers), although the cast is uniformly strong.

I HATE saying this, but the audience was a bit distracting tonight. I know it’s the last week in Chicago so the super fans are out (which is great!), and it’s ok 80% of the time as far as “Woohoo!” and whistling goes, but there was some yelling which caused some to be missed, and at one point I thought I saw Anna Uzele (who is amazing) let out kind of a sigh onstage. Also various audience members doing choreography in their seats and singing along. Everyone in my party tonight agreed on this. I’m interested to see if this carries on with the show over the next couple engagements and ultimately Broadway.

Here’s to hoping this show has a healthy North American future!

Updated On: 7/30/19 at 10:34 PM

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 7/31/19 at 1:27am

So not only did the new alternate go on.... EVERY alternate was on. And this new girl was thrown in so fast she doesn't even have her own costume yet. She was wearing the back up spare costume. So that's FOUR out of SIX queens were the understudies/swings/alternates. That is REALLY kind of ridiculous and if you think about it if not for this new girl being ready early, they'd like have had to throw in someone else or cancel again. 

Get. More. Understudies. Already. They always seem to be flying by the seat of their pants to fill the stage and put on a show. And the poor understudies are working so damn hard to keep the show alive.

[MNNiceorIce]

Posted: 7/31/19 at 9:58am

ggersten said: "I just glanced at the first two performances - and it looks like people are snatching up the front row tickets. (Unless those tickets are being held back)"

I went to the Ordway to buy my tickets the day they went on sale and asked about this.  At the time, they said Row D was going to be front row but if something changed they would move me forward to Row A and let me know if they did.  Later in the day they called me and told me Row A did become available and asked if I still wanted to move forward.

So Row A should be available.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/31/19 at 12:02pm

Scarlet Leigh said: "So not only did the new alternate go on.... EVERY alternate was on. And this new girl was thrown in so fast she doesn't even have her own costume yet. She was wearing the back up spare costume. So that's FOUR out of SIX queens were the understudies/swings/alternates. That is REALLY kind of ridiculous and if you think about it if not for this new girl being ready early, they'd like have had to throw in someone else or cancel again.

Get. More. Understudies. Already. They always seem to be flying by the seat of their pants to fill thestage and put on a show. And the poor understudies are working so damn hard to keep the show alive."

 

North America or across the pond?   Be specific.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 7/31/19 at 12:23pm

London is now doing 9 shows a week, with 10 shows during holiday weeks. It's absurd, when the production could EASILY move to a larger theater and support more people rather than have all these issues with their cast. Each cast member gets 1 or 2 shows off a week, and one of the alternates is on in their stead. It looks like to see the entire "original" cast is almost impossible, as the 6 queens are almost never onstage together without an alternate.

That sh*t would not fly in America, lmao

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/31/19 at 12:34pm

I feel like the Ordway 1,900-seat Music Theater will be somewhat risky.  It's one thing to redesign the show for a larger Broadway house, but putting the current production into a large theatre might dilute the experience a bit too much for those Americans attending based on the buzz of the preceding North American performances.