METEOR SHOWER Previews

[Bwayfan292]

Evans2 said: "BroadwayConcierge said: "Evans2 said: "Um, okay. I guess. Can someone explain her need to make an announcement about this?”

Do you know how crazy and insane stagedoor people in this world can be? Scroll through 2 pages of any thread here on BWW.

Good for her. A very smart move both to abstain from doing it and to be transparent about it."

I don't see how 5 minutes after a show isgoing to make or break anyone. It's her right to stage door or not, I just don't see the point of throwing praise on someone for not doing it.

I realize I'm likely to be SHREDDED for my opinion."

You would be suprised how crazy it is. And the 5 minutes usually turns into 10-15. Most People dont even see the show and stage door. All those Laura fans would be constantley screaming for her and pushing their way to have her sign. I also think she wrote this statement to show that she wont be stage dooring so that fans dont get upset with her for not coming out.

[Sondheimite]

Evans2 said: 

I don't see how 5 minutes after a show is going to make or break anyone. 
...
I realize I'm likely to be SHREDDED for my opinion."

You're not going to get shredded for your "opinion", you're going to get shredded for your entitlement.

Have you ever considered that Laura B doesn't tweet in regards to what it makes YOU feel like?

 

[BroadwayRox3588]

Laura is very well aware of how popular of an activity stagedooring has become. And that there are people who would likely be waiting at the stagedoor just for her. She likely just wanted to give them a heads-up, so they don't waste their time hanging around for 30 minutes after the show, in the cold. A very kind gesture, I think.

[BroadwayConcierge]

You say it’s 5 minutes of her time, but it takes just 1 second for the germs of someone at the stagedoor to land on her, and then her husband, her brand-new baby, and the cast and crew at the Booth. She owes nobody her time aside from performing on stage. Also, this show is playing during the coldest time of year—why would she risk infection at all? If you’re let down by it, I say be grateful she’s being upfront about it rather than pretending like she isn’t following a personal policy.

[GeorgeandDot]

Stagedooring is so stupid.

I remember when people on here absolutely attacked her for not coming out after She Loves Me and for missing so many performances even though she openly spoke about dealing with an autoimmune disease and was secretly pregnant. God people can be so awful. People on here were saying that, that should have been the end of her career and blah blah blah. It was ridiculous.

[BroadwayRox3588]

GeorgeandDot said: "Stagedooring is so stupid.

I remember when people on here absolutely attacked her for not coming out after She Loves Me and for missing so many performances even though she openly spoke about dealing with an autoimmune disease and was secretly pregnant. God people can be so awful. People on here were saying that, that should have been the end of her career and blah blah blah. It was ridiculous."

I find stagedooring to be rather enjoyable. However, the behavior of these people you described was definitely stupid.

[LizzieCurry]

Evans2 said: "I don't see how 5 minutes after a show isgoing to make or break anyone. It's her right to stage door or not, I just don't see the point of throwing praise on someone for not doing it."

Sounds like her decision was made perfectly for folks like you! Enjoy the show!

[GeorgeandDot]

Stagedooring can be sweet if you just go and politely thank the actors for their work, but the shoving of playbills in their faces and the constant flash of cameras kind of ruin it.

[Bwayfan292]

Stage Dooring doesnt come with the ticket! Their only job is to peform for you and put on a good show. NOT to come out and take pictures!

[BroadwayRox3588]

GeorgeandDot said: "Stagedooring can be sweet if you just go and politely thank the actors for their work, but the shoving of playbills in their faces and the constant flash of cameras kind of ruin it."

I cannot disagree with that, especially as I have made it a point to skip the louder stagedoors for that exact reason (with the exception of Anastasia, which I always stagedoor).

[Anakela]

GeorgeandDot said: "Stagedooring is so stupid.

I remember when people on here absolutely attacked her for not coming out after She Loves Me and for missing so many performances even though she openly spoke about dealing with an autoimmune disease and was secretly pregnant. God people can be so awful. People on here were saying that, that should have been the end of her career and blah blah blah. It was ridiculous."


Have to admit I thought you were exaggerating the SLM stage door drama, but I just took a scroll through her Twitter mentions, and wow, you weren't... 

https://twitter.com/shamelesspandaa/status/733482627475361792

 

[Evans2]

Anakela said: "GeorgeandDot said: "Have to admit I thought you were exaggerating the SLM stage door drama, but I just took a scroll through her Twitter mentions, and wow, you weren't...

https://twitter.com/shamelesspandaa/status/733482627475361792

"

That's just horrible. I have a new understanding why she would release the statement she did. 

[AprilWheeler]

I also wonder if actors just announce they aren't doing the stage door in an attempt to avoid what Ben Platt dealt with over the Summer. Amy Schumer announced via Instagram that she too will not be doing the stage door.

[poisonivy2]

First preview should be getting out now ... Anyone went?

Also she has a baby at home. I can imagine her first priority would be to get home asap after a show. It was a nice gesture for her to explain to fans on twitter why she wouldn't be stagedooring.

With that being said some of the social media pushback during SLM had to do with a bizarre post complaining that people weren't applauding for her long enough and some other rather tetchy twitter posts. Laura is funny and a great actress but like most comedians she definitely seems to have an edgy personality. She's sort of like Javier Munoz in that she's definitely not warm and cuddly on social media.

[10086sunset]

Just a couple of quick thoughts after getting out of the theater.

The play is legitimately funny.. It’s filled with jokes and the majority of them land. It sounds and plays like Steve Martin. His voice is clear throughout the script. 

Thought the performances were very good. Benanti chews up the role and dialogue and seems to be having a blast doing it. The early talk of her getting nominated is well founded. I think you could actually make a case for all four of the actors getting nominated.

Keegan Michael Kay stole the performance in my view. He was easily Benanti’s equal and his energy level never waivered.

Jeremy Shamos also stands out. He’s funny and very believable. He also has amazing chesmistry with Schumer.

Found Schumer hit her peak in the last 20 minutes of the show when the material turns and becomes more similar to her stand up. Seemed like she was still finding her footing in the first hour of the play. She’s definitely trying. The other 3 are simply so good that she looks weaker than she may actually be.

I’ll stay away from specific plot details not to spoil anything. If I was going to nitpick, there may have been one too many scene breaks for an 85 minute show. The abstractness may also turn some off.

It’s selling well and will likely only sell better once the word of mouth spreads and the reviews hit.

 

[dave1606]

I saw this tonight and I agree, that it is often very funny. Laura Benanti walks away with the show, and I agree, that she should be in consideration for another tony for this performance. (The way she says no to the dip in one hand motion was just brilliant and hysterical)

Amy Schumer is great in the later scenes as mentioned above, where she gets to be closesr to well...Amy Schumer. I liked her throughout though and thought she had a warm presence onstage even when her character has to be more of the straight man. She also had one of my favorite lines "Would you like some pre-wine? You know, the wine you have before the wine before the guests arrive? It doesn't count."

I think I have discovered that Keegan-Michael Key is not for me. His schtick of being loud grew very tiresome to me though he did deliver some funny lines. Jeremy Shamos was game and has settled in nicely for a last minute replacement. 

There is no question Martin can write funny, but the real question is can he write a fully formed play? While I adored Bright Star, this play is a kitchen sink of ideas and though it makes you laugh it is also quite frustrating and becomes more so as it heads towards its unsatisfactory conclusion. 

There is a a bit of Groundhog Day here, and also the "Get the Guests" section of Virginia Woolf as well. My issue is I felt like none of these ideas were really followed through. Maybe this will be tweaked in previews, but I think the show is largely going to stay as it is. It's a stellar production (loved the set design as well), and all four actors are great, but you can only dress up a so/so play so much.  I know it is sounding like I didn't have a good time, but thanks to a strong cast I definitely did laugh quite a bit. 

[Valentina3]

BroadwayConncierge, "brand new baby" is my new 24x7 aesthetic.

[givesmevoice]

Benanti has also made herself VERY accessible to her fans through social media, so a lot of them might expect that to extend to the stage door. Honestly my biggest complaint about her announcement (and about those kinds of posts in general) is that she didn't bother to fix the angry little red line under #sorryboutit.

[10086sunset]

dave1606 said: "There is no question Martin can write funny, but the real question is can he write a fully formed play? While I adored Bright Star, this play is a kitchen sink of ideas and though it makes you laugh it is also quite frustrating and becomes more so as it heads towards its unsatisfactory conclusion."
 

Dave, you make a very good point. It's rather fair to describe the conclusion as unsatisfactory. 

I also fully agree with your question about Martin writing a fully formed play.

[wdwfreak]

Can someone post a photo of the title page inside the playbill please? Thanks.

[GeorgeandDot]

Well Martin is an absurdist writer, which is a style we don't see too often. I don't think he's very concerned with wrapping the show up with a neat little bow. If you go expecting to see August: Osage County or Virginia Wolfe, you'll be disappointed. Hopefully though they'll be some tightening of the script. Does anyone know if Steve Martin was in the audience?

[brian1973]

Maybe the truth is Benanti doesn’t want to play second fiddle to Schumer at stage door... let’s face it, way more people are there for her. That’s not to put LB down... just the way it is..

[BroadwayConcierge]

People who have the time to actively ponder and openly criticize Benanti’s stagedoor policies need to pick up a hobby or two.

[GeorgeandDot]

Or maybe she has a baby she would like to put down to bed every night and she doesn't have time to take pictures and sign playbills with a bunch of random people.........

[@z5]

Did Amy schumer sign last night? Or mention anything about it?