CSC Assassins Extends- Page 2

[Umeboshi]

Posted: 3/9/20 at 5:25pm

Kad said: "CSC's whole MOthe last few years has beengetting high-profile casts to get its productions to sell out a run. It is not indicative of greater plans for a production- it's a small house and they only do a few shows a season. And, frankly, their record of production quality is... questionable."

I have to admit I bought into the hype and got a ticket without having seen Assassins or anything by Doyle. This would be my first CSC show. What other CSC productions are you alluding to when it comes to high-profile casts and "questionable" production quality? I know Pacific Overtures had mixed reactions but I wasn't really drawn to that in the first place and didn't pay it any mind. 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/9/20 at 5:43pm

It’s a small space so there won’t be any Broadway caliber staging.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/9/20 at 5:45pm

Oof, I mean, it's easier to point to the productions that were unequivocally successful! Carmen Jones is the major one I can think of, both critically and popularly. Nearly everything else in the last several years has been on a scale of awful to meh, with reviews to match. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/9/20 at 5:49pm

Umeboshi said: "Kad said: "What other CSC productions are you alluding to when it comes to high-profile casts and "questionable" production quality? I know Pacific Overtures had mixed reactions but I wasn't really drawn to that in the first place and didn't pay it any mind."

 

Many people only pay attention to CSC and John Doyle when he's putting on a high-profile musical (Pacific Overtures, Carmen Jones, now Assassins, etc), but in between those, Doyle has been churning out a series of dull, lifeless slogs. Some of my favorite shows to play CSC in the past couple years were not directed by him (Mies Julie & Frankenstein), but I was pretty underwhelmed even by many of of the shows he didn't direct (Dracula, Summer and Smoke, Fiasco's Twelfth Night, and the abysmal Dance of Death). 

As far has high profile names, some of the recent stars have been Corey Stoll, Anika Noni-Rose, Ellen Burstyn, Raul Esparza, George Takei, and Jason Sudeikis. 

EDIT: The late great Marin Mazzie also played her final stage role at CSC. Regrettably she was totally wasted in the play, and it was one of the worst shows I've ever seen. 
 

Updated On: 3/9/20 at 05:49 PM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 12:26pm

Just got my ticket for June 4. Company is my matinee that day. So a full day of Sondheim!!! Glad to see that they didn’t raise prices.

[meaghan416]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 12:53pm

1 Ticket- 4/11 Sat 8pm Assassins (A303) for sale Face value: $87. I will change the name on it at will call and email you the confirmation. I want to buy for the extension instead because I am coming from out of town.

Updated On: 3/10/20 at 12:53 PM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 1:06pm

Disregard. Posted in wrong thread. 

Updated On: 3/10/20 at 01:06 PM

[Pashacar]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 4:33pm

SouthernCakes said: "It’s a small space so there won’t be any Broadway caliber staging."

I'm not sure what you mean. It's not like they're going to cut some big dance numbers from.......Assassins.

And if you saw any of the three Sondheim shows Doyle's done on Broadway (all of which happen to be very well-received), you'd know their design was pretty simple, and the overall piece still very successful.

[Caye2]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 4:46pm

I just got a ticket for the extension, Row D, Seat 211. In the seating chart there is a shaded area in front of that seat and next to it that says No Aisle Access. Does anyone know if that is a physical obstruction that would limit my view of the stage? The seat is not listed as having an obstructed view.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 5:06pm

It means it's not handicap accessible, your seat is good with no obstruction. 

[BenElliott]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 5:11pm

SouthernCakes said: "It’s a small space so there won’t be any Broadway caliber staging. "

Doyle's The Color Purple and Sweeney Todd were both staged in very intimate venues before moving to Broadway.

[Calcifer2]

Posted: 3/10/20 at 5:44pm

Sutton Ross said: "It means it's not handicap accessible, your seat is good with no obstruction."

Confirming this. It looks like you should/could be on an aisle, but you’re not; you go in from the other end. Not super convenient, but not an issue in terms of sight lines (I think they are just fending off potential complaints). 

[Hot Pants]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 2:57pm

Can anyone who saw Steven Pasquale do Assassins in concert say what they thought of him? He’s the actor I’m most excited to see in this as I think he’s a great fit for Booth. As far as I know, he’s the only actor in this group whose reprising a role he’s played at an earlier point, so I’m imagining he must’ve been pretty good when he first played the part. Still, I’d like to hear what people thought of his work.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 3:26pm

He was excellent in the Encores! staging, but it was an overall lackluster event. I believe I’ve read a rumor that even Sondheim was unhappy with it.

[Hot Pants]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 4:56pm

I had heard it wasn’t a good production, but I hadn’t heard anything about him. Glad to know he’s great in this role. I’m sure he’ll be even better in a non concert version. I remember watching him do Ballad of Booth in rehearsal, which looked great, but a rehearsal video is never the best depiction of quality.
I know Doyle is a divisive director, but this seems like the perfect show for him to do. I’m still wondering who they’ll get for The Proprietor. I prefer the showing giving him a consistent presence rather than just having him appear at the beginning being played by an ensemble member. I’d love to see Chris Sullivan or Patrick Page doubt the role, I think they could be brilliant in it.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 4:59pm

The Proprietor is actually being played by Eddie Cooper.

[Hot Pants]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 5:06pm

I had no idea they made an announcement. I didn’t see any announcement and I was checking the Wikipedia page today and The Proprietor still didn’t have an actor listed for this production. Have they announced any ensemble actors? I had actually been thinking that a production could work with the principles doubling as the ensemble (the little kid is a complication in that) and thought it seemed like a Doyle-esque move.

Now that I know a smaller name is playing The Proprietor rather than a bigger star like Marc Kudisch in the Broadway production, I’m wondering if they’ll go back and have Byck do his original solos in Another National Anthem rather than the edits that emphasized The Proprietor.

Updated On: 3/15/20 at 05:06 PM

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 5:59pm

Anyone know what they’re doing about performances yet?

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 6:07pm

I think they are reluctant to cancel their performances (that start April 2nd) because of how much money they have made off of this show, but I think they will postpone until mid April or the beginning of May, and extend well through the summer. Both Steven and Brandon have insisted on social distancing and closing down Broadway on their socials. 

Updated On: 3/15/20 at 06:07 PM

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 6:26pm

Hot Pants said: "Can anyone who saw Steven Pasquale do Assassins in concert say what they thought of him? He’s the actor I’m most excited to see in this as I think he’s a great fit for Booth. As far as I know, he’s the only actor in this group whose reprising a role he’s played at an earlier point, so I’m imagining he must’ve been pretty good when he first played the part. Still, I’d like to hear what people thought of his work."

He was solid. He was in good voice and gave the performance you'd expect. He didn't bring anything extra but I think that was more of an issue with the overall production. To me, the Booth performance depends a lot on the chemistry with Lee Harvey Oswald. Well, I had to look it up to remember who played LHO so... you can imagine... I remember him having presence but not quite being the force of personality that I associate with Booth in this show. That might have been a creative choice or a result of the limited Encores rehearsal window. 

[scarlet721]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 6:47pm

VintageSnarker said: "Hot Pants said: "Can anyone who saw Steven Pasquale do Assassins in concert say what they thought of him? He’s the actor I’m most excited to see in this as I think he’s a great fit for Booth. As far as I know, he’s the only actor in this group whose reprising a role he’s played at an earlier point, so I’m imagining he must’ve been pretty good when he first played the part. Still, I’d like to hear what people thought of his work."

He was solid. He was in good voice and gave the performance you'd expect. He didn't bring anything extra but I think that was more of an issue with the overall production. To me, the Booth performance depends a lot on the chemistry with Lee Harvey Oswald. Well, I had to look it up to remember who played LHO so... you can imagine... I remember him having presence but not quite being the force of personality that I associate with Booth in this show. That might have been a creative choice or a result of the limited Encores rehearsal window."

Even after looking at the cast list, I can't remember who played what role at City Center....

I vaguely remember a scene with one of the actors throwing something off stage and another of the iconic line up in (I think) the Gun Song, but don't have any other memories.  I actually have more memories of the 2004 production at Studio 54

I have been looking forward to the CSC production, and I have to say that I like Eddie Cooper, and think his presence and voice may make an interesting proprietor. 

[AlanB3]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 6:50pm

I loved that Studio 54 production and still have vivid memories of the JFK footage being projected on NPH's white t-shirt.

Updated On: 3/16/20 at 06:50 PM

[scarlet721]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 7:00pm

AlanB3 said: "I loved that Studio 54 production and still have vivid memories of the JFK footage being projected on NPH's white t-shirt."

Me too.  That moment made me shiver.  I think it was the Studio 54 was the first time they double cast the balladeer as Lee, so I found it a really fascinating choice after watching NPH interact with Booth during the Ballad of Booth.

I know that a 2001 production was postponed after 9-11, but am I correct that the it was also affected when the Conde Nast building collapsed next to what is now the Sondheim theater?  

 

[Hot Pants]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 11:28pm

I can’t agree more with the people singing the praises of the Broadway revival. It had an absolutely sensational cast and inspired direction from Joe Mantello. His twist regarding The Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald is so good that I feel any production that doesn’t use it is missing something. As for the performances, they were all wonderful, but I’m practically partial to the work or Marc Kudisch as The Proprietor, Denis O’Hare as Charles Guiteau, and especially Michael Cerveris as John Wilkes Booth.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/15/20 at 11:38pm

The only downfall in the Broadway revival for me was Mario Cantone. I have never been a fan. But as a whole, it was incredible.

Something just broke sent chills down my spine and that Zapruder film was chilling.