The Wrong Man- Page 3

[zachvandyke]

Posted: 9/20/19 at 5:25pm

I know I said I wasn’t going to comment about this show anymore but I can’t help it. I truly am stunned. My wife and I have not stopped talking about it since we saw it Wednesday night. We love theatre and appreciate all the work that goes into creating it. I studied directing in college but ended up going another way. We want to be supportive but again this was truly awful. Maybe if you saw this at a fringe show maybe you’d think it was worth the $10 ticket to support artists trying their best. But this is the team from Hamilton. Truly truly stunned. Want edge go see Slave Play or Oklahoma! Haha

Updated On: 9/20/19 at 05:25 PM

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 9/20/19 at 11:24pm

Well, at its current state, this is one big missed opportunity. Great names behind it and some great pieces, but it never comes together. Work needs to be done.

Story: Who are these people? Nothing about them is developed, so I don’t care when I’m supposed to, and that is a massive problem. **SPOILER** The relationship between the male and female leads is so underdeveloped. They sleep together, she gets pregnant, she dies, he gets accused. There’s nothing indicating actual feelings between them earlier, so why should I be invested in what happens?. He even sings a song about her looking like a supermodel instead of having an actual connection with her.

Music: When the show opens, we hear about a man and a girl who left him. That and a couple of others sound too much like Hamilton. The songs are catchy but too similar. The whole thing also relies way too heavily on Joshua Henry. Ciara Renée is wasted as a pretty face with a light amount of singing.

Choreography: The best part. I paid more attention to the movement than anything else. Although there was one moment where Ciara Renée sings, “I’m right here” or something similar. She walks away from him as she sings it. Would’ve felt more powerful if she wrapped herself around him as a protector in that moment.

Staging: This is like a concert version of a musical. There were more sets for “Working” at Encores. That may be a purposeful choice, but it all feels like the production is trying too hard to be trendy.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 9/20/19 at 11:58pm

They are edgy with money. Sadly. Out of touch.

[ccbway]

Posted: 9/21/19 at 12:26am

I'm surprised to see all of the teardowns and terrible reviews. The music and vocal performances were exceptional. Joshua Henry was very good. I thought it was worth seeing just for that. I thought the choreography was pretty great for a very bare set/stage. Is the story and characters sort of minimal? Sure. It's not Hamilton, but it's far from the disaster that other people in this thread seem to make it out to be. Updated On: 9/21/19 at 12:26 AM

[52889j]

Posted: 9/21/19 at 12:52am

ccbway said: "I'm surprised to see all of the teardowns and terrible reviews. The music and vocal performances were exceptional. Joshua Henry was very good. I thought it was worth seeing just for that. I thought the choreography was pretty great for a very bare set/stage. Is the story and characters sort of minimal? Sure. It's not Hamilton, but it's far from the disaster that other people in this thread seem to make it out to be."

Saw it tonight. Henry indeed is incandescent and a vocal spectacle that, for me, justifies the purchase of a $35 ticket, but I found the material to be astonishingly mediocre. The plot felt like it could've been conceived by a 10 year old and the characters are so underdeveloped, they are barely even archetypes, let alone human beings.

[magictodo123]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 9:09am

I saw the show last night and was totally transfixed by Joshua Henry, the actor who played The Man In Black, the choreography, and the music. By the end of the show, I was already hoping they make a new cast recording with these actors. I'm not a huge fan of sung-through shows, but I absolutely loved the music in this!!  The audience last night definitely agreed with me because there were multiple numbers where there was extended applause. Totally deserved. 

I do think the show was a little slow with some of the songs. Most of them were very good, but a lot of them left something to be desired and it was a little hard to follow along. 

Overall, I'm very glad I saw it, because I think the performances were some not to be missed, but I don't think this would do well on Broadway. Not every off-Broadway show has to end up there (obviously). 

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 1:35pm

Saw the show last night and mostly agree with the sentiments posted above.  Joshua Henry is incredible and has to carry this entire show on his back with little help from the direction, choreography, or material.  I do love hearing him sing this style over something like Carousel.  Some great moments in the show including "Stay Positive" and "I Like It".  Other highlights included some choreographic moments and the lighting and set.  Overall though, the material feels like it's being told in the third person so you know what happens but you don't ever feel like you're a part of the story.  There's a level of distance.  Also, this style of Hot 100 music wasn't meant to be listened to for 90 minutes straight with no breaks, so songs become tedious and blend into each other.  This show just kind of goes nowhere.  I was super excited for this one as I loved the concept album, the team, and the cast, but it was ultimately a pretty big let down.  This also doesn't seem like something that is "fixable" with previews.  Not sure if Broadway is wise but there were certainly lots of investors there last night and based on the staging it seems aimed for CiTS. The talkback with the creative team was also cool to see.  

[Pose2]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 2:16pm

They will definitely do a cast recording. I mean, if Alice By Heart can get one, these guys certainly deserve one. 

[Valentina3]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 2:58pm

Pose2 said: "They will definitely do a cast recording. I mean, if Alice By Heart can get one, these guys certainly deserve one."

Shuffle Along says HI

[Pose2]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 3:23pm

Does it? Because Shuffle Along didn't complete their run and Audra did not want to do a recording because of how awful they treated her so.....

Nope. 

[Valentina3]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 4:00pm

Pose2 said: "Does it? Because Shuffle Along didn't complete their run and Audra did not want to do a recording because of how awful they treated her so.....

Nope."

Oh wow. New tea? I have never, not once, heard this before. Sounds a bit made up by a fan...

For for what it's worth, plenty of shows which closed prematurely have recorded soundtracks. Those things are not at all related. And Shuffle had significantly bigger names on the cast.

[Pose2]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 4:06pm

No show in theater has ever recorded a soundtrack so......there's that. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 4:06pm

Pose2 said: "Does it? Because Shuffle Along didn't complete their run and Audra did not want to do a recording because of how awful they treated her so.....

Nope."

 

Pose2 -- please refrain from making s**t up.  

Also there was a cast album made that was sent out to the Tony Voters.I have several of them.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 7:18pm

Pose2 said: "No show in theaterhasever recorded a soundtrack so......there's that."

*shaking my head* I am admittedly ashamed of that, but you were clearly making up that whole thing so I can't even be bothered to edit my comment.

JSquared2 - I have an extra ticket to Groff's Little Shop @ $69.00. Wanna get in on that? :) I'd love to have my hands on those vocals haha

[Pose2]

Posted: 9/25/19 at 7:43pm

I read somewhere years ago that that was the reason, just a silly rumor, I retract and apologize. I will say that Rudin handled that entire situation poorly and shamed her because she got pregnant.

I too have that audio, if you or anyone else wants it. 

[magictodo123]

Posted: 9/26/19 at 7:42am

If Alice By Heart and Gettin' The Band Back Together can get cast recordings, I hope this bodes well for this show. 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 9/26/19 at 1:13pm

Kurt Deutch is a producer, so a cast recording is a pretty safe assumption.

[ModernMillie3]

Posted: 9/26/19 at 5:59pm

Joshua Henry is incredible in everything he does, this is no exception. He was the only bright spot for me in this show, everything else seemed to fall flat and I didn't care about the characters and what happened to them. Shrug. 

[rg7759]

Posted: 9/26/19 at 6:03pm

is the extension of this run code for 'were not moving to broadway'

 

?

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 9/26/19 at 6:14pm

rg7759 said: "is the extension of this run code for 'were not moving to broadway'



?"

How would a three week extension (that was likely already built into the contracts of the production/space) rule out a potential Broadway run? If anything, it’s a sign that they are selling well. Looking at MCC’s calendar I’d even predict they could extend again into December and still have time to transfer if they wanted. 

I think the only thing stopping this from potentially transferring at this point is horrific reviews and/or theater availability (or lack thereof) come Spring. 

 

Updated On: 9/26/19 at 06:14 PM

[viagalactica6]

Posted: 9/26/19 at 6:30pm

How did they treat Audra awful in Shuffle Along?

[Pose2]

Posted: 9/26/19 at 6:42pm

The statement they released regarding why they chose to not continue with the production was in poor taste and disrespectful to Audra, in my opinion. 

Updated On: 9/26/19 at 06:42 PM

[zachvandyke]

Posted: 9/26/19 at 9:20pm

This will not be transferring to Broadway. No way.

[zachvandyke]

Posted: 9/28/19 at 1:34pm

Does anyone know if any significant changes have been made so far? I imagine critics start coming next week.

[musicismylifeee]

Posted: 9/28/19 at 2:23pm

Pose2 said: "I too have that audio, if you or anyone else wants it."

yes please!!