SIDE SHOW at Kennedy Center- Page 5

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:39pm

I was enamored of the show when I first heard about it back in 2008 but I've gone off it a bit since the lyrics can be so idiotic. Seems like the ones for this production are bit stronger, but not strong. "Spread the word/Tell the world what you've seen and heard."

I love that this seems to be rooted more firmly in the lives of the real Daisy and Violet - the man Violet married for a few days was indeed gay, they had the abusive Sir and Auntie. Does this production get into what happened to them after they peaked? After Freaks and vaudeville they fell into complete obscurity and died in their fifties. Really sad.

Edit: Just realized that the decision has been held over from the original production to keep Daisy on the left and Violet right (from the audience's POV.) In real life Daisy was right and Violet left. I have a Playbill from the original production and Emily Skinner talks about the director deciding to switch the twins because stage right is the stronger side of the stage and Daisy is the stronger personality.

Here's the real twins, slightly past their prime. Daisy's on the left with the lighter hair. I recall from their biography that she actually had a baby at one point. I doubt that's in the show but what a fascinating angle to explore! This picture always makes me wonder how their clothes were constructed. Their bathing suit bottoms appear to be just two regular pairs, but that can't be possible considering they would have to cover their connection. Obviously Emily and Erin don't have this problem but it's interesting is this production indeed has their costumes connected.

Updated On: 6/30/14 at 03:39 PM

[MartyO49]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 1:16pm

Totally agree with Morosco...Saw it on Saturday night and loved every minute. I have seen this show on Broadway and number of smaller productions and the changes worked for me. I thought the Jake played the character too angrily and had none of Norm Lewis's warmth. His performance was too contemporary.

[JRybka]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 7:55pm

I saw the matinee on teh 3rd of July. The theater was not full but let me tell you that the audience went with them the entire ride. It was brilliant. I have not been moved like that during a show since Ragtime (ironically a revivial from Kennedy Center). This production was just everything the show should have been to begin with. While I did miss Emily and Alice vocal power and I thought Norm Lewis was a better Jake. This production was hands down the best one I have seen (and I have seen abnout four different versions) I only wish more people could see the brilliance of Side Show.

[Wickedlover56]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 10:28pm

Well, a transfer is possible. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/179959-Is-the-New-Production-of-Side-Show-Being-Groomed-for-a-Broadway-Return

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 11:07pm

WickedLover, that article is a year old. I think, given it's history as a commercial failure, it's going to be very hard to raise the money to get the show to Broadway --investors will think it too risky.

I am seeing the show a week from tomorrow night and am looking forward to it very much, but I suggest that anyone who wants to see it see it before it closes in DC.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/5/14 at 1:09am

Ragtime.. history as a commercial failure.
Follies.. history as a commercial failure.
Somehow I doubt the Kennedy Center is panicking at the prospect.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 7/5/14 at 1:16am

broadwayguy2, according to those I spoke with last weekend at the Kennedy Centre, they are hoping they can move it to Broadway for thos 2014-2015 season, and that it will be the third Kennedy Centre production on Broadway after Ragtime and Follies.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/7/14 at 7:47pm

Two teenage assassins accept what they think will be a quick-and-easy job, until an unexpected target throws them off their plan.

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 7/7/14 at 8:10pm

JRybka I experienced the same effect. The theatre was by NO means full when I went, but you couldn't tell that from the applause and the engagement of the audience. I have not seen ONE D.C./NOVA theatre show in which the audience was not fully engaged, and that makes me love regional theatre SO much.

[musicaltheatreman2]

Posted: 7/7/14 at 8:41pm

just found this on youtube! The Tunnel of love with emily and alice! beautifully sung and acted!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhyB5ydPiQU

[Esther2]

Posted: 7/7/14 at 8:41pm

Saw the show yesterday afternoon. I knew nothing about it (other than knowing what it was based on) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was engaged throughout. The cast is wonderful, the sets work for the mood, the lighting was amazing. Even the young-ish children a few rows in front of me didn't act up...or I was so engaged I didn't notice if they did!

The orchestra was a bit more than half full. During intermission I glanced upstairs and there were people on each level, but not enough.

Hope there's a way this transfers to NY.

[Mike3]

Posted: 7/11/14 at 10:47am

I found last evening's performance very moving. I love the new music. Unlike some (most?), I found the entire interaction with Houdini engaging and relevant. I heard echoes of his song and its themes throughout the rest of the show.

I was disappointed with the sound, although I'm not sure if this is a design issue or if something was just amiss last night. I suspect the latter. Individual ballads and duets were fine; ensemble pieces were more problematic. Several people around me were commenting at intermission that certain people were difficult to hear, especially Sir.

The orchestra, on the other hand, sounded lush and beautiful. Such a beautiful score...

[morosco]

Posted: 7/11/14 at 10:58am

The new song for the new character of Houdini is really lovely and the actor performing it does an awesome job with it.

As for the orchestra/sound design I don't recall hearing the strings at any point during the show. Cut the strings and add at least another brass player. The trumpet sounded a little anemic at times.

SPOILER ALERT!!

Back to Houdini, I was fascinated with his entrance. He first appears behind a white drop and he is backlit so you can only see his shadow. He comes in from the flies on a rope and performs an escape. At the end when he reaches the stage floor the drop flies out and he enters to applause. It was until later when I was talking with a friend that I realized that the escape illusion was all a projection. Makes me wonder if projections were also used during the moments when the doctors discuss separating the twins. The projections were very well done and smoothly integrated and never looked like projections.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/11/14 at 1:08pm

I can't imagine this transferring. It got rave reviews, has over-the-top word of mouth, and is still only doing middling business. That combination will not encourage producers to throw money at it.

[grumpyoptimist]

Posted: 7/12/14 at 1:35am

Mike3, I experienced the same issue with sound on Weds night, but I thought I might be in a sound gap because I was far stage right in the last seat in the row. There is was like certain performers (Robert Joy being the worst) had a little echo thing going or something. And it's kinda critical to be able to understand him to get the full effect of the show.

I liked it a lot in La Jolla, and think the changes improve it immensely. Ryan Silverman is a much more believable Terry. I think they shortened 1+1 again, or at least it seemed tighter. "Coming apart at the seams" helps bring everything together. And the final scene works much better now for me. Still not sure if it would find an audience on Broadway...

[Mike3]

Posted: 7/12/14 at 7:53pm

Grumpy: I was tenth row center, so I suspect this is a larger problem.

[Alix]

Posted: 7/12/14 at 9:48pm

Saw this this afternoon and really enjoyed it. I knew pretty much nothing about it other than the basic premise and having heard a bit of "I Will Never Leave You." I thought the cast was excellent, and the costumes really are crazy good. One weak point: Houdini's scene really took me out of the show (and his song was definitely unnecessary). It seemed like an afterthought.

I'd estimate that the theater was about 90 percent full, and the audience seemed to really enjoy it. Hope it's able to transfer!

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 7/12/14 at 11:29pm

Just got back to my hotel room after seeing it tonight. I thought that this was an excellent production though I agree with Alix that the Houdini number was unnecessary and shoukd be cut.

I had not seen the show before but the two power ballads sung by the twins, "Who Will Love Me As I Am?" and "I Will Never Leave You" as sung by Ripley and Skinner are of my most played iTunes tracks. I was concerned going in that Davie and Padgett would not be quite as capable of putting those two huge duets over but have no fear--they were brilliant. And David St. Louis was magnificent as Jake.

I was able to visit briefly with one of the featured performers after the show, and with two performances left to go, it seems like the cast is hopeful for a NY transfer. BUT, I have significant doubts that it's a commercially viable Broadway venture, unless it's produced by a non profit. Even tonight (the last Saturday night performance) there were plenty of empty seats, and the show got deservedly rave reviews.

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 7/14/14 at 8:43am

I attended the matinee performance on Saturday, July 12. The orchestra was not full. I was center and two rows behind the break. Right before the curtain went up I noticed composer Henry Krieger quickly seating himself in what would be a box on the left side of the house. Right before intermission he quickly jumped up and ran through the side door most likely backstage. He was back again after intermission and again quickly departed midway through the second act not to be seen again.

I am a fan of the original production on Broadway. I was very eager to see what they changed to possibly make this more commercially successful. Unfortunately, though I did like some of the changes and accept that requires some familiar songs to be cut...not enough was done in my opinion to make this any more of a success if it were to transfer to Broadway. The additional back story/history of Auntie and Sir being after the Houdini song (agree beautiful but unnecessary though it was interesting the lesson he was giving to them in that song) rather than when Terry/Buddy meet them for the first time felt out of sequence.

I loved the set and costumes. Really liked how they modified the lyrics to "Say goodbye to the Side Show" to increase the impact at the end of Act 2 when the movie producer told them the title of the movie they would star in. When that title was announced it was clear that the audience was invested in the characters by the audible gasp and air being sucked out of the room. Unfortunately for me it was only at that moment that I really cared about Daisy and Violet. By that time is was only a few minutes before the curtain came down on the second act. It was too late.

There was only one flashy dance number. Not sure where, or if it would even be possible, to insert another.

As much as I would wish this to transfer to Broadway...it would most likely meet the same fate as the original.

Edit: The enunciation of the lyrics by Sir were really difficult to understand and I know the lyrics fairly well from listening to the soundtrack too! That in itself is problematic because he opens the show. Without him grabbing the audience (as a carnival barker should) then the audience is left to digress and not enter the world of the Side Show.

Updated On: 7/14/14 at 08:43 AM