LEAP OF FAITH Previews

[wonkit]

This production starts previews at the Ahmanson in Los Angeles tonight. Break a leg to everyone in cast and crew! (Not you, Brooke - you've already sacrificed a hand...)

[jamiekennywicked]

Really excited for this :)

[emo_geek]

I have my tickets to see it in a few weeks and I am VERY excited.

[jacobsnchz14]

LEAP OF FAITH Playbill from Center Theatre Group website (.pdf):

http://www.centertheatregroup.org/uploadedFiles/Plays_and_Tickets/Productions/2010/Leap_of_Faith/files/LEAP_program.pdf

[Wicked Fanatic]

Disappointing that Kendra Kassebaum only has 3 songs! They had better be good ones. I'm seeing it on Tuesday night so hopefully they'll still all be there and not cut in previews.

[humbugfoto]

Holy Toledo! Just got home. Way too tired to formulate any really coherent thoughts, but a few random ones - it's waaay too long. It clocked in at 2:53. Raul is f***ing amazing. Rob Ashford thinks he's Agnes DeMille, but he did handle the height difference (between Raul and Brooke) very adroitly. Raul is f***ing amazing. Brooke was surprisingly adequate, but there is room for improvement. They took some of her songs down a step or two, and simplified some of them. Did I mention Raul was f***ing amazing?

And it rained in the Ahmanson!!

[dramamama611]

But what did you think of Raul?

(Changes to music keyes happen all the time dependant on who play it -- even between lead and understudy from performance to performance.)

Wehn you ARE coherent, would love to hear more.

[jamiekennywicked]

Anyone else see it last night? How was the set?

[luvtheEmcee]

It's still that long? When I saw the reading, I had trouble figuring out what I would cut if I were in charge, but that is not my job. I think ideally it should come in somewhere around 2 and a half hours. It's really well fleshed-out as it was then, but that's way too long.

I'm also really curious to hear about the set, and where the choreography is happening, how organic it feels, etc., since I'm not sure what you mean by him thinking he's Agnes DeMille. Do you mean it stylistically, or in terms of his use of dance? I'd just like to hear about more than Raul, heh, and what Ashford is doing past dealing with the Dreaded Height Difference.

[humbugfoto]

Yes, still that long. They will have to cut something to make it shorter. The pacing was for the most part pretty brisk, not a whole lot of chances/places to pick it up. The first act was 1:40 but to be honest it really didn't feel like it - it moved amazingly well, and fast. And built very steadily to a climax. The second act I think has the same problem that so many second acts have in musicals everywhere - how do you live up to Act I?

Sets were extremely minimal - so sparse as to be nearly non-existent. A backdrop of a cornfield and a large water pump/drilling rig at the back of the stage were the only (mostly) permanent items. For the diner, two pieces, one with a table and a couple of chairs, the other a fragment of counter and a couple of stools.

A corner of a porch and porch swing for Marva's house. A pair of raw wooden risers and some folding chairs for the tent revival scenes. A desk and a door for the Sheriff's office. A bed to suggest Jonas's hotel room, and that's pretty much it.

Choreography - it's the townspeople who do most of the dancing. The show opens with a ballet that leads into "Rise Up" and at several points in the show the townspeople express themselves in dance. And there's a fair amount of dancing in "King of Sin" (first act closer) - even Raul gets to lift and turn a few of the girls (awkward, I felt, partly because he has to hold a microphone in his hand while doing the lifts.) And yes, that's what I meant by the Agnes DeMille comment - the choreography for the ballets reminded me of Agnes DeMille and what she created for Oklahoma. The sparseness of the set contributed to that effect, I think. For the most part the choreography is very modern ballet in style.

They had some sound problems (well, a LOT of sound problems) but presumably those are technical things that can be fixed fairly easily.

Ask questions, please - lots of questions. I think I can make more sense if I'm talking to a specific point. It's all still quite a jumble that I'm still sorting out in my head.

[Peter87]

I'd really love to hear (as much as possible) about the score. :)

[DCS]

I was at the 1st preview last night as well and I agree with most of what has been said....the sets were laughably minimal - Robin Wagner has done MUCH better previously....I also was immediately reminded of the DeMille Oklahoma ballet stuff and it probably needs to be cut -- Ashford is using it mostly for scene transitions and it just feels very awkward and out of place....I also didnt notice the show was 3 hours long, it never lags....Brooke is fine and will probably grow as the performances continue....Raul is AMAZING -- he was really meant for this role and has tons to sing....will be interesting to see how this show evolves as previews continue

[jamiekennywicked]

I'll be that guy, whats the show curtain like? And how was Kecia?

[humbugfoto]

There is no show curtain, just the Ahmanson's standard red curtain with gold fringe.

Kecia was wonderful - she has a somewhat darker voice than Lillias White, which I think serves the music better.

The score is gorgeous - very gospel-drive, with rock overtones as the story gets darker. The other songs are just lovely, some of Menken's best work, I think. Some with a pop-rock feel, some with a pop-country feel and some straight out power ballads. The lyrics are...adequate, but kind of lame. It was a little hard to tell because of the sound problems last night. Hopefully that will be cleared up soon.

[jacobsnchz14]

How was Kendra and did she have a lot of stage time? What about her numbers as far as quality and length?

[jamiekennywicked]

Good to hear about Kecia How was Kendra? Can't wait to see some production shots.

[humbugfoto]

Kendra doesn't have a huge part, but she does a terrific job with what she has. She has a duet with Raul in the first act called "Slingshot" and they both have a lot of fun with that one. She is part of an ensemble number in Act II and there she just knocks it out of the park. Huge audience roar at the end of the number. One of her other songs, "People Like Us", is a duet with Brooke and while Kendra belts her face off, Brooke...can't. And as a result the song felt awkward and uneven. I think Kendra pulled back somewhat so as not to overpower Brooke and the song suffers as a result (also didn't care the way the song was staged).

[humbugfoto]

(I can't be the only BWW person in LA who went last night - anybody else care to weigh in??)

[Popular]

I plan to go in the beginning of October. Just saw the movie for the first time and I'm looking forward to seeing how it translates as a musical. Pity about the sound issues, hopefully they'll get that sorted out soon.

[ljay889]

So was Brooke's singing at least passable?

[ErikInTheCity]

I was there last night, as well. Feel kinda the same as posted above. The choreography/dream ballets do need to be trimmed. Will post more later.

[BroadwayBaby6]

It definitely sounds like even the creative team knows this show will not make it to Broadway this season. Having Brooke Shields originate a major role on Broadway would be a major gamble. Also,I can't see Sister Act and Leap of Faith opening on Broadway during the same season.

[ljay889]

Having Brooke Shields originate a major role on Broadway would be a major gamble.

Huh? How so? I am sure they need and want her name recognition to open the show with.

[wonkit]

BroadwayBaby -I don't see anything posted above that supports the idea this won't be on Broadway this season. It was the first preview, not the closing performance. The theaters are congested this season, but there is nothing about the quality of this show or the performances so far that seems to scream major rework.

[adamgreer]

Having Brooke Shields originate a major role on Broadway would be a major gamble.

Why? She's not some hack. She's a professional and is/will sell a hell of a lot more tickets than Raul Esparza will.