Glass Menagerie first preview - Page 6

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 9/19/13 at 3:52pm

Sadephram, we were in row BB in the center section, and yes, I thought it was a bit too close. Row BB in the center is either at the same level as first row or it might even be slightly lower! If you have someone big in front of you, the bottom half of the stage will be blocked out. And as I mentioned a couple of posts ago, the black goo effects were almost completely lost on us.

One advantage to sitting up close, though, is that you will hear Celia Keenan-Bolger quite clearly. She definitely doesn't project as well as the other actors, and I'm sure that folks in the back of the theater didn't hear every line from her.

Updated On: 9/19/13 at 03:52 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/19/13 at 3:59pm

Sorry but I heard Laura's entrance is staged like Amanda is giving birth to her. is that true?

[PianoMann]

Posted: 9/19/13 at 4:05pm

StageStruckLad, I sat in Left Orchestra Row D and saw all of the effects of the goo quite well!

Also, do we know for a fact that the stage was raised for this production? I sat in Center Orchestra BB for Virginia Woolf and have no obstruction whatsoever.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/19/13 at 4:11pm

You know, overall, as an individual element, the black goo is just a bit more important than the giant dragon puppet above Wicked.

It's a piece that contributes to the atmosphere. I saw the show twice, once up close, and once further back. It's not like sitting close you lose the sense that this is a memory suspended in nothingness and stranded. It's not that crucial a thing.

[morosco]

Posted: 9/19/13 at 4:40pm

I wish this would be taped for broadcast on PBS or for DVD.

[sadephram]

Posted: 9/19/13 at 5:35pm

Thanks for your replies. I guess I'll just wait to buy my seat then. I just hate that telecharge gives you so few seating options...

[MorningGlow2]

Posted: 9/19/13 at 7:12pm

Morosco, funny you mention that because they were indeed taping it the other night...seemed more like it was for internal archive purposes though, as it's also still in previews.

[Kad]

Posted: 9/19/13 at 9:00pm

"Sorry but I heard Laura's entrance is staged like Amanda is giving birth to her. is that true?"

No.

[The Other One]

Posted: 9/20/13 at 9:36am

I sat mid-mezzanine. Keenan-Bolger's appropriately quieter voice projects quite well. It was never a struggle to hear her. In fact, hers is the best Laura I have ever seen.

This is a wonderful production. I have never seen the play come together so successfully. If I have anything critical to say at all, and this is very mild, it is that Quinto doesn't need to play Tennessee Williams in his opening monologue. Williams already put so much of himself into the character of Tom -- we get that it's an autobiographical piece. In all other ways, he is superb. The entire cast is. Had this opened later in the season I would say they were sure-fire candidates for Tony Awards. Jones is as good as she has ever been, and Smith suggests both disappointment and triumph better than any Jim I have ever seen. This is a terrific ensemble.

It looks beautiful from the mezzanine, by the way. Yes, we could see the watery reflections, and the use of light is haunting and gorgeous as well.

This is quite the triumph for John Tiffany. You can't help but wish Tennessee Williams was here to see it. Considering that he used to talk out loud from his seats in the audience, however, perhaps it is best that he isn't.

[Patash]

Posted: 9/20/13 at 10:07am

"She definitely doesn't project as well as the other actors, and I'm sure that folks in the back of the theater didn't hear every line from her."

Which is the reason I never understand why people will grab at an orchestra seat near the rear and under the balcony when there are wonderful mezzanine seats available. From the mezzanine I heard every word Laura spoke, but admittedly if I were stuck back under the balcony, I probably wouldn't have.

[StageDoor3]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 3:39pm

I have one 4th row premium section seat for "Glass Menagerie" on Saturday evening, October 19. But I can't go. I'm looking to sell it at a good discount. PM if intereseted.

Updated On: 9/22/13 at 03:39 PM

[VotePeron]

Posted: 9/27/13 at 12:23pm

SO where is the best partial view location? house RIGHT or house LEFT? Its seems HR is the consensus.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 9/27/13 at 12:29pm

House RIGHT by far.

[MKunkel]

Posted: 9/28/13 at 7:32pm

I'm going to see this on the 12th of October. Anyone sit in C 11 and can tell me how obstructed it will be?

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 9/28/13 at 8:01pm

I would go for the other side of the house, MKunkel.

[Kad]

Posted: 9/29/13 at 10:00am

I had the privilege of seeing this again last night, from the mezz this time. The view from up there is gorgeous. You get the full effect of the stage images. Truly beautiful, and of course augmented a great deal by the incredible performances.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 9/29/13 at 10:31am

Glad to hear it Kad.

I firt saw it from the orchestra but for my return visit in two weeks I decided to go up tos the mezzanine. Sounds like it was the right choice.

[JayG]

Posted: 9/30/13 at 3:48pm

Saw it this weekend. Meh.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 10/31/13 at 10:39am

Got to see the show this weekend and, as nearly everyone else has said, the production is excellent and the cast is stellar (everyone was simply perfect in their roles, although I must say Celia was the stand-out for me, and I left the theatre feeling simply devastated for Laura).

I would love to get people’s opinions on the importance/symbolization of some of the stylistic choices in this production; namely, the transitional movement/choreography and the moments the characters seem to be in their own world (whether it be Laura at the tip of the living room looking out or Tom’s moment with the flame in the kitchen). With these type of stylistic choices/movement, I am usually more than satisfied to just accept their place in the show as conveying what the character is feeling at the moment and, in turn, what it makes me feel as an audience member (very reminiscent of movement in “Black Watch” and “Once,” which always moves me), but with this movement and these moments, although it looked beautiful, I felt like I was missing out something I should have understood better. I, of course, have general ideas/thoughts on these, but I can’t help but feel that there are more concrete reasons for these choices.

In the same vein, I would also love to know what people’s thoughts on the moon are. Why was the moon chosen to be highlighted (and one of the only uses of reflection, aside from the people themselves)? (I embarrassingly admit that my girlfriend and I didn’t even realize it was supposed to be a moon until she realized it in the second act. I spent a good majority of the show thinking that it was supposed to be a glass piece that would reveal its relevance later in the show.)

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of the play itself and, therefore, have not done much text analysis on the script. I thought, perhaps, this lack of prior analysis iss what prevented me from fully appreciating the stylistic choices.

[1Toucher]

Posted: 1/30/14 at 12:02am

I bought a seat to The Glass Menagerie showing ..the seat is Right Orch Row BB Seat 4 and I feel like the is limited sight to the up stage house-right stage-left corner ..any piece of information would help

[AntV]

Posted: 1/30/14 at 1:17am

Bryan Cranston, Howard Stern, Beth Ostrosky-Stern and Laura Benanti were all at the show Wednesday night!

My TDF seat was in the last row of the Mezz in the side section aisle seat close to the center with the steps under my feet! Had to scrunch my legs together on one side so that one leg wouldn't be dangling in the air. Why is there even a seat there? But moved downstairs to an empty rear orchestra seat at intermission.

Only Brian Smith came out of the stage door. I know it was very cold, but there was only like 10 of us waiting. Wanted to meet Quinto. Updated On: 1/30/14 at 01:17 AM

[musicalperson17]

Posted: 2/20/14 at 11:05pm

After months of wanting to see this, I had the priviledge of seeing the Wednesday matinee and I was blown away by both the production and the audience. Firstly, this was the best thing I have seen in years. The cast has clearly become so tight and everyone was in top form. The play itself is brilliant. The set was beautifully simplistic and John Tiffany's vision was crystal clear - he makes an old play feel completely new. The audience however was atrocious. 5 cell phones went off during act one alone, the door to the lobby was constantly being opened and closed by the ushers, people were talking, one woman even got up mid-scene disrupting the entire row, the list goes on. This is a case of the audience letting down the show instead of the other way around. As one of the youngest members in the audience, I was disgusted that all this behaviour came from the adults. Have all New York audiences become this terrible or is this a unique case? They came close to ruining something that is perfect. Otherwise go see this if you can before it closes on Sunday because shows like this don't come around everyday.