Do I Hear A Waltz

[SmoothLover]

Was anyone at the dress? I felt like the director was unable to breath any new life into it. Sondheim was there...

[SmoothLover]

Bump..Hmm? There us usually a discussion about current Encores productions so I am bumping to hear what people have to say...

[JBroadway]

There's some discussion on ATC

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat_new/d.php?id=2333428

[EricMontreal22]

The consensus I've read on FB is that the tone seems a bit off, and perhaps too much of the libretto was deleted but that, the tone anyway, could improve.  The score sounds great, I've heard.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Do we know if it's the revised version of "We're Gonna Be Alright"? Seems like Sondheim would insist on it, especially now that Rodgers can't complain (besides, the lyrics are infinity better than the minced original).

[GavestonPS]

Sally, I think what you are calling the "revised" version is actually the original. What was heard in the original run was the revised version and, to my ear, an obvious F You! to Richard Rodgers, since it is certainly the blandest lyric of Sondheim's entire career. (The original, by contrast, may be Sondheim's wittiest lyric.)

[EricMontreal22]

Yeah, the rewrite as used on the OBCR is perhaps the one lyric of Sondheim's where it doesn't even seem like he's making any effort.

They use the "original" cut lyric--although apparently it's the one with the slightly different third verse which Sondheim seems to have written for Side by Side by Sondheim (as it's different than the one used on the earlier "Scrabble Concert" CD).  Which makes sense as this is the one used on the Pasadena recording and, indeed, what remains of the libretto in this Encores presentation apparently includes Laurents' changes made for that production (which I assume is the currently licensed version--some of these are changes making it closer tohis original play)

[CATSNYrevival]

Theatremania has a video up.

 

http://www.theatermania.com/video/preview-selections-from-do-i-hear-a-waltz-at-city-_1020.html

[WhizzerMarvin]

I was there tonight and have lots of scattered thoughts. After the grand triumph that was 1776, Encores had a lot to live up to with Do I Hear a Waltz? This outing didn't have quite the polish that we all have grown accustomed to at Encores, but it was nevertheless a thrill to hear this score sung so well with a full orchestra and the original orchestrations. 

 

They thankfully have reinstated "Bargining;" I will never understand why it was cut from Padadena as it is a wonderful number and Richard Troxell soared on the final "woooooooooon!" 

 

The original "We're Gonna Be All Right" is in place and truly is a highlight of the evening. 

 

The biggest surprise was getting to hear "Everybody Loves Leona," which, along with the scene before it, felt like a test run for Phyllis and her Follies number. 

 

I have listened to the OBCR about a zillion and one times, but have never seen The Time of the Cuckoo; I am familiar with Summertime and tried to place the songs within the context of that film. They made many changes for Hepburn and the movie, so it was nice to see how the songs actually came out of the book scenes. (To clarify for Mr Isherwood, Laurents was responsible for this structuring in addition to his dialogue writing responsibilities.) 

 

Does anyone know if Laurents basically lifted the drunken scene from his own play verbatim? It's basically the highlight of the evening and Errico was glorious in it. I was worried that she didn't have enough edge for the role in general, but she came off well. 

 

Richard Troxell might not be the greatest actor in the world, but what a voice, often sounding eerily like Franco. Take the Moment and the final strain of Stay were outstanding!

 

 

[Mr Roxy]

Seeing it Sunday. Glad Bargaining got out back in.

[CATSNYrevival]

While on the subject of changes to the show does anyone know the story behind the two versions of the title song? There's the version on the cast album and a version with a different melody and lyrics that appears in the Broadway version of Putting it Together and on one of the Sondheim Sings CDs. Why were there two different versions written of the title tune? Was one used out of town or something?

[SmoothLover]

I thought the directing was uninspired. The upstage orchestra platform was huge (for no particular reason) and took up two thirds of the space limiting the downstage playing area thus making the scene work and choreography (which too was uninspired) look flat. I think staging many of the songs at the café table was a boring idea and some other playing areas could have been established along with a sense of enchantment. The blocking looked like directing 101 to me.

The book was slight and I can see why the musical is not performed very often. The characters were two dimensional and I was unable to invest myself in them.

The cast was solid although the piece felt a little under rehearsed. Ziemba made clear choices and the leading man had a lovely voice although I did not catch of all his lyrics. He should have been costumed differently because he looked a little frumpy and his clothes looked like they had been pulled from a hamper. He fared better in the sport coat but the first act tucked in white shirt (bad idea) and linen pants that did not fit him very well, played against the character's charisma. I think with more rehearsal Errico had a bit of a Lucy Ricardo thing going on enhanced by the dresses and wig. I do not know if it was purposeful.

As far as the songs were concerned I liked Do I Hear A Waltz and We're Gonna Be Alright. Otherwise the lyrics were a bit predictable and I was guessing the rhymes before they happened. Sondheim was there for the dress and I wondered what thoughts were going through his mind.

 

[neonlightsxo]

The show was unfamiliar to me, but I thoroughly enjoyed. Also, wasn't that the set from ZORBA?

"The cast was solid although the piece felt a little under rehearsed."

Under rehearsed? You know you saw an Encores show, right?

[yfs]

SmoothLover said: "The upstage orchestra platform was huge (for no particular reason)..."

I know a couple of people in that band, and they fight for every inch of space up there. So there is "a particular reason" for the size of the platform -- it's as small as it can be and still accommodate the generous supply of musicians -- 30, I think.

Seeing the show tonight, and looking forward to it. 



 

 

 


"

 

 

[EricMontreal22]

Whizzer, that drunk scene is very close to the scene in the play, at least comparing the two librettos back to back and I believe may be one of the instance where Laurrnts went back even more to his play for the Pasadena revisions which this reportedly follows. 

SmoothLover, that's too bad you found them two dimensional. Recently re reading the original libretto (thanks to a library discard sale) I think Laurents' characters are surprisingly complex. On FB a friend who knows the show more than I do said that the major edits to the book for this did do a disservice to character and motivation. 

[EricMontreal22]

CatsNY - I forget the details, but that other Do I Hear a Waltz (with music as well as lyrics by Sondheim) was for a completely different project. Just a coincidence. 

[givesmevoice]

neonlightsxo said: "The show was unfamiliar to me, but I thoroughly enjoyed. Also, wasn't that the set from ZORBA?

 

 


"The cast was solid although the piece felt a little under rehearsed."

Under rehearsed? You know you saw an Encores show, right?"

 

 

Some Encores shows feel way less "under rehearsed" than others. I was surprised how many actors were almost completely off-book for the very book-heavy 1776, for instance.

[Huss417]

Any day at Encores is an enjoyable day in the theatre. As a long time subscriber those that mention under rehearsed would have disliked the original concept of podiums and scripts and really no costumes.

[slow_the_rain]

I saw the invited dress on Tuesday.

I had heard only two songs from the score prior to seeing this, and found the evening absolutely thrilling. Hearing any Rodgers score for the first time is always a memorable experience, even if it was later in his career, and not at the peak of his writing. 

The show as a whole doesn't feel like a cohesive body of work. The cynicism of Sondheim's lyrics, the lush sweep of Rodgers' score, and Arthur Laurents' distinctly Laurentsian book didn't all quite gel together to form a cohesive whole. I truly cannot imagine the show without Everyone Loves Leona. It felt like a Loveland/Follies number, and I found the Act II party scene to the end of the show to be absolutely marvelous.

While I delighted in hearing those orchestrations played by a 30 piece orchestra, I can't help but feel that the entire production would have benefitted from a much smaller, intimate production. John Doyle need not direct, but I can't help but wonder how the piece would fare at Classic Stage. I also found the Venetian atmosphere sorely lacking, but I couldn't see the rear of the set from my vantage point in the balcony.

In terms of direction, it was a bit uninspired. Again, intimacy would have benefitted the show greatly. Melissa Errico was terrific in her role, as was Karen Ziemba. Melissa had her book in hand often, but, when using it, it never seemed like much more than a glance at the text.

All in all, I loved the show. I'd love to see a full production. I was hugely moved, and feel privileged to have heard such a gorgeous score done such justice.

[CATSNYrevival]

How was Claybourne Elder? I adore him.

[neonlightsxo]

The actors being off book doesn't have anything to do with rehearsal, so much as the prep time they put in on their own. They can't all be Santino Fontana.

[nasty_khakis]

I'm not sure if it's still true, but someone once said they legally had to hold scripts a certain amount of time to qualify for concert status so they don't have to pay as much for the rights. But it's definitely developed in my time watching people barely carry or glance at them.

[CATSNYrevival]

Are the rights substantially cheaper for concert performance?

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Gaveston, you're right. I meant "original" in the sense that it was used in the original production, but it's clear what I wrote was confusing. Nevertheless, very excited to hear that Sondheim's original is in! I'm very much looking forward to seeing this tonight - especially with "Everybody Loves Leona".

[SmoothLover]

I am all for the orchestra being comfortable but they had a little more room then they needed. A couple of feet could have been trimmed from the platform. Take a gander at it when you see the show. The walk ways around the orchestra were not as effective for some reason as they have been in other shows. It was either due to lighting, height or their proximity to the orchestra.

 

The under rehearsed comments are more about flow and continuity and not so much about how the production looked or people having their lines memorized. What is confusing about the book carrying is that some productions like Paint Your Wagon barely used a book at all and then with others the book carrying is more prominent.

 

Some directors are very clever working with minimalism and it can be quite thrilling at times while this particular director did not have a flair for it.

II know the rehearsal period is brief but I think it is ok to hold Encores productions to high standards given this is New York and the talent pool is one of the best in the world.