Shows That are in Desperate Need of a directors visit.

[Dallas Theatre Fan]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 8:25pm

Hello everybody,

I'm currently in London on a business trip and happened to have the afternoon free so, I caught the matinee performance of Matilda on the West End and wow, Matthew Warchus needs to make a visit to the Cambridge Theater.  The children for the most part were fine but the adults were a different story.  The constant overacting the adult leads did really hurt the flow of the show, it felt most of the adults were playing for laughs which doesn't work in a show like Matilda.

I know Warchus have been really busy with GHD for the last year but, his other shows need some love too, especially a great and magical show like Matilda.

So I was thinking what shows on Broadway need a the director to make a visit. 

 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 9:10pm

Chicago.

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 9:12pm

Just saw Chicago on Saturday night from the front row and the ensemble and leads (besides Tom Hewitt) were firing on all cylinders. I don't how they could have been more energetic or "on direction." 

[iwuldwf]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 9:13pm

neonlightsxo said: "Chicago."

Seconded.  Also, Book of Mormon.

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 9:18pm

Recently saw Book of Mormon... and it has not aged wel at all. It might just be that none of the "outrageous" jokes can be consisered outrageous anymore considering the things 45 says on the regular. Something was not right... the audience was not laughing... 

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 9:18pm

MadonnaMusical said: "Recently saw Book of Mormon... and it has not aged well at all. It might just be that none of the "outrageous" jokes can be consisered outrageous anymore considering the things 45 says on the regular. Something was not right... the audience was not laughing... 

 

"

 

[wish i were here2]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 9:31pm

MadonnaMusical said: "Recently saw Book of Mormon... and it has not aged wel at all. It might just be that none of the "outrageous" jokes can be consisered outrageous anymore considering the things 45 says on the regular. Something was not right... the audience was not laughing..."


I have to agree with this. I won the Broadway lotto a couple of weeks ago and my how different the whole atmosphere was compared to when I saw the First National Tour 5 years ago. When I saw at the show 5 years ago I remember EVERYONE was on the verge of peeing their dance, but this time no one was laughing, maybe some muted giggles here and there. Idk, it's still a good show, but something was definitely off. 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 9:41pm

I used to be so angry when I saw the Broadway production of Rent in its last few years because it got so sloppy. The actors were out of character so often and it was so sad to see a show I deeply loved being so disrespected by its own cast and yes, its director. 

Any time I see a bootleg of Hamilton, I cringe at how awful a lot of it looks, and I have yet to see BVD put on an acceptable performance as Burr. 

Never been disappointed by the upkeep in direction in Wicked, Phantom, Lion King, or Chicago. And when it comes to Phantom and Chicago, I see those about 6 to 7 times a year and I keep a sharp eye out for even the slightest indiscretion lol. 

Book of Mormon on Broadway.......yes there is a noticeable lack of energy especially in the missionary scenes, like the tap number for example. They seem bored out of their minds. 

In my experience, other than Rent, shows get the sloppiest a few months in their runs rather than a few years. 

[BwayDreamer00]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 11:27pm

MadonnaMusical said: "Recently saw Book of Mormon... and it has not aged wel at all. It might just be that none of the "outrageous" jokes can be consisered outrageous anymore considering the things 45 says on the regular. Something was not right... the audience was not laughing... 

 

"

Hm I just saw Book Of Mormon the other night and thought it was great and fine. Everyone in the audience was laughing their butts off and everyone seemed to love it......

[BwayDreamer00]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 11:33pm

Phantom4ever said: "I used to be so angry when I saw the Broadway production of Rent in its last few years because it got so sloppy. The actors were out of character so often and it was so sad to see a show I deeply loved being so disrespected by its own cast and yes, its director. 

Any time I see a bootleg of Hamilton, I cringe at how awful a lot of it looks, and I have yet to see BVD put on an acceptable performance as Burr. 

Never been disappointed by the upkeep in direction in Wicked, Phantom, Lion King, or Chicago. And when it comes to Phantom and Chicago, I see those about 6 to 7 times a year and I keep a sharp eye out for even the slightest indiscretion lol. 

Book of Mormon on Broadway.......yes there is a noticeable lack of energy especially in the missionary scenes, like the tap number for example. They seem bored out of their minds. 

In my experience, other than Rent, shows get the sloppiest a few months in their runs rather than a few years. 

 

"

I saw Book Of Mormon the other night and to me the missionaries didn't seem bored at all?? They were all smiling ear to ear and hitting every step and the audience was cheering for them so? And Two By Two was filled with energy and at times I felt like to much energy......

Keep in mind guys that every show has an ongoing associate director that give notes to the cast every week if they saw a lack in energy I don't think think they would be like "eh oh well they can figure it out" and they also have rehearsals every week too so they fix things that the ongoing director thought should be fixed

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 11:39pm

The problem with Book of Mormon is that there's still several OBC members as well as several people from the 1st national that closed a year ago. Some of these cast members in the show have been with the company for 5-6 years now. Stone & Parker need to do a surprise visit. The last time I saw the show the energy was on the low side but the laughs were still there. Still amazed Nic is still with the show.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 11:44pm

Shows that have held up very well over the years include Chicago and Wicked, but the one that takes the cake for me is Phantom. Sure, I've seen it with some Phantoms and Christines I just didn't like, but the production itself has held up unbelievably well over the last 29 years. It never feels stale to me.

Book of Mormon, however, felt phoned in when I last visited. It was still splashy and funny (because the material is so good), but the show seemed to lack an energy or a vibrance that I felt earlier in its run. It wasn't electric anymore.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 11:45pm

I saw Book of Mormon fairly recently and I didn't fee like their was a lack of energy, but the energy felt very forced and fake. Like, someone was holding a gun to their back and saying "Smile!" And, I guess this is probably true for a lot of shows, but I felt like the leads weren't exactly interesting, but just doing impressions of their former selves, which made the whole show feel dated. 

[BwayDreamer00]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 11:47pm

I don't understand what you mean by a "DESPERATE directors visit" every show has an ongoing director that give notes to the cast and they subsequently have rehearsals to fix these issues? Once the show opens and begins its run the original director is done.....they have spent a ton of time working on this project and are moving on to another one....does Casey Nicholaw the co director and choreographer of Book Of Mormon have time to go back and watch every single thing wrong with the show? No this is job now lays in the associate director's hands its their job now to keep the show fresh and good and the director's give them this responsibility very carefully once they depart the show to work on other projects. And once the show opens the director like I said is done...they are happy with it and since its their show they probably could care less about what the critics and audience members think when it comes to the direction and dancing because they put so much hard work into it. It was THEIR vision not what the New York Times had to say what was wrong with it.

thank you 

 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 11:51pm

Then why does Harold Prince still go back to Phantom AND give notes to the cast AND rehearse them?

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 8/9/17 at 11:52pm

I honestly just think that BOM is fairly dated by now. Yeah, the humor is still funny and the show is still a good time, but whenever I see footage of the newer shows it always just looks fake-cheery and tired. Nic Roleau is good, but his Elder Price never makes me laugh as much as Andrew did. There was a special charm to the OBC that the newer casts just don't seem to have imo.

Updated On: 8/9/17 at 11:52 PM

[trpguyy]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 12:05am

BwayDreamer00 said: "I don't understand what you mean by a "DESPERATE directors visit" every show has an ongoing director that give notes to the cast and they subsequently have rehearsals to fix these issues? Once the show opens and begins its run the original director is done.....they have spent a ton of time working on this project and are moving on to another one....does Casey Nicholaw the co director and choreographer of Book Of Mormon have time to go back and watch every single thing wrong with the show? No this is job now lays in the associate director's hands its their job now to keep the show fresh and good and the director's give them this responsibility very carefully once they depart the show to work on other projects. And once the show opens the director like I said is done...they are happy with it and since its their show they probably could care less about what the critics and audience members think when it comes to the direction and dancing because they put so much hard work into it. It was THEIR vision not what the New York Times had to say what was wrong with it.

thank you "

Actually, Casey checks in on his shows and holds notes sessions pretty regularly

[BwayDreamer00]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 1:12am

trpguyy said: "BwayDreamer00 said: "I don't understand what you mean by a "DESPERATE directors visit" every show has an ongoing director that give notes to the cast and they subsequently have rehearsals to fix these issues? Once the show opens and begins its run the original director is done.....they have spent a ton of time working on this project and are moving on to another one....does Casey Nicholaw the co director and choreographer of Book Of Mormon have time to go back and watch every single thing wrong with the show? No this is job now lays in the associate director's hands its their job now to keep the show fresh and good and the director's give them this responsibility very carefully once they depart the show to work on other projects. And once the show opens the director like I said is done...they are happy with it and since its their show they probably could care less about what the critics and audience members think when it comes to the direction and dancing because they put so much hard work into it. It was THEIR vision not what the New York Times had to say what was wrong with it.

thank you "

Actually, Casey checks in on his shows and holds notes sessions pretty regularly

 

"

Okay yeah he probably does but since then he's also had to choreograph Aladdin, Tuck Everlasting, and Something Rotten so that's pretty busy 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 1:23am

^^ yup, he's a busy guy, and still makes a point to check in on his shows. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 1:40am

I can't vouch for the truth of anything said in this thread - I haven't seen Book of Mormon in years, and I haven't previously heard about whether or not Nicholaw checks in on the show.

But if both things are true - that he checks in on the show, AND that the show has declined significantly - than that's more worrisome than if he left them to their own devices. Seems that his check-ins aren't helping. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 8:45am

BroadwayConcierge said: "Shows that have held up very well over the years include Chicago and Wicked, but the one that takes the cake for me is Phantom. Sure, I've seen it with some Phantoms and Christines I just didn't like, but the production itself has held up unbelievably well over the last 29 years. It never feels stale to me."

I see Phantom literally every time I'm in New York and I agree. It got rough for a while during Kyle Barisich's tenure as Raoul; he wasn't a very good Raoul in the first place (he's a "shout singer" and not very convincing as a heterosexual romantic lead), but it was terribly obvious that he was mentally and physically checked out near the end.

Although I'm anxious about Michele McConnell leaving in October because she often carries the show, the present cast is pretty tight, with the exception of Mr. Barbour. He has never worked for me in the title role, either as an actor or as a singer. Rumor has it that his contract will be up soon and I'm really hoping for a strong replacement. If I had my druthers, Jeremy Stolle would be promoted from Swing to Phantom. I also wouldn't mind Laird Mackintosh taking over the lead, but I'd really hate to lose him as Andre.

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 8:47am

Phantom4ever said: "Then why does Harold Prince still go back to Phantom AND give notes to the cast AND rehearse them?"

This is definitely true. When I saw the show in May, a friend in the cast texted me just before it started to say that Mr. Prince was in the house to take notes.

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 8:47am

Updated On: 8/10/17 at 08:47 AM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 10:08am

I was just at Mormon last week and it's in fine shape; the problem is that it's not as much of a surprise or shock to a ton of people here anymore. In the past year I've seen both the tour and the production in Melbourne, where the audiences are a lot fresher (and arguably, so is much of the cast) — the spontaneity in laughter can really change the experience for the better.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 10:23am

BwayDreamer:  Directors stop in ALL the time to see their shows.  Why would they care once they've moved on?  Because its their name in the program.  They are often involved in all recasting choices.   

Sure, when they are out of town or the country, they aren't likely to do so as frequently...but those directors send in trusted people to check in on their behalf.

 

There is a story about Les Miz (the original run), but I cannot vouche for its truth.  The ensemble/cast was reportedly looking bored and phoning it in, Nunn (or a desginee) heard the rumblings and dropped in unannounced and fired a huge number of the ensemble as a result.  Again, I cannot say for certain this is true - but I was made aware of the story as I had just seen the show and commented to NY friends of mine how the show seemed too tentative and a bit "off", and heard the mass firing had only recently happened and much of the cast I saw was brand new.