Summer: the Donna Summer Musical- Page 3

[David10086]

Posted: 11/13/17 at 2:46pm

I will check that out thanks for responding...here is my favorite song from "DONNA SUMMER" 1982:

https://youtu.be/-xJBpVgj0cw"

 

You're welcome! "Lush Life" is another gem - and supposedly the direction she wanted to go in with Q-Jones originally, when he was assigned to produce a new album for her. They both wanted to do an album of 'standards'  but once David Geffen heard this recording, he sent them back into the studio and wanted a more pop/R&B album from her (I believe Linda Ronstadt had just released her album "What's New?" at the time, so maybe Geffen didn't want to compete?). Thank God they kept "Lush Life" on the album, at least. 

[ArtMan]

Posted: 11/13/17 at 7:14pm

Check out from "I'm A Rainbow"  Donna's version of Don't Cry For Me Argentina.  It is both breathtaking and haunting.  I first become aware of this through a remix from Hot Tracks (DJ subscription service) .  I got rid of my vinyl years ago.  I can't seem to find the Hot Tracks remix on the internet.  But there are regular versions on youtube.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/13/17 at 11:19pm

Thanks for all of the reports.  I'm a massive Donna Summer fan, so this project has interested me, and made me nervous.  It sounds like they are getting it right, aside from a few WTF elements like casting women in some male roles.  I am happy to see that they are using some of my fave album tracks (ones written by Donna herself) like Faster and Faster to Nowhere and On My Honour. 

I like a lot about the 1982 album, but I do wish we had gotten a finalized version of I'm a Rainbow (co-producer Harold Faltermeyer has said that what was released is nearly all in demo form--for example, the more electronic songs were meant to be merged together).  My one complaint about the Quincy album is that at times Donna seems lost among the production--something that never happened when Moroder/Belotte/Esty produced her.  She had a terrible experience, by all accounts, recording it--with Jones often mocking her appearance and of course he refused to let her put one of her own songs on the album, the gorgeous Sometimes Like Butterflies which was relegated to a B-side.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYGEv3ayQHw

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/13/17 at 11:28pm

As Art has said, Donna seemed to have done about as much as she could do to deny what was reported about her having said anti-gay things.  I got into trouble in the off-topic forum here a few years back for supporting her, but I stand by what I said there.  I think she probably did make the comments--in the early 80s she was extremely religious.  By the time of her death she had been going to a church which was extremely gay friendly (a family friend of mine got married--same sex--there) and in general she seemed to loosen up.  It happens--people change.  As has already been mentioned, Donna never made statements on the record like Gloria Gaynor has about gays.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 11/14/17 at 12:00am

Welcome back Eric!!

[ArtMan]

Posted: 11/14/17 at 12:00am

Welcome back Eric!   Two times  the welcome.

Updated On: 11/23/17 at 12:00 AM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/14/17 at 1:36am

Haha, thank you!

[AlfieByrne]

Posted: 11/14/17 at 6:06pm

I saw it this past week and have to voice that the performances (especially Lachanze) from all three Donnas were terrific. The book, however, needs quite a bit of work. The story doesn't take on a linear structure, which was fine and in fact refreshing, but the emotional arc of her story was unsatisfying and cluttered. They discuss her depression, abuse, family issues, etc, and end the show with "Oh hey, my Adam and Steve joke wasn't appreciated by the audience and became a category 5 storm. But I love all my gay friends and gay fans!" and segue into Hot Stuff/Last Dance. What??

That said, the technical elements were all spot on from what I can tell. The design is a little underwhelming, but the 3 Donnas truly make it an impressive evening.

Eric, I sent you a PM by the way

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 11/15/17 at 1:09am

have to agree with alfie on the drop from nowhere about the adam and steve crack and loving her gays friends 

it was totally out of context and just felt wierd and uncomfortable

unsatisfying and cluttered are great descriptors for the current story arc....

[mlsheehan]

Posted: 11/18/17 at 10:45am

Saw this last night and while not perfect, it should be a big hit on Broadway.  The bones and musical beats are all in place.  They need to smooth out the book and let it breathe a bit.  A lot of it felt very rushed and scattershot.  There is a lot of material to cover, but a lot is glossed over and happens in WTF kind of moments.  If they can get the book in better shape, this could be an impressive musical biography.  Not something that is know for 3 wonderful performers and slick staging.  Dare I say, there was too much music in the show.  If they are set to stay within 1:45 time range, I'd suggest cutting a couple of songs to flesh out the book.  I think the book writers need to sit back and figure out what they want the through line to be in the story, right now it's very scattered.

As noted Lachanze is a goddess, Ariana DeBose is excellent and Storm Lever (as Duckling Donna and Donna's daughter Mimi) is giving a terrific performance.  All are in excellent voice, and it worked extremely well to have them interweave through the plot.  (My only slight complaint is that none of them really looked like Donna Summer to me, but it's forgiven when they open their mouths to sing.)  The staging is a cross between Jersey Boys and a bit of Dreamgirls - very slick and very Des McAnuff.  Choreography is excellent and not too over the top.  I have to give props to the sound design.  It is excellent and while loud at times (after all a portion of the show takes place in Discos), the voices can always be heard.

Musical numbers are still pretty much in the order that Wicked Fanatic stated, but it does seem like there has been some tweaking of the book with scenes changed a bit and some slight reordering.  So that's hopeful that they still are working on the book.  

By the way, the casting of the women in men's roles didn't bother me in the least.  I actually thought it was refreshing.  I do agree thought that it might be stronger to have the preacher played by a man, especially in light of what's in the news the last few weeks.

Pretty impressive try out, maybe not as fully formed as Jersey Boys (when it was at La Jolla Playhouse), but still really strong for a world premiere. 

Updated On: 11/18/17 at 10:45 AM

[theater_tech]

Posted: 11/18/17 at 3:29pm

Attended tonight’s performance so here’s my two cents:

I have no idea who Donna Summer is prior to the show. I have never heard of her music or her life story. Blame it on the generational gap if you must throw stones. Hence, I am reviewing the show likewise I review any other musical with absolutely zero knowledge of the material. Be warned I will be spoiling what happens in the show, but, trust me, when you get to the end of my review, I can assure you that NONE of that will impact your enjoyment.

As soon as I realized (quite recently) the full title of the show was “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”, and not, as I somehow remembered, “The Donna Summer Musical”, I knew what I was going to be expecting. This is not a show; this is a concert with “plot” sprinkled over it. The show even starts like a concert, with the hanging lights going up and Donna kicking it off with “The Queen is Back” among flashy dancers. She even continues to rile up the crowd after the first number.

I say “plot” because nothing really happens in the show. Sure, you can say that it tells the life story of Donna Summer, but it’s strangely not told in a linear fashion. There are three Donnas that represent points in her life – let’s call them Small Donna, Medium Donna, and Donna ala Fun Home. They jump back and forth between time to retell important points in their life. Small Donna covers her childhood and teen years, Medium Donna covers her rise to fame, and Donna just kind of flitters around the entire timeline. Sometimes, the Donnas would just congregate together for no particular reason (well, other than to perform a rousing group number). Small Donna even plays her daughter, Mimi, so it gets even more confusing.

The whole show is made up of heavy exposition and catchy songs alternating, from the very first second. The narration is always towards the audience and never to one another. I don’t mind narration in musicals when done creatively well (Hamilton, Great Comet), but this is just plain, speaking narration. Sometimes, she even pulls up a chair and just speaks to the audience about something that happened offstage. You know, like… a concert.

There’s no emotional stakes nor consequences for anyone’s actions throughout. We are dropped into parts of Donna’s life quickly, then taken back out again to move to another time. Therefore, serious scenes such as her husband beating her or her witnessing to an old lady’s murder feels irrelevant and awkward. More things are randomly dropped carelessly throughout such as her support for gay rights (that earned a cheer from the audience) and feminism. What does this have anything to do with the story? Is there even one at this point?

The jokes and humor feel off as only some of them earn a chuckle from the crowd. They insert references the older audiences will definitely recognize so to earn a resounding “oooh, I DO remember that!”.

To further demonstrate the story’s flimsiness, I guarantee you could most probably only name two characters from the whole ensemble. There’s Donna, Small Donna, Medium Donna, Bruce, old manager who dies, female manager, sassy best friend, two German record producers, Donna’s kids, Donna’s parents, Donna’s sisters, abusive first husband, and random housekeeping lady.

The supporting characters are treated awkwardly too. The old manager is never shown to be a sympathetic character or particularly nice to Donna (pushy, actually), but when he dies, Donna breaks down in this huge scene. The character is never set up to be someone I would care about, so his death feels meaningless to me. What are we, as an audience, supposed to feel? I am just left with confusion watching Donna cry in his funeral.

On the other end, Donna’s parents, who are featured quite prominently and portrayed as loving towards Donna, get a quick rush of “my parents just died” near the end of the show. The scene is then proceeded with Donna and her kids singing and dancing in a hospital. It is one of my favorite scenes just because of how absurd it is.

One HUGE pet peeve of mine of the show is how the names of locations would appear in projections in the front of the stage. Whenever locations would change, the name would just appear to blatantly tell the audience where they are – even though a smart set design could do that just fine. It’s very reminiscent on how Hollywood actions movies do this as well along with an electronic ‘typing sound’. I found it very distracting and unnecessary, ESPECIALLY if the characters have ALREADY STATED where they are. “… my parents are still back in Boston” – proceed to slide through the next scene with “BOSTON, USA” projected in huge, block letters.

After all of this, do I hate the show? Surprisingly no! I can’t deny that I had a great and fun time seeing it. It was a good introduction for me to Donna’s music, and I found myself tapping my foot and swinging my hips at some of the songs. “Hot Stuff” is an absolute blast with two large disco balls looming over the audience as dancers make their way onstage from the aisles. My feelings are evidently supported when some of the audience members even begin standing up from their seats and started dancing with the music. It was fantastic to watch old, white people dance like their having the time of their lives in an actual, proper theater. A disco arena with a DJ is even available as you make your way outside. Those musical numbers, while completely irrelevant to the “plot”, are choreographed, sung, and lit so excellently you can’t help but be drawn to them.

That being said, I think this show should be turned into an immersive extravaganza instead of a Broadway musical. Transform a space to a disco club and perform the show there, allowing people to interact and dance with the characters, just like K-Pop did in Ars Nova. The show is absolutely PERFECT for it.

In  conclusion:

Go see the show if: you are a huge Donna Summer fan, want to turn off your brain and have a great time with your friends, see the fantastic and slick choreography of Sergio Trujillo, experience another of Howell Binkley’s extraordinary lighting design, see LaChanze, DeBose, and Lever sing their vocal chords off as the Donnas

Do not see the show if: you are expecting something creative and original

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 11/20/17 at 7:26pm

The official opening was on Sunday night and the first reviews are in.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/sd-et-music-donnasummer-review-20171120-story.html

Celebrating Summer and her unique brand of disco poses some formidable musical and aesthetic challenges, which result in an intriguing, if not insurmountable, conundrum is the focus of the 1st review in which George Varga, a contract reporter concludes that with time to revamp and tweak, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” has the potential to fully do its subject justice. Until then, “Summer” remains an intriguing work-in-progress that needs to overcome its own musical conundrum. 

The 2nd review is by the San Diego Union's theatre critic, James Hebert whose headline expresses how he felt--La Jolla Playhouse's Summer dances around disco phenomenon. 

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/theater/sd-me-review-playhouse-20171120-story.html

5 photos from the show here:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Exclusive-First-Look-at-LaChanze-Ariana-DeBose-and-Storm-Lever-in-New-Donna-Summer-Musical-at-La-Jolla-Playhouse-20171115

The 1st is "I Feel Love". 

2nd and 3rd I'm not sure which songs they were.

4th is Storm Lever singing "On My Honor" in church.

5th is Jared Zarilli and Ariana DeBose singing "Heaven Knows" when they first met.

 

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 1:29pm

Two more reviews from the Hollywood Reporter and the LA Times:

The Hollywood Reporter (Deborah Wilker) enjoyed it but as others here who have seen it points out areas that need improvement especially the book.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/summer-donna-summer-musical-theater-1060604

Then there's Charles McNulty, the theatre critic for the LA Times who HATED it---With 'Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,' heaven knows the Queen of Disco deserved better than this

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-donna-summer-musical-review-20171122-story.html

[Lot666]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 2:48pm

Wicked Fanatic said: "Then there's Charles McNulty, the theatre critic for the LA Times who HATED it---With 'Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,' heaven knows the Queen of Disco deserved better than this

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-donna-summer-musical-review-20171122-story.html"

This is precisely why I loathe critics:

"I don’t need this flimsy bio musical, and neither do you."

How dare he be so presumptuous as to tell me what I need?

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 11/22/17 at 11:51pm

Another positive review with some reservations from the Times of SD:

http://timesofsandiego.com/arts/2017/11/21/love-love-baby-donna-summer-musical-la-jolla-playhouse/

[grumpyoptimist]

Posted: 11/23/17 at 1:13am

FWIW, Varga is the paper's very long time music critic (I remember his by-line going back to at least when I was in college in the early 80's) so he was probably brought in for that lens...I think his and Hebert's reviews are spot on.  I don't quite understand why it's a one act when it would greatly benefit from more fully played out scenes and longer songs. As is, it feels unnecessarily rushed...

 

Wicked Fanatic said: "The official opening was on Sunday night and the first reviews are in.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/sd-et-music-donnasummer-review-20171120-story.html

Celebrating Summer and her unique brand of disco poses some formidable musical and aesthetic challenges, which result in an intriguing, if not insurmountable, conundrum is the focus of the 1st review in which George Varga, a contract reporter concludes that with time to revamp and tweak, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” has the potential to fully do its subject justice. Until then, “Summer” remains an intriguing work-in-progress that needs to overcome its own musical conundrum.

The 2nd review is by the San Diego Union's theatre critic, James Hebert whose headline expresses how he felt--La Jolla Playhouse's Summer dances around disco phenomenon.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/theater/sd-me-review-playhouse-20171120-story.html

5 photos from the show here:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Exclusive-First-Look-at-LaChanze-Ariana-DeBose-and-Storm-Lever-in-New-Donna-Summer-Musical-at-La-Jolla-Playhouse-20171115

The 1st is "I Feel Love".

2nd and 3rd I'm not sure which songs they were.

4th is Storm Lever singing "On My Honor" in church.

5th is Jared Zarilli and Ariana DeBose singing "Heaven Knows" when they first met.

"

 

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 11/23/17 at 10:44am

I think most of the reviews reflect what i saw and experienced -an entertaining show that needs a LOT of book work.  Not being a Donna fan (other than being a teen during the disco era), Im also not sure her catalog has the depth and breathe of recognizable hits as Jersey boys, mamma mia, beautiful and Aint too Proud.

This was a very clever quote by the  Times of San Diego on the use of the risers(which i liked)"

"While the other two Donnas do just fine in enacting events from her life, Diva Donna keeps popping up to comment or sing, rising from the trap below. She describes her life as a roller-coaster, but in this show, it’s more like an elevator."

I wish the show well!

[10086sunset]

Posted: 11/23/17 at 10:59am

Alessio2 said: "Can someone please explain to me why Girgio Moroder is played by a woman? I'm all about gender neutral casting if the role isn't specific, but this person who happens to still be living today is very much a man, a prominent one, in the music industry."

Yeah, I couldn't agree more. How is this role not played by a man?

[10086sunset]

Posted: 11/23/17 at 10:59am

Alessio2 said: "Can someone please explain to me why Girgio Moroder is played by a woman? I'm all about gender neutral casting if the role isn't specific, but this person who happens to still be living today is very much a man, a prominent one, in the music industry."

Yeah, I couldn't agree more. How is this role not played by a man?

[10086sunset]

Posted: 11/23/17 at 11:04am

Also, how do you leave out Could it be Magic?

While written and performed by Manilow, it was a huge hit for Summer.

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 11/23/17 at 2:23pm

i'm still really looking forward to seeing this - the music is classic and the set design looks sharp

[Lot666]

Posted: 11/28/17 at 1:35pm

10086sunset said: "Also, how do you leave out Could it be Magic?

While written and performed by Manilow, it was a huge hit for Summer."

Ms. Summer's version was played the first time the star projector was turned on during the opening night of The Saint discotheque in the east village.

[Marlothom]

Posted: 12/2/17 at 1:42am

Got a chance to see this tonight - so much talent on stage - and how lucky to get to see LaChance perform live!   This show is a lot of fun, classic Des Nuff slickness, but not ready for prime time.   Most (but not all) parts are played by women;  two out of three Donnas play other parts (the mom, the daughter), the various time shifts complicate things even more.   Frankly, I was ready to forgive all this for a MEGA MIX at the end  . . . but no!!!