GETTIN (G) THE BAND BACK TOGETHER Previews

[Seperite]

I was at the third preview, and absolutely *LOVED* the show.

Yes, the score is bad -- putridly so. There is not a single hummable or memorable song. The score is horrendous and grating on the ears from the first note to the last. And the sound design is such that it is very, very hard to hear many of the lyrics. So you're stuck listening to awful music, and not even understanding how the plot or characters are developed while the songs are screeching in your ears.

But the book is FUNNY. REALLY funny. Maybe you have to be of a certain age (I'm 40 -- same age as most of the characters) to get many of the humorous references to growing up in the 80s and 90s, and to understand the angst the characters feel and exhibit about being this age, at this particular point in time, without having had created a family or fulfilled one's professional dreams. I absolutely adored the humor and identified with the characters. I suppose if you're not the target age, and aren't experiencing the same problems that consume these characters, you may well find it less relatable.

You have to go into a show like this in the right frame of mind. It is not 'high art', as many have pointed out. It is not in the least bit serious (although the driving motivation of the primary characters is, indeed, a substantive longing that, as noted, many can no doubt relate to). It's just good, irreverent, fun. The audience was laughing uproariously throughout -- the only times they were quiet was when they had to listen to the godawful songs. You have to be in the mood to laugh, go with the flow, and accept the (mostly) lowbrow humor for what it is, and a show like this can be very enjoyable. 

Most of the actors playing the supporting roles were very adept comic actors. The guy playing the protagonist is, unfortunately, quite bland. A John Cariani or Rob McClure type would have done a much better job in the role.

Speaking of which, the show follows in the footsteps of shows like Something Rotten, Disaster, Honeymoon in Vegas -- all of which I loved...just fun, silly, funny, musical comedy. If that's not your thing -- if the only musicals you enjoy are heavy pieces like Great Comet, Les Mis, or Hamilton (all of which I love, too!) -- then you won't like this. But if you go in ready to smile, ready to laugh, and ready to have a good time, you will love this...just as I, and, it seemed, everyone else in the theater, did. Really a lot of fun.

[wolfwriter]

Full disclosure. I had a death in the family this week so maybe I was looking for a two hour escape, but I kinda liked this.

After seeing Rock Of Ages, I said to my friend, "That was a lot of fun, but my IQ just dropped 20 points." I feel the same about this.

Is it great? No. Will it run? No. It's fine for a local who paid very little, but I can't imagine anyone paying full price for this or a tourist dying to see this.

It's way too long. It should be 100 minutes with no intermission. The second act is much better than the first. The songs are mostly generic, but not awful and one is downright hilarious.

I laughed a lot, but my companion intensely disliked the first act and contemplated leaving. But, he laughed a lot in the second act and after saying "this is really bad" at intermission, decided that it was amusing but would have been much better if it had been shorter.

Maybe being a child of the 80s and spending my Summers at the Jersey Shore, I appreciated how much it was just like the Jersey Shore. The cast is very talented and seem to be having a good time.

Maybe I just needed a laugh, but the audience seemed to laugh a lot, too.

[EffieFTW]

They’ve changed up a bunch of stuff since George street. I know they had Kelly Devine and replaced her as choreographer. The women in the cast were all replaced (with much younger actresses). I think they have a few new songs

[RippedMan]

That kind of grossses me out a bit. Like, they changed the actresses to "hotter" actresses? Ew. Why is this hot personal trainer hung up on this boring ass, pudgy lead guy? And the choreography to me is laughably bad. I honestly don't think this show even needs choreography. 

But that said, yes it should be 100 mins, and the music needs to be PUMPED up. I need to feel like I'm at a rock musical. It's all too quiet. And too much acoustic guitar. 

[HBBrock]

What a great night and great show tonight. If you like to laugh a LOT, and you like musicals, and you like 80's rock music, and cheeseball 80's comedies, and you want to have a blast.....get tickets. Just go in with the right mindset. <------ This last sentence is absolutely key.

SO MUCH FREAKING FUN.

[JBradshaw]

How large is Marilu’s role?
I read through the previous posts saw some mentions about her but not tons.

I’ve never had any interest in seeing this show so I’m curious is it worth seeing just for her?

[HBBrock]

Her role is relatively small. If the only reason you are going is to see her, but have no interest in the rest....you would be wasting your time.

Give the show a chance.

[RippedMan]

As someone who doens't know why she's famous, she actually has a great singing voice. But I felt like her acting/delivery was wonky. Maybe it will sharpen in previews, but it felt messy. 

[Solipsist234]

HBBrock said: "Give the show a chance."

You think people aren't trying to? While the reports follow more of a "it's so awful that I enjoyed it" trend, what's obvious is that this show isn't that great, so telling people to give it a chance is kind of a stretch!

[JBradshaw]

I’d say she’s most famous for the tv shows “taxi” and “evening shade”. 

Shes actually done a bunch of broadway musicals - she was Marty in the original “grease!” Broadway production (also on tour), Pal Joey, Over Here! and  she was the first Roxie replacement in the still running “Chicago”.  She also headlined the national tour of the 90s “Annie get your gun”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l2i-02W61sY   Sorry if it’s not clickable. 

In her autobiography there large parts with broadway and tour stories. It’s actually a fun and rather trashy read - like how her and one of her “grease!” tour costar used to find places to have quickie sex during intermission. 

She was also in the movie version of “Noises Off”

 

RippedMan said: "As someone who doens't know why she's famous, she actually has a great singing voice. But I felt like her acting/delivery was wonky. Maybe it will sharpen in previews, but it felt messy."

 

[JBradshaw]

I’d say she’s most famous for the tv shows “taxi” and “evening shade”. 

Shes actually done a bunch of broadway musicals - she was Marty in the original “grease!” Broadway production (also on tour), Pal Joey, Over Here! and  she was the first Roxie replacement in the still running “Chicago”.  She also headlined the national tour of the 90s “Annie get your gun”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l2i-02W61sY   Sorry if it’s not clickable. 

In her autobiography there large parts with broadway and tour stories. It’s actually a fun and rather trashy read - like how her and one of her “grease!” tour costar used to find places to have quickie sex during intermission. 

She was also in the movie version of “Noises Off”

 

RippedMan said: "As someone who doens't know why she's famous, she actually has a great singing voice. But I felt like her acting/delivery was wonky. Maybe it will sharpen in previews, but it felt messy."

 

[dramamama611]

Solipsist234 said: "HBBrock said: "Give the show a chance."

You think people aren't trying to? While the reports follow more of a "it's so awful that I enjoyed it" trend, what's obvious is that this showisn't that great, so telling people to give it a chance is kindof a stretch!"

You really need to stop attacking people's opinions.

Yes  someone  that loved the show - or even liked it it a lot - SHOULD be telling people to try it.  Are they supposed to throw in the towel just because some dont like it? HBB was also responding to someone that asked a question ABOUT seeing it.

If you want YOUR opinion to be valued, you have to respect others' opinions, too.

[HBBrock]

Appreciate it, DramaMama.

[CALLEN3]

Why all the hatred for Ken Davenport??

[LizzieCurry]

This didn't help:
https://thewickedstage.blogspot.com/2014/11/what-happened-to-stagegrade.html

[Kad]

Plus that whole truly sketchy fundraising drive for Spring Awakening to perform on the Tonys.

Edit: I just dug up the thread about this. It's some good, old-fashioned BWW- a mix of industry insight and bickering. This drama had everything.

The Sketchy Spring Awakening Kickstarter

[dramamama611]

And the tweet seats.

[Solipsist234]

dramamama611 said: "Solipsist234 said: "HBBrock said: "Give the show a chance."

You think people aren't trying to? While the reports follow more of a "it's so awful that I enjoyed it" trend, what's obvious is that this showisn't that great, so telling people to give it a chance is kindof a stretch!"

You really need to stop attacking people's opinions.

Yes someone that loved the show - or even liked it it a lot - SHOULD be telling people to try it. Are they supposed to throw in the towel just because some dont like it? HBB was also respondingto someone that asked a question ABOUT seeing it.

If you want YOUR opinion to be valued, you have to respect others' opinions, too."

Hey, I'm just going along with the overall consensus from the few reports we've gotten from this show. Besides, it's not like anyone's opinions on this board (maybe Whizzer's) matters in the long run for this show. I mean, people were already declaring that it was DOA before playing a single performance, so what gives you the right to criticize me after reading through this entire thread and trying to get an actual idea of what this show is like? Also, some of us don't live in New York; think about that for a second!

"Stop attack people's personal opinions!" - don't know when I've done that, but hey, it's not like my opinion actually matters, so who cares!

[macnyc]

There are 47 amateur reviews on show-score.com as of today. Average score is 76.

[BroadwayNoob]

They were restaging and introducing a new song today on their instagram story so maybe there's some choreography improvements going on

[BroadwayConcierge]

Oh, come ON, you guys. This was bad. Just so, so bad. Horrifically ugly design, a lazy and unfunny book, and a score filled with entirely unmemorable tunes. I felt many times like I was watching a bad community theater’s worst production of their season.

This kind of cheap, bland show lowers the standard for what Broadway should be. I am the biggest advocate of fun, silly, mindless shows—but this one crosses the line from a carefree time to the actual murder of your brain cells.

Hard pass.

[Jordan Catalano]

“This kind of cheap, bland show lowers the standard for what Broadway should be. I am the biggest advocate of fun, silly, mindless shows—but this one crosses the line from a carefree time to the actual murder of your brain cells. 

Hard pass.”

 

How is it a hard pass if you already saw it?

[BroadwayConcierge]

Jordan Catalano said: "How is it a hard pass if you already saw it?"

I meant it as a word of caution for people deciding if they should see it or not. I could say "Take a pass" or "Don't do it" if you'd prefer!

[RippedMan]

I think it had a lot of potential that just wasn't realized. Why Ken Davenport felt they needed to "improv" the book doesn't make much sense. Are all those improvers getting writing credits/money from this show? Also the score is pretty awful. The opening number should be...catchy...interesting...just anything...and it's not. Poor Rando is trying, but it's just not great material. It's fun if your'e paying $40, but for an actual Broadway ticket? No way. I thought "Best Day of My Life" was probably the best song in the show. The women have the best voices in the show and yet are so underused. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

RippedMan said: "I think it had a lot of potential that just wasn't realized. Why Ken Davenport felt they needed to "improv" the book doesn't make much sense. Are all those improvers getting writing credits/money from this show? Also the score is pretty awful. The opening number should be...catchy...interesting...just anything...and it's not."

Head Over Heels, right next door, is a show that I think has a lot of potential that isn't being fully realized in its current form. This show, however, has an incredibly generic, predictable premise (they even made a joke in the final scene how "surprising" it must be that we've made it to that moment) matched with dull tunes and some of the laziest writing I've seen on stage. I see no potential to begin with.