BWW TV Charlie Tour

[BwayLB]

I was just watching the video for the rehearsal of the national tour of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I’m hoping certain changes made will convince me to see the show when it comes to Costa Mesa in May next year.

[CATSNYrevival]

I understand the choreographer wanting to refine a few things and clean up a few moments, but to hear the director say they opened on Broadway and never got to finish it really says a lot about the kind of work we've been getting from Jack O'Brian lately.

[BwayLB]

The only show directed by Jack O Brien I had seen is Hairspray. Which is partially why I may want to see the show besides Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman

[Bwayfan292]

I hated Charlie on Broadway and the casting wasnt exciting enough to get me to see it again. I hope they made changes, doesnt look like were gonna have any set changes though.

[Joshua Boyd-Williams]

So I been looking around on instagram, since they recently moved into the Shea Buffalo Theatre for tech rehearsals. From what I've been able to find, the set design has changed. The show curtain, bucket house and candy shop for the most part are the same. They still seem to have some props from the Broadway production, so it seems to be a mix of some new things. The outside of the factory is totally different. Kinda reminds me of the 1971 factory exterior a little bit. Gonna try to provide a picture.

 

[bwayphreak234]

Joshua Boyd-Williams said: "So I been looking around on instagram, since they recently moved into the Shea Buffalo Theatre for tech rehearsals. From what I've been able to find, the set design has changed. The show curtain, bucket house and candy shop for the most part are the same. They still seem to have some props from the Broadway production, so it seems to be a mix of some new things. The outside of the factory is totally different. Kinda reminds me of the 1971 factory exterior a little bit. Just from this one picture, I think it's looking better than what we got on Broadway.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnwsE68FtBE4IkSHyYZWN5eApBMQYmN5sPhnjk0/?tagged=charlieontour"

 

That links to a private Instagram account, so no one can see what you're talking about.

[Joshua Boyd-Williams]

Ah, didn't realize that. My bad.

[VotePeron]

Here’s one: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnw41oSHK-v/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=mmfyqen7bon9

Is this a joke? The poor families going to see this and never want to pay to see a broadway show or national tour again.

[bwayphreak234]

Joshua Boyd-Williams said: "Ah, didn't realize that. My bad."

 

WOW.... well it looks *slightly* better than the Broadway set design, but it's still hideous. 

[Joshua Boyd-Williams]

That is just one picture though. We don't really know what the rest of the show is gonna look like. Hopefully the inside of the factory has improved.

On the plus side, I think it looks a little better than that strange little clock tower they had on broadway. 

[bwayphreak234]

Joshua Boyd-Williams said: "That is just one picture though. We don't really know what the rest of the show is gonna look like. Hopefully the inside of the factory has improved.

On the plus side, I think it looks a little better than that strange little clock tower they had on broadway."

Oh it definitely looks better than that little clock tower for sure, but I am still not sold at all on this. I pray that they actually made a set for the inside of the factory for the tour as opposed to the blue cube we saw on Broadway.

[BwayLB]

I’ll be okay as long as the set looks a teeny bit gorgeous

[Joshua Boyd-Williams]

bwayphreak234 said: "Joshua Boyd-Williams said: "That is just one picture though. We don't really know what the rest of the show is gonna look like. Hopefully the inside of the factory has improved.

On the plus side, I think it looks a little better than that strange little clock tower they had on broadway."

Oh it definitely looks better than that little clock tower for sure, but I am still not sold at all on this. I pray that they actually made a set for the inside of the factory for the tour as opposed to the blue cube we saw on Broadway."

Believe me, I'm praying for that too. I doubt that's gonna happen. Doesn't look like it's gonna be the same set, but they better not have kept that in there.

[VotePeron]

In his Live at 5, Danny Quadrino alluded to the lack of set and forcing the actors and audience to use their “imagination” for the factory, so I’m not expecting any major changes. Maybe it’s not a terrarium design since that cube would be hard to tour? Not sure.

[CATSNYrevival]

They made changes but they didn’t change the show curtain? That’s the first thing I would have changed. It’s odd they’re making changes at all since the Broadway set looked designed to tour.

[James885]

I find the notion of doing this show with a minimialist design baffling. I saw it in London and although the show had some book and score problems, the over-the-top sets were spectacular and eye popping. 

I feel like this is one show that should absolutely be an all-out specatacle. The idea of using an almost bare stage for the chocolate factory and asking the audience to use their imagination to fill in the gaps doesn't seem like the right approach for a property like this that conjures up so much vivid imagery. 

[trpguyy]

The tour will also feature video wall portals, which I am told are new (I didn't see it in NY)

[Sondheimite]

The Broadway production was embarrassing and I'm sure the tour will E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-I-N-GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

[Loopin’theloop]

CATSNYrevival said: "They made changes but they didn’t change the show curtain? That’s the first thing I would have changed. It’s odd they’re making changes at all since the Broadway set looked designed to tour."

The cube would be really easy to tour. It would fit in a truck like most set pieces 

[Charley Kringas Inc]

I really must be the only person on the planet who prefers the cube (and the factory!) to the cluttered West End version - it was smart, tidy, and beautiful.

[S394206H]

Charley Kringas Inc said: "I really must be the only person on the planet who prefers the cube (and the factory!)to the cluttered West End version - it was smart, tidy, and beautiful."

I agree! I liked the simplicity of the sets- it made me focus more on the characters than spectacle, which I enjoyed. I think too many people went into this show expecting a spectacle, which influenced their interpretation of it.

[Luminaire2]

S394206H said: "Charley Kringas Inc said: "I really must be the only person on the planet who prefers the cube (and the factory!)to the cluttered West End version - it was smart, tidy, and beautiful."

I agree! I liked the simplicity of the sets- it made me focus more on the characters than spectacle, which I enjoyed. I think too many people went into this show expecting a spectacle, which influenced their interpretation of it."

This show should be a spectacle. It’s the reason the show closed. It would have done amazing business with a different design. 

[BwayLB]

I rather see something where character and spectacle go hand in hand

[Bwayfan292]

Well performances have started, any reports?

Is it a carbon copy of the broadway production?

[BarnabyTucker]

Bumping this up. Any reports/reviews?