THE PROM Previews- Page 6

Posted: 10/27/18 at 9:46am

I am writing my thoughts because of Barelona 20.

i haven't posted in years and normally just enjoy lurking because I am not the best at putting my reviews into words and don't enjoy when people insult my opinions and infer I have bad taste for liking something. With that said....

I loved this show. I laughed and I cried. I thought the score was surprisingly good with Just Breathe and Dance With You very memorable. Top notch performances from some Broadway veterans with the young female lead really touching my heart. The story veered from hysterical to emotional and I found myself invested in the plot. As I said I'm not a great reviewer, but I don't want people to miss this show based on some comments on this board. I was so bummed to read Wizzers review that I almost hesitated, but I snagged a ticket on TDF and could not be happier than I did. For what it's worth, the other two people that went with me were also surprised at how much they liked the show. Yes it's cheesy in parts, campy in others, the sets could use some upgrades, and the Applebee's scene drags a bit, but what a pleasure to see this original show with a huge heart and a lot of clever Broadway show references. Just my two cents....and no I am not a shill, just a regular guy who doesn't like bullies.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 10:07am

Mitch101 said: "Should we only posit pans?"

Yes. On this board, if a show is deemed terrible before it even starts performances, only reviews that say it's terrible are accepted as accurate. Even for a show like this, where the majority enjoys it, people can't deal with their preconceived and/or holier-than-thou notions being potentially wrong.

[dollyfan]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 11:49am

I'm going to NYC in April and I can't decide between this show and Hamilton. any suggestions?

 

[Jakeevan942]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 12:27pm

I was at the show last night, as well, and count me among the folks who really like this one. I've been waiting for this to come in since it was announced for Atlanta three years ago, and am really glad this made it to Broadway. Given all of the crap going on in the world right now, it's nice to have a feel-good piece where the outsider gets a happy ending. It's amazing the they started writing this almost ten years ago, and yet it comes in at exactly the time when a piece like this is needed. 

The four Broadway stars are great, Josh Lamon is a scene-stealer as always, and the kids in the ensemble, most of the making their Broadway debut on this project, deliver some really good Casey Nicholaw choreography. Some of the solo numbers could definitely use to lose a verse, the show probably runs about 15 minutes longer than it needs to, butI was chatting with Matt Sklar at intermission, and he said changes are going in everyday, so they are working on tightening everything.

The whole production team was sitting on the house-left side of center orchestra, so this may be the best place for tickets.

It's definitely written to appeal to the types of people who write and read on the boards here; a regular person will see it as a feel-good show with a happy ending, but there are so many Easter eggs in there for those of us that really know the industry. 

[billyelliotfan123]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 3:32pm

I just bought a ticket to go see this again tonight. I loved it so much last night and I couldn't get the songs out of my head. I can't wait. It has been a while since I loved a musical comedy like this little gem of a show.

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 3:41pm

So very happy with the positivity towards the show on this board and the "other" board.  Bought two tickets waaay in advance for the 11/10 matinee (based on the Atlanta reviews) and it sounds like my friend and moi (two theatre queens) will have a great time.

[robskynyc]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 5:38pm

Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "So very happy with the positivity towards the show on this board and the "other" board. Bought two tickets waaay in advance for the 11/10 matinee (based on the Atlanta reviews) and it sounds like my friend and moi (two theatre queens) will have a great time."

ShoTunes youre going to LOVE it. especially all the insider BWAY jokes :)

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 6:36pm

Saw the matinee today. Had a blast. I was in the worst mood when I arrived for a few reasons. The show totally turned that around within minutes.

They all seem to be enjoying themselves. The young members of the cast are just wonderful. The inside jokes and when the Godspell cast pops in are too funny. The hotel lobby Scene was a riot.

This show is just bursting with heart. I welled up from Zazz straight through to the end with tears falling down my face. I think the curtain call number is a bit long but it was fun to watch.

The cast's harmony in Unruly Heart was gorgeous.

I could easily see this again. And I think the subject matter is timely and very well handled.Ashmanskas deserves a Tony Nom.
JMO

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 6:46pm

I’ve been laughing for days over the Drama Desk line.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 6:55pm

Yes, that line was a riot. But that whole scene with her at the desk had me on floor. My favorite was theline about Tina Louise being alive.

[singer234]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 7:49pm

Did anyone catch the Two Of A Kind reference with Christopher Sieber? It KILLED me.

[Skip23]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 8:20pm

I really, really, really wanted to love this.

 

But I only liked it.  (Fire away!)

 

The star was Casey Nicholaw.  His choreography protects the Broadway lineage proudly.  Snappy, pizzazzy, showy, clever, athletic - perfect.

 

But the story rehashes so many "I gotta be me" coming out stories.  I kept hoping for a clever twist or fresh angle.  The attempted rescue by the dreaded "New Yorkers" started out clever but then went nowhere.  Those heartfelt ballads stopped the show cold.  And one prom was more than enough.

 

And Brooks needed a "Rose's Turn".  His character is the showiest and sweetest.  Give the girl a break.  And is Beth Leavel having vocal problems? 

 

 

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 10:25pm

Was wondering about Beth at first. She missed a few notes and kinda choked on one but she sounded fantastic overall. I felt more that she may have been holding back a bit.

They also flubbed a few lines but seemed to add lib. I overheard someone with the show talking to someone about changes they have been making.

[l0l]

Posted: 10/27/18 at 11:28pm

 

Stop the presses! A rare thing has happened - a musical I did not hate with every fiber of my being. This has all the ingredients needed for a misguided Broadway disaster. It’s a Frankensteinian combobulation of two very different shows - think “To Wong Foo” but instead of drag queens it’s a bunch of middle aged Broadway has-beens and yet-to-bes, and instead of the domestically abused wife it’s an ostracized lesbian high school student. Think deeply-flawed-and-self-righteous liberal-coastal-elite meets conservative rust-belt middle-America, but the crisis is resolved in a the-kids-are-alright morality tale that is worth listening to. What saves this cliff’s-edge catastrophe is it’s honesty about being an artificial musical. By constantly sprinkling references to other Broadway shows “The Prom” admits that this is very much a romanticized feel-good constructed story for sentimental has-beens like me. It is clear that the story is implausible, yet says something about the current climate. It is stylistically confused, at times gaudy and forced, and will probably close before next summer, and yet it was worth the ticket price.

[jbm2]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 12:09am

Sorry if this has been asked, and I missed it...

Has anyone rushed? How is it?

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 12:55am

Saw this tonight and what a hilarious and fun night of theater it was! This show is a love letter to Broadway. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s better than 90% of the musicals that have opened on Broadway in the last year. The motel lobby scene had me in stitches. I really hope this show finds its audience. The orchestra was full tonight.

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 1:39am

robskynyc said: "Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "So very happy with the positivity towards the show on this board and the "other" board. Bought two tickets waaay in advance for the 11/10 matinee (based on the Atlanta reviews) and it sounds like my friend and moi (two theatre queens) will have a great time."

ShoTunes youre going to LOVE it. especially all the insider BWAY jokes :)"

As I did in Something Rotten.  Big Grin.

[LarryGreatWhiteWay]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 12:11pm

I hated this show so much. 
 
Rhyming Lesbian and Thespian, and then ending the song with the word Dyke, was just awful. I sat through act 1 shaking my head and groaning. I wanted to leave at intermission, but decided to stay and see how they would dig themselves out of this terrible story line. 

Why were the high school prom dances 80s themed with heavy keyboard synthesizers from Phantom of the Opera?! This is 2018. 

A guy prom-posed with a sombrero and maracas. 
They assumed a girl in flannel with a basket ball was the lesbian. (Oh boy, stereotyping people is hilarious.)

The choreography was great. There was A LOT of full company dancing. 

The monster truck rally performance was too dragged out. 
The Godspell cast was more annoying than anything. 
I almost fell asleep in act 2. 

Maybe I was in a bad mood? Maybe I needed more to drink?

I hope the company gets a decent run, but I'm not doing back, even with a free ticket. 

Nothing like a lesbian musical written by 4 white men. 

Updated On: 10/28/18 at 12:11 PM

[Catsbroadwayfan]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 12:26pm

Welp, I take back every negative thing I said about this show. I had such a great time. I only stayed till intermisson cause I had a family emergency happen (everyone is okay!) so I had to leave. I will be going back sometime this week. But act 1 was hiliarous! I thought the joke where she mistakes the flannel girl for emma was very funny, and when it was a godspell “non equity” tour had me dying. Overall a very surprising show for me. I hope they find an audience and I cant wait to go back.

[Skip23]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 12:41pm

LarryGreatWhiteWay said: "I hated this show so much.

Rhyming Lesbian and Thespian, and then ending the song with the word Dyke, was just awful. I sat through act 1 shaking my head and groaning. I wanted to leave at intermission, but decided to stay and see how they would dig themselves out of this terrible story line.

Why were the high school prom dances 80s themed with heavy keyboard synthesizers from Phantom of the Opera?! This is 2018.

A guy prom-posed with a sombrero and maracas.
They assumed a girl in flannel with a basket ball was the lesbian. (Oh boy, stereotyping people is hilarious.)

The choreography was great. There was A LOT of full company dancing.

The monster truck rally performance was too dragged out.
The Godspell cast was more annoying than anything.
I almost fell asleep in act 2.

Maybe I was in a bad mood? Maybe I needed more to drink?

I hope the company gets a decent run, but I'm not doing back, even with a free ticket.

Nothing like a lesbian musical written by 4 white men."

 

Such a retread of SOOO many tired, boring, repetitive cliches. But Again, the choreography was excellent.  And get rid of these ballads. Show killers. 

[robskynyc]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 12:43pm

LarryGreatWhiteWay said: "I hated this show so much.

Rhyming Lesbian and Thespian, and then ending the song with the word Dyke, was just awful. I sat through act 1 shaking my head and groaning. I wanted to leave at intermission, but decided to stay and see how they would dig themselves out of this terrible story line.

Why were the high school prom dances 80s themed with heavy keyboard synthesizers from Phantom of the Opera?! This is 2018.

A guy prom-posed with a sombrero and maracas.
They assumed a girl in flannel with a basket ball was the lesbian. (Oh boy, stereotyping people is hilarious.)

The choreography was great. There was A LOT of full company dancing.

The monster truck rally performance was too dragged out.
The Godspell cast was more annoying than anything.
I almost fell asleep in act 2.

Maybe I was in a bad mood? Maybe I needed more to drink?

I hope the company gets a decent run, but I'm not doing back, even with a free ticket.

Nothing like a lesbian musical written by 4 white men."

Who hurt you? 

Also, add some spoiler tags. Not cool ruining some of the jokes for others who haven’t seen the show.

[robskynyc]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 12:44pm

seanmcdonagh121 said: "I believe the rush tickets are front row."

I stand corrected. Rushed today, second in line and got front row center. Apparently when they sell out the fron row they start doing random balcony seats 

[Pippin]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 12:52pm

I went in knowing nothing about this show and by intermission I was in love!! It’s just a great time in the theater, simply put. There’s so much talent on stage- All the leads are great and very funny. Beth Leavel is incredible. I laughed a lot, I shed a tear or two, and I will pay to see it again very soon.

JUST TAKE A CHANCE AND GO!!!!!

[ethan231h]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 1:07pm

Pippin said: "I went in knowing nothing about this show and by intermission I was in love!! It’s just a great time in the theater, simply put. There’s so much talent on stage- All the leads are great and very funny. Beth Leavel is incredible. I laughed a lot, I shed a tear or two, and I will pay to see it again very soon.

JUST TAKE A CHANCE AND GO!!!!!"

THIS.

Just saw it, such a fun show with a lot of heart and amazing performances. I hope this finds an audience. 

[robskynyc]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 4:17pm

Watching for the second time today. We’re at intermission and I’m realizing they could probably cut the song “You Happened”

It doesn’t really progress the story and you can barely understand what any of them are saying cause they’re dancing SO hard during the number