HADESTOWN to open this spring at the Walter Kerr

[Rainah]

Lot666 said: "Thanks for this, Rainah! Just to be clear, you're recommending house left (not stage left), is that correct? And about how many rows back do you think would be best?"

House left, yeah. Though it is a great show on each side I would say the left would be better.

I saw row E in London. Not sure how far back you'd need, I think that's as much personal taste as anything, but from other shows I would say row J ish? I have seats for row N on the left I'm very excited about

 

[VintageSnarker]

yfs said: "Some interesting posts on the TB board from folks who loved it at NYTW and hated it at the National. I saw it in London last week -- my first-ever encounter with it -- and was mystified by all the enthusiasm on this board. What I saw wasinterminable, ugly, obvious, miscast and unbelievably pretentious. If this is what's coming, I'd temper my enthusiasm at least until you get a look at it. And while I don't like to predict awards, it's hard for me to picture Brooks Ashmanskas losing the best supporting actor award to Patrick Page, who spends the evening wandering the stage and displaying his basso profundo and looking bored --assuming they end upcompeting against each other."

I liked the earthier (in a hippie sort of way) hipster vibe they had at NYTW. The photos from London are concerning. At least from the NYTW version, I think the Persephone/Hades stuff has interesting intensity and managed to flirt with politics without being too heavyhanded (as it was somewhat abstracted). But while I thought the Eurydice performance was heartfelt, that romance was messy and I hated Orpheus. The writing of the character was a problem. He was a jerk. It was like Romeo and Juliet stripped of the poetry leaving them exposed as dumb kids. Basically the less charitable interpretations of the artist characters in RENT. I was hoping the design would mostly stay intact and they'd just work on the book to fix Orpheus and whatever was being said there. A character doesn't have to be likable if the show understands how the character is being received but the disconnect was a problem for me. 

I'm curious which aspects you found pretentious and obvious.

[Famebroadway2]

CT2NYC said: "Just got it. Code is WAYDOWN."

Did they pull the discount code?  I don't see anywhere to enter it on the site. 

[Mike Barrett]

Famebroadway2 said: "CT2NYC said: "Just got it. Code is WAYDOWN."

Did they pull the discount code? I don't see anywhere to enter it on the site."

I believe it was a presale code and not a discount code. New shows opening rarely offer discounts right away. 

[Famebroadway2]

Mike Barrett said: "Famebroadway2 said: "CT2NYC said: "Just got it. Code is WAYDOWN."

Did they pull the discount code? I don't see anywhere to enter it on the site."

I believe it was a presale code and not a discount code. New shows opening rarely offer discounts right away."

Almost ALL musicals have some sort of discount codes before previews begin. 

[CT2NYC]

Mike Barrett said: "Famebroadway2 said: "CT2NYC said: "Just got it. Code is WAYDOWN."

Did they pull the discount code? I don't see anywhere to enter it on the site."

I believe it was a presale code and not a discount code. New shows opening rarely offer discounts right away."

That's correct, it was a presale code. However, there is discount pricing on some preview seats, which jump up significantly after opening.

[Fanboy99]

CT2NYC said: "Mike Barrett said: "Famebroadway2 said: "CT2NYC said: "Just got it. Code is WAYDOWN."

Did they pull the discount code? I don't see anywhere to enter it on the site."

I believe it was a presale code and not a discount code. New shows opening rarely offer discounts right away."

That's correct, it was a presale code. However, there is discount pricing on some preview seats, which jump up significantly after opening."

Which of the seats have this discount pricing??

[TotallyEffed]

If I had known it was just a presale code I would have actually bought tickets.

Oh, well.

[CT2NYC]

Fanboy99 said: "CT2NYC said: "Mike Barrett said: "Famebroadway2 said: "CT2NYC said: "Just got it. Code is WAYDOWN."

Did they pull the discount code? I don't see anywhere to enter it on the site."

I believe it was a presale code and not a discount code. New shows opening rarely offer discounts right away."

That's correct, it was a presale code. However, there is discount pricing on some preview seats, which jump up significantly after opening."

Which of the seats have this discount pricing??"

A lot of seats throughout the theatre which are $99 during previews go up to as much as $159 after opening.

[natashalost]

Will the London company transfer or will they make any replacements for Broadway?

[ColorTheHours048]

natashalost said: "Will the London company transfer or will they make any replacements for Broadway?"

I’ve heard from a production source that only the principals were offered their roles. We’ll almost definitely see an entirely different ensemble.

 

[Robbie2]

ColorTheHours048 said: "natashalost said: "Will the London company transfer or will they make any replacements for Broadway?"

I’ve heard from a production source that only the principals were offered their roles. We’ll almost definitelysee an entirely different ensemble.

"

Yup...ensemble will be recast for Broadway. Patrick Page, Amber Gray, and Reeve Carney, will reprise their performances as Hades, Persephone, and Orpheus. Joining them are Tony nominees Eva Noblezada and André De Shields as Eurydice and Herme

[Whateverjsays]

Robbie2 said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "natashalost said: "Will the London company transfer or will they make any replacements for Broadway?"

I’ve heard from a production source that only the principals were offered their roles. We’ll almost definitelysee an entirely different ensemble.

"

Yup...ensemble will be recast for Broadway.Patrick Page, Amber Gray, and Reeve Carney, will reprise their performances as Hades, Persephone, and Orpheus. Joining them are Tony nominees Eva Noblezada and André De Shields as Eurydice and Herme"

 

Despite the reviews for Reeve on the board, I’m most excited to see him and have been waiting to buy a ticket after the cast has been announced. 

[natashalost]

Any chance some of the original cast could do this on Broadway? Lulu Fall and Shaina Taub sound great on the cast album and Id love to see them on a Broadway.

[Lot666]

Whateverjsays said: "Despite the reviews for Reeve on the board, I’m most excited to see him"

A Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark reunion with Patrick Page. 

[ColorTheHours048]

I would love to see a bunch of Comet folks in the ensemble. Rachel Chavkin seems to enjoy working with cohesive companies and what better way to do that than hire people she knows work well together?

[Impossible2]

I'm going again on Friday night and hoping to God they have ironed out some of the problems from when I saw it in previews.

[Impossible2]

Well I certainly enjoyed it more tonight then I did the first time, but the exact same problems are still there for me and I discovered a few more...plus there was a major technical malfunction which completely ruined the big 'moment' in the show which was disappointing. 

The entire cast have settled really well into their roles and Carney was excellent tonight I thought. I actually thought Page had a bit of an off night vocally, maybe he has a cold or something. The band was fantastic! The music in this thing is really incredible, well in the first act...unfortunately Act 2 as it currently stands is probably 30-40% reprises and is so repetative  lyrically in the rest of the songs that it becomes almost annoying.

I do think Wait for Me should be the end of Part 1 because as it stands Part 2 has no 'big' numbers at all and Build a Wall is a perfect kick start to Act 2.

I think it's main problem is it still doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a concept album come to life on stage...is it a theatrical rock concert or is it a full scale musical...because at the moment it's a jumbled mess of all 3 and it just feels odd. That's not to say it isn't enjoyable, there is just something missing and it is hard to put your finger on just what it is. It doesn't work as what it is though I guess it's styling is somewhat original in this form which I kinda admire, but it is just kind of an empty experience when it shouldn't be.

It feels like a really great 'homeless' musical looking for a place to live...

[rjm516]

I can't believe how amazing this production in London is. I'm still kind of in shock. It's so powerful. I think the staging and whole effect of We Build a Wall is riveting and needs to stay as the act 1 finisher. It leaves you kind of breathless so it's good to have a break after that to recoup. It's the best scene in this city right now. I am SO HAPPY London has this show. So brilliant. 

[Impossible2]

rjm516 said: "I can't believe how amazing this production in London is. I'm still kind of in shock. It's so powerful. I think the staging and whole effect of We Build a Wall is riveting and needs to stay as the act 1 finisher. It leaves you kind of breathless so it's good to have a break after that to recoup. It's the best scene in this city right now. I am SO HAPPY London has this show. So brilliant."

The problem is nothing really exciting happens after Wall and the shows just limps towards a conclusion everyone knows is coming anyways.

The opening of Act 2 is just weird and should be dropped altogether. Musically it's derivative of the best songs in Act 1 and doesn't advance the story in any way other than to introduce the band and Persephane who we already met an hour before which is just an odd way to open the 2nd Act.

Personally I think it needs major cutting down to a single 90 minute 1 act show ala Bands Visit/Come from Away and it would be amazing.

[natashalost]

ColorTheHours048 said: "I would love to see a bunch of Comet folks in the ensemble. Rachel Chavkin seems to enjoy working with cohesive companies and what better way to do that than hire people she knows work well together?"

Lulu Fall (obviously), Katrina Yaukey, and Kennedy Caughell would be great as The Fates. I would love to see Shoba Narayan play Eurydice one day so maybe ensemble and understudy for her? 

[qolbinau]

This show is so unique and has an incredible score - it is so catchy and melodic on first listen. And they manage to explore a few different styles while still keeping that blues/jazz theme at the heart of it. It has such an unusual tone, almost like if Mad Max were a musical crossed with Once. It’s hard to describe or compare to other shows because I've never seen anything like it.

Still, at the same time I think what the show is in need of badly is an expert show doctor who can help develop the two main characters and coherence of the story. It’s surprisingly, maybe shockingly very very simple and almost generic - but overlayed with a complex and interesting soundscape it works. And the ending almost makes up for it when you realise that the whole point is that these are generic people and a generic story that is told time and time again.

It must be a lock for best score. Thinking about the competition it might have a good chance at Best Musical but I think it’s too early to call.

After about 30 minutes I realised that this show is not conforming to many of the traditional standards of what I thought was a good musical, rather that fight it I relaxed and let myself go so I could enjoy it. For better and sometimes worse, they are presenting something new, fresh, innovative etc.

[qolbinau]

Also, for those that care about this thing I think it must be the most diverse cast I have ever seen. I was at the espresso bar earlier and saw a woman with an amputated arm. Was surprised to see she was part of the ensemble when the show started. Of course it fits the tone of the show but it’s nice that her disability was not a barrier. There is an incredible age diversity from the lead female to Patrick page. And of course race too with white actors, African ethnicity, Asian actors etc.

I also want to say for the most part the lead performances are very very good. I am a little worried that Carney's voice doesnt quite have the charisma it needs for the story to make sense. That falsetto when it first came out made me laugh rather than impress me. But when the moment came to deliver the song he absolutely was successful I think.

[natashalost]

God, I hope one day Damon Daunno will play Orpheus on Broadway. I havent seen the show yet but he just sounds so damn good on the cast album its going to be difficult hearing a different voice. He just inhabits the character so well from what I can hear and is just perfect. With Oklahoma coming in, I think its unlikely he would be in the original cast of Hadestown but hopefully someday hell be a replacement

[raddersons]

natashalost said: "God, I hope one day Damon Daunno will play Orpheus on Broadway. I havent seen the show yet but he just sounds so damn good on the cast album its going to be difficult hearing a different voice. He just inhabits the character so well from what I can hear and is just perfect. With Oklahoma coming in, I think its unlikely he would be in the original cast of Hadestown but hopefully someday hell be a replacement "

I thought that would happen with Phillipa Soo on Great Comet but it closed before Denee Benton ever left. Hopefully Hadestown doesn’t meet the same fate.