Hillary and Clinton previews

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 3/14/19 at 3:48pm

Previews begin this Saturday at the Golden Theatre! Who's going?

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/14/19 at 4:42pm

I’ll be there. First first preview for me since Gigi in 2015.

Thanks TDF!

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 3/14/19 at 4:55pm

quizking101 said: "I’ll be there. First first preview for me since Gigi in 2015.

Thanks TDF!"

Let us know what you think! I cannot wait to join tdf when I move to NY 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 5:29pm

I will be at the second preview on Sunday afternoon!

Updated On: 3/16/19 at 05:29 PM

[JayElle]

Posted: 3/15/19 at 11:22pm

Monday night.

[ABitOnTheSide]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 7:44am

Strange how little buzz there is for this show.

Do we know if this is a one or two act show yet, or running time?

[Jakeevan942]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 11:06am

Just stopped by the box office. 90 minutes straight through, $40 rush-could be anywhere in the room or partial view

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 11:13am

Jakeevan942 said: "Just stopped by the box office. 90 minutes straight through, $40 rush-could be anywhere in the room or partial view"

We may have just passed each other lol.

Also, people who ordered on TDF can start picking up after 4pm (per the Box Office guy) and he stressed there is ABSOLUTELY NO LATE SEATING

 

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 7:53pm

I can’t upload a picture of the Playbill, but if anyone has Twitter, it’s on my feed. (@SongAndDanceRN)

The set appears to be just a white box with no back to it, a single desk chair, and a tray of food on the ground. There is also a microphone stand downstage center.

They let us in a little late, and most of the theatre is still empty so we shall see when we start and end.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 8:20pm

A friend of mine sent me a pic of the playbill and while I tend to hate the black and white photo playbills that Rudin has been doing. I genuinely like this one. It's got Metcalf and Lithgow looking at each other with the title between them.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 8:29pm

[VotePeron]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 8:29pm

[ethan231h]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 8:30pm

Love this, going next week!

[MollyJeanneMusic]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 10:55pm

I'm more into musicals than I am plays - and this one definitely caught my eye when it was announced!  Hope it's a good show.

[teatime2]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 11:28pm

If someone told me this was opening night I would've believed it. Hnath knocked it out of the park yet again with a wonderful and refreshing piece. While mostly fictional it is so honest with the portrayal of two people who just so happen to be Hillary and Bill Clinton. Laurie and John's chemistry is magical to watch, and Zak was great too. Laurie is winning her third tony. How lucky we are to be in the age of Laurie Metcalf.

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 11:46pm

The show started at 8:08 and we got out at 9:40, so it was 1:32.

It’s an interesting show for sure. I didn’t think it was a total knockout, but they were about at 85%. A few line fumbles here and there and the framing device with the awkward act transition needs some altering or tightening. I was actually sitting next to Lithgow’s understudy in the left side “box”, during the show and we were chatting.

Basically, with the set how it looks combined with the premise, it almost feels like a constant cockfight between Hillary and, interchangeably, Bill, her campaign manager, Barack, and herself. There is a lot of snappy dialogue and Laurie gets nearly all of it (though the campaign manager delivers one of the more sharp, withering monologues in Act II).

This show is truly Laurie Metcalf’s world and we are simply living in it. I can’t imagine how she wouldn’t go without a Tony nomination this year (Sidebar: Is four nominations in a row a record?).I believed she was Hillary Clinton and she hit every single nuance out of the gate. She was all-at-once hard-bitten, vulnerable, wounded, calculating, and viciously funny. I highly recommend it for anyone who really wants to see Metcalf rip into a role and make it her own.

TDF Note: My seat was RMezz E-118 (though I asked to switch to the box because I couldn’t fit).

Stage Door: Both Lithgow and Metcalf came out and were quick and friendly. No selfies (probably because it was freezing with the wind chill), but they signed for everyone, coming out after about 45 mins. There was this one a-home though who saw them in the alley talking to people and kept trying to yell at them to hurry along because he “was getting cold”. I was on the opposite side of him and was fuming the whole time because what a rude thing to say or do to someone in any context. Friendly reminder that THEY DON’T OWE US AN AUTOGRAPH AT ALL, AND OF THEY COME OUT TO SIGN, IT IS ON THEIR TIME AND DISCRETION.

[Storkish]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 11:49pm

Interestingly, I was expecting more of a political play but Hnath stated them in an alternate universe. The chemistry is beautiful yet ironic, I do believe there’s a lot to work out during previews, but it was already in good shape.

They made those two leads interpret the Hillary and Bill in their way, which I think is a magnificent move. Metcalf and Lithgow were amazing, and the comedic moments were on point. Sort of like ADH2, the topic was about public society, image, marriage. I walked in with little knowledge about politics of 2008, but was never lost during the show.

I do feel a bit iffy about the ending. I think something needs to be changed, but I believe this can be a easy fix before opening night.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 3/17/19 at 12:46am

any merch?

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/17/19 at 1:58am

LightsOut90 said: "any merch?"

None. Zero. Nada. Zilch.

[dphibbs94]

Posted: 3/17/19 at 2:48am

Rudin hates merch; thinks it devalues the show. He only does it if it's a musical or other producers insist. 

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/17/19 at 11:22am

I saw the production of this in Philadelphia a few years ago and found it pretty lifeless. I’m guessing it works here because there’s a higher caliber of actors.

[PianoMann]

Posted: 3/17/19 at 11:33am

AC126748 said: "I saw the production of this in Philadelphia a few years ago and found it pretty lifeless. I’m guessing it works here because there’s a higher caliber of actors. "

I haven’t seen any mounting of this before (going next week), but haven’t others said that Hnath has almost entirely rewritten it?

 

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/17/19 at 11:57am

PianoMann said: "AC126748 said: "I saw the production of this in Philadelphia a few years ago and found it pretty lifeless. I’m guessing it works here because there’s a higher caliber of actors. "

I haven’t seen any mounting of this before (going next week), but haven’t others said that Hnath has almost entirelyrewritten it?

"

I wasn’t aware of that. If that’s true, I would say it’s a good thing. 

[Ledaero]

Posted: 3/17/19 at 3:11pm

Stopped by box office this morning to get a rush ticket for tonight. Arrived at 11:40 (Sunday) and there was only 1 person ahead of me. By the time box opened at 12, there were maybe 10-15 people in line. Got two center orchestra seats K110 and K111. Very easy rush with great seating opportunities!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/17/19 at 5:47pm

Hillary and Clinton is the best new play I have seen on Broadway in a long time. Lucas Hnath’s script is so tight and chock full of zingers, wit, and punch that one hardly knows where to look during some scenes.

This is the Laurie Metcalf show. Her performance is what anchors this phenomenal play. John Lithgow is great too, but this is truly Metcalf’s play in every way. The two supporting cast members are great. We will definitely be seeing Laurie Metcalf getting another nomination this year, and so far, from what I’ve seen of the plays this season, I would give her a win.

The set is extremely simple. It’s a white backless box with two doors. However, the set was extremely effective and provided the perfect space for which the action to unfold upon.

I really can’t say enough positive things about this truly incredible play. This is without a doubt my favorite thing I have seen so far this season in terms of both plays and musicals.

Updated On: 3/17/19 at 05:47 PM