Excerpts Moby Dick, In Concert Under the Whale

[LeftofLinus]

Posted: 5/13/19 at 7:43pm

The American Museum of Natural History and American Repertory Theater(A.R.T.) at Harvard University present a live musical theater event: the first public performance of staged excerpts from Moby-Dick, a musical adaptation of Herman Melville’s 1851 classic novel. Reimagined for a contemporary audience by Tony-nominated composer Dave Malloy (Octet; Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) and Tony-nominated director Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), Moby-Dick will be presented as an immersive performance under the whale in the Museum’s Milstein Hall of Ocean Life. Featuring a cast of 11 and a live seven-piece orchestra performing a score that draws on a myriad of musical genres, Moby-Dick plays at the Museum for two nights only.

The performance will be 90 minutes with no intermission.

 

While tickets officially go on sale May 18th (they are all $120 for general admission), TodayTix has a presale currently open.  I got my tickets already cause I could not miss this for anything.  More info can also be found here...

https://www.amnh.org/calendar/excerpts-from-moby-dick-in-concert-under-the-whale

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/26/19 at 1:01pm

It's already here! Tonight and tomorrow... anyway, I have two tickets to Saturday's show that I need to unload if anyone has any regrets about missing this sold out preview?! LMK...

[willep]

Posted: 7/26/19 at 1:03pm

I’m so bummed to be out of town and missing this.

[conealpetterson]

Posted: 7/26/19 at 1:16pm

I would appreciate reports about this and to know who is in the cast. I have loved the songs I have heard so far.

[cmstygar]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 1:46am

Does anyone know how early people started lining up to get in?

[schubox]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 3:05am

Bummed I’m missing this, but I’m seeing the show in Boston so I’m not too upset. Apparently Dave announced he was playing Melville in the ART run

[Ellie77]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 7:52am

I was there last night!
Here’s the program including songs and cast:

Updated On: 7/27/19 at 07:52 AM

[barcelona20]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 8:07am

Could you tell us how it was?

[SandyDee]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 9:23am

cmstygar said: "Does anyone know how early people started lining up to get in?"

I was there last night around 7:45 and ended up in about upper part of the line, but people were coming in droves so it's hard to say when the front half of the line arrived. I'd say if you're picky about seats maybe 7:30pm is the best bet?

The ticketing system was a bit unexpected, basically you go down the ramp and show security your confirmation email (however you purchased it), then you head to will call at the table with just your name and they give you your program. Once you get your program you wait in a mass line until 8pm when the doors open, then you descend the staircase/elevator to the seating below the whale. Another group of what I think was lottery winners (they were wristbanded) was escorted in right before show in the upper seating area. 

If you're going to get a seat, there isn't really a bad one. Most of it is in concert style, just dead center on the stage, but they do have a walkway down the center that several actors perform down. They also have LCD screens up on ground level with the chapter titles from the book that correlates to the song if you're a huge Moby Dick fan. The women next to me was quite enthusiastic that the musical is extremely faithful to Moby Dick (albeit with some modernisations).

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 10:10am

But how WAS it?

[cmstygar]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 10:15am

SandyDee said: "cmstygar said: "Does anyone know how early people started lining up to get in?"

I was there last night around 7:45 and ended up in about upper part of the line, but people were coming in droves so it's hard to say when the front half of the line arrived. I'd say if you're picky about seats maybe 7:30pm is the best bet?

The ticketing system was a bit unexpected, basically you go down the ramp and show security your confirmation email (however you purchased it), then you head to will call at the table with just your name and they give you your program. Once you get your program you wait in a mass line until 8pm when the doors open, then you descend the staircase/elevator to the seating below the whale. Another group of what I think was lottery winners (they were wristbanded)was escorted in right before show in the upper seating area.

If you're going to get a seat, there isn't really a bad one. Most of it is in concert style, just dead center on the stage, but they do have a walkway down the center that several actors perform down. They also have LCD screens up on ground level with the chapter titles from the book that correlates to the song if you're a huge Moby Dick fan. The women next to me was quite enthusiastic that the musical is extremely faithful to Moby Dick (albeit with some modernisations)."

Thank you, SandyDee! I appreciate you taking the time to give SO much detailed information. It’s always helpful to me to know what to expect, especially in unique situations like this one. That was very kind of you.

A friend of mine won the lottery for last night (so she didn’t experience all the things you described with the ticketing and line) and said it was VERY cold upstairs. Was that the case on the floor as well? 

[SandyDee]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 11:24am

Impossible2 said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "But how WAS it?"

Seriously...wtf is wrong with these people?

"

I personally liked it a lot! We got selections from most of the show/book, and it was a range of different musical styles. Honestly it just made me very excited for it to go to ART, since everything about the show is just such an interesting artistic decision. 

The only song that would be make or break for me would be Pip's big solo number Tamborine, it's quite long and the particular way it's done is certainly odd out of context for the show. However the follow up TO the number makes every oddball reference worth it and there's a lot to unpack in just The Ballad of Pip. Dusk and Symphony were quite beautiful, and I loved the overall way the music flew through the book and really connected with what Melville was doing. The performances were all excellent and I hope most of the cast carries on over to ART, and the show is in really excellent shape in terms of music.

They also did a bonus song that isn't included in the program which was a more upbeat number about the benefits of using sperm oil. I think it's Chapter 96 in the book? It's definitely a comedy number, but it kind of just relies heavily on how funny sperm is. 

[SandyDee]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 11:27am

cmstygar said: "Thank you, SandyDee! I appreciate you taking the time to give SO much detailed information. It’s always helpful to me to know what to expect, especially in unique situations like this one. That was very kind of you.

A friend of mine won the lottery for last night (so she didn’t experience all the things you described with the ticketing and line) and said it was VERY cold upstairs. Was that the case on the floor as well?"

Downstairs was perfect, but they might have planned for it since everyone is jammed packed together. Upstairs it was like...maybe thirty seats in a single file around the whale? Downstairs it was very tight, but as someone who detests being hot I had no real problems with temperature. More so how freaking tight the seating was, I sat in dead center on one of the side aisles and I thought I was going to dislocate my hip trying to be comfortable. 

[Ellie77]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 11:35am

Hi everyone! I'm back to post some thoughts. We went through the lottery off TodayTix. We got there at about 8:15, checked in at a table, were wristbanded and directed to the line, and we were let in almost right after. I didn't find the upstairs overly chilly, just air-conditioned. Lotto winners were seated on the upper level, and we were seated house right. Single rows of seats, so you don't have to worry about anything blocking your view. 

Sound was a huge issue upstairs - those around us agreed the acoustics of the hall and speaker arrangements made the lyrics VERY difficult to understand. Spoken portions were hardly intelligible from where we were, while singing was much clearer. It didn't matter much to us, because my husband has studied the book before, and I just wanted to enjoy the music. I imagine it was clearer-sounding sitting center balcony, but someone else would have to chime in. 

I thought musically it sounded great! My favorites were The Sermon (still humming a bit this morning), Knights and Squires (introducing the crew), Dusk (solo for the first mate, I found it beautiful.), and The Pacific. The entire The Ballad of Pip sequence was divisive for us. I LOVED it, it was probably my favorite section, especially Shanty and Ocean. Tambourine has a sort of chorus-sung intro and outro, but is primarily spoken-word beat poet style over a jazz drum. I IMAGINE it was very very good, but because we could only grasp about 25% of what he was saying (spoken, not sung). The audience on the floor seemed engaged though! My husband hated this part and thought it went on for too long. He also complained that Pip was an adult man playing a small cabin boy - he's supposed to be about 9 years old in the book. I didn't mind it at all.

Stand outs to me were Starr Busby, Ashkon Davaran, Matt Kizer, and Dawn Troupe-Masi. Robert Cuccioli as Ahab had very little time onstage but what a presence and force! 

Overall, I'd say I enjoyed it and it was a very unique experience. I truly, truly hope Malloy puts out a full cast recording, maybe after the Boston run? I'd love to hear this again. Fingers crossed!

Updated On: 7/27/19 at 11:35 AM

[Impossible2]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 12:04pm

Thanks for your interesting and thoughtful reviews x

[victoriafr]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 12:09pm

Sorry, I'm not really sure if this is a stupid question, but is there any chance of this coming to New York for a full-fledged run after Boston?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 12:30pm

victoriafr said: "Sorry, I'm not really sure if this is a stupid question, but is there any chance of this coming to New York for a full-fledged run after Boston?"

Unless it’s a total bomb, there’s no way this doesn’t come to New York after the run at A.R.T. I’m all for shows having a life independent of NYC, but given that Malloy and Chavkin are both based in the city, it seems more likely than not that it will come here.

[cmstygar]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 12:41pm

SandyDee said: "Downstairs was perfect, but they might have planned for it since everyone is jammed packed together. Upstairs it was like...maybe thirty seats in a single file around the whale? Downstairs it was very tight, but as someone who detests being hot I had no real problems with temperature. More so how freaking tight the seating was, I sat in dead center on one of the side aisles and I thought I was going to dislocate my hip trying to be comfortable."

Okay, good to know. Thanks! I’m the same way about being hot so it sounds like it will be comfortable. I’m headed in now to see In The Green and didn’t want to carry around a jacket all day. I’m 5’, so I rarely have trouble with tight seating (except that I hate feeling crowded), but I’ll warn my husband! 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 12:44pm

ColorTheHours048 said: "Unless it’s a total bomb, there’s no way this doesn’t come to New York after the run at A.R.T. I’m all for shows having a life independent of NYC, but given that Malloy and Chavkin are both based in the city, it seemsmore likely than not that it will come here."

I hope so! I'm very much looking forward to a cast album for this.

Updated On: 7/27/19 at 12:44 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 1:02pm

Still selling two seats for tonight on the Buy & Sell board...

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 1:17pm

Could be a crazy year for the ART then - isn't 1776 rumored to be Bway bound as well?

 

 

[Ledaero]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 4:41pm

victoriafr said: "Sorry, I'm not really sure if this is a stupid question, but is there any chance of this coming to New York for a full-fledged run after Boston?"

That's a very interesting question, and the assumption is yes. If I remember correctly, Moby-Dick was originally developed under cooperation with Berkeley Rep and the Public, and it was originally supposed to run in Berkeley Rep's 18/19 season and then transfer to the Public for 19/20. BUT then something happened where Berkeley Rep and/or the Public dropped the show unexpectedly for last season, and Dave went into scramble mode to rebook Moby-Dick at a different company. ART offered him a spot in the 19/20 season, but then with no show in an 18/19 season Dave scrambled to get another show up (which is why Octet was created and produced, and why it also has such a generic title since he didn't know what it would be about when he quickly booked a gig). So now that it's running at ART, I don't think it's public knowledge whether the agreement is still on with the Public or not for now their 20/21 season. They would be fools to turn it down and if they do, someone else will certainly pick it up with how much hype Dave has, and how he managed to have a sold-out double extended run of Octet this past spring.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 4:52pm

A.R.T. and NYTW have a great relationship, so maybe this could be on their slate for the 20/21 season? It certainly seems like the kind of project that would thrive under their guidance.

[bear88]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 5:46pm

Ledaero said: That's a very interesting question, and the assumption is yes. If I remember correctly, Moby-Dick was originally developed under cooperation withBerkeley Rep and the Public, and it was originally supposed to run in Berkeley Rep's 18/19 season and then transfer to the Public for 19/20. BUT then something happened whereBerkeley Rep and/or the Public dropped the show unexpectedly for last season, and Dave went into scramble mode to rebook Moby-Dick at a different company. ART offered him a spot in the 19/20 season, but then with no show in an 18/19 season Dave scrambled to get another show up (which is why Octet was createdand produced, and why it also has such a generic title since he didn't know what it would be about when he quicklybooked a gig). So now that it's running at ART, I don't think it's public knowledge whether the agreement is still on with the Public or not for now their 20/21 season. They would be fools to turn it down and if they do,someone else will certainly pick it up with how much hype Dave has, and how he managed to have a sold-out double extended run of Octet this past spring."

I'm confused about the situation, and my confusion is compounded by the lack of understanding of the relationships between the various theaters. So excuse my dumb questions.

- What is the relationship between the Signature Theatre, where Dave Malloy is a listed as having a residency as Signature's first musical theater writer, and any other the other theaters - including ART? I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that Malloy's agreement with Signature was a separate thing from his Moby Dick musical.

- I knew, or thought I knew, that the Moby Dick musical was being developed by the Public Theater and Berkeley Rep. (As a San Francisco Bay Area resident, I was hoping it would premiere here.) But after some delays in announcing a full season, Moby Dick wasn't on the Berkeley Rep's 2019-20 season. And it's not on the Public Theater's 2019-20 season. That seemed unusual to me. I have a hard time believing either theater would reject Malloy's Moby Dick musical. because while Great Comet may have been a financial failure on Broadway, it was a much-praised musical that raised Malloy's profile. (Octet was an easy sellout, albeit in a small theater, and he raised enough money for a cast recording in a day.) And Rachel Chavkin just won a Tony. The concert this weekend seems to have stirred a lot of attention.

- So my assumption was that something else happened instead, and that Chavkin and/or Malloy preferred to go to ART (where they have experience from Great Comet). That could be totally wrong. I don't know what role, if any, the Berkeley Rep or Public Theater have with the Moby Dick musical at this point. Any idea? 

- While I'm very interested in this show, it does not seem like a Broadway musical. But the timing of the ACT run makes me think it could premiere somewhere in New York City sometime in the spring (or possibly next fall). It's clearly not headed to the Berkeley Rep or the Public Theater this season. I suppose it could the next season, or it could go somewhere else entirely as Malloy and Chavkin rework and revise it. That wouldn't surprise me, given their histories together and separately, but I probably have no clue.

[3GamesToLove]

Posted: 7/27/19 at 7:59pm

i don’t think there’s any relationship at all between Moby-Dick and the Signature residency. He’s still set to have two more shows in the five-year period, as the rewards for his Octet recording Kickstarter suggest.