Scotland PA Previews

[Relevance81491]

Previews for the new musical from Adam Gwon @ Roundabout have begun Off-Broadway.  Early thoughts are appreciated as always.  

"This deliciously dark new musical comedy, based on the cult film (and the bard's Macbeth), springs to life in a sleepy Pennsylvania town (population 1,203—and dropping), where a burger-joint manager and his wife cook up a plan to super-size their lives. As their ambitions grow and the bodies fall, the couple finds out just how far they’ll go for a taste of the oh-so-tempting American dream."

[LightsOut90]

saw a presentation of this like...2 years ago with a totally different cast and really loved it, very much in the vain of something like Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson meets Sweeney Todd, very absurd and goofy but very dark at times with some real standout songs (the son of the resturant owner had a brilliant act two solo that if they kept it could absolutely become a staple at thespian competitions in the future), which surprises me that Roundabout is producing it this seems way outside the realm of the shows they usuually produce.... 

[Wick3]

Got to see this show last night and enjoyed it overall! Lonny Price had a short speech in the beginning stating its the first preview of this production and that they may have to stop the show (they’d only stop it if an actor’s safety is in danger.) thankfully they didn’t stop the show.
I came in not knowing anything about the show other than it’s loosely adapted from shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Cast was great! Taylor Iman Jones (Pat) was a standout for me as well as Jay Armstrong Johnson.
Yes, the son Malcolm’s song was still there and was certainly a delight! Given how it’s fall and Halloween season coming up it’s an entertaining show to watch. I plan to see it again after it opens!

[Marianne2]

I have tickets for next Sunday afternoon. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

[macnyc]

Just got out of the second preview and enjoyed it a lot. The cast is amazing, and most of them have numerous Broadway credits. You will recognize all of them! The score I would describe as tuneful and served the show well. I agree with Wick3 about the song by the owner’s son. It’s a standout. The show is funny and yet gruesome in spots. It took me by surprise, and I groaned out loud a couple of times.

For a second preview, it was marvelously put together! Loads of fun.

[JBroadway]

I thought the show was fine, but nothing to write home about. I enjoyed a few of the songs but I thought a lot of them were really generic and forgettable. The show had a lot of humor, but none of it really landed for me, except for a couple bits.

My biggest issue is that they took a pretty dark story, with a smart, creative concept, and made it feel like your average, glossy, Broadway-style Musical. Like they took the story and ran it through a mold to make it look and sound like what a high-budget 21st century Musical is supposed to look and sound like. I wanted more grit, more character, and more creativity with the tone and the form of the show. I’ve never seen the movie, so I don’t know how it compares, but the idea alone had the potential to be a really interesting musical, and this was not interesting. 

Still, by the end of the show I had a fun enough time. I liked Act 2 significantly more than Act 1.

[CT2NYC]

[Zion24]

i was there this afternooon. for a second preview, the show is in ridiculously good shape. 

this is one of those fun but dumb shows- its certainly not particularly well written, but i enjoyed it overall. the score is pleasant but unmemorable (and alot of the songs sounded the same). it gets off pretty slowly, but the end of Act 1 is pretty great, and things mostly get even weirder (better) in Act 2. 

the cast is pretty great. the lead roles are written somewhat bland, but both actors sang their faces off and are dang talented. The standout, without question, was Jay Armstrong Johnson. Reminded me of the supporting role in Tootsie by the actor who falls in love with Dorothy. Its somewhat one-note, but hilarious and really well done. 

i have recommitted myself to the death penalty for phones going off mid-show. a huge kudos to the actors who plowed through it flawlessly.

[Zion24]

JBroadway said: "I thought the show was fine, but nothing to write home about. I enjoyed a few of the songs but I thought a lot of them were really generic and forgettable. The show had a lot of humor, but none of it really landed for me, except for a couple bits.

My biggest issue is that they took a pretty dark story, with a smart, creative concept,and made it feel like your average, glossy, Broadway-style Musical. Likethey took the story and ran it through a mold to make it look and sound like what a high-budget 21st century Musical is supposed to look and sound like. I wanted more grit, more character, and more creativity with the tone and the form of the show. I’ve never seen the movie, so I don’t know how it compares, but the idea alone had the potential to be a really interesting musical, and this was not interesting.

Still, by the end of the show I had a fun enough time. I liked Act 2 significantly more than Act 1."

I wrote above without seeing this from JBroadway, which is pretty spot on. There is a glossy sheen that reminded me of Be More Chill, in a way, like it went through a "modern funny musical machine" before it got to the stage. I think the leads sorta encapsulate this: the performances were perfect, but there was absolutely nothing interesting about either of them, their pipes aside. 

[Marianne2]

I hate to be that person, but does anyone remember about how long it ran? Just trying to figure out timing between this ending, heading back to the flea market, and catching my bus home.

[JBroadway]

Marianne2 said: "I hate to be that person, but does anyone remember about how long it ran? Just trying to figure out timing between this ending, heading back to the flea market, and catching my bus home."

 

The running time on the website was pretty accurate. 2h15m including the intermission. 

[Marianne2]

JBroadway said: "Marianne2 said: "I hate to be that person, but does anyone remember about how long it ran? Just trying to figure out timing between this ending, heading back to the flea market, and catching my bus home."



The runningtime on the website was pretty accurate. 2h15m including the intermission."

Cool. Thanks!

 

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Seeing this in early October- I wasn’t thrilled with the location of the Hiptix seats so I’m sharing this code I found for 59 dollar seats:
SPAFB2

Looking forward to this!

[mamaleh]

Saw this over this past weekend.  It's pretty difficult to do an updated version of Macbeth and still engender laughs when appropriate, but Price mostly pulls it off.  (A couple of scenes switched tone a bit too quickly for my taste from comedy to serious drama.).  I agree with the previously named standouts--especially Jay Armstrong Johnson--but I'd also add his On the Town co-star Alysha Umphress as one of the hippie "witches."  She adds wit and attitude to everything she's in.  

[gibsons2]

It was my first off-Broadway show and I enjoyed it way more than some Broadway shows that I've seen in the past. The actors are very talented and although the songs aren't too memorable, the play itself was very funny, consistently entertaining, with a very strong plot (I haven't seen the movie). I would love to see it again, maybe after it opens and if I have time. TDF has tickets for this week for $33.

[Owen22]

For those of you who say you enjoy the show... just compare the Scotland PA score to the score of Little Shop of Horrors, a show that not only shares a lot of plot DNA but also tone and structure.

We are letting our standards fall bit by bit.

But who knew Jay Armstrong Johnson had that character in him? The only joy of the entire evening.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Owen, my thoughts fall more in line with yours. The show might not be the worst thing I’ve ever seen, but it’s also a total waste of time and worse, a total waste of good source material for a musical.

The score is downright terrible. Generic to the nth degree; the piece begins (naturally) with the witches who are given a dull as dirt song about destiny (yawn) and then the second number is some drippy blob of a song given to Lady M that warns you that this will not be getting any better. Only the act one finale shows signs of life, but given the context and the melody, it feels merely like a redux of Opening Up from Waitress.

I thought the actors tried, but they weren’t able to overcome the material. In fairness to them, name the actor who could spin this straw into gold. Only Megan Lawrence brought some life, spunk and a bit of camp into the proceedings.

The coda after the bows felt like a cut scene from Prince or Central Park and for that I was grateful, but it doesn’t justify going to see it for yourself.

[Susanswerphone]

It's not wonderful. But it's not the worst musical I've seen. There's just not much to it. The score is, to a song, forgettable. The storyline is very, very thin, unfunny and dated.

[SouthernCakes]

Saw this today and thought it was beyond bland. I wanted spooky, scary, and instead got a Halloween Express.

The score is generic contemporary musical theater. Everything sounded vaguely the same. The actors were all vague. No one gave an interesting performance or had any spark. I kept thinking Benjamin Walker would have made an excellent Mac. His act 2 spiral would have been incredible, but instead we get a bland version.

Even the set and design were pretty boring. The direction was lazy. For a restaurant the employees did a lot of sitting at tables doing nothing.

The trio of witches were fun, but they weren’t given anything to work with.

There’s a song in act 2 about how Mac can see the future and it’ll be fine and the ensemble comes out in all white and it should have been a funny gag - at least that’s what they were going for - and it fell so flat.

The scene in the woods with Mac and Jay Johnson’s character needed some sort of menacing underscoring or something.

Lady M’s big meltdown song wasn’t bad but again the direction was just so piss poor. She’s got noting to do and I think the song doesn’t build vocally and the sad applause after should have been an indication.

[Marianne2]

I saw it today as well. It was fun, but definitely not worthy of a high ticket price. I hope it was just something to fill Roundabout's season and has no intentions of Broadway. I think I found act 2 more entertaining than 1. But, I do think it is because of Megan Lawrence. Was hoping for a little more camp. This didn't see deliver in that at all.

[SouthernCakes]

Megan Lawerence did add some great camp & spark. Is her song new? Seemed she had the lines on her notepad. And at times the lights would move before her and vice versa. I know it’s still tech and previews, but found that pretty entertaining.

I found “Ordinary Days” to be pretty bland too, so maybe I just don’t enjoy the composer.

[SouthernCakes]

Oh! I forgot to mention, but the one part I loved - slight spoiler - is how they changed the lobby, ushers, and merch stand to showcase the new restaurant. I thought that wad fun! Just wish the rest of the show was as fun. But the merch stand seemed busy so.

[TotallyEffed]

Is anyone else PLAGUED by YouTube ads for this show?

[bwaylyric]

I loved how they also served French fries.  Definitely less noisy than candy wrappers and potato chips.

[DramaTeach]

Can anyone who’s seen it comment on the inappropriateness for a young teen? Thanks in advance.