Company Previews Thread- Page 5

[Jordan Catalano]

I also very much love how they allude to her being 35...again.

[StylishCynic]

What are the odds that tickets for opening night will be released for sale? If any will go on sale, when do they usually release unreserved tickets for opening night --a week or two before?

 

For other recent openings, I know that people have been able to purchase tickets. I'm waiting to see if any will open up before I purchase for another day.

[Michael Bennett]

Lenk almost ---almost -- even makes the now extremely bizarre marriage proposal to her (gay) best friend work after "Not Getting Married."

[theatretenor2]

I keep seeing mentions of Simard and others, but how were Sieber and Scott?

[ljay889]

Sieber is fantastic, maybe slightly overshadowed by Simard, but they are a perfect team. He is probably one of the best sung Harrys.
Scott is good, but Susan isn’t a very showy role. She belts her verse in “Have I Got a Guy For You” perfectly.

[ellbellthomps]

How was Bobby Conte Thornton? 

I've loved him since ABT & Grease with Taylor.

Also, how was Etai?

[ljay889]

Bobby Conte was fantastic and “Another Hundred People” stopped the show. I was disappointed PJ wasn’t in the act two scene with Peter and Susan.

Etai’s Paul is extremely gentle and sweet. He is perfectly matched with Doyle.

[JSquared2]

hearthemsing22 said: "ACL2006 said: "So the show ran 3 hours+ last night? I know people said the intermission was long, but that's still way too long if people weren't getting out of the theater until after 11pm. Did the show start close to on time?"

I didn't look at the time before the show started, but let's see if we can do some math.

It was an 8 o'clock curtain for a 2 hour and 35 minute (according to the playbill) show. The first act was over around 9:50? close to 10:00. The second act started at 10pm. There was definitely an extended intermission-not sure how long that was. Got out a little before 11? But I think this is because it was only the first preview! Those tend to run long. I'm betting there will be trimming, cuts made, and it won't be like this. But what do I know..."

hearthemsing22 your timeline is off.  The show started 10 minutes late, then Marianne Elliott made her short speech, then Act One ended at approx 9:35 and there was a 30 minute intermission.  I was sitting near the exit and it was 11:10 when I got out on the street. 

[steven22]

ljay889 said: "Bobby Conte was fantastic and “Another Hundred People” stopped the show. I was disappointed PJ wasn’t in the act two scene with Peter and Susan.

Etai’s Paul is extremely gentle and sweet. He is perfectly matched with Doyle."

This was the first time I've seen Bobby Conte Thornton live and he really impressed me. Etai Benson was fantastic and I think over shadowed Matt Doyle....

[hearthemsing22]

StylishCynic said: "What are the odds that tickets for opening night will be released for sale? If any will go on sale, when do they usually release unreserved tickets for opening night --a week or two before?



For other recent openings, I know that people have been able to purchase tickets. I'm waiting to see if any will open up before I purchase for another day."

For a show like this...I'd say it's going to be very, very unlikely that opening night tickets will be available to the public. You could keep an eye on Telecharge, but if you have your heart set on having a chance, I'd just go to the box office day of and hope you get lucky. It's not likely, but you could try. I HIGHLY doubt it will happen though. You can keep your eye on Telecharge but March 22nd, opening night, is not on the schedule there to buy tickets, its just a blank day on the calendar. When I went to opening nights, it was because I saw tickets available on the ticket site. I wouldn't pin my hopes on being able to attend the opening night.

[hearthemsing22]

JSquared2 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "ACL2006 said: "So the show ran 3 hours+ last night? I know people said the intermission was long, but that's still way too long if people weren't getting out of the theater until after 11pm. Did the show start close to on time?"

I didn't look at the time before the show started, but let's see if we can do some math.

It was an 8 o'clock curtain for a 2 hour and 35 minute (according to the playbill) show. The first act was over around 9:50? close to 10:00. The second act started at 10pm. There was definitely an extended intermission-not sure how long that was. Got out a little before 11? But I think this is because it was only the first preview! Those tend to run long. I'm betting there will be trimming, cuts made, and it won't be like this. But what do I know..."

hearthemsing22 your timeline is off. The show started 10 minutes late, then Marianne Elliott made her short speech, then Act One ended at approx 9:35 and there was a 30 minute intermission. I was sitting near the exit and it was 11:10 when I got out on the street."

Shoot--I'm sorry! I know it started late but I wasn't sure how much later. Thank you for the clarification! 

[KitKatBoy24]

“Katrina Lenk, for me, even in a preview marked by the uneven pacing of a show which had (as Marianne Elliott told us before hand) but a single dress run before facing an audiencemakes about as convincing a case as possible for this rather thankless character - she is what Rosalie Craig in London was not: a nuanced and intuitively insightful actress. Lenk is not a vocal powerhouse (actually neither was Craig) and though I found her “Being Alive” revelatory (and one of the few times I’ve seen the song performed where the dramatic arch of the song’s narrative has really been convincing) I suspect her performance will continue to be polarizing for audiences who, no matter who plays the part, will find something lacking in the satisfaction of the character’s journey (see again George Furth) and simply want the thrill of Broadway belting as compensation."

But the thing is that there are actresses out there who can match Lenk’s acting AND sing the score brilliantly. Jessie Mueller comes to mind.  But Lenk’s acting even felt subpar to me. While she was singing I felt like she was just as worried about her voice as I was. And her singing took me out of the story. I understand that the acting is the most important aspect, but when the singing is distracting from the acting it’s a problem. This is a musical and the singing should flow seamlessly into the character. I shouldn’t be worried about the vocals during a broadway musical. Plus everyone else in the cast sounded incredible, so it made Lenk stick out in a negative way
 

I consider myself a fan of Lenk’s. She was amazing in Indecent and Band’s Visit. Hence why I was so disappointed in her last night. I’m hoping that when I see it again later in the run that she’ll find it all

[Michael Bennett]

I really didn't perceive the issues with Lenk's singing that you did last night. The character's three big songs "Someone Is Waiting," "Marry Me a Little," and "Being Alive," as staged in this production are all rather tentative character moments and delivered vocally as such. These songs were directed this way in the West End as well. Clearly, this is partly how Elliott is perceiving the character, because on Broadway and in London, she obviously could have gone with a musical theatre actress with a more traditional belt than Rosalie Craig or Katrina Lenk and chose not to

It sounds like you simply just don't care for Lenk's voice on the material. Which is fair, but to say she can't sing the score, or seemed to be struggling to sing the score really isn't accurate. It's not as if she was ever off pitch, or couldn't sustain notes, or didn't even have money notes.

But sure, I'm guessing the entire cast will be more confident vocally once they've had a few performances under their belts.

[KitKatBoy24]

I’m not saying that I need the songs “belted.” I’ve listened to Rosalie do the songs live and on the recording and thought she sounded lovely. I do think Lenk was struggling with the higher notes and that it was an issue. Simply lowering the keys into a more comfortable part of her range could help.

[MrsSallyAdams]

Not Getting Married and Barcelona received critical love in London. (Though much of the latter was for Richard Fleeshman’s body.)

It sounds like Not Getting Married is still working on comic timing here? How was Barcelona?

[hearthemsing22]

Bottom line for me:

The show is not without its flaws, but I haven't stopped thinking about it since I saw it last night and THAT to me is the mark of a great show. 

[AlanB3]

Many people have probably come to expect Being Alive being belted that's how it is so often performed in concerts.

[Michael Bennett]

At the moment, Lenk is singing the score in the same keys that Craig did.  I'd guess,  if the team feels that she is having difficulty sustaining that, they might put her songs in a different key.  But the songs in these keys also sat right at the top of Craig's break, so there is something not arbitrary about why they have placed them where they have.

At any rate: those who attend future performances, be sure to report if you think they've changed the keys to Bobbie's songs.

[Hot Pants]

barcelona20 said: "I know Sondheim prefers actors but it's going to be really hard to erase the power of Raul when it comes to Being Alive."

I don’t think we should keep holding Esparza’s take on the role in such high esteem. His Being Alive is brilliant (although his reading of “mock me with praise” is perhaps too melodramatic), but I think he often came across as too cold and aloof in the part. It didn’t really make sense why so many people would become so attached to him. A good Bobby/Bobbi should have more warmth.

“Lenk almost ---almost -- even makes the now extremely bizarre marriage proposal to her (gay) best friend work”

I had wondered how the show tackled this moment. Yeah, that sounds a bit clumsy, but we can always assume that Jamie is bisexual. Or maybe, since the show already hints at Bobbi being bi, she’s just much more fluid when it comes to gender and sexuality. It’s worth noting, her proposing to a gay man could simply drive home the line “You have to love somebody, not just some body.

Anyway, I like the hint of Bobbi being bi. It’s nothing too overt, so it probably pleases Sondheim since she can just be considered bicurious. And after all, it’s much less explicit than the original dialogue about Bobby having “a homosexual experience”. I’m guessing that’s been worked around with the gender change. No need to tell me what happened, I’m seeing it in less than two weeks.

Anyway, I find it strange that some people are saying Lenk doesn’t have a powerhouse voice, as I thought she sounded marvelous in The Band’s Visit. I’m sure she just needs a little bit of time to adjust to the role vocally. After all, it’s not like there’s much precedent for the role music wise when it comes to a woman playing her.

Anyway, from what I hear it sounds like this production could be earning acting nominations for Lenk, LuPone (whose obviously going to win), Doyle, Simard (her role is the least showy of these five, but it sounds like she’s making the absolute most of it), and Elder. Is there anybody else who could be in contention for some awards love? I’m guessing there aren’t anymore women, as the remaining female roles really aren’t showy parts at all.

Anyway, I sure hope this production runs long enough so that if Matt Doyle ever leaves, Brandon Uranowitz can take over to play Jamie. He’s said before that after seeing Veanne Cox’s Tony nominated work as Amy, it became a dream role for him, and now’s the perfect time for him to do the role. Given the fact that Assassins was originally a limited engagement, he could probably get out of it in time.

I’m super excited to see this production and I plan to post my thoughts on here once I do. I got high hopes.

[qolbinau]

Michael Bennett said: "Lenk almost ---almost -- even makes the now extremelybizarre marriage proposal to her (gay) best friend work after "Not Getting Married.""

I don’t see how this is bizarre. I find it very common that females and gay men make a pact to get married by a certain age if they are both single. It’s usually half joking but still lol. 

[KitKatBoy24]

Based off of last night I’d say the potential nominees are Patti LuPone (probably winner), Jen Simard, and Matt Doyle. Unfortunately I don’t see Lenk getting nominated unless she really grows during previews.

[Michael Bennett]

“Lenk almost ---almost -- even makes the now extremelybizarre marriage proposal to her (gay) best friend work”

I had wondered how the show tackled this moment. Yeah, that sounds a bit clumsy, but we can always assume that Jamie is bisexual. Or maybe, since the show already hints at Bobbi being bi, she’s just much more fluid when it comes to gender and sexuality. It’s worth noting, her proposing to a gay man could simply drive home the line “You have to love somebody, not just some body.

No, in this production I don't believe Jamie comes across as bisexual - at all.  The moment you describe could be interesting, but that isn't how it is played with this casting and this direction. The line that seems to have the emphasis here is: "then everyone will leave us alone.' His reaction, perhaps naturally, is that she isn't being completely serious.  Honestly, the entire exchange loses most of its power that it had in the original and rather makes Lenk have to catapult emotionally to find some impetus to leap into "Marry Me a Little."

And this speaks to my initial post - for every interesting and insightful new glimmer the gender swap provides, there are three  or four hugely bizarre and ineffectual moments like this that completely diminish the power of the original text.  The solution would really be to simply rewrite more of the script to make it appropriate for the situation at hand and the roles as redefined.

[ljay889]

Michael Bennett said: "At the moment, Lenk is singing the score in the same keys that Craig did. I'd guess, if the team feels that she is having difficulty sustaining that, they might put her songs in a different key. But the songs in these keys also sat right at the top of Craig's break, so there is something not arbitrary about why they have placed them where they have.

At any rate: those who attend future performances, be sure to report if you think they've changed the keys to Bobbie's songs."

Her solo verse in the title number sounded transposed down to me, but I could be wrong. I’ll take a better listen tonight. 

Alanb3, good point. “Being Alive” is indeed commonly belted in concerts. Patti must be one of the first to belt it to the rafters as she did in the 1992 Carnegie Hall Sondheim concert. 

I love how Lenk portrayed anxiety and confusion during the number. Her Bobbie didn’t make a simple decision that she wants to be with someone, she goes back and forth portraying a complicated internal battle.

[Michael Bennett]

Michael Bennett said: "Lenk almost ---almost -- even makes the now extremelybizarre marriage proposal to her (gay) best friend work after "Not Getting Married.""

I don’t see how this is bizarre. I find it very common that females and gay men make a pact to get married by a certain age if they are both single. It’s usually half joking but still lol. 

My point exactly. In COMPANY in 1970 when Bobby suggests to Amy they get married, the audience gasps because in that moment - he is serious. It could actually happen. The story could suddenly take a hugely unexpected turn.  Here it never reads as anything more serious than what you suggest and therefore isn't a valuable contribution to the character's ultimate catharsis.

 

Patti must be one of the first to belt it to the rafters as she did in the 1992 Carnegie Hall Sondheim concert. 

Streisand, of course did it on her first Broadway album years before LuPone first sang it, though LuPone might have started singing it live before Streisand did.

[Jarethan]

A number of people have commented on the poor book,  

I saw Company 3 times when it first opened in 1970.  I have seen it at least 8-10 times times since then.  There has never been a single time when I didn't cringe multiple times during the book scenes, sometimes uncomfortably because some of them were just so forced or, eventually, forced AND dated.  IMO George Furth was a hack, and every production I have seen would have been much better if the book had been thrown out and redone from scratch.  I have always wondered why Hal Prince didn't try to make it seem less episodic, e.g., now is the scene with the pot smokers, now is the scene with the scared bride-to-be, etc.  

That said, I have always felt the best way to view Company is simply to endure the book scenes and wait for the next musical number, since they are all so damned entertaining.  By preparing myself for the fact that the book sucks, I find that I enjoy it more.  Based on what I have read here, I am expecting that I will have to cringe more during some of the scenes, are pot smokers in 2000 remotely funny?

Two last points: I am among the group people who hated Raul Esparza in the role.  I thought that he was so cold that no-one would want to be his friend.  His Being Alive was sung beautifully, however.  I saw Boyd Gaines twice, once when he was having vocal issues early in the run (just as BP had early in the run of Gypsy), and once when his voice was better.  I thought his performance was excellent, especially his Being Alive.  He had a likability that made his aloneness all the more hard to observe.

In either version, the book still kept (and has always kept) Company from being a truly great musical, even though I have loved most versionsI have seen to date.