CAMELOT Returns to Broadway - Reviews Thread- Page 11

[Ke3]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 1:04pm

Soaring29 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Soaring29 said: "is she going to sing the score in a legit way? ."

Did you not see her in WOODS? That was pure legit loveliness."



I’m listening to her now- she is nice but it’s not really a legit sound. However Into the Woods is not a legit show nor is Cinderella that much of an actual soprano role(On the Steps of the Palace is actually quite low) so I don’t have an issue with Soo there. Guys and Dolls is a much better measure of whether Soo can produce the full, round, spinning spinning sound I would like to see in Camelot.

"

Soo studied classical voice growing up (and presumably continued even though she went to Julliard for acting not voice) so I think she's quite capable of a legit sound. Here's a lovely video of her singing Copland. Soo has largely made her name in new shows that used that blend of classical and contemporary she pulls off so well. Unlike many other legit voices who started out in revivals, she hasn't had a need to show it off as much. I think even looking at who's played Eliza after her on Broadway + other productions shows that it's a role that in many ways requires a classical background. So, she'll do fine presumably.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 1:09pm

Grigsby is a longtime collaborator of Adam Guettel and also did Flying Over Sunset (amongst dozens of other shows). She’ll be great. I have no concerns about that department.

I’ll miss Zuber, but always good for directors to try working with other people (as Sher did on Mockingbird and on the upcoming Pics from Home). Don’t grow complacent or stale using the same designers time and again.

[Soaring29]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 7:08pm

Ke3 said: "Soaring29 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Soaring29 said: "is she going to sing the score in a legit way? ."

Did you not see her in WOODS? That was pure legit loveliness."



I’m listening to her now- she is nice but it’s not really a legit sound. However Into the Woods is not a legit show nor is Cinderella that much of an actual soprano role(On the Steps of the Palace is actually quite low) so I don’t have an issue with Soo there. Guys and Dolls is a much better measure of whether Soo can produce the full, round, spinning spinning sound I would like to see in Camelot.

"

Soo studied classical voice growing up (and presumably continued even though she went to Julliard for acting not voice) so I think she's quite capable of a legit sound. Here's a lovely video of her singing Copland. Soo has largely made her name in new shows that used that blend of classical and contemporary she pulls off so well. Unlike many other legit voices who started out in revivals, she hasn't had a need to show it off as much. I think even looking at who's played Eliza after her on Broadway + other productions shows that it's a role that in many ways requires a classical background. So, she'll do fine presumably." 

Now take a listen to Dawn Upshaw sing the same song- the sound is much fuller and it can't be chalked up just to Upshaw being an opera singer and Soo not. A lot of women who aren't legit singers tend to sing in a more breathy way in head voice that doesn't cut it with this repertoire. That doesn't mean Soo can't do it, I believe that she can as I can see potential, her voice is lovely in a lot of ways, but she has some work to do. 

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 7:31pm

Then please stay home, Soaring29. It is obvious you will never like her. 

[Soaring29]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 9:40pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Then please stay home, Soaring29. It is obvious you will never like her."

I just said I think she has potential- I'm being critical because I am tired of seeing legit musical theatre singing disappearing from Broadway. I can live with new works being more for the mixing/high belting voices but when revivals which were written for legit voices get cast with singers who don't do it justice, I get mad because it's not like there is a lack of singers who can do it.

 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 10:02pm

I sympathize Soaring29-- must be annoying to want to hear old school, boring "legit singing" of the classic scores and not get to hear it. I mean that sincerely, in that im sure its frustrating, but also i would MUCH MUCH prefer to hear a more contemporary take on these songs than listen to that Soprano From The 1950s sound that bores me totally. i have no idea if Soo CAN "legit sing" as you put it, but i sure hope she doesnt.

[Soaring29]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 11:00pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "I sympathize Soaring29-- must be annoying to want to hear old school, boring "legit singing" of the classic scores and not get to hear it. I mean that sincerely, in that im sure its frustrating, but also i would MUCH MUCH prefer to hear a more contemporary take on these songs than listen to that Soprano From The 1950s sound that bores me totally. i have no idea if Soo CAN "legit sing" as you put it, but i sure hope she doesnt."

That's fine, everybody has different tastes. There is room for all kinds of sounds on Broadway which is why I personally object to legit singing becoming obsolete. 

 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 10:42am

Further casting has been announced for Camelot at Lincoln Center Theater! Dakin Matthews (as Merlyn/Pellinore), Taylor Trensch (as Mordred), Marilee Talkington (as Morgan Le Fey), Anthony Michael Lopez (as Sir Dinadan), Fergie Philippe (as Sir Sagramore), and Danny Wolohan (as Sir Lionel) will join Andrew Burnap (as Arthur), Phillipa Soo(as Guenevere), and Jordan Donica (as Lancelot Du Lac).

Featured in the ensemble are Delphi Borich, Matías De La Flor, Sola Fadiran, Rachel Fairbanks, Nkrumah Gatling, Christian Mark Gibbs, Holly Gould, Monte Greene, Edwin Joseph, Tesia Kwarteng, James Romney, Ann Sanders, Britney Nicole Simpson, Philip Stoddard, Valerie Torres-Rosario, Frank Viveros, and Paul Whitty.

Featuring a book by Academy and Emmy Award winning writer Aaron Sorkin, based on the original book by Alan Jay Lerner, and direction by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, Lerner & Loewe's Camelot is scheduled to begin performances on Thursday, March 9, 2023, and open on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65 Street).

Updated On: 1/23/23 at 10:42 AM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 10:50am

Taylor Trensch as Mordred is perfect. Glad to see him back on Broadway.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 10:58am

Interesting casting!

It should be noted that Trensch also worked on Shucked when it played Salt Lake City, so this must be the reason he isn't transferring with it. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 11:09am

Taylor Trensch was in the Pioneer production of shucked, so it’s interesting he decided not to transfer with it to broadway.

Always love seeing Ann Sanders back on broadway! Was hoping she would’ve been a Marian understudy for the music man, but she wasn’t. I hope she gets to cover Guenevere here.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 11:13am

Since they don't list anyone for Nimue, I wonder if that means "Follow Me" is cut?  Hope so!

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 11:13am

I know this is currently on sale through June 25th - anyone have any insight if it's likely to extend or if this is a strictly limited run?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 11:13am

The male cast just does not thrill me, on paper. I'll happily be proved wrong. But this is not a cast with any first-choice type people.

Updated On: 1/23/23 at 11:13 AM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 11:19am

GilmoreGirlO2 said: "I know this is currently on sale through June 25th - anyone have any insight if it's likely to extend or if this is a strictly limited run?"

 

If it's a hit, it will extend.  If it's a flop, it won't.

 

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 11:25am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "The male cast just does not thrill me, on paper. I'll happily be proved wrong. But this is not a cast with any first-choice type people."

Same. None are great singers. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 11:28am

One interesting thing to note: This is the first time in a long while that LCT has produced a Broadway musical without a commercial partner. The typical role of that commercial partner is to provide a financial investment, and in return they get the rights to the tour/international productions –– which can be highly lucrative.

SOUTH PACIFIC and WOMEN ON THE VERGE had Bob Boyett, KING & I had Ambassador Theatre Group, MY FAIR LADY had Nederlander, and FLYING OVER SUNSET had Jack Shear.

Now, this could just be LCT taking a bigger risk up front in the hopes that they can have further benefit down the line, or "selling off" those territories individually. But it's interesting.

[inception]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 6:46pm

RippedMan said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "The male cast just does not thrill me, on paper. I'll happily be proved wrong. But this is not a cast with any first-choice type people."

Same. None are great singers."

Only Lancelot has to be able to sing of the men.  Richard Burton & Roddy McDowall on the OBC recording are no great shakes.

 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 1/26/23 at 1:32pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photos-First-Look-at-Andrew-Burnap-Phillipa-Soo-Jordan-Donica-More-in-Rehearsals-for-CAMELOT-20230126

[John Adams]

Posted: 1/27/23 at 10:18am

JSquared2 said: "I've never seen actual "magic" in any production of CAMELOT) other than the presumably dead knight revived by Lancelot (which is more spiritual or "faith based" than a magic trick). Maybe you're confusing the show with MERLIN starring Doug Henning?"

It's my opinion that the magic in Camelot is understated (i.e., unlike the showy performances of magicians like Henning).

The roles of King Pellinore and Merlin are most often played by a single actor. They are cast that way in this production, also.

When I played those roles, I made a choice that Pellinore was a magical incarnation of Merlin (although nothing I did onstage made that choice overtly evident, save for a ring that I wore as both Merlin and Pellinore). That way, Merlin could still be present for Arthur (as Pellinore is written in the script), unobtrusively.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/27/23 at 2:36pm

John Adams said: "The roles of King Pellinore and Merlin are most often played by a single actor. They are cast that way in this production, also."

It doesn’t look as though the same actor played Merlyn and Pellinore previously on Broadway except for the 1993 revival. In the original production and in the 1981 revival the roles were played by two different actors.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/27/23 at 7:06pm

"Most often" is an overstatement and it's a directorial & budgeting choice. In the same way that sometimes Captain Orton and Edward Ramsay are played by the same actor in THE KING AND I (as was the case with the most recent tour, but not the Bway production).

If there's any symbolism to this choice, we'll find out after it starts performances.

On another note, I wonder if any songs have been cut, such as "Take Me To The Fair." IMHO, I'd love to see one of Guinevere's durges cut (Before I Gaze At You Again or I Loved You Once In Silence) unless Sher and Sorkin can make a compelling case for them in this staging.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 11:19am

https://deadline.com/2023/02/camelot-broadway-photo-video-aaron-sorkin-full-cast-andrew-burnap-phillipa-soo-jordan-donica-1235247151/

Updated On: 2/2/23 at 11:19 AM

[inception]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 12:17pm

Why does this site seem to make photo links look so blurry lately?

Anyways, Burnap looks young for Arthur.  I thought part of the attraction of Lancelot to Guinevere is that they are closer in age? Or am I mixing that up with some other story?

I hope not all the costumes are such muted colours.  Looks like an 90's furniture store.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 12:49pm

JSquared2 said: "Since they don't list anyone for Nimue, I wonder if that means "Follow Me" is cut? Hope so!"

 

In one of the CAMELOT productions I did, Nimue was actually four female singers who were hidden throughout  the auditorium and sang in unison.  I can't tell you how effective it was because I was getting Brian Dennehy dressed for his next scene while "Follow Me" was being performed.