Night Music at Barrington Stage

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 8:30am

Has anyone seen/planning on seeing this? Looks pretty good, except for the weird steampunk costume they've got Sierra in (?). I'll be there next week and will be sure to report back!

Let it never, ever be said that I'm not happy to see Emily Skinner, but oh, would that we had gotten a Marin/Jason production.

 

Updated On: 8/11/22 at 08:30 AM

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 8:31am

I’ll be going next week!

[Melissa25]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 9:41am

I’ll be there in two weeks!  And those boots are a hoot.

https://www.wamc.org/podcast/the-roundtable/2022-08-05/barrington-stage-presents-a-little-night-music-starring-jason-danieley-and-emily-skinner

I would have liked to attend the Tanglewood Remembering Sondheim concert that Jason mentions but the timing didn’t work out for me.


 

[barcelona20]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 9:46am

Wish I could go but finding a place to stay around there on a weekend seems impossible!

[Laurapattifan]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 9:46am

Saw it over the weekend and the costuming in general is bad or awkward at times. Emily, Jason, and Sierra were all very good. Most of the other cast was good too, but I found a few performances underwhelming. I found the show itself to be quite boring and long. I’m sure I’d like it more in a better production. 

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 1:30pm

^ would you mind elaborating a bit more on the production?  Kind of debating if it's worth driving over an hour for a mediocre production of Night Music, which can be a slog to sit through :-/

[Owen22]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 5:11pm

I saw it Wednesday night and I enjoyed it! It was typical Summer Stock, except brightened and enlivened by Sierra, Jason and Emily. I have seen Nght Music many times, and Emily's Send in the Clowns was the singularly best I have ever witnessed! And Jason's presence in the scene really helped. Jason was wonderful throughout. There was a  depth to his performance in the role, ...wondering if his recent loss had anything to do with the profundity of Frederick's melancholy (and the gallows humor).  Sierra was perfection  and I loved her costumes. Especially her black hat in Act 1 and her colorful variation of it at the chateau in Act 2. Ann was a mediocre actress and Henrik, fredericka, and Petra were all non-equity presumably getting their Equity cards this summer. And Mary Beth Piel was as cynically exhuberant a Madam Armfeld as you could want As I said, it was rushed Summer Stock and early performances at that, but it is sure to tighten up and was already a delightful evening, well worth the trip to Pittsfield.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 5:14pm

Owen22 said: "I saw it Wednesday night and I enjoyed it! It was typical Summer Stock, except brightened and enlivened by Sierra, Jason and Emily. I have seen Nght Music many times, and Emily's Send in the Clowns was the singularly best I have ever witnessed! And Jason's presence in the scene really helped. Jason was wonderful throughout. There was a depth to his performance in the role, ...wondering if his recent loss had anything to do with the profundity of Frederick's melancholy (and the gallows humor). Sierra was perfection and I loved her costumes. Especially her black hat in Act 1 and her colorful variation of it at the chateau in Act 2. Ann was a mediocre actress and Henrik, fredericka, and Petra were all non-equity presumably getting their Equity cards this summer. And Mary Beth Piel was as cynically exhuberant a Madam Armfeld as you could want As I said, it was rushed Summer Stock and early performances at that, but it is sure to tighten up and was already a delightful evening, well worth the trip to Pittsfield."

Thank you for this! Now I’m very much looking forward to next weekend!

Reviews are also quite positive (wonder if the Times will review?):

https://www.timesunion.com/theater/article/A-Little-Night-Music-ravishing-at-Barrington-17364469.php#taboola-1

 

 

[barcelona20]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 5:36pm

Hopefully we will get some video. It's just so far away...

[Skip23]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 8:21pm

Owen22 said: "I saw it Wednesday night and I enjoyed it! It was typical Summer Stock, except brightened and enlivened by Sierra, Jason and Emily. I have seen Nght Music many times, and Emily's Send in the Clowns was the singularly best I have ever witnessed! And Jason's presence in the scene really helped. Jason was wonderful throughout. There was a depth to his performance in the role, ...wondering if his recent loss had anything to do with the profundity of Frederick's melancholy (and the gallows humor). Sierra was perfection and I loved her costumes. Especially her black hat in Act 1 and her colorful variation of it at the chateau in Act 2. Ann was a mediocre actress and Henrik, fredericka, and Petra were all non-equity presumably getting their Equity cards this summer. And Mary Beth Piel was as cynically exhuberant a Madam Armfeld as you could want As I said, it was rushed Summer Stock and early performances at that, but it is sure to tighten up and was already a delightful evening, well worth the trip to Pittsfield."

 

God!  Not another mediocre Anne!  (seeing this on Saturday).  And a weak Henrik and Petra!  Ugh!

 

 

 

[EthelMae]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 8:51pm

There was only one Victoria Mallory as Anne.

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 9:10pm

Skip23 said: "Owen22 said: "I saw it Wednesday night and I enjoyed it! It was typical Summer Stock, except brightened and enlivened by Sierra, Jason and Emily. I have seen Nght Music many times, and Emily's Send in the Clowns was the singularly best I have ever witnessed! And Jason's presence in the scene really helped. Jason was wonderful throughout. There was a depth to his performance in the role, ...wondering if his recent loss had anything to do with the profundity of Frederick's melancholy (and the gallows humor). Sierra was perfection and I loved her costumes. Especially her black hat in Act 1 and her colorful variation of it at the chateau in Act 2. Ann was a mediocre actress and Henrik, fredericka, and Petra were all non-equity presumably getting their Equity cards this summer. And Mary Beth Piel was as cynically exhuberant a Madam Armfeld as you could want As I said, it was rushed Summer Stock and early performances at that, but it is sure to tighten up and was already a delightful evening, well worth the trip to Pittsfield."



God! Not another mediocre Anne! (seeing this on Saturday). And a weak Henrik and Petra! Ugh!





"

No one said Henrik or Petra were weak — they said this was their professional debut and getting Equity cards, which has no bearing on performance, so perhaps read more carefully before rushing to judgement and spreading uninformed claims.

Among a starry and well-cast suite of performers, I though Henrik made a standout debut (I've never heard the "GODDDD" in Later so gorgeously sung). And Mary Beth Peil is truly one of the greatest living interpreters of the the musical theatre. Emily Skinner is so flawlessly cast it is uncanny, and Jason as well.

Well worth the trip to Pittsfield to see this cast.

[rkade21]

Posted: 8/11/22 at 9:15pm

I saw opening preview on Aug 6. I’d not seen the show before but have really embraced Sondheim since the pandemic, and listened to the original cast album a lot plus read plenty of analysis on particular scenes as covered in The Secret Life of the American Musical. I haven’t seen a ton of regional or summer shows but overall I felt it was terrific. No glaringly weak performances, a few exceptional ones, some music - lyrics timing/rhythm trips in Now/Later and Miller’s Son which I can hardly blame especially in a first preview after just three days of tech on stage. I was really thrilled to add a fourth Sondheim show to my list of “seen its” for being at zero before the pandemic! 

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 8/12/22 at 3:16pm

Laurapattifan and rkade21: Thank you very much for your comments!  I'm even more excited to take in the Saturday matinee!

[TBone]

Posted: 8/12/22 at 3:53pm

Really looking forward to seeing this later this month!

[BETTY22]

Posted: 8/12/22 at 5:37pm

It is worth the trip just to see Sierra. My goodness, she is great. 

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 8/12/22 at 5:43pm

NYTIMES critic’s pic. 

[barcelona20]

Posted: 8/12/22 at 9:05pm

Any suggestions for seating? I'm looking at the cheaper tix of $35.  They have seats in the front row of the orchestra or the last row of the mezz. Thoughts? I've never been before.

[Skip23]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 8:58pm

Yep...Sierra is the star.  Perfect, rueful, funny, affecting, stunning voice, almost too pretty, but so????
 

It's a nice summer show.  It doesn't show what NIGHT MUSIC can be, but I guess it wasn't meant to.

 

It's a nice summer show.  Have a couple drinks, settle in for a Sondheim chart topper, get a few titillations from the innuendos (and not so innuendos), watch a few Broadway Babies, and a few acceptable stage novices.  Don't look for tone, mood, sets, costumes, sound, tempi or coherence and you'll love it.

 

It's a nice summer show.
 

Updated On: 8/13/22 at 08:58 PM

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 10:44pm

I know Pasadena Playhouse is doing a whole season of Sondheim upcoming - and ALNM is one of the shows announced.  Wouldn't it be great to bring in this production - and the chance too see some Broadway Legends in LA would be fantastic. 

[TBone]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 10:50pm

barcelona20 said: "Any suggestions for seating? I'm looking at the cheaper tix of $35. They have seats in the front row of the orchestra or the last row of the mezz. Thoughts? I've never been before."

I’ve also never been and bought the $35 seats in the front row instead of the last row mezz because I have some vision issues. I imagine there may be some obstruction because of the angle, but I’m hoping it won’t be too bad.

[Fan123]

Posted: 8/15/22 at 5:29am

A nice little bit of footage here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5R8mjZoaVg

[dave1606]

Posted: 8/15/22 at 9:56am

I was lucky enough to make it out to the Berkshires over the weekend. For anyone interested, the Berkshire flyer Amtrak train that goes on Friday and leaves on Sunday is lovely. My friend had a car, but Pittsfield is very walkable and you could probably find enough to do just hanging around that area. That said, I also went to Tanglewood and checked out Lenox and Stockbridge as well.

I built the trip around A Little Night Music. The cast is absolutely the reason to see the show. Jason Daniely has been seen far too infrequently for the amazing voice that he has and I thought he was perfect in this show. The other immediate standout was Sierra Boggess who made for such a deliciously ice cold Charlotte. Her delivery had me in stiches. Emily Skinner brought an almost Southern gothic-ness to Desire, and I really enjoyed her. She looked incredible and was in great voice. Mary Beth Piel was an absolute delight and I loved her Liaisons.  The cast is definitely worth a trip out to see this show, and the comedy in particular lands way better than it did in the last Broadway revival.

The physical production was a bit fine if on the cheaper side (I know this isn't Broadway here). There is a set piece that is constantly unfolded and folded back that I was convinced was going to fall over. I’d have rather they didn’t have it at all. The orchestra was very thin, that was my only major wish that we could have beefed up the pit a bit. Overall it was a lovely afternoon and I am so glad to have caught this cast. I had $35 side orchestra seats and had a full view. 

[barcelona20]

Posted: 8/15/22 at 10:29am

Overall it was a lovely afternoon and I am so glad to have caught this cast. I had $35 side orchestra seats and had a full view."

What row did you sit in?

[dave1606]

Posted: 8/15/22 at 10:56am

I was in Orch row K21/23 which were all the way to the side against the wall (no side aisles) but full view. Never missed a thing.