Abud, Butz, Peil and more to lead CORNELIA STREET musical off-Bway- Page 2

[JoeW4]

Posted: 1/21/23 at 12:44pm

willep said: "Theatre3232’s proposed switch had nothing to do with the timing of each show. His point was that Far Country belonged in the smaller space and Cornelia Street in the bigger space."

 

I understood what they were saying, but it's a moot point - why even bring Far Country into the conversation, if it wasn't in competition with Cornelia Street for the larger space?

Like I said, I think the scenic design for Far Country made it pretty clear why it belonged in the larger space, but even if Far Country had a simpler set, they had no inventive to put in their smaller space while their larger space was available.

Updated On: 1/21/23 at 12:44 PM

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 1/21/23 at 12:52pm

Plus this just makes it a hotter ticket. They can extend and charge higher prices etc. 

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 1/22/23 at 3:05pm

Really anxious to hear about this one. Anyone see it yet? 

[newyorker1410]

Posted: 1/22/23 at 3:36pm

I'm going Tuesday.  I will report back.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 1/22/23 at 3:45pm

The only reactions I've seen are 2 horrible reviews on Show-Score.

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 1/22/23 at 5:10pm

TaffyDavenport said: "The only reactions I've seen are 2 horrible reviews on Show-Score."

Oh dear. Hopefully they are in the minority. 

[macnyc]

Posted: 1/22/23 at 9:13pm

Those are absolutely the worst reactions I have ever seen on Show Score and I hope they are outliers because I have tickets in February. 

Updated On: 1/22/23 at 09:13 PM

[steve.sometime]

Posted: 1/22/23 at 10:43pm

Maybe that's why it's in such a small theatre for a limited run. That they don't have confidence in this piece. Hope I'm wrong. I'm seeing it in 2 weeks.

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 1/22/23 at 11:51pm

I’m seeing it in a few days, will report back!

[yyys]

Posted: 1/24/23 at 7:14am

https://www.show-score.com/off-off-broadway-shows/cornelia-street

[Melissa25]

Posted: 1/24/23 at 5:41pm

Interview: Mary Beth Peil Takes a Trip to Cornelia Street

[Hamilfan2]

Posted: 1/24/23 at 8:27pm

yyys said: "https://www.show-score.com/off-off-broadway-shows/cornelia-street"

At least the couple of reviews that have come out since the first 2 have been slightly more positive... sounds like some good performances but a pointless plot and a boring unmemorable score.  Seeing it later this week- we'll see if its as bad as the Show Score reviewers say.

[newyorker1410]

Posted: 1/24/23 at 11:25pm

I saw this tonight.  The Show Score reviews may have been somewhat harsh, but unfortunately the book is predictable and cliched, and the music is just a series of songs, that aren't particularly well integrated into the narrative.

On the positive side, the music is nice enough, and the band contains a french horn and a harp.   The cast are all earnest and committed.   

So my bottom line is if you have tickets, and reasonable expectations, you won't suffer, but the whole endeavor feels sort of half baked.

If you sit on the right side, you might not be able to see some of the band, but you will see everything on the stage, which contains a pretty standard restaurant set.

 

 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 1/25/23 at 8:41am

According to the Talkin Broadway update email I got this morning, the libretto is going to be published February 22nd. Seems early.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 1/25/23 at 9:37am

Will someone please post the running time? 

[Joshua Blum]

Posted: 1/25/23 at 9:41am

2 hours and fifteen minutes, plus 10 minute intermission.

[macnyc]

Posted: 1/25/23 at 10:17am

newyorker1410 said: "I saw this tonight. The Show Score reviews may have been somewhat harsh, but unfortunately the book is predictable and cliched, and the music is just a series of songs, that aren't particularly well integrated into the narrative.

On the positive side, the music is nice enough, and the band contains a french horn and a harp. The cast are all earnest and committed.

So my bottom line is if you have tickets, and reasonable expectations, you won't suffer, but the whole endeavor feels sort of half baked.

If you sit on the right side, you might not be able to see some of the band, but you will see everything on the stage, which contains a pretty standard restaurant set."

 

Thanks for posting this! I feel much better now. I'll go in with an open mind and realistic expectations. I love to see new musicals off Broadway, and unfortunately I end up kissing more frogs than princes. But still, it's fun!

 

Updated On: 1/25/23 at 10:17 AM

[EvanHansen]

Posted: 1/25/23 at 6:26pm

I have one $28 ticket for the 7:30pm performance tomorrow (Thurs Jan 26) that I can no longer use. PM me if you're interested in taking it off my hands!

[TNick926]

Posted: 1/27/23 at 7:22am

Norbert Leo Butz is terrific in this!  And Mary Beth Peil! Spectacular!  The entire cast is just excellent. Norbert's emotional journey in this show is harrowing and he's one of those great actors who never strikes a false note. His singing is as great as always, but it's the vivid portrayal of this character's life that struck me deeply.

Having said that, the show its self is not great. It's not really a musical, in my opinion. It's a play with songs, which is fine, but the songs do nothing to heighten the story, and sometimes the lyrics are so pedestrian it hurts.  There are some moments where the music comes to life, but then weirdly peters out.  Really strange.

But the commitment of all the cast to the material and each other is beautiful to see, especially when it's in such an intimate space,  I'm glad I saw it, and I pray that something comes along worthy of Norbert's talents in a real musical.

[HBBrock]

Posted: 1/28/23 at 10:15am

What a treat last night. A world premiere musical with a book by Simon Stephens (consistently really solid work) and a cast featuring amazing performances by the great Norbert Leo Butz, George Abud, Mary Beth Piel - and really everyone else in the cast is giving great performances too. There is no stage and it's super in your face - which I love. 95 seats!!! This is a musical that is original, unique, and will be memorable, and I love that the Atlantic took risks by producing it. Some are considering it more of a play with music. Regardless of what is, I loved it.

That being said, it will be tough sell for most based on audience reaction tonight.

The idea for this play started from the now closed Cornelia Street Cafe in the West Village and the interesting cast of characters that were there. You never really know where the story is going, and where I thought it was going - it went down a different path completely. Great dialogue about the restaurant industry, about New York City, about family...really good stuff all around. It almost felt like a really good indie movie in the theatre at times...a little weird, a little uncomfortable, but never boring.

If not for the uncomfortable seats at Atlantic Stage 2, I would have loved to hang out with the characters and live in their world even more than the 2 hour and 15 minute run time.

Definitely recommend this if you can find one of the remaining scattered tickets left and if you like work that takes risks.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 10:43pm

Well, I can't say I wasn't warned. Believe the bad reviews. They are way too kind. 

Why the hell is this awful thing basically sold out? Why the hell did a prominent non-profit like Atlantic Theatre Company think that this material was good? Why did Butz, Peil and other talented actors accept this job? These are mysteries we will never understand. 

A few tickets were released today and having no plans tonight, I decided to take a chance and grab one. Bad decision all around. 

This show is absolutely and completely horrible. Right from the very first song that has something to do with a night out.....or something.....when all the characters parade onto the stage to sing about how they want a nice night out....or something.....with very basic and bad lyrics that could have been written by a twelve year old child....we know we are in for something spectacularly awful. The songs do not get better from there. In fact, there is not one song in this show that is worthy of being in an off-Broadway production at such a well respected theatre. I was guessing what the rhymes in the lyrics would be before they were sung. It is that basic. The score is unmelodic and uninteresting. I believe someone said this would have been better as a straight play, and I agree with that, even though we have seen this entire plot before, multiple times. 

I guess the set is okay, although it seems like a lot of people in the audience will have obstructed views, depending on where they are. There are tables and chairs all over the place, and a bar on the right hand side. If you are in the front, it seems like lots of views will be partial, at best. My seat was actually labelled partial view, but I could see everything, unfortunately. 

I will say that Butz and Peil are excellent in parts that they are too good for. They are doing heroic work, as is the rest of the cast, but it is not enough to prop this dog up.

I will never understand how this thing got produced. 

 

[kwoc91]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 10:03am

Matt is correct. I was there last night and left at intermission. This show is complete and utter garbage. Glad I only spent $25 on the tickets.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 10:36am

This was really, really rough.  I was shocked that for his first leading role in a decade, this is the vehicle Norbert chose. The performer who comes off the best is Mary Beth Peil, but that's not saying much.  Yikes. 

[Melissa25]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 11:21am

What was the choreography like? Curious as it says it is choreographed by Hope Boykin.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 11:32am

Melissa25 said: "What was the choreography like? Curious as it says it is choreographed by Hope Boykin."

Virtually non-existent.  And when it is, it's sloppily executed at best.