re: Evolution of New Ragtime Poster Art Sep 14
2009, 12:01:27 AM
The final one doesn't really flow and seems off-balance. It reminds me of the latest Time Out New York cover.
YES. That's what it reminded me of. I still like it.
(Incidentally, I think a nice shout-out to "Ragtime" was included in that cover art...?)
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re: Evolution of New Ragtime Poster Art Sep 13
2009, 11:58:31 PM
Gaahh...New York Times, I love you. I live for features like this.
#3 is quite striking. I agree with the way Kyle put it--it's the artwork that most makes me feel like I really need to see this show.
But I do like the final product. The artwork on its own is terrific--elements like the Obama-era "HOPE" button among all the early-1900s paraphernalia instantly make a case for the show's relevance in 2009. The only thing bugging me is their treatment of the title...the
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re: Sam Mendes GYPSY Logo/Website? Aug 5
2009, 08:50:23 PM
That intro is cooler than anything the PATTILuPONEgypsy website had (I was always hoping for a wallpaper...oh well).
No kidding. The LuPone production may have been better (I didn't make it out to either of them so I can't say) but the marketing was atrocious, especially compared to the beautiful ads and signage for the Peters production. The LuPone ads looked careless and unprofessional by comparison.
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re: Phantom of the Opera Rear Mezzanine Jun 9
2009, 09:15:14 PM
I've seen Phantom three times from the rear mezz--it's perfectly fine. Most elements of the show are still visible and the new sound system is great back there.
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re: Hoffman in OTHELLO confirmed for Public's new season May 27
2009, 11:16:18 AM
D'oh! I was hoping for Jackie Hoffman.
Ha! That was my first thought as well...I saw the title and immediately jumped to Jackie Hoffman as Desdemona. I don't think I'd be able to blame Othello for holding the pillow over her face.
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re: Hair OBC Revival - Track Listing May 5
2009, 02:19:00 AM
is there a reason "hippie life" isn't in the show that we know of? I love that sonG!
There have been quite a few versions of Hair over the years...Rado has been revising it with every new high-profile production, it seems. This is not the first production to leave out "Hippie Life" (or "The Bed" or "Dead End" for that matter), so there's no reason for us to expect them in the show or on the disc as "cut tracks".
Also, and please don't take this the wrong way (yo
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re: HAIR on Letterman. May 1
2009, 05:49:59 PM
WOW is right. I don't think a YouTube clip has ever made me so downright giddy.
TV performances are usually incredibly awkward and watered-down, so what an unexpected delight this was! Reminds me of seeing the show in Park this summer during previews, not having any idea whether to expect a decent Hair or a terrible Hair, and just being blown away from the opening number. Can't wait to see the Broadway production.
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re: Desire Under the Elms First Preview Apr 14
2009, 11:50:23 PM
From what I understand, DESIRE uncut runs about 3 1/2 hours so its somewhat merciful that Robert Falls has cut the show down to an 1hr 40min one-act. But that's also the problem, though. O'Neill's verbose bloat has heft and gains in momentum as an evening goes on, cut literally in half the show becomes a rather flat, gappy melodrama that must have been predictable even in O'Neill's day.
Eh? I think the original play is like 60-something pages. Is there a gigantic O'Neill-sized
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re: The Conveyor Belt in Into The Woods Apr 12
2009, 03:33:40 AM
The Really Useful revival of The Sound of Music (which closed recently in the West End and is playing in Toronto) uses a "conveyor belt". They call it a travelator.
Aren't travelators different devices? I know the ramps in "Phantom" that rise and fall at constantly changing angles (to create the effect of descending into the lair) are called travelators.
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re: The Conveyor Belt in Into The Woods Apr 11
2009, 08:05:02 PM
I remember a similar treadmill being used in the "Music Man" revival.
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re: Phantom news... Jerry Mitchell willl choreograph Mar 16
2009, 07:04:09 PM
The strategy here seems to be to sign on so many famous, reliable names from Broadway and the West End that even those who are certain this will be a train wreck (are any of us...not?) will at least be curious enough about the talent involved to splurge on a ticket. I was going to avoid this like the plague, but now I'm finding it harder and harder to resist.
Alas, even if the director, set designer, and choreographer all kick it into high gear for this production, even if Lloyd Webber
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re: HAIR QUESTION Mar 11
2009, 08:09:01 PM
Maybe I'm just a blue-state hippie-dippie, but I think there's absolutely nothing in "Hair" that high school students shouldn't be allowed to see...not all parents would feel the same way, however. I say, if it's possible at this point, let the parents know that some students might be going to see "Hair" and make them aware of some of the material in it. This is a special show that young people need to see...just give parents the option to use their own discretion.
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re: Hair Front Row Mar 7
2009, 10:53:11 AM
Approximately how many people showed up for the lotto last night, countrygurl?
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"Treasures from the Paris Opera Vaults" Feb 16
2009, 10:05:07 PM
I know this technically isn't "Broadway", but I just came across this piece in the NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/arts/music/17vaul.html?_r=1&8dpc
Apparently a number of wax records of various opera arias were made at the beginning of the 20th century and placed in a time capsule beneath the Paris Opera House, not to be opened for 100 years. They've finally been unearthed, cleaned up, and released as a CD set (whose title I put as the subject of this thread). This is certainly an interesting find for any fan of live performance, and (if I have to make some Broadway connection) I found it especially interesting as a fan of "Phantom"--while these recordings were not all done with singers from the Paris Opera, this gives us a better idea of what was popular with Parisian opera-goers around the time Gaston Leroux was researching the Opera House and getting the inspiration to write his novel.
Three audio clips are posted with the NYT article.
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re: HAIR Update Feb 14
2009, 10:25:33 PM
Want to hear HAIR delivered as it is meant to be heard? Get the Actor's Fund benefit performance.
Ehhh...I'd say Actor's Fund, not so much. Maybe if you want to hear HAIR delivered by a collection of theatre stars all trying to out-riff each other rather than think about the meaning of the show (although it is a pretty fun recording to listen to).
It's pretty hard to beat the Original Broadway Cast Recording. That album is a staple of both Broadway and rock history.
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re: Broadway Skit on SNL Jan 11
2009, 12:07:06 AM
The chandelier was pretty accurate if I do say so myself
No kidding! Whoever designed this sketch did their homework...everything looked pretty accurate to me. It looks like they chose their pieces to actually resemble the show--from the chandelier, which looked like the one used in the production, to Mark's costume, to Elphaba's, to Kate Monster...even down to using a white bowtie (NOT BLACK) on the Phantom's tuxedo. There are clearly a few Broadway fans at SNL. Nicely do
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re: Crude/ sexual monologues? Jan 10
2009, 12:59:37 PM
Amy Sedaris says she used to audition with material about anal sex from the book "Our Bodies, Ourselves". Just a thought.
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re: Eden Espinosa joins cast of HAIR Jan 1
2009, 05:58:19 PM
Nice damage control on the part of the HAIR team (not just Eden, but this press release). Although it's pretty obvious they're trying to save their public image, I think they make a pretty eloquent case for the relevance of this production and clears up some misinformation (most importantly, I think, they note that this is a 5.5, not 6.5, million dollar production). The fact that they had to push the preview date back almost a month is telling of the problems this transfer has had, but at the
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re: Phantom Sequel Dec 29
2008, 01:31:22 AM
Folks, I hate to bust your bubble, but whatever Lloyd Webber touches usually turns to gold. Or at least some nice silver.
I'm not so sure...Webber hasn't had a solid success with something he's written in quite a long time. Not everything needs to be a Phantom-sized smash, certainly, but nobody's sitting around anymore dying for the next Lloyd Webber spectacle to open. The Woman in White had all the makings of the next Phantom with its Gothic story and elab
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re: Phantom Sequel Dec 28
2008, 11:08:47 PM
He better keep this new draft away from Otto.
Actually, I hope that wonderful cat never leaves his side for a moment...all the more opportunity for the score to be lost again.
As a big fan of the original (as unfashionable as it is to be one), I must say my only hope for this show is that it can't possibly be worse than my abysmally low expectations. But that's not really saying a lot.
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