Profile for JKB2

Your comments on SDL are *very* interesting, and among the few thoughtful, intelligent criticisms I've heard so far. I saw it both in Coconut Grove and in New York -- in New York more than once, with Polly Bergen and with her standby Kathleen Doyle. The first time I saw it with Polly Bergen, I did get a bit of that vibe of "bullying" that you're talking about, though I thought Lily eventually stood up to him as things got moving. The next time, I thought Polly Bergen's Lily stood up to Michae...

Why *are* Broderick and Lane coming back for only three months?

It's hard to imagine how anything could be a *critical* success when the critics seem to hate everything. But don't you think "Wicked" will clearly be a hit, in terms of box office if not reviews?

As far as comparing Confederate Widow with Six Dance Lessons goes: The thing with Six Dance Lessons is that Polly Bergen missed every single performance last week due to a leg injury, and a lot of people left rather than stay to watch it with the understudy (even though Kathleen Doyle did a fine job). Before Polly's injury, they were starting to improve in ticket sales due to good word of mouth. I'd imagine they're hopeful that with Polly Bergen now back, they can continue to build their audi...

"With You" from Pippin.

A Lord of the Rings musical? Ye gods. That idea should be cast back into the fiery pit of Mount Doom whence it came.

It's already well-established that a number of New York critics didn't like the play. From their descriptions, I have the feeling that they saw a different play than I did, and a different play than that which many other people have seen and described as funny, touching, and delightful. I tend to be a fairly chatty person, and I had umpteen conversations with people I met at the theater who said that they loved the play and couldn't understand what the critics were complaining about. The fact...

I'm just astonished that it closed after only one show. Were ticket sales really so bad that they couldn't afford to keep a one-woman show open more than one day? I mean, it's not like it had the overhead of Les Miz.

After I saw how the reviewers described what "Six Dance Lessons" is like, I wouldn't trust anything they said to confirm *any* ideas I had about how a play was going to turn out. In fact, if they said it was a bright sunny day outside, I would grab an umbrella. At least now I know never to look to the reviews for guidance about shows I'm interested in in the future -- and for a show I haven't seen, I certainly wouldn't take their word over that of an audience member who isn't a professional c...

Mine is a scene from Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, naturally enough -- since I found this board after I saw it and got curious to find out what people were saying about it. Quite an interesting little community here. :) Anyway, it's a moment from Week 5: The Cha-cha.

I'm sorry to hear that you weren't able to get into the play. I don't believe your experience was typical of the audience reaction, however, at least judging by the laughter and applause I've heard each time I've seen it, and the comments people made after the show (such as the comment from one lady who almost left when she heard Polly Bergen was going to be replaced by an understudy; I told her I was sure the understudy was going to do a good job, and after the show, she thanked me for convi...

The folks at the theater said she'll be back in the show starting tomorrow.

The folks at the theater said Polly Bergen will be back in Six Dance Lessons starting tomorrow. Meanwhile, I saw the show with the understudy, Kathleen Doyle, and thought she was terrific. But obviously Polly Bergen is a bigger draw than Mark Hamill; in fact some people were leaving the theater because Polly Bergen was out. I think she's coming back just in time.

Yeah, I agree, it's a shame. I love this play, and it's been getting slammed so hard by the critics; the last thing they need is another stroke of bad luck.

I just checked with Telecharge, because I'm planning to see it again this weekend. They said it's still on.

I just read that she had a leg injury this weekend. I haven't heard anything about whether she's back on this week.

Actually, Six Dance Lessons gained a little ground in the last week. Probably because audiences by and large enjoy it, unlike the critics.

I think she was replaced by an understudy throughout last night's show. I wonder what's going on? I'm glad to hear the understudy did a good job, at least.

Having read the reviews, I have to wonder if they saw the same play I did. Apparently they saw a boring play that was a pile of cliches about older women who "still have a lot of livin' to do." I saw a hysterically funny play that wasn't even specifically about old people or gay issues, it was about how screwed up people of any kind can rescue each other emotionally, despite still being screwed up. When I went, the audience was laughing uproariously and people were wiping away tears at the en...

Yeah, it's partly because it's simple, rather than a deep meditation on the fundamental meaninglessness of life or something like that. But also, they seem to think it's impossible to relate to the characters, which wasn't my experience at all. I found myself really caring about both characters by the end, and while a lot of Michael Minetti's behavior is written so that it's over the top and can't be taken literally -- it is, after all, a comedy, and not one that's trying to present a realist...