Profile for CallMeAl2

TheGingerBreadMan said: "Mary Poppins is specifically set in 1910."True. The books were set in the early 1930s - contemporary with when the first two books were published. Walt Disney specifically switched the time period to Edwardian London because he thought that would look better. The stage musical (at least the London and Broadway productions) kept the same time period as the movie - at least in their designs. I can't remember if there is any dialog that specifically fixes the action in h...

Sunrise, Sunset?

"What classic musical should I adapt..."Adapt into what? A video game? It's already a play and a musical (and there are film versions of each). I have no idea what he is talking about here.

BrodyFosse123 said: "...That’s why she was offered HELLO, DOLLY! though everyone was aware she was way too young for the role. Career wise it made sense."From 20th Century Fox's point of view, Streisand would put butts in seats.More than Channing, or any of the women that followed her in the role on stage. It made marketing sense. Streisand, on the other hand didn't want to do it. It was 1967 and every year that went by, Dolly seemed more a relic of the past and not relevant to anything going...

BroadwayBaby6 said: "While people may criticize the choice of Michael Mayer for the revival, it is his London revival that got great reviews and went on tour (with Sheridan Smith who is not a great singer). "I agree - the headline here isn't Menzel, it's that the Michael Mayer/ Harvey Fierstein version from Menier Chocolate Factory is the production that is transferring. (Not a previously almost-mounted Bartlett Sher version.) That means cut Jule Styne songs ("Temporary Arrangement" and "What...

getupngo said: "If you leave me, I’m going with you.That was amazing lol"That is a good line. But it isn't original. I've heard it at an awards show speech before, but I can't remember who said it.

It looked like a big budget drag contest. But that's the thing with The Cher Show - it has some substance, but it's all in the book, not in the numbers. I would actually avoid the show after seeing that performance. But I would be wrong. As an attempt to sell the show to audiences, I would say it was a fail. As an attempt to explain why Stephanie J. Block won the Tony, it was also a fail. To see the magic of TCS you have to let people see the Follies-like interaction between Cher and her youn...

poisonivy2 said: "Uh, that Cher Show segment is by far the lamest performance of the night."Without the context of the book, it's all just grand karaoke.

barcelona20 said: "I wish the producers could explain their decision making not to go live for the whole show. Seems like it would have been simple enough for someone to push Roger in a wheelchair if needed. Or at least performed the non-Roger songs live."Did you see that set? Up and down stairs and ladder ceilings around the environmental playing space - no way could that be done in a wheelchair, or even crutches. From the look of that cast he was wearing that is a very serious injury.Unless...

Why do people keep calling for understudies? Who uses understudies for a one-night-only event? You hire understudies so you can run. A show doesn't even put understudies on their feet until after it opens. For a special event you adapt - which is what they are doing.By the love - love the set! Very cool. Ensemble is great. Mark, Roger, and Tom Collins all doing well. We'll see how Maureen does,

Hey, that AIDS Stat narration is by Anthony Rapp.Anyway I'm enjoying this. It's a shame they weren't able to put their best version out there in time capsule. It will always e this compromised performance.

musikman said: "...The Mary Poppins character felt so superfluous and pushed to the side here. Clearly the kids could get by on their own. They didnt need her lol."The story isn't about the kids - it's about Michael. He is the protagonist. He has the problem that Mary Poppins comes back to fix. That's also why I say that there was one too many musical production numbers with Mary and the kids. They weren't the heart of the story.

Ho-ly crap! I was thrilled. That nine-year-old kid inside me that saw the original movie was over the moon. It was both bigger and deeper than the original film and it stands beside it really well - they compliment each other. Nobody has mentioned the rock solid actor that holds the overall plot together - and that is Ben Wishaw. My god, this whole thing could have gone south so easily (ask Christopher Robin) if he had not been able to carry the big bag of love, sorrow, despair, hope, optimis...

Jarethan said: "... I also admit that I never loved the score -- especially 'What I Did for Love' --so i am probably a lost cause."Well I love the show, but I am in total agreement that "What I Did for Love" is the low point. It is this sentimental Micky Rooney / Judy Garland moment in an otherwise tell-it-like-it-is unsentimental musical.

poisonivy2 said: "Can't believe no one brought up the fact that Edward Kleban, James Kirkwood Jr., Nicholas Dante and of course Michael Bennett all died of AIDS..."Just an addendum: Edward Kleban did not die of AIDS, and he was straight.

SomethingPeculiar said: ""The Telephone Hour" would just be kids sitting on a silent stage texting each other!"That's actually not bad - you could do it with screens a la Evan Hansen. That's the modern visual equivalent. However, while there will always be pop stars, there is no real contemporary parallel to the Army because there is no draft that would force a young man in. Maybe the pop star is a Mormon Justin Bieber type teen and he has to go on his two year mission and drop out of show bi...

PatrickDC said: "HUNCHBACK: ...The other criticism was there was lots of chorus people telling us the story instead of playing it out on stage."Yes, you hit the nail. I'm guessing that structural issue was the main sticking point. To get around that you need a new book and maybe a new directorial approach, which would mean back to the drawing board with the workshop process.But still for me, the music, the story and the performances were unforgettable - maybe the best thing I saw that year. A...

alex814 said:Hi there.Long time lurker, first time poster here. I'm really intrigued by your anecdote about the stateof the show after theoriginal cast had left New York. Is there a source where I can read more about this?"I guess you need to have the "before" and "after". So, here are two books. You can probably find them in your local library system or cheap used copies on Amazon or eBay.The "horse's mouth", so to speak, would be to start with the book On the Line, by original cast members ...

I regret that Broadway never got The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Michael Arden and Patrick Page.

That nothing will ever come close to capturing the drama and tension of the original cast. The gentle sadism of Zach and the desperation of the dancers torn between pleasing him and protecting themselves and each other dissapated after the cast split up. The ones that went to LA and SFO kept some of that quality on the road, but it was gone in New York. The show quickly devolved into a line of performers each biding their time until their big number or scene. That's what makes me sad. With ne...