Profile for Steve721

"While they're at it, they should tell him that some of his predictions aren't even on Broadway……." Or maybe you should read the fine print in the Times articles: "For the Should Have Been Nominated category, the Times’s critics were allowed to expand the potential nominees to Off Broadway productions, which are ineligible for the Tonys. But they didn’t consider “Hamilton,” which is moving to Broadway."

"Critics do not have the power they once had but with the vicious reviews this got it was a determining factor. You still hear idiots say" I was going to see such and such show but I heard Brantley did not like it so I changed my mind". How about using your mind and decide for yourself if you want to see it? This is basically being a robot and taking orders." Like most people, I have neither the time nor the money to see every show. So I read the reviews (Brantley's included) and read what po...

""Dr. Zhivago isn't closing because of what anonymous posters wrote about it on this board; it failed because the main-stream critics (who sign their names to their reviews for all to see) eviscerated it." I don't think just bad reviews kill a show. A show based off a 50 year old movie and 60 year old book. Like many shows, people wonder "why are they making that?" My friend was waiting at the TDF booth, and ahead of her a tourist asked what the Zhivago musical was about, the employee shrugge...

I have never worked in the theater, but I'm not sure why Broadway theater professionals would read, much less pay attention to, what some anonymous poster or no-name blogger has to say about their shows. As unfair and vitriolic as some of those people can be, they have no influence whatsoever on whether a Broadway show succeeds or fails. Dr. Zhivago isn't closing because of what anonymous posters wrote about it on this board; it failed because the main-stream critics (who sign their names to ...

I saw the original Broadway productions of both shows. Les Mis was thrilling, but the subsequent productions of that show I've seen have been boring, although I haven't seen the current revival. While Pryce and Salonga were terrific, as a musical, I thought Miss Saigon was just OK.

"I didn't have a problem with Jackman's singing at all! If the film didn't take such an approach that was raw and realistic, it would've been different." There's a difference between "raw and realistic" and badly sung. And I agree with an earlier poster that Jackman's version of "Bring Him Home" is painful to listen to. The song is supposed to be a prayer and while Jackman is singing it, the only thing I can think about is whether, given the immense strain in his voice, he will be able to hit...

If they ever do make a main-stream movie of Carousel (with a decent budget), given the realities of how films are made and marketed, they will cast movie stars, not Broadway stars. A lot of Jackman's vocal issues on Les Mis would have been much less problematic if they'd just recorded the soundtrack in a studio; the live singing thing did not work very well for most of the Les Mis cast. IMHO, the Les Mis soundtrack is almost unlistenable.

"I really do appreciate all of this discussion, hearing others’ interpretations and what different moments mean to everyone. It’s definitely widened my thought process on the intentions behind what is written. And, I certainly don’t think the show should stop being performed because, clearly, there are some that are getting more from it than I. My concern, though, is for all of those that have the same reactions as I based off of simply what we hear and see on the stage. Most will not be affo...

"Unfortunately, my one and only criticism was what comes after afterwards, which I won't describe for those who haven't seen the show yet. Personally I found it excessive and cheapening of what was otherwise a fantastic experience Henrik, could you elaborate with a SPOILER warning? Because I must have missed what happened after the blackout. " ********SPOILER********* I assume he's talking about the coda in which Christopher comes back on stage and shows how he solved the math problem. I real...

"Every time I hear him, I think of Celine Dion: technically talented, but just absent of any emotion or interpretation. " He's better on some songs than on others. His version of "Bring Him Home" does show a fair amount of emotion. But I don't see how he could ever play Val Jean on stage--he doesn't have the acting chops and he's completely the wrong "type". Has he ever done a musical other than Chess? I heard a rumor that he was going to do "Oklahoma" at the Chicago Lyric Opera, but that obv...

SPOLIERS I sat in the third row, and after he asks the question for the last time (just before the blackout), she has this pained and sad expression on her face as if to say no, you can't. From what I saw, I didn't think the ending was ambiguous at all, at least in terms of her reaction to the question.

"He sounds great there, is that in the same key as the original though?" Um, no he doesn't sing "Bring Him Home" in the original key (which is A Major); he takes it down half a step.

"My issue is not needing Billy to “get what he deserves,” or for everything to work out, or for it to be a neat and clean ending. Not at all. I take issue with the fact that I don’t see much real exploration into this relationship, I don’t see exploration into why Julie stays with him (or falls for him in the first place), I don’t see exploration into Billy’s psyche. And, because of all of this, the final moments come off, at least to me and those I’ve spoken with, as Julie dismissing Billy’s...

"It was actually Send in the Clowns when I found Bernadette to be the MOST hammy. She was performing for an audience, not talking to herself." In that song, Desirée is finally confronting her great regrets and is struggling to control her emotions. I thought Peters completely nailed all of that. In 30-plus years of going to musicals, her performance of that song is definitely one of the highlights. I agree that CZJ's rather strange performance at the Tonys--I understand she was ill--is not re...

I haven't seen any of them yet, but based upon what I've read we have three worthy performances from three honest-to-God Broadway stars. So flip a coin. While I would love for Kelli to win, this is not one of those years (or categories) in which any of the losers will have been robbed.

"I actually saw it 8 times. 6 with CZJ, once with Jayne Paterson on for CZJ, and once with Bernadette. I had a friend in the show, so I didn't pay every time. But still, I saw Catherine give GLORIOUS performances. Bernadette was hamming it up concert style when I saw her." Given that she's playing a somewhat hammy actress, I thought Peter's mannerisms worked fine for the part. And then she strips all of that away when she comes to "Send in the Clowns", which makes that song even more breathta...

"I agree that Kate should have won, but CZJ was PHENOMENAL in Night Music. People remember her for her Tony performance, when she was sick. But I saw her 6 times between November and April, and she was flawless each time. I for one actually thought she was better than Bernadette but a fair amount." You saw ALM 6 times?? Wow. I saw it twice, once with CZJ and once with Peters, and I thought Peters was infinitely better.

""It's hard to believe that Catherine Zeta-Jones has a Tony and O'Hara doesn't. " No it's not, Hunter. CZJ is an amazing Oscar and Tony winning actress. And she knocked it out of the park in ALM. Totally deserved her Tony. " CZJ didn't "knock it out of the park", particularly when you compare her performance to Peters. Kate Baldwin should have won the Tony for her lovely performance in Finian's Rainbow.

"I think Kelli's best shot at a Tony in the future would be to originate a dramatic role." Bridges?

"I don't see any reason to believe a) that one's opinion is "in the minority" (as if anyone can know that for sure without polling everyone) or b) that it would matter at all even if it were." At least in terms of the reviews she's gotten from critics, the notion that Kelli O'Hara gives bland, one-note performances is demonstrably the minority view, if in fact she's ever gotten such a review. And anyone who expresses that opinion on this board will get push back, as well they should. That's s...