Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2023 Broadway Performances- Page 2

[Robbie2]

Posted: 11/15/23 at 9:53pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Robbie2 said: "Harmony will be performing"

With Barry? He probably makes a performance an easy Yes for most media outlets."

 

Hmmmmmmmmmm I wonder what happened as Harmony was going to be part of the parade performances??? Any intel? I wonder which show then bumped them?

[taragel2]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 2:17pm

If it "officially" starts at 8:30 this year, will they air Broadway performances at 8 am? 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 2:24pm

Robbie2 said: "Hmmmmmmmmmm I wonder what happened as Harmony was going to be part of the parade performances??? Any intel? I wonder which show then bumped them?"

It's possible that whoever floated that rumor was misinformed. Or things changed.

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 11/20/23 at 9:03pm

Does CBS usually air the Broadway performances at a specific time or are they sprinkled through the broadcast? Would they conflict with NBC?

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 11/21/23 at 2:02am

Based on video from rehearsal

the numbers

How To Dance In Ohio - Getting Ready For The Dance/Building Momentum (with full company plus swings)

&Juliet - Confident

Spamalot - Knights of The Roundtable

BTTF- Back In Time

Shucked - Corn

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 11/21/23 at 5:55am

BTTF posted that their performance is at 10:51. How can that be? The parade is already in full swing at that point. Usually the broadway shows perform first and then the parade starts.

[Voter]

Posted: 11/21/23 at 7:37am

I wonder how the H2DIO team will fare with early previews, rehearsals, and the parade performance. That’s a lot to throw at a cast of debuts especially while a show is in previews. Hence why many haven’t done it before.

[LuckyDipster]

Posted: 11/22/23 at 8:32am

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Based on video from rehearsal

the numbers

How To Dance In Ohio - Getting Ready For The Dance/Building Momentum (with full company plus swings)

&Juliet - Confident

Spamalot - Knights of The Roundtable

BTTF- Back In Time

Shucked - Corn"

+ an abbreviated version of It Works.

 

[bwayobsessed]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 10:14am

I thought How to Dance in Ohio made me interested. Shucked, & Juliet, and Spamalot I think were all pretty good, more or less giving the performances I’d expect. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 10:28am

The CBS performances were mixed. The Aladdin cast was okay. A Beautiful Noise did a nice performance featuring Nick Fradiani(his first public performance promoting ABN). Chicago was dull.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 10:35am

Re: OHIO, I'm really growing to hate aspects of that modern "Broadway pop sound" –– not just in composition but orchestration, as heard in this show, Pasek & Paul scores, Matt Sklar scores, etc. I suppose you could say the same about some of the mid-tier brassy shows from the 60s or other eras, too. It sounds so generic.

Updated On: 11/23/23 at 10:35 AM

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 11:58am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Re: OHIO, I'm really growing to hate aspects of that modern "Broadway pop sound" –– not just in composition but orchestration, as heard in this show, Pasek & Paul scores, Matt Sklar scores, etc. I suppose you could say the same about some of the mid-tier brassy shows from the 60s or other eras, too. It sounds so generic."

yeah it all feels quiet processed 

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 12:09pm

Haven’t watched CBS yet, but I found the performances on NBC to be fine and nothing more. I actually think BTTF did itself some harm by singing “It Works” along with “Back in Time” instead of just sticking with the latter. The new songs don’t “work” no matter how hard they try to push them. I also don’t think Shucked’s medley worked. Too much happening in a short time. Spamalot only got good when they got to “Bright Side of Life,” and Dance is just so lackluster. &Juliet was the best, but that’s not saying much. 

[uncamark]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 12:26pm

Bill Snibson said: "CBS is just direct competition with NBC who basically owned the parade coverage for years, CBS broadcasts from uptown and doesn't show any of the performances on 34th street in front of Macy's so they broadcast taped broadway performances instead."

And for years CBS showed Macy's as part of a telecast of several parades both live and on tape with network stars at all of them.  It got reduced to Macy's as the parades ended or got moved to other days (or the stores that sponsored them went out of business).  Traditionally, it was Macy's, Gimbels in Philadelphia and Hudson's in Detroit live and Eatons in Toronto on tape. For some years they aired a Hawaiian parade on tape that had nothing to do with Thanksgiving, but they were able to get Jack Lord of the original "Hawaii Five-O" to host the segment. And the hosts were better quality than the "ET" people they're using now.

 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 12:36pm

Just want to shoutout Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells commentary during the first hour, just doing what they do best, hanging out together and being silly

[BETTY22]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 12:45pm

Folks are wondering how Shucked got book on the Parade with it closing in 6 weeks - Shucked lead producer's, Mike, wife is a top booker at NBC.

 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 1:31pm

Really intriguing the reigning best musical tony award winner didn’t do any performances, what gives? David Stone may as well announce the show is closing yesterday.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 1:54pm

My thoughts on the shows:

& Juliet - I really enjoyed this. If I had room for one more show on my trip next month, I’d probably choose this. However. with no set pieces and if I hadn’t heard the intro or didn’t know about the show, I’m not sure I would have realized it was a Broadway show. Not sure how many tickets this will sell, but then again they are having no problem packing them in now. 

Back to the Future - This reminded me of something you’d expect to see at an amusement park. 

How to Dance in Ohio - Reminded me of The Prom and not in a good way. 

Shucked - The best musical number about corn in the whole parade. I’m guessing since this is closing, they’re hoping this will build interest for the tour which they made sure to mention. 

Spamalot - I saw this on tour a long time ago. I enjoyed it. Today it seemed like a waste of talent. I’m certain this just plays better in theater and in context. 

A Beautiful Noise (on CBS) - I actually enjoyed this. First few seconds I thought “this is kinda cheesy”, but then it won me over. Top two performances (with & Juliet) across both channels IMHO. I think this format favors (jukebox) shows performing well known tunes.  Probably wouldn’t see it on Broadway, but maybe on tour. 

Aladdin (on CBS) - I really missed JMI as the genie. I’m glad I saw this with him in it in 2016. 

Chicago (on CBS) - was that amateurish performance with the host of the CBS parade broadcast really it? I admit I missed the beginning. I get it was a nice moment for her, but it did nothing to show how the strong the show still is (I saw it at beginning of the year). 

 

Overall, a disappointing year (for me). 

 

I missed the Rockettes and Cher. Will watch Cher when I get home from Thanksgiving lunch with my mom. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 1:55pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Really intriguing the reigning best musical tony award winner didn’t do any performances, what gives? David Stone may as well announce the show is closing yesterday."

Akimbo has done no promoting since they won the Tony Award. Their grosses are borderline keeping them open. I have to assume a closing notice is coming soon.

[LuckyDipster]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 2:39pm

Miles2Go2 said: "Back to the Future- This reminded me of something you’d expect to see at an amusement park."

I think all the bells and whistles that they have in the theatre really make a difference to this show.  Plus it helps to see it from the beginning and get swept up in the world they have created.  I can appreciate how someone who hasn't been to the show might feel lukewarm towards it, seeing it performed in a street like this.  It does feel a bit naked.

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 3:43pm

If I were buying tickets based on these performances only, I'd buy Back to the Future, Shucked, and Spamalot. For BTTF, the only 2 memorable songs not from the movie are It Works and For The Dreamers so they went with the group number. 

&Juliet was definitely better than the Tonys performance so hopefully they get a boost too. I fear that the 8:45 air time may have hurt them though if people did not realize the parade started early. How To Dance In Ohio seemed like it wasn't fully buttoned up yet which is understandable given the timing. Good performance though.

As someone who loves both Aladdin and A Beautiful Noise, I was underwhelmed by both. I think a good part of it had to do with the camera blocking though I also though Nick Fradiani came off as nervous. I have not seen the full Chicago clip yet.

Loved Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells and was disappointed that they disappeared after the first hour. I hope NBC brings them back next year. I was surprised that there hasn't been more talk about Ashley Park being on the Sesame Street float. That was fun to see, 

i hope next year they go back to having all the Broadway performances at the beginning. Most of them seemed to be in the first 90 minutes anyhow. I am curious how they got the car in and out so fast for BTTF because you could see the next float in some of the camera shots. Just seemed like an interesting schedule choice. I wonder if someone requested that BTTF perform later in the broadcast.

[uncamark]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 4:19pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Really intriguing the reigning best musical tony award winner didn’t do any performances, what gives? David Stone may as well announce the show is closing yesterday."

It's almost like having a number from "Sweeney Todd"--"Kimberly Akimbo" is not really the type of show that fits in with the Macy's parade. Considering that Macy's and NBC were already getting crap from rightwingers over "& Juliet" (trans characters or cast members) and "Shucked" (Alex Newell), it's not that surprising.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 4:46pm

Nick Fradiani was getting over the flu just prior to when they filmed their performance. He had missed three shows prior to their taping but still sounded good.

Having been there for their taping, they did three takes and it looked like they used the third take mostly. I was surprised they didn't have more people attend the taping. It was just four rows filled. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 6:26pm

I've been feeling a bit under the weather these last several days, so I rested up and watched the parade on my DVR. 

Aladdin — Michael James Scott sounded scruffy here with his Genie. Then again, when your show's been on Broadway for a decade now and you've been there for most of it, I guess he felt like he could play around a bit more, especially with this heavily ad-libbed role. Notable lyric change: "He's got slaves, he's got servants and flunkies" became "He's got ten thousand servants and flunkies." Also, wow, Michael Maliakel could very well be a giraffe!

A Beautiful Noise — The audience shots weren't wide enough for me to catch myself in the crowd. Still, the finished product came out pretty great, and Nick should have a nice, solid run as Diamond.

Chicago — A surprisingly decent performance from Keltie Knight in the Roxie track.

& Juliet — Lorna freakin' Courtney sounding amazing as always... and no "b*tch" (or "Yas, girl, yaaaas!"), no problem. Hinting at a fling between her Juliet and Philippe's François leaves a cliffhanger for those that haven't seen the show yet. Betsy, Melanie, and Paulo were missed though.

How to Dance in Ohio — The department store lyric change from "Dillard's" to "Macy's" in the beginning was a sweet yet obvious touch, and with all the energy exuded from this youthful cast, that's how you build momentum for a large-scale crowd. I saw the documentary recently (have not seen the musical yet, but I'd like to), but I don't remember anything about a "second chance dance," which does sound very much like the end of The Prom. I did read about the addition of a second act conflict for the show in the NYT and I'm curious to know what it is and how that second formal comes to be; can someone who's seen it please use the spoiler box? 

Shucked — Whoever had the idea to link them with the Green Giant float deserves some props — but I'll admit that their Tony medley worked a little better than the one seen this morning, despite a few of Robert Horn's prime jokes sprinkled in there. Izzy looks like an adorable Maizy! 

Spamalot — The coconuts making King Arthur's tap sounds will never get old, and neither will Leslie's fresh, slim body. All that Ozempic did the trick! IYKYK

Back to the Future — or, as I'll call it, Casey's Herald Square: the guy really is Marty McFly and carried the latter half of this performance. Roger sounds fine enough for a pop-rock score, and he may have even toned his Doc down a notch compared to the reports I've been hearing throughout the Broadway run. All the Doc and Marty outfit clones in the ensemble put a much-needed nice smile on my face. Why not end the Broadway slate of this year's parade with some style?

Special shoutout to Dee Tomasetta and Akina Kitazawa, who have Broadway credits under their belt and are both Rockettes this year. If there's anyone else I missed on this year's roster that has been on Broadway before, please chime in.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!!

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/23/23 at 10:17pm

ACL2006 said: "Akimbo has done no promoting since they won the Tony Award."

This is completely false. The show has a weekly budget for advertising, marketing, and press activities. It has a new subway ad campaign, it has strategically-placed TV ad spots, it regularly advertises online, it has done digital content pieces, and it regularly gets press coverage from outlets of various sizes. Just because you do not see these promotions does not mean they aren't happening.

A show cannot buy its way on to the NBC & CBS telecasts. There's a rigorous process of courting & wooing the bookers, and there are a slew of expenses on top of it for shows that are selected. It's an esoteric musical that doesn't lend itself well to TV performances.

The Macys parade also does not move the needle in a major way for some shows.