Spelling Bee- Page 2

[Shoshana BeanieBaby]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 11:35am

I think Falsettos is stunning. I loved Spelling bee. I love William Finn. I'd love to hear some of the scores Music Man has written...

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 11:48am

Glad you loved the Finn shows you did, Shoshanna.
But I think MusicMan is as entitled to his opinion, just as you are.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 12:06pm

I personally feel it is the season's best musical, and I've seen Spam, DRS, BKLYN.. not Piazza.

The cast is brilliant, the book is brilliant, the score melodic and fun.. I loved every second of it off-broadway, and just as much on Broadway!

[MusicMan]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 12:32pm

"I'd love to hear the scores MusicMan has written..."

That is such a lame and irrelevant argument, Shoshana. It's not the audience's responsibility to do an author's job. We do our part: we pay for the ticket. That's the contract. And more often than not, it's the audience who gets the bum end of the deal.

NBC, my displeasure at shelling out $70.00+ doesn't stem from crushed expectations of Broadway 'flash' but from the mediocrity of certain aspects of the enterprise. Recently, I saw La Cage with Goulet for free and I was still appalled by that embarrassingly sub-par performance. Pity the poor person who
paid.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 12:37pm

Wow...I am planning my trip to NYC in May and this was one of the shows I had on my list. Think I may still give it a shot. I have heard it is fun.

And have to disagree with there not being any good scores recently....3 words....Caroline or Change. Brilliant. But that is my opinion.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 12:43pm

Uncageg, you should read Auggie27's alternative take on Goulet's performance in the "In surprising praise of (subversive?) Robert Goulet" thread.
Updated On: 4/29/05 at 12:43 PM

[devonian.t]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 1:32pm

Musicman, if you haven't liked a new score in years, why don't you stick to revivals?

It's all very well living in hope, but we should all learn from experience- just avoid new Broadway shows- or wait until you've heard the cast recording to make sure they reach your required standard, before paying Broadway prices.

Personally, I think the assessment of Finn's musical ability extends so far beyond hyperbole that it discredits itself.

[twogaab2]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 1:38pm

I'd like to add that without the Finn score (or in less capable hands) the show would have been just a long, funny sketch. In other words, his score gave the show a real center and heart.

Just my opinion, I may be wrong.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 1:53pm

i must do lotto for this show before it gets TOO crazy.

[Loppy]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:16pm

Will be seeing SPELLING BEE tomorrow.

There are three camps of people when it comes to Finn: those who love his work, those who have never heard his work, and those who do not understand his work

Anyone who finds FALSETTOS to be anything less than brilliant should stop going to the theatre. Or stick with the tourists at WICKED.
Updated On: 4/29/05 at 02:16 PM

[M J R]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:19pm

I am dying to see this & Light in the Piazza!!!!

[Plum]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:41pm

*applause*

Oh, way to generalize, Loppy. Really, you don't look the least bit close-minded or condescending.

Posted: 4/29/05 at 4:21pm

If you're not determined to go see Spelling Bee but would like to go given the chance, I would recommend the lottery. You're guaranteed entry (the queue is tiny) & the seats are quite good.

Shoshagga xx

[Loppy]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 4:26pm

"Oh, way to generalize, Loppy. Really, you don't look the least bit closed-minded or condescending."

I don't look condescending? Damn. I better try harder next time.

[Shoshana BeanieBaby]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 8:18pm

I just get upset when people think they can bad mouth people. for all we know William Finn reads this board. There is no reason for him to have to read that..

[theatregrrrrl]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 10:42am

I find this board very strange, seeing as how it seems most of the people responding to this posting haven't even seen the show.
I have seen Spelling Bee every time it's been produced (I know one of the originators), and this same website, four months ago, loved the show at second stage, and are now saying how terrible it is on Broadway.
There are wonderful things about this show, as there are about most of the shows open right now, and it truly is a matter of taste. DRS is not my type of humor, yet I can find redeeming qualities in it. I have friends who have hated Spamalot, who have hated Piazza, who have hated Chitty. (I have not seem any of those). I don't really know where a lot of you come off attacking all of these shows the way you do. I even know people who didn't like the Q, and we should respect everyone's opinions, but also respect the hard work that went into any of the shows that went up this season. Even the panned ones.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 10:54am

Are you saying we should not express our distaste for a show on a message bord because everyone does not share our opinion? Most people on this board disagree about many things and the tendency is to present why somone likes a show and then read the rebuttal, the interplay always makes me more likly to see a show. Your opinion that sometimes people are a bit too visceral in thier attacks is well put, as well as not wanting to see a bunch of opinions by people who have not seen a given show. On this board are people who do not like each of the shows you mention, along with many who love them, and a good deal of the time people give well reasoned arguements both ways.
Yes creating a work of theatre is always hard work and I respect the dedication and talents of all the people in all the shows on Broadway (all the way to the smallest local theatres). That doesn't mean the faults, and moments of greatness, should not be pointed out.
The board is all about opinion, opinion is not bad that is all we have. :) (I have not mentioned Bee because I don't see it until May 15)

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 10:54am

Stupid double posts!

Updated On: 4/30/05 at 10:54 AM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 11:21am

"The score is the usual William Finn amateur bag of tinker-toy mewlings, pulings and dribblings with not one measure of real music to be heard in the proceedings."

Holding to the Ground
What More Can I Say?
What Would I Do?
You Gotta Die Sometime
Heart and Music
And They're Off
I'm Breaking Down

All beautiful, hummable songs. What the hell are you talking about?

Updated On: 4/30/05 at 11:21 AM

[Plum]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 11:53am

Theatergrrrl, you're acting as if this board has one united opinion. Different people saw the show and posted reviews while it was at Second Stage and now. This was MusicMan's first time seeing the show, so I don't see how his review contradicts what other people said during the Off-Broadway run. A board can't be hypocritical- only individual posters can.

[chasgoose]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 12:16pm

I agree with you on one thing MusicMan, the way that Spelling Bee uses the Circle in the Square is amazing. I have never seen it used that well. From the tempera paint and butcher paper posters that line the walls of the downstairs lobby and the escalator, to the well-designed gym complete with basketball hoops and more professional looking posters (my favorite is the Bully Free Zone poster). It really brought me back to middle school and I felt as though I was sitting in the gym for a middle school spelling bee. Spelling Bee has had my favorite set designs on Broadway this year.

I thought the musical itself was hilarious. I thought every character was pretty fully realized given the length of the piece. I also enjoyed getting free snacks and juice from one of the characters. I do agree a little bit that the score was not very hummable, with the exception of the opening number and the goodbye song, nothing really stuck with me, but I liked it and I feel that if I was able to listen to it again I would enjoy it better. Right now, Spelling Bee is tied with Spamalot for my favorite musical on Broadway right now.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 4/30/05 at 12:35pm

iluvtheatertrash, obviously you and I have different definitions of "beautiful" (and your handle does raise an eyebrow, but no matter). However, I will concede that some of the songs you mention are characterful (hell, I've even recommended them to actor friends) and there is even one not on your list (I'D RATHER BE SAILING) I find attractive. That said, one song does not a canon make and I find Finn's output is in general trite, meandering, and lacking craftsmanship.

What I find amusing on this board (created to generate discussion, pro and con, on any theatrical topic) is that posters who express their dissenting opinions about a given show (and limit their statements to such) are often personally bashed with ad hominem swipes by devotees of said show. Such intolerance leads me to suspect that these zealous types are 1) desperate to preserve their self-perception as being charter members of an "I LOVE (fill in the name of a show)" club, or 2) suspicious, uncomprehending, resentful, or incapable of critical discourse and argument. Whatever the reason it's very strange and very uncool.

Updated On: 4/30/05 at 12:35 PM