Titanic at City Centers- Page 5

[bwayobsessed]

Posted: 6/22/24 at 9:00am

I saw it last weekend. I was very curious to see how the original design worked and after some searching I found a full very grainy video and clicked thru it. I wonder if something this production lacked was perhaps the main character-the ship itself. Obviously in a concert or in any production without a broadway budget it is impossible to do what the original broadway production did but wow they did so much, so theatrically. It really feels like another character in the show and perhaps the important thru line that a concert production loses with its ensemble cast and minimal staging. As I said previously I thought the score was glorious at City Center but gosh I want to see a big budget production now--and not one just done with staircases as it seems most recent productions have done. 

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 6/22/24 at 1:14pm

A major thank you to the Encores sound team and the extraordinary cast for allowing us to understand every single word in this nearly sung-through score. I saw 7 shows last weekend and the only other production that came close to achieving this increasingly rare feat was "Suffs."  A lot of the lyrics and dialogue in "Stereophonic" were impenetrable and, sadly, so were a number of the "Illinoise" songs that contained fuller orchestrations, although that didn't keep me from adoring it. 

[NYadgal]

Posted: 6/22/24 at 2:29pm

Count me among those who found this a glorious presentation - I loved it last Friday, and was fortunate to be able to return last night.

Among the others previously mentioned, I want to call out Eddie Cooper, whose performance as the kind and devoted steward, Henry Etches, was flawless and played with a dignity that broke my heart.

i would love a recording of this production: glorious orchestrations performed beautifully.  

[Tenor8674]

Posted: 6/22/24 at 5:55pm

Just saw the matinee. This was gorgeously sung. At first I was disappointed this was chosen,  but glad I saw it. My first Encores title which I saw the original production. I was curious if any ticket buyers were expecting a musical version of the 1997 film. 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 6/22/24 at 7:39pm

I was there this afternoon. Rapturous. I must second Nyadgal's take on Eddie Cooper's Etches: for me, a standout in a company that had no weaknesses. These vocals - separately and together - are so elegantly handled, they raised the bar.  But Cooper's work, played differently from the sublime Allan Corduner, turned Etches into a front and center major player, which changed the dynamic in every scene he was in: Cooper brings an unexpected agency - as if the show found a new prism through which to view the others. And his singing is just magnificent, with pristine diction and clarity.

I scored row L in the orchestra - $195 seats - for $49 on TDF only 4 days ago. My TDF karma continuing. But it scares me that I might've missed this. Two shows remain tomorrow. And I checked: seats are decidedly available. You'll never see the likes of this again. 

r

[Hey, Zelda!]

Posted: 6/22/24 at 7:52pm

Auggie27 said: "I was there this afternoon. Rapturous. I must second Nyadgal's take on Eddie Cooper's Etches: for me, a standout in a company that had no weaknesses. These vocals - separately and together - areso elegantly handled, they raised the bar. But Cooper's work, played differently from the sublime Allan Corduner, turned Etches into a front and center major player, which changed the dynamic in every scene he was in: Cooper brings an unexpected agency - as if the show found a new prism through which to view the others. And his singing is just magnificent, with pristine diction and clarity."

Etches is my favorite character and not just because he gets the best line:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The best line:

Etches: "I had a wife once."

Edgar Beane: "What happened?"

Etches: "Nothing. I still have her."

Where he stands in the class scheme is a topic in and of itself. He knows all of the first class passengers' favorite foods, their creature comforts, their comings and goings, maybe more than a few of their secrets having sailed with them many times before. But he is pointedly not of them. He's just a working stuff.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 6/22/24 at 10:57pm

A show I can’t stop thinking about. . . 

Updated On: 6/22/24 at 10:57 PM

[Miss10036]

Posted: 6/23/24 at 12:18am

All this week, I kept getting ads for this on YouTube.  It was always the same one, featuring rehearsal footage of the "Godspeed Titanic" number.  Each time I thought, I should skip this ad to avoid score spoilers since I wanted to go in cold this weekend as a newbie to the show, but I never could click past that snippet because it just sounded too sublime to ignore...  Wow, finally hearing the full score live blew me away.  I found myself getting misty-eyed a few times this afternoon at the sheer power of the full group numbers and those orchestrations.  It's hard to single out anyone in a uniformly strong cast, but I'd shout out Eddie Cooper, Jose Llana, Alex Joseph Grayson, and Chip and Judy of course.

I'm glad I first encountered this as a concert-style production with the music front and center.  If this were a full production I'd be quibbling with the book, but as a concert experience?  Hard to beat.  I can tell this music will haunt me for a long time.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 6/23/24 at 5:39pm

Just got back from the matinee.  Beautiful show, beautiful score, beautiful cast.  Can someone tell me what was happening upstage right at the end?  I was all the way in the balcony, like always, so I couldn’t see what was going on.  I saw glimmery lights coming through.   I was happy to see Emilie on stage again, even in a small role.  She was one of the best Christines there ever was. 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 6/23/24 at 8:11pm

I went this afternoon. I don;t think the show is that great, but I thought the score was wonderful and the cast was great. Really enjoyed it. The full orchestra made the music sound magnificent.

[bwayobsessed]

Posted: 6/23/24 at 8:19pm

Miss10036 said: "All this week, I kept getting ads for this on YouTube. It was always the same one, featuringrehearsal footage of the "Godspeed Titanic" number. Each time I thought, I shouldskip this adto avoid score spoilerssince I wanted to go in cold this weekend as a newbieto the show, but I never could click past that snippetbecause it just sounded too sublimeto ignore... Wow, finally hearing the fullscore live blew me away. I found myself getting misty-eyed a few times this afternoonat the sheer power ofthe full group numbers andthose orchestrations. It's hard to single out anyonein a uniformly strong cast, but I'd shout outEddie Cooper, Jose Llana, Alex Joseph Grayson, and Chip and Judy of course.

I'm glad I first encountered this as a concert-style production with the music front and center. If this were a full production I'd be quibbling with the book, but as a concert experience? Hard to beat. I can tell this music will haunt me for a long time."

 

right?? The wall of sound during the launching that hits you in that chorus is just so stunning I was getting misty eyed as well and don’t even know why. It’s just a gorgeous music moment 

 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 6/23/24 at 8:23pm

Because it’s very hopeful and happy in that moment.  I agree that the show is not great, there are so many things that never get resolved.  One of the rich guys said behind every fortune is a great sin.  We never hear about it again.  I also feel it’s a little weird that there’s so panic or fear whatsoever.  Everyone is just kinda casually hangin out on the boat.  I went in there to enjoy the score, and I did. 

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/24/24 at 8:05am

A couple observations based on yesterday's matinee:

It's nice to see Encores return to something that approximates their original model of production. Just like in the old days, the actors carried their scripts except in the production numbers, although they were used more as props than reference points. Anne Kaufmann did a fine job creating evocative moments with minimal scenery. The finale was especially moving, as was the rising tension in "No Moon." I'd love to see Encores revert back to this style rather than treating everything as a backdoor Broadway tryout.

The material might not be for the ages, and the score feels very much of its moment (everything sounds so anthemic), but it's quite effective and well handled here. Some of Rob Berman's tempos were aggressively fast for my taste, but the Encores orchestra played consistently well.

Lots of wonderful performances, especially Chip Zien and Judy Kuhn, the latter sounding remarkably undiminished by time. (Any singer should hope to sound so fresh at 66!) Vocally, the other standouts for me were Emilie Kouatchou, Alex Grayson, and AJ Shively. I appreciated the quiet dignity that Chuck Cooper brought to Captain Smith, and Jose Llana was haunting as Mr. Andrews.

Others will surely disagree, but I wasn't taken with Bonnie Milligan. Her take on the character was far too crude in terms of pushing the comedy. I think hers is a basically good voice, although a touch geschrei at times. In the same vein, I thought Ramin Karimloo brought a bit too much of his Phantom-and-Valjean mannerisms to Barrett.

No special guest at yesterday's matinee for the person who misses the boat, but I've heard it was David Hyde Pierce at the final evening performance.

[pagereynolds]

Posted: 6/24/24 at 8:16am

David Hyde Pierce was quite funny in the role. And it was fun to hear the huge gasp in the theater when they announced his name. 

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 6/24/24 at 12:06pm

I so hope we get a recording out of this production. The voices in this production are worth preserving. 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 6/25/24 at 1:22pm

I agree, people love Ramin’s singing but I’m just bored with it. It’s the constant loud straight tone that he always does.  I didn’t even like it when he sang phantom.  I thought Brandon Uranowitz was a standout.  I didn’t think Jose llana sounded that great in the beginning, but he did a nice job with his big number.

[MezzA101]

Posted: 6/27/24 at 3:48pm

New York City Center Encores! 2024 Review: Titanic - OperaWire OperaWire

 

https://operawire.com/new-york-city-center-encores-2024-review-titanic/