The ending in SF was alright, simply because I liked the song tune. I was completely confused as to what had just happened when the show ended though.
What I DID like were the individual solos and having all the main characters come together in spirit at the end. And the minute or so where they all sang their own thing was very cool, and the lyrics were actually good in that segment! But other than that it did desperately need a new ending.
I do hope the show lasts long enough for me to at least see it, and also for them to make a cast album. So I can listen to Drew over and over. =)
If they ever decided to make the book (NOT MOVIE) Queen of the Damned a musical, Drew would get my vote as Lestat, but as things stand, I'm pretty sure I want Mr. Sarich right where he is.
"Water never looked so good til you're down on the desert floor, scrapin' around for a taste of what you always took for granted."
Monday night's house was about 3/4 full for Act I and about 1/2 full for Act II. There were a few people who stood at curtain call in the front mezz, but it was mostly polite applause (except for Claudia who got a huge response).
FYI, they're "pre-selling" the cast album, so I'm guessing they're planning on recording regardless of what happens to the show (one of the benefits of having Elton John write your score).
Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around...
-- "Dance of the Vampires" = FLOP (in America) -- "Dracula" = FLOP (in America)
It should be clear that, unless it's on a small scale, vampire musicals will be laughed out of American theatre. So take "Lestat" elsewhere, with some reworking, and it would probably be a big success.
"There is no problem so big that it cannot be run away from."
~ Charles M. Schulz
House looked full from where I was sitting (horrible second row seats, VERY high stage). They had tickets available at the TKTS booth, I saw few empty seats, but more after intermission. A woman and daughter next to us left at intermission, but the girl was 11 - maybe not the right age for this show IMO...
"I've lost everything! Luis, Marty, my baby with Chris, Chris himself, James. All I ever wanted was love." --Sheridan Crane "Passions"
-------
"Housework is like bad sex. Every time I do it, I swear I'll never do it again til the next time company comes."--"Lulu"
from "Can't Stop The Music"
-----
"When the right doors didn't open for him, he went through the wrong ones" - "Sweet Bird of Youth"
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"Passions" is uncancelled! See NBC.com for more info.
- To the first post of this thread....I can't believe that half of what's opening or on Broadway right now is on Broadway.
"It should be clear that, unless it's on a small scale, vampire musicals will be laughed out of American theatre. So take "Lestat" elsewhere, with some reworking, and it would probably be a big success."
- I don't entirely know what this says about America, lol. In regards to Dance of the Vampires, Tanz Der Vampire is an ENTIRELY different production in every aspect, from the make-up all the way to the orchestrations; it is remotely possible to tell that they are even the same show, lol. In terms of Dracula I would agree with anyone that said it was a big piece of junk. I loved the original novel and the history of the topic, but even being well versed in the topic didn't help me understand that clunker at all. I saw the original at La Jolla, as well as the Broadway production in and after previews...It always had problems. Saying that Vampire musicals will ALWAYS be laughed off of a "large American stage" is crap! It just depends on how well the "vampire" story is adapted and executed. I can about guarantee that if someone would construct a good musical about vampires, that US audiences would flaunt. Considering that every one of them up until this point has been junk, your comment isn't valid.
- As for Lestat, the San Fran premier was just boring, and there is no other word for it. I have yet to see what the Lestat kitchen is cultivating on Broadway right now, but in regards to the changes, I have heard that there were a lot, so we'll see...I am looking forward to seeing it again. I also don't agree that Hugh Panaro was mis-cast, but more that the entire show was just "mis-written." The material in SF was really long and boring, and I personally felt bad for the talented cast having to work with the material that they did! I still, however, can't wait to see the changes in the NY production!
Tootles!
Phantom05
P.S. If DAVID IVES, Rando and Carrafa, wouldn't screwed it into the ground and Stage Holding had produced it, Tanz der Vampire would have had an amazing AMAZING premier..Just my feelings, lol!
BYE!
------- "We Drink Your Blood And Then We Eat Your Soul, Nothings Gonna Stop Us Let The Bad Times Roll"
-------"Past The Point Of No Return, No Backward Glances, Abandon Thought And Let The Dream Begin"
It should be clear that, unless it's on a small scale, vampire musicals will be laughed out of American theatre.
I want to touch on that for a moment... I don't see why. I mean, I've seen the past two vampire musicals and they were awful, and this one's awful, and for god sake's why can't people do a vampire musical without making it awful? It can't be that hard! You're already selling a marketable concept, you have an audience that already understands some of the premise, honestly how can Broadway fail 3 times in a row at Vampire musicals? I just don't get it!
Could someone who saw the first two previews please post a song listing. I was reading the reviews of the SF run last night and one of the reviews had a SF song listing. I just wanted to compare the two to see what additions/deletions have been made.
Here is the song list from the SF run:
From the Dead Nothing Here In Paris In Paris (reprise) The Thirst The Thirst (reprise) Make Me As You Are To Live Like This The Origin of the Species The Crimson Kiss The Thirst (reprise) Welcome to the New World Embrace It I Want More I'll Never Have That Chance Sail Me Away To Kill Your Kind Embrace It (reprise) After All This Time From The Dead (Finale)
The song "Nothing Here" should be the title of the show! Please, if people feel they must part with $100 plus, just send it on to me. I could really use it.
"I've lost everything! Luis, Marty, my baby with Chris, Chris himself, James. All I ever wanted was love." --Sheridan Crane "Passions"
-------
"Housework is like bad sex. Every time I do it, I swear I'll never do it again til the next time company comes."--"Lulu"
from "Can't Stop The Music"
-----
"When the right doors didn't open for him, he went through the wrong ones" - "Sweet Bird of Youth"
------------
---------
"Passions" is uncancelled! See NBC.com for more info.
jimnysf, you've got to be kidding me. You can't come up with a more intelligent post than that?
Without A Trace, here you go:
Act One From the Dead Beautiful Boy In Paris The Thirst Right Before My Eyes Make Me As You ARe To Live Like This Morality Play The Crimson Kiss
Act Two Welcome to the New World Embrace It I Want More I'll Never Have That Chance Sail Me Away To Kill Your Kind Embrace It (rep) After All This Time From the Dead (finale)
Sorry Walt, we can't all be as intelligent as you are :) If we were, you would have no one to be better than.
"I've lost everything! Luis, Marty, my baby with Chris, Chris himself, James. All I ever wanted was love." --Sheridan Crane "Passions"
-------
"Housework is like bad sex. Every time I do it, I swear I'll never do it again til the next time company comes."--"Lulu"
from "Can't Stop The Music"
-----
"When the right doors didn't open for him, he went through the wrong ones" - "Sweet Bird of Youth"
------------
---------
"Passions" is uncancelled! See NBC.com for more info.
Looks like "Nothing Here," "The Origin of the Species," and some reprises were cut from Act One. Three songs "Beautiful Boy," "Right Before My Eyes," and "Morality Play" were added to Act One.
Act Two seems to be similar to the SF run of the show, as far as musical numbers go.
I'm seeing it Saturday night and will definitely post a review.
Well, the playbill has "From the Dead (finale)" listed, but that must have been cut very close to the first preview, because "After All This Time" is the last song, at least that I remember.
I'm negative because that's how the show left me (and my wife). I don't particularly like spending over $200 for tickets and having to feel negative about a show. As I've said, I've seen many plays recenlty. this one just didn't do it for me. On the other hand, "Sweeney Todd", "Jersey Boys" and "Pajama Game" were all excellent and well-worth the price of admission. Just my taste. I'm no theater expert (engineer actually), just John Q. Public. For a show to do well, I think you need a lot of John Q Publics to like it. I didn't. Just my opinion. I still hope they make changes and it does well for the sake of the actors and all employed by the show though.
As for seating - I couldn't even see the wolf on the stage at the beginning, and only saw most people from the knees up. Maybe the third row was better, or you are an NBA player, but I'd recommend sitting further back for this staging to be able to see the stage properly. Had the same problem with Dracula, actually.
All I keep thinking of is, "Darling, darling, darling, darliiiing Lestaaaa-aaa-aaat."
I assume this song fills the same function as "Nothing Here," but I'd be curious to hear more about it.
'"Contrairiwise," continued Tweedledee, "if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."'
~Lewis Carroll
One of these days, long after this closes, people will take the risk once again to try once more to make a great musical about vampires. They will get all the best talent around and they will put their heart and soul into it...
. And I agree with Eponine...what a revelation it would have been to see Drew as the rockstar Lestat!
I was just about to ask if Drew ever got to go on as Lestat, but I guess we would've heard about it otherwise. (Plus, a full week hadn't finished before he had the baton passed to -- well, more like thrown at -- him from Noseworthy.)
He would've been really interesting, I think. If he puts out another solo album, may I request in advance he adds a Lestat song on there?
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt