tick, tick...BOOM! at City Center- Page 6

[wonkit]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:03pm

Being off pitch is not some small idiosyncratic artistic choice. It detracts from the entire performance. It makes harmony sound like crap, and cannot be ignored in a singing role. It is usually the very definition of a poor/amateurish vocal performance. If you choose not to sing, as Yul Brynner and Rex Harrison did, you had better just speak it rhythmically. Pitch is not my definition of a "great" singer but it certainly is in my definition of a "good" singer.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:31pm

Luckily, he was on pitch and harmonized with Leslie and Karen beautifully.

"This is a high profile, professional production in NY"

It was highly successful, and was loved by critics and patrons alike for the most part. That's pretty much a huge win In a professional production.

[BwayFan832]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 3:43pm

The rehearsal videos do not accurately reflect Lin's singing in the role, in my opinion. By the time I saw the show, he sounded significantly better than that. I certainly wouldn't say that every note was perfect, but I thought he sang the role more than adequately. I agree with whoever mentioned earlier that he seemed more confident on the higher, more belted notes than on the lower, quieter ones, and most of those higher notes were actually quite good.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 5:48pm

A $25 ticket week-long run was highly successful and was loved by critics (many of whom acknowledged Lin's voice wasn't great) and the select patrons you personally agree with- for the most part.

Considering you and others in this thread are calling for a cast recording and a full scale production, this is hardly a ringing endorsement.

I can see the pull-quotes on the marquee now- "Every note isn't perfect, but Lin sings the role more than adequately!"

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 6:00pm

Most people didn't pay 25 dollars for their tickets. A lot of tickets were much more. Mine was and I happily paid it. I also said that I was sure the cast recording wouldn't happen, it just would have been nice to have. The general reception was positive and unless you saw it, you can't really comment on it accurately.

Sorry it burns you that it was successful and well received.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 6:29pm

No, what burns me are poorly constructed arguments. I wouldn't have said anything if haterobics hadn't repeatedly misinterpreted iluvtheatertrash's comments to the point where he was being criticized by others for daring to expect a better performance.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 7:48pm

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 8:05am

Thanks, guys. They are indeed changing my words. It's not about HIS best. It's about the SHOW's best. This isn't kindergarten. There aren't golden stars or apples for trying.

And the night I saw it? He didn't harmonize beautifully with Karen and Leslie. In fact, I counted FIVE moments when he was incorrectly harmonizing and distorting Jonathan's music.

If you are wondering, I'm a classically trained pianist and vocalist with over 20 years of studying music. But what do I know about pitch?

Regardless, it's over. He got a job he shouldn't have gotten and other more deserving performers missed a chance at paying work. It's happening all over our community, sadly.

I'm tired of talking about this, so excuse me if I disappear from the thread now.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 8:59am

"Regardless, it's over. He got a job he shouldn't have gotten and other more deserving performers missed a chance at paying work. It's happening all over our community, sadly."

Except you are completely wrong about this. The only reason this show was chosen for Encores Off Center was because Miranda expressed interest in the role to Jeanine Tesori. The only reason they got the incredible Karen Olivo to come back from Wisconsin was because of Miranda. Odom too. They are 3 friends who did this to be on stage together. You keep saying Miranda stole the role from someone else, when the show NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED without him.

Now, my thoughts... I saw the show Saturday night. I thought he did a really good job with a role that is outside of his range. What he lacked in vocal pyrotechnics (and I'm sure he would be the first to say he is no Raul Esparza) he more than made up for in acting. He was heartbreaking and uplifting, and it was a great production of a not-so-perfect show.

[Jane2]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 9:08am

" The only reason this show was chosen for Encores Off Center was because Miranda expressed interest in the role to Jeanine Tesori. The only reason they got the incredible Karen Olivo to come back from Wisconsin was because of Miranda. Odom too. They are 3 friends who did this to be on stage together. You keep saying Miranda stole the role from someone else, when the show NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED without him. "

And how should the general public know this backstory? Patrons went and saw the show and judged it on what they saw. And heard. As it should be.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 9:13am

It was mentioned in the Playbill.

Tesori said she knew she wanted to do Tick Tick...Boom this season after Miranda expressed interest in the role.

[Jane2]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 9:17am

I see. Well, I don't know. I guess that back story may have affected some peoples' opinions and not others'

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 12:00pm

If you've heard Jonathan Larson perform this, he too wasn't a perfect singer yet he to.d the story and it was heartbreaking. Perhaps, the director was aiming for a similar dynamic and spread less concerned with perfect singing than replicating the honestly with which Jonathan performed the show.

[Jane2]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 12:06pm

"If you've heard Jonathan Larson perform this, he too wasn't a perfect singer"

lol, this could be the start of another long debate!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 12:54pm

"Except you are completely wrong about this. The only reason this show was chosen for Encores Off Center was because Miranda expressed interest in the role to Jeanine Tesori. The only reason they got the incredible Karen Olivo to come back from Wisconsin was because of Miranda. Odom too. They are 3 friends who did this to be on stage together. You keep saying Miranda stole the role from someone else, when the show NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED without him. "

100%. People who say otherwise didn't do their homework, and don't know even the most basic information regarding this production. Awesome show, SO glad it was produced and starred those three!!

A lovely article about Karen:



http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/01/theater/why-karen-olivo-left-the-big-city.html?_r=0 Updated On: 7/1/14 at 12:54 PM

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 2:42pm

Ack, sorry! Not trying to start a debate. I am not even in NYC so I can't see this production. I just wondered, being a fan of hearing Jonathan himself sing the songs if the director was going for that. I don't care myself much about "perfect" singers, I like unique voices and am especially fond of anyone who commits to telling the story honestly as Larson always did.

:)

[HoundDoggydog]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 2:49pm

I saw this on Friday, and I am on the "loved it" side. For me, the funny thing is thatI went home, started to listen to the Raul Esparza recording, and I just couldn't listen to it. It fell flat for me after witnessing Lin's performance, even though his voice sounds so good on it. I didn't WANT him to sound that good. Lin had to work to sing every note, and I love how much it reminded me of Jonathan singing the songs.



Updated On: 7/1/14 at 02:49 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 2:56pm

I completely agree HoundDoggydog! I had never listened to the score before I saw it at Encores, and when I tried to listen to the score when I came home from the show, I couldn't. It was boring, and completely flat for me too.

[starcatchers]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 5:12pm

Honest question for those of you saying he "stole" the role from someone else...who would you have cast instead (other than "a better singer")?

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:00pm

Saw this on Thursday and was bowled over by the wonderful, passionate performances up on that stage. I thought Lin sounded fantastic – the best I have ever heard him vocally (and certainly on pitch). The show was so perfectly paced and full of dynamics; lots of laughs and lots of vulnerable emotion that left me crying much of the time. Karen’s “Come to Your Senses” was a highlight of the show (sitting in the front row, I felt like I was being hit with emotional and talented punch) as was “Real Life.” This performance also made me a fan of Leslie Odom Jr.’s (who, before seeing this, I felt fairly indifferent toward) – what a voice! And his transitions between the supporting characters he played were brilliant and hilarious. I felt immediately pulled in by Lin’s performance and loved his Jon from the get-go. I was drawn in the entire show and felt I had gone through a wonderful journey by the night’s end. I’ve never felt so connected to a show in regards to feeling like I was seeing myself and my friends onstage our day-to-day struggles depicted so truthfully onstage (I had seen this show nearly 10 years ago and know the cast recording, but at this time in my life, with these performances, it had an entirely different effect on me). So grateful I was able to experience this performance. I with that they would record a cast recording with these 3.

Also, saw the “Lobby Project” performances of “Sondheim Remixed” before the show, which was also wonderful. Very creative and talented performers and I enjoyed each one. To be standing three feet from Sondheim and watching these new versions of his compositions (and knowing he was in the audience of “Tick Tick” as well) was thrilling. All in all, a wonderful night at the theatre.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:11pm

No one ever said he "stole" the role. We simply said that there are other actors out there who could have sung the score better.

[A Director]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:52pm

>No one ever said he "stole" the role. We simply said that there are other actors out there who could have sung the score better.

Trash - Perhaps, but all the other actors weren't cast. The show has closed. It's time for you to move on.

[A Director]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 4:52pm

>No one ever said he "stole" the role. We simply said that there are other actors out there who could have sung the score better.

Trash - Perhaps, but all the other actors weren't cast. The show has closed. It's time for you to move on.