Big, the Musical to Open Off Broadway starring John Tartaglia and Kerry Butler- Page 2

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 2:58pm

@averagebwaynut: I Want to Go Home is a beautiful song but just brings the action to a grinding halt in what was already a very long first act.

To retain the show's opening - which was one of it's redeeming qualities- they had to cut it.

I actually think they should have cut My Secretary's In Love as well - and just introduce Susan with a book scene.

You're A Big Boy Now essentially sets up all the character motivations for the rest of the show - and is far more effective on stage.



Updated On: 10/9/14 at 02:58 PM

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 3:57pm

This was the first musical I was ever in, playing Billy in 1999. So I'm excited and nostalgic to attend this, though a full production would be more "fun."

My memory of our production is pretty similar to what I heard on the OBCR, and is consistent with bwayto's comments. We did have "Big Boys" but not "Cross My Own Street." I don't remember "My Secratary's in Love." "Fun" was definitely not in 3/4, and both that and "Cross the Line" were large production numbers.

I guess for licensing they figured local productions would have plenty of kids to choose from (relative to a tour), so they restored those elements.

[Huss417]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 4:21pm

I remember cramming this show in the Saturday before the Tony Awards. It was the last show of the season I had left to see. At intermission I turned to my partner and thought I softly said. "This is one of the worst things I have ever seen." The woman in the row in front of us turned around and said. "Then you haven't seen Passion yet."

Forgot about this story till I saw this thread.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 7:17pm

From the York Theatre website:

This presentation of Big marks the New York premiere of the script and score created by the authors for the show’s national tour—a significantly revised version of the show with eight new Maltby and Shire songs, never recorded and rarely heard.

They seem to forget that the national tour cast recorded a studio album that MTI sends out as a reference recording for the dozens of productions that are produced each year by schools, colleges and regional theatres. It's not commercially available, but that's not the definition of "never" and the show is produced frequently enough around the country that it's not fair to say they are "rarely heard" either.

Updated On: 10/9/14 at 07:17 PM

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 8:57pm

I forgot about that recording! I've still got it on my old mac sitting in the corner. The OBCR is on spotify.

I'll pull out the MTI recording for a listen later tonight!

[averagebwaynut]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 11:09am

Bwayto, I hear you, but having seen the show twice in Detroit in its OOT tryout, twice (or maybe even three times) on Broadway, and once on its national tour, we're going to have to agree to disagree. It was the first humanizing moment for Josh in the show -- not stylized, not forced, just a young boy in an adult body missing his mom. Raw, honest. And the show needed a ballad at that point as well -- it was a lovely change of pace.

I do agree the first act was way too long but for me, it was "This Isn't Me" (which was a song about the obvious) and the double-whammy of "Here We Go Again" and "Stars Stars Stars" that dragged everything down.

One thing I will say, for all its flaws, this was a show that did solve two very major problems out of town. The first act opening "Can't Wait" and Act I finale "Cross The Line" are both vast, vast improvements on what was there before.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 11:12am

BIG was one of the few shows my kids actually wanted to see. I enjoyed much of it, especially the songs "Stop, Time" and "Dancing All the Time." Barbara Walsh can do no wrong, and Crista Moore's voice is like "buttah."

Updated On: 10/10/14 at 11:12 AM

[averagebwaynut]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 12:26pm

If only her personality was that smooth.

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 1:58pm

I'll agree with you that it was a very touching and humanizing moment. They could have left it in and cut something else later. I've seen productions regionally where it is included after Big Boys and it works well...

I've always loved stars.. It's one of my favorite moments from the show!

I really dislike Here We Go Again and My Secrsecretary's In love... Both songs are poorly written and don't work well on stage. Susan just doesn't need a song on that spot.

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 2:41pm

As someone who knows both the show and the movie very well, I can see where they drew inspiration for both the Big Boys number as well as the song I Want to go Home. In the movie there were a few scenes where Billy is telling Josh that being an adult might not be as bad as Josh thinks it will be. That is where they got the idea for the upbeat Big Boys number.

However, there was a very well acted scene by Tom Hanks in the movie which is clear that that's what gave them the idea for I Want to go Home. In the film, the grown up Josh spends his first night in NYC in a seedy motel in the dingy 1980's NYC. He hears someone yelling in Spanish on the phone outside his room, and even hears gunshots from the street. Tom Hanks did a great job in that scene because it really showed you that he is scared, honest to God scared about not only where he is at that moment but unsure of his future. It was a small scene, but thanks to Tom Hank's amazing acting, it spoke wonders. I felt that they moved the emotions of that scene into the one that took place in Port Authority. I think that I Want to go Home should have stayed because that number shows how Josh is beyond scared of the unknown and wants the simple things that he can't have. I will also agree with those who said that a ballad would work well there. Keep in mind, that, at least in the Broadway version, all the songs leading up to that one were uptempo ones, and I Want to go Home, is a well done slower pace one.

[qafgenius122]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 10:50pm

Saw the first preview today, and it was my first Mufti show, as well as my first experience with the show, it was kinda meh, and the fact that this was a huge broadway musical, so the creators said at the talk back following the show, it doesn't really help the show to see such a reduced version. Btw I believe this is closer to the tour version I've been reading about vs, the original broadway version. The creators said this is as close to perfect as they feel this could be with what's currently In the vault of the show. I will say John Tartaglia is close to perfect in this role, but the show us just not great or super interesting. The highlight of the show was that the actor playing Walter McMillen didn't make the show, idk why, so Richard Maltby Jr. Went on with like five mins notice, and he did the piano dancing scene so props to him. I'm just excited for when they do Saturday Night next month I think the Mufti way and that show make a good match. Plus. Maybe Sondheim will go to the first performance talkback...

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 11:22pm

I saw it tonight, and I also felt "eh" about it. It's got some catchy tunes - Cross The Line ending Act 1 was stuck in my head, although the ending was really, really stupid where the ensemble is just singing "Cross the Line, cross the line."

It really was tough to see such a reduced version. There were a lot of moments, the Toy company, where it was hard to follow the action because certain props were missing.

Tartaglia is a great actor, but to me his voice grew tiresome after a while. He had the falsetto notes, but his full-voiced notes felt super forced and shaky. But acting wise he was great.

The kid playing Billy stole the show. He was hilarious and so on point. Someone find a major show for him.

Kerry Butler was fine. Her character is just bogged down with too many ballads.

[Amalia3]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 11:33pm

I'm a huge Maltby and Shire fan. "Stop time" is one of my favorites, and a highlight of the show. I actually saw the original. I remember the "Fun" number not being so fun. Too on the nose. But I'm curious about new numbers. Any song M and S write is always worth a good listen.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 12:07am

I agree. I think there's something to work with here, but I don't know. It's just a little left of center.

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 12:58am

Here's a FUN video! (Pun intended) BIG on the Tony Awards. I've never found this clip before but it showed up today of all days in the Forgotten Musicals group on FB.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 1:11am

I agree too that the secretary song doesn't need to exist.

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 2:59am

Who is playing Josh's mom? Janet Metz? I saw the cast list but it didn't specify the parts.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 9:32pm

Are they actually performing the licensed version or have the authors made further changes for this?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 10:37pm

I think they said it was the first time this version was seen in NYC and with the changes made for the tour?

[MusicalComedyMan]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 6:07am

I believe Kerry Butler is playing the mother...

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 4:02pm

So, is this "production" worth seeing for those who saw it over the weekend? Is it well performed and enjoyable despite the mixed feelings on the material and limited prediction value?

[homeimp]

Posted: 10/14/14 at 2:23am

Tony, your questions are exactly what I wish more critics would consider before posting a review. What you ask is precisely what I would like to know when I reach the end of a review.

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 10/14/14 at 2:14pm

I was under the impression that Kerry was playing Susan though I could be wrong about that.

For what it's worth, they are doing the revised tour version of the show. I had a hunch that was the case since the press release talked about how there were songs from the show that have yet to be heard in NYC until now. I went to the MTI website to check the song list from the tour and also clicked on the upcoming productions tab. The York Theatre production was on that list which got me realizing that since they got the rights from MTI, they are doing the tour version.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/17/14 at 9:41am

Saw this Wednesday night, and yes Kerry is playing Susan.

As a long-time Mufti attendee I thought this was a return to form for the series and an absolute delight not to be missed! I had a smile plastered on my face from start to finish, even with a few problems vocally and with the book.

It's definitely not the score you hear on the OBCR, so don't go expecting to hear it. The orchestrations, some of the best of the 90s, are sorely missed, but the cast is spirited and Kerry Butler is a treat in the Crista Moore role. Her acting and vocals were some of the best I've heard from her- very effortless and charming.

I enjoyed Tartagelia's acting and laughed quite a bit, but the score didn't always sit well in his voice, particularly during Stars, Stars, Stars (Isn't that a thought that's awesome, let me give you stars, stars, stars) and Cross the Line (I feel where I belong, I feel strong most of all I feel TAAAAAAAALL, I feel GROOOOOOOWN, I feel BIIIIIIIIIIG! I feel BIG!!). Daniel Jenkins just soars on those notes, but it's such a great moment that I was able to move past it in a Mufti setting.

Coffee, Black has been reworked with a new section for Susan and the How to Succeed-like sequence with all the execs has been cut. It thought it worked.

Fun has been slowed to a Rumba tempo it that worked less so. I liked it better as an uptempo production number. Richard Maltby Jr dancing on the piano was a delight though.

The two young boys were great.

I've been hard on Jim Morgan in recent years, but hats off to him for this one. Let's hope the rest of series lives up to this first offering!