Laura Benanti in Radio City Spring Spectacular!- Page 2

[madela2]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 3:43pm

Thank you! :)

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 3:48pm

One of my ex-boyfriends (I know, I know..so many) works for Radio City. He told me that it's a hot mess...and now from these reports it's officially confirmed.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/3/15 at 3:43pm

Who's her understudy in this? Derek Hough said she's been out sick and not in the show. 

[cglaid]

Posted: 4/3/15 at 11:08pm

Per this tweet: https://twitter.com/LauraBenanti/status/584036394588311552 apparently she has influenza.

[_IrisTInkerbell]

Posted: 4/4/15 at 11:42am

I saw the very first preview of this, and I loved Laura in it. She pulls of the bitchyness so well (much like she did in Sound of Music Live), I thought she was very funny and although her character is unlikable she made me root for her. And of course she sings just beautifully.

 

Of course the show is incredibly kitschy, a big commercial for New York City and does in way compare to a Broadway show. But I didn't expect that. Sure, the 3D glasses are a bit much. But it's meant to entertain, and I was entertained. *shrugs*

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/4/15 at 11:48am

How do the kids figure into all of this?

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/4/15 at 5:04pm

They play the grandchildren of one of the lead characters. The kids have so little to do..it's kinda pathetic. They are all talented kids and they get a few lines. But basically they do not really sing or dance. They kind of "move around" - nothing particularly choreographed (with Derek Hough there????)...and sing a bit in a group number.

They were fine...I saw Emily and Colin but they were not given anything special to do.

Also weird and annoying - I KNOW the kids so I know who I saw - but in the program they list both girls and both boys and not a mention of who is actually performing for that show.

[evic]

Posted: 4/4/15 at 8:13pm

Saw this last night and agree with what has been said.  I thought the sets were amazing as well as the lights and sound.  The book and story is lame but you do get to learn a few facts about NYC. Derek Hough- who knew he had such a great voice as well as being an incredible dancer-he is loaded with CHARISMA.  Laura was out-her understudy was fine in a role whose character is as hatefull as any villain in other shows.  What were they thinking?   And the Rockettes- what is there to say-impeccable.  The only things i really hated was seeing Donald Trump's face and hearing Whoopi Goldberg's voice and the tour guide's wife coming back from the dead in the Empire State Bldg number..-The showstopper was the Singing in the Rain number and the finale with the Rockettes so precise you have to wonder- how many days of rehearsal did they have for that number? Programs are $20!!!!!!

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/4/15 at 10:43pm

"and the tour guide's wife coming back from the dead in the Empire State Bldg number"

Wait, what?!

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 4/5/15 at 6:01pm

For those who have seen the show, where would you recommend sitting? It's harder to judge with this one as obviously you want some connection with the actors but my impression of things is that there are all of these videos and animatronics. So what's a good distance where the people don't look like ants but all the larger set pieces aren't too overwhelming?

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 4/5/15 at 8:08pm

VintageSnarker - I went via TDF and my seats were mid-row about 6 rows up from the back of the orchestra, house left-center. I could see everything really well, including the whole scope of the show, stage pictures, choreography (which I didn't care for), costumes, etc.

I went to the 2nd public performance back in March.

I saw Benanti - amazing voice. Her Danced All Night was just wonderful. The writing for her was terrible and it was a waste of her incredible talent. I did get several laughs at her line delivery/lines.

Hough was an amazing dancer but so-so singer. Jared Grimes was a great dancing addition (loved him in After Midnight). The kids were also a waste of talent. I saw Paige Brady, a former Matilda (not sure which boy), and she could've easily carried a great number, but they didn't give those poor kids almost anything to do. At least even the kids in the Christmas show have some solo singing and such.

The night I went, which was actually Friday the 13th, there was a stop in the show! There had been a technical problem and there was a 5-10 minute hold. They started up again at the Empire State Building part.

To answer a previous post, the old-fashioned tour guy's wife had died sometime before the action of the show. He misses her and wishes he could see her again. They had apparently had some memories on the ESB observation deck - I believe he had proposed to her there - and has a bit of a dream sequence where he sees her again and dances with her. It was Lifetime-movie-sweet.

I'm not a fan of the show so much - eh, it was cute, I guess, but not great. I absolutely hate the LED wristband light things, not a fan of the video sequences, the animatronics were okay (Statue of Liberty was not in sync, the lions were fun and funny) - in general, it was ok to see but nothing amazing.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/5/15 at 8:21pm

I got a cheapie seat so I was in the front center of the 2nd balcony...good view of overall but too far away to see faces. Can't think I actually missed much. For me personally, the best seat would have been home.

^^ if you saw a blond boy, it was Grayson T. If he was darker haired, it was Colin C. As I noted above, there should be an insert or a schedule so you know who is who, they  deserve the credit. And I also agreed the kid's were totally wasted. It just seemed the company seemed to be saying..let's throw everything in we can think of to make the show great.. - LED bracelets, 3D glasses, Easter Bunny, angels, two Minions running around for NO reason at all, rain, dogs, and kids..they were just there. Not for me..