On The Town- Page 2

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 8:38pm

Frankly, I didn't even find the dancing to be that all that exhilarating -- wanted to be swept away by it, but just wasn't. I am not surprise me that this isn't packing them in.

Calling our PalJoey.

Updated On: 2/10/15 at 08:38 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 10:28pm

I liked it a lot, but my wife absolutely hated it. She could not get past the dated book and Jackie Hoffman. (I hated Jackie Hoffman too...she seems to be a love her or hate her...we hated her). I think part of the problem is that people can love the musical numbers but be turned off by the corniness of the book. They need to make the corniness leap, which most seem to do with Oklahoma (which I hate because of the Ado Annie / Ali Hakim / Will Parker story line), but OTT does not have Oklahoma's score.

Also, I did not think the women were good enough; in contrast to the flop 1970s production, which had Bernadette Peters, Phullis Newman and Donna MacKechnie (sic), they fall pretty short.

Finally, OTT is not a Tier 1 classic. Even a terrific production is not going to generate the same enthusiasm as a Tier 1. Without stars, it is just too limited in appeal, even with the reviews it got.

I wonder if the reaction would have been any different if they charged $30 to $80 officially, and made 'popular pricing' part of their advertising.

Updated On: 2/10/15 at 10:28 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 10:36pm

The dancing speaks for itself.

http://youtu.be/gQMU8EJuQeg





broadway.com: Spotlight On: On the Town

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 10:43pm

What are these Tier 1 Classics (tm)?

I love Oklahoma! score, but I think On the Town's score compares favourably with it (and the dance music, IMHO, is better.)

[sctrojan65]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 10:45pm

Looks good, Pal Joey. I sure hope it stays open until early April when I'm there. Despite the "meh" responses from some people with this show, it's one I'd like to see just to say I saw it. It has a history. I might not be blown away by what I see like I might have hoped, but I still can't help believe I'll at least enjoy it. Sounds like the orchestra and dancing is great.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 12:35am

Tier 1 to me is not very long and would probably include: Show Boat, Oklahoma (which I personally don't like), Carousel, Fiddler, South Pacific, Guys and Dolls, Gypsy, Sound of Music (popularity, if not as good as others), The King and I, Guys and Dolls, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, A Funny Thing, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Kiss Me, Kate...off the top of my head.

OTT is not in their league IMO, although it is a great production.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 8:27am

When you're older, you'll come to realize that some of the greatest theatrical experiences of your life have been in plays and musicals that are not on your arbitrary and meaningless "Tier 1" list: whether because of a performance or a dazzling production or a moment that captures your imagination.

A production of "tier 2" play that captures a spirit or re-creates an era or simply allows an actor or a pair of actors or an ensemble of actors to do great work may very well be among your most prized theatrical memories.

They are of mine.

I remember, in high school, going to a Saturday matinee of a British play called Home, by David Storey, a playwright who seemed very Tier 1 for a bout a year or two but whose works are relatively forgotten now.

The play was set in a mental asylum, although that was the big surprise at the end of the show (sorry, spoiler). Setting plays in mental asylums seemed immediately profound back then.)

But the two stars were the elderly Sir John Gielgud and the even more elderly Sir Ralph Richardson. It doesn't matter that the play was not "Tier 1." I realized when I left that I might never again experience such thrilling interplay between two of the greatest actors of their day.

(It turns out I did--several years later, the two men came back to Broadway in Harold Pinter's No Man's Land, both of them even more elderly but still at the tops of their games. The play was, arguably, more Tier 1 than Storey's Home, but it wouldn't land on your list either.

I could go on.

A word to the DecoTodd who sat next to the teenage girls who groaned at Betty and Adolph's "forced" humor: Betty and Adolph's humor was sketch humor to begin with, like Saturday Night Live. You either enjoy the silliness or you don't.

But I learned long again not to judge the world by what teenage girls find funny.

As to the posters who failed to be excited by the dancing in On the Town, all I can say is that I wish for you to learn a little more about what dance is and has been and can be. Broadway dancing doesn't get much better than what you saw on that stage. You'll won't see much that's much better than that--in your lifetimes.

[CukorLover]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 10:26am

True Joey, there is a lot of dance and a lot of talented dancers performing it. I'd beg to differ on your last line though. I think Andy Blankenbeuhler has created some original choreography in In The Heights, and his upcoming work is Hamilton is quite "signature" as well. While Mr. Bergasse's work is very "dancey", he hasn't quite found a signature style to call his own, just a lot of good steps put together. Similar to all that jumping around that Christopher Gattelli did in NEWSIES. Signature work? Hardly.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 10:59am

Pal Joey, that is not my point. My favorite shows ever are the 1971 Follies, Mame with Angela Lansbury, and She Loves Me, for all the reasons you bring up. Memorable moments high on my all-time list include numbers from Darling of the Day, Hallelujah Baby, Dear World, Over Here, Chess, none of which is ever even going to get a commercial run.

I would expect that at least two musical moments from OTT would make it to that list.

Tier 1 to me is about broad audience awareness and going-in opinion on a show. OTT just does not have the same built-in recognition and, minus stars, is never likely to be an audience hit in a Broadway theatre for an open ended run, minus stars. Proof of that is the current production, which is a thousand times better than the 1970s production, although my comments on the ladies hold.

And, to restate, this production would IMO be much better with a new book and the elimination of Jackie Hoffman, who the people around men did NOT laugh at.

[Baileyboo]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 11:36am

There are multiple reasons why On The Town is struggling. The fact that it would be better off in a smaller venue barely makes the list. The demographic for this show is older, and older and a harsh winter do not mix. The show itself, while amazing in my opinion, has a narrower appeal than others due to its perceived staleness (which is 100% inaccurate), it's perceived datedness(also inaccurate), lack of nationally known cast(accurate). Also a HUGE problem, shared by many other shows, is that Broadway is expensive. In the recent past, a show like Book Of Mormon would be great for the industry. People would flock to see it, and then see a few other shows while in town. Book Of Mormon is SOO expensive, that people now come to see just the one show on their radar, and go to museums and parks with the rest of their time. This is why only a few shows thrive, and the rest struggle for crumbs.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 11:42am

Tier 1...Tier 2...who gives a flying f*ck?

Audiences have become the bane of my existence. I can't stand listening to individual morons. Example-- The old fart behind me at LADY BE GOOD this past weekend couldn't stand the INTO THE WOODS movie. Too much about the woods, he complained. Well, what did you expect? What kind of moronic criticism is that? I can't stand people who want to see whatever the "biggest hit" is, rather than seeing something really good like ON THE TOWN. Let's make sure we waste 500 bucks to take Maw, Paw, Unckie Herb and Li'l Abner to whatever is hard to get tickets to this season rather than make an intelligent decision, or take a chance on something that looks interesting.

In essence, I haven't lost faith in theater artists. I've lost complete faith in audiences, though. Audiences are ruining the theater.

[newintown]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 11:51am

I think the orchestra, although over-amplified, sounds great in this revival. The rest I'm not too crazy about. I found it to be a rather Jersey Shore production - overly crass, lacking in wit at the expense of overstatement. Madame Dilly and Lucy Schmeeler are essentially walk-on roles that have been hammered into the ground this time, symbolizing a lack of subtlety found in the entire production. This is 1940s wartime America as interpreted by people who seem to have no idea how anyone behaved before 2005.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 12:14pm

We disagree.

[newintown]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 12:33pm

That we do. Indeed.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 12:49pm

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 1:58pm

Looking forward to seeing it. To me, it remains a great score and a show that can be both funny and poignant if it's done with the right understanding touch. The hokey youthful sophomoric quality of the libretto, in the right hands, can prove charming rather than simply "dated." It worked beautifully in the Shakespeare in the Park production, which, unfortunately transferred to a huge Broadway house where its particular charms couldn't possibly have worked, especially with no appreciable changes to the set. Lea DeLaria proved the biggest victim of the move. Her Hildy soared in the Park - "Working through the saucy double-entendres and scat embellishments of I Can Cook Too, Hildy's mating call of a solo, Ms. DeLaria makes an obliging captive of anyone watching her." Brantley - but was strident and overpowering at the Gershwin.

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 2:12pm

Are there any discounts available? My basic friend won't see OTT with me unless we get a discount. Maybe I'll try the lottery? Looks like no one is seeing this. Can't imagine why!!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 2:34pm

OMG growl! One of my favorite movie moments.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 2:38pm

I'm sorry… your… "basic"… friend?


Oh - this is going to be fun.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 3:31pm

On the Town is joyous and life affirming.

Considering the heavy discounts that must be going on, if I lived near NY I would have seen it 5 or 6 times by now.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 4:02pm

It's also just a little bit sad, too. Will there be "Some Other Time?" That's why I think the show is still affecting and very deep.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 6:21pm

"Sad to say ON THE TOWN has never been a big audience show. Even the original production, though financially successful at462 performances, had a short run for a big musical that got mostly positive notices (1 pan from John Chapman..he later apologized for it saying he must have been in a bad mood the night he saw it.) True, it faced tough competition in its day (OKLAHOMA!, SONG OF NORWAY, BLOOMER GIRL and CAROUSEL) but none of the revivals have proven to be strong box office draws. "

I don't understand this. Nearly 500 performances was still seen as a big hit by the time On the Town premiered.

The 1970s revival got *bad* reviews. I think the show also felt, arguably, more dated back in the early 70s with Vietnam, etc, than now. Clive Barnes, clueless, said "the nostalgic ballads sound like sub-Puccini filtered through Glenn Miller." Wow. (He did like he women.) And nearly everyone seems to think that the last revival, at least when it moved from the Park to a theatre, didn't work.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 7:36pm

The last revival was a joyous romp in the park and but then it felt like an overblown revival on Broadway.

This one had an opposite trajectory: It was a terrific summer-theater production at Barrington, but it became even better--a big, glorious, all-singing-and-dancing musical comedy--on Broadway.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 8:37pm

" The old fart behind me at LADY BE GOOD this past weekend couldn't stand the INTO THE WOODS movie. Too much about the woods, he complained. Well, what did you expect? What kind of moronic criticism is that?"

Is it wrong that I find that hilarious? It could be a game.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee... There was too much spelling and vocabulary.
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder... I was not expecting him to kill so many people. There should have been some kind of warning.
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying... I did not like that Finch guy. He was so unqualified. And he should have tried harder.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/11/15 at 8:44pm

I found it both hilarious and frustrating. Hilarious like, he's dead wrong. Frustrating like, I wanted to smack him in his stupid face.