You are in the extreme minority in that you're trying to look for things to be offended by ("all-white cast" or to deem wrong/out of place (the mother storming out). It's musical theatre. You have to suspend disbelief. Yeah, most times a person in a difficult or embarrassing situation is not going to "storm out." But they obviously had to propel the story forward and give her emotional justification for a poignant musical number. If we were to hold this kind of storytelling to your standard, we'd have no WEST SIDE STORY (gang members dancing around?) or THE MUSIC MAN (a swindler con man really sticks around just to sing a song?). Give me a break.
I was not the first person to point out the all-white cast; at least 2 people brought it up in this thread before me.
And thank you, I'm aware musical theatre is people playing pretend. Suspending belief does not mean ignoring jokes that don't land, or disruptive scenic designs, or songs that go on for too long or don't fit with the tone of the show. And the mom didn't have emotional justification for the poignant musical number. That was my point. The scene is lacking.
The show is in an out-of-town tryout; the whole point of which is to make changes. Otherwise, Ben Brantley would have posted a NY Times review based on the first preview. The show has the potential to be really good, but the aspects I mentioned stuck out to me as needing improvement.
You're apparently in the extreme minority who thinks the show is so great that it's beyond any criticism. It's definitely not. Nothing is.
Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never
knowing how
orangeskittles said: "They can acknowledge the Hansens are in a lower socioeconomic class than the Murphys, I have no problem with that biographic content, but the scene with the mom storming out of the Murphys' house over the college fund offer felt very inauthentic. Someone in her position wouldn't have let the Murphys know she was embarrassed and offended by their offer in such a dramatic manner. To me, it came across as "We need an excuse for her to confront Evan so she can sing this song" and not as an authentic character moment."
OK, that makes sense. The transition from the Murphys' to the Hansens' was rushed and kind of awkward to me (FWIW I saw it in previews). I do want the song to be there -- maybe it just needs a better way of getting there.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
correct. Michael Park had another commitment and was replaced. the girl who played Alana was recast with an african-american actress from the soap opera Bold And The Beautiful. looking forward to this production. never got down to DC to see it.
Going to NYC next month and really looking forward to checking this out...anyone have a discount code for this they would like to share? Much appreciated...
Very disappointed I won't be back home before this is scheduled to close. Anyone think there's any chance they may extend a bit if the run goes well? Or is that not typical for a show at Second Stage? I was really hoping to catch this, but won't be back in NY until early June, and it's set to close May 22. I realize it's impossible for anyone to know for sure...just asking for speculation or if there's any precedent of it happening before. Thanks!
I saw something on their website about a student and/or senior price....but that was all i saw online. Coming the weekend of April 2 and debated long and hard about whether to see this a second time; after having enjoyed it at Arena Stage in DC. Ended up going with Waitress instead and gambling that it may go on to Broadway next.