The official Bridges of Madison County tour thread- Page 2

[iabwayfan]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 7:32pm

Well, I saw the show, and I have to say the talent on stage is quite amazing.  The leads do a wonderful job! My favorite character has to be Marge.  I liked her personality and thought she was well portrayed.

 

I honestly didn't know much about the show - Gasp! - I know, an Iowan not familiar with Bridges of Madison County!  I knew the general theme of the story, but not much else.  That being said, I would give this show a "C".  Very well performed, but just not the kind of storyline that I get into.  I just couldn't feel bad for Francesca.  I didn't see that her inner struggle was strong enough for me to understand why she did what she did.  Others around me who had seen the movie and read the book thought both of those did a good job showing her struggle.  I'm not trying to rip on the show.  Like I said, the cast is amazingly talented.  Go check it out for yourself if you have the opportunity.

 

Of course, there were a few Iowa jokes along the way, but that's good.  We love humor.

 

[iabwayfan]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 7:39pm

Here's a clip of some audience reactions to the show...

 

https://www.facebook.com/DesMoinesPerformingArts/videos/10153634313489017/

[RW3]

Posted: 12/1/15 at 12:05am

Is it bad that every time they called the cast recording a "soundtrack" I cringed? I know that the people probably don't know the difference, but it hurt just a little bit.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 12/1/15 at 9:04am

Is the set the same as the Broadway production? 

[notalwaysontime]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 9:38am

RW3 said: "Is it bad that every time they called the cast recording a "soundtrack" I cringed? I know that the people probably don't know the difference, but it hurt just a little bit."

 

I do too. Its one of those things that gets under my skin (and I hate that once in a while I catch myself doing it to. I feel a deep inner shame when I slip.)

 

As for the staging of the show, I can't imagine they'd have to change too much, the set was so simplistic to start with, I would be surprised if more than just a few little things were different.

 

I don't know what crowds outside of new york will think of it, but I know that my mom was absolutely obsessed with the book and the movie when they came out and she is not one to get obsessed with stories like that, but I remember her sobbing when she read and watched and loving both versions so much. It's honestly the only story I've ever seen her get invested in at that level, and when I went to new york a couple years ago and she was asking me what shows my friends and I were planning to see, I told her we had gotten tickets to the first preview of the bridges of madison county, a new musical version of the story and she was like "I'm so jealous! Oh my gosh bring tissue you're going to cry so much! I was sobbing when I read the book and when I watched the movie, even though I knew what happens, I just kept going 'GET OUT OF THE CAR, GET OUT OF THE CAR'" and I really have never heard anything like that from her (of course I told her not to spoil me because I didn't know the story, but it turns out they tweaked the part with the car, and did the same thing in a slightly different way, but she just was so in love with the idea that there was another media in which this story could be consumed, so I promised her if it ever toured and if that tour came here (which it better!) that I'd make sure we went to see it.

 

From what I recal, the book and movie were very popular, so I think the guess is right that perhaps this show could end up having a little more success on the road than in new york

[jpbran]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 1:17pm

Wikipedia says the movie made $182m worldwide on a $22m budget, and that the book sold over 50m copies -- one of the biggest selling books of the 20th century. So, yeah, a pretty well-known property. Just one I guess people didn't care to see musicalized. Never can tell. 

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 12/5/15 at 8:35am

I saw the show this week in Des Moines, IA. What a beautiful production...cast had great voices...there were lots of Iowa references and jokes that were met with audience applause and laughs. The night I saw it the theater was mostly sold out.  I don't know how the Iowa references will be received in other venues, NYC not so much since the show only run for a short time.  But Iowa gave this show a warm welcome. Also Jason Robert Brown conducting was such a treat, you can see his head as he was conducting away it was like he was another character in the show.

I love the book, haven't seen the movie, and I love this production of Bridges.  Hope it will have a successful run on tour!

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/5/15 at 9:53am

How is the actor playing Hunter Foster's role?  I thought the character had the best written scene in Norman's book, late in act 2, and Foster was deeply moving as a bewildered man so unable to understand his wife's needs on any level outside his own references.  The unsentimental portrait of this Midwesterner, like an Inge character, grounded a show that, exquisite score aside, otherwise has a lot of (sometimes too easy) sentiment.  

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 9:59am

Absolutely loved the show on Broadway. Eager to see if our recollections hold up when we see it in 2 weeks at the Ahmanson in LA. Sadly that's a barn of a house, and this show surely demands a sense of intimacy that will be nearly impossible to create in that space. I'll have my binoculars at the ready, but still...

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 12/6/15 at 9:52pm

Not to worry, ebontoyan, we in California very much appreciate jokes about Iowa.

[DAME]

Posted: 12/7/15 at 1:57pm

For those interested there are a lot of cheap options to view the show out there.  On opening night the Ahmanson gives away whatever seats the press doesn't use for free.  people usually start lining up around 6.  And in the past few times I have done this.. everyone has gotten in,  And besides the usual goldstar discounts... there are a few really good offers being mailed around to regular patrons and theater companies in LA.  All it takes is a little digging.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/7/15 at 7:42pm

Here's a clip of Samonsky singing "Wondering." I'm getting the impression that he delivers a gentler approach than Pasquale who gave a very booming performance. I like what I see so far. 

 

://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay.php?colid=1194575

Updated On: 12/7/15 at 07:42 PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 12/7/15 at 8:24pm

^^^^ Lovely. I really can't wait!

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 12/7/15 at 9:04pm

He sounds very good. I'm really curious about Elizabeth Stanley as Francesca.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 6:55am

See, that performance of Wondering lives me cold and enforces all of my convictions that Samonsky is a bore to watch on stage.  I don't know that I could watch 2 hours and 45 minutes of that.  Pasquale had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, even during his gentler moments.  And for what it's worth, Wondering is actually my favorite song of Robert's in the show.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 9:50am

I saw the show several times on Broadway (and once in Williamstown), largely because of Steven Pasquale's powerful performance.  But  book flaws and all, I'd see it again with any cast, as it happens to have my favorite score of the past decade.  From the clips I've seen, I find Elizabeth Stanley's Italian accent lands better on the ear than did Kelli O'Hara's. fine as her Francesca was.  I've never found Andrew Samonsky boring--I liked his Cable in SOUTH PACIFIC and thought he was the only saving grace of SCANDALOUS--even if I wouldn't rate him quite so highly as I do Pasquale.  Nonetheless, if this tour were to venture anywhere near New Jersey, I'd go again.

Updated On: 12/8/15 at 09:50 AM

[indytallguy]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 12:47pm

I agree that he seems less lively or interesting in that clip than Pasquale, but I guess I can settle for staring at his biceps if I get bored.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 4:00pm

I think most of us would agree we'd like to see Pasquale in the role, in any role, actually. But he seems very hot right now and I don't expect him to sign on to a national tour.

 

So comparisons to Pasquale aren't very helpful, IMO.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 4:43pm

"So comparisons to Pasquale aren't very helpful, IMO."

^I don't think that anyone is saying/implying that Stephen would/should join the national tour.  The comparisons are, of course, valid though since Stephen originated the role, and Andrew is only the second person to play the part full time ever.  To prefer Stephen in the role isn't to say that NOBODY could play the part well.  I just am not impressed with Andrew in that clip, and I'm sure that SOMEBODY else out there in the world other than Stephen could play the part in a way that would impress me.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 8:54pm

Here's a small clip of "One Second and a Million Miles." Something seems off about it. Not sure if it's the vocals or the sound quality of the clip. 

 

http://www.theatermania.com/video/exclusive-this-footage-from-the-bridges-of-madison_897.html

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 11:00pm

Ooof.  That's pretty rough from both of them honestly.

[UnwoundFantasies]

Posted: 12/9/15 at 12:12am

Does anyone know why there isn't any merchandise sold yet? Or knows if there are future plans for merchandise?

[DAME]

Posted: 12/10/15 at 3:42pm

I saw this Tuesday night.  I knew very little about it . Hardly remember the film and never read the book. I enjoyed myself.  Beautiful voices.  I loved the score.  The cast was all good.  The leading guy is gorgeous. Definitely worth going. 

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 12/10/15 at 3:48pm

I was quite surprised myself that it didn't run longer in New York. The book was a huge best seller and the film was successful in it's own right, add to that Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale in the leads and it really seemed, at least on paper that it would be a hit. 

 

I listen to the cast recording regularly. It really is a beautiful score

[cglaid]

Posted: 12/10/15 at 5:02pm

I saw this last night and from almost the get-go, couldn't wait to leave at intermission. I thought Francesca had a terrible Italian accent, almost unlistenably so, and all the songs sounded exactly the same with very repetitive melodies. I left at intermission, and even in the third seat off the aisle, nearly got trampled by a woman who couldn't wait to leave in a worse way than me.