She Loves Me previews- Page 9

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 11:27pm

Actually, Kodaly, Kuhn did transfer to Broadway but left during the run.  In fact, she was nominated for a Tony.

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 11:31pm

henrikegerman said: "Actually, Kodaly, Kuhn did transfer to Broadway but left during the run.  In fact, she was nominated for a Tony."

 

Yes, and the recording was made with her replacement following her departure. 

 

[gfaustswa]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 1:07am

Saw this show tonight.   Wow!   Great casting and great sets.   If I lived here, I'd want to see it all over again!     And Zachary Levi at the stage door is fantastic.   It's like you have come out side to say "great job friend".    He's really an amazing guy.  Even you don't like to do the stage door thing, do it for this show.   He's a great, down to earth, genuine person.   Respect him a lot and will support all his future projects.   Hits or flops!

[Speed]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 5:31am

Do you not realize that how an actor is at a stage door isn't necessarily an indication that the guy is an amazing  person?  OJ was nice to his fans too.  And some really sweet people are shy and very private so they may not engage their fans.  Doesn't mean they're not amazing.  Point being, you don't know Zach.

[mc1227]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 5:38am

With an actor, you seldom know when they are being genuine.  Not saying that he isn't a nice guy, but actors usually stage door in order to generate word of mouth for the show.  It's in their best interest to have people in the seats.  That is the real reason for stage door appearances.  

[JayG 2]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 9:10am

Well,well,well, well, well, well. Will wonders never cease?

What I am about to say is purely based on the clips distributed by Roundabout. I do not see the show until Wednesday. However, based on the two minute clip, another incompetent director has turned a lovely, little, "jewel box musical," as it is so often called into a gauche, crude directorial mess. 

An homage to Titanic?!? TITANIC? Really? That wasn't even funny in  the Roundabout's Little Me revival 20 years ago! 

George doing a cartwheel. WTF! Sorry, no.

And from all accounts, it seems Ellis has stuck with his grotesque cafe scene from the 1993 production. Ugh.

Does any director working today know how to interpret material? He's not directing Barnum for God's sake!

 

Updated On: 3/10/16 at 09:10 AM

[KODALY]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 9:25am

Cupid Boy2 said: "henrikegerman said: "Actually, Kodaly, Kuhn did transfer to Broadway but left during the run.  In fact, she was nominated for a Tony."

 

Not sure about the arcane rules involved with the Tony nominations but Judy Kuhn did not continue with the show after the transfer (see attached excerpt from 10/3/93 NYT .

 

 

THEATER; Encore for 'Ice Cream' Team

By AVERY CORMAN;

Published: October 3, 1993

... On Thursday "She Loves Me" will have its second opening in less than a year. This time, it will be at the Brooks Atkinson on Broadway, where it is now in previews. The Roundabout Theater Company production has transferred almost intact. The love story is still bittersweet: it is the 1930's, and two clerks in a Budapest parfumerie who disliked each other on sight discover that they have been romantic pen pals all along. Boyd Gaines is George and Diane Fratantoni, replacing Judy Kuhn, is Amalia, with Louis Zorich as Maraczek, the store's owner.

 

 

 

"

 

Updated On: 3/10/16 at 09:25 AM

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 9:49am

You're referring to the commercial portion of that revivial's life. It started out at Criterion Center Stage Right with Kuhn in the lead as a part of Roundabout's nonprofit season and that engagement led to her Tony nomination. Following its nonprofit run on Broadway, it transferred to the Atkinson as the article you're quoting mentions . 

 

EDIT: I completely see what you're saying now if you're speaking solely to Kuhn's involvement in the commercial transfer itself. My apologies, I misinterpreted what you were saying. 

Updated On: 3/10/16 at 09:49 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 10:17am

I may have similarly misinterpreted your earlier comment as well, Kodaly.

[divarobbie2]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 11:34am

Kodaly, I've seen your avatar somewhere before...

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 8:10pm

Gee, gfaustswa has a happy and fun experience with Zachary Levi at the stage door, and somehow Levi gets compared to O.J. Simpson, a former NFL player and alleged killer of Nicole Simpson? As I read it, gfaustswa was just expressing some joy at meeting this actor who was being gracious to his fans. I didn't see gfaustswa knocking other actors who don't do the stage-door thing. Some actors enjoy the interaction; some don't. For whatever it means, Levi has a history of greeting his fans and even co-founded a company (Nerd Machine) that celebrates the nerd culture.

 

It seems churlish to be a killjoy and diminish gfaustswa's experience by scolding them: ''You don't know Zach'' or ''You seldom know when [actors are] genuine.'' Forget the stage door. You can say that about everyone. We all have our public persona and our private ones. If faustswa had a cheerful experience, good for them, and I'm glad I got to read about that.

Updated On: 3/10/16 at 08:10 PM

[tripelite]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 9:01pm

I know many people who have worked closely with Zachary Levi, and the only negative thing I have ever heard anyone say about him is that it's unfair that one person could be so handsome, talented, and nice.  The last time I saw him backstage after a show he was apologizing to the "VIPs" that he couldn't stay and chat, but he felt bad about making people wait outside for him and wanted to make sure he met everyone who wanted to meet him.  He is a true mensch.

I'll also chime in on the overall thread and say that She Loves Me was indeed one of the most delightful musicals I've seen in recent years.  I did not know the show at all, and I loved every minute of it.

[NFools]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 10:27pm

I only see about 2 shows a year and never posted here, but longtime reader. I saw this last weekend and was kind of disappointed. Not being familiar with the show at all before (yes my Broadway background is nil), I had read the posts here and thought I was going to see a "perfect" musical, but found it merely ok - I think I maybe had my expectations too high. The story is so predicable and tired, I had trouble looking past that - it was just very old fashioned. The performances had some laughs and good singing but none of the songs stuck in my head and the only thing that truly stood out to me was Krakowski's performance which had some laugh out loud moments. Benanti was also amusing at times. For instance, what is the significance of it being set in Budapest? I didn't see that the story really incorporated that at all. The end right before intermission was also pretty jarring considering the light subject matter before it. And my final criticism is the ending is just so quick and easy that it lacked any drama and rushed by. I do give points to the set design, I enjoyed that very much.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 10:36pm

NFools said: "... and the only thing that truly stood out to me was Krakowski's performance which had some laugh out loud moments.

"

Interesting how different people perceive the same thing. While I enjoyed Jane's performance for the most part, I would have to say that she was the weakest link for me.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 11:24pm

Uh-oh. Laura Benanti's Instagram says she is currently sick and was out of tonight's show...

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 11:26pm

Anybody know if she/Levi's names are above the title in the playbill? Nervous for when I go see the show now.

[bwayobsessed]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 11:39pm

I was there tonight. While I was so sad Laura Benanti wasn't there, her understudy was amazing and it was the first time she ever went on. Besides I really think act 2 was amazing, the last scene in act 1 dragged a bit. I think the set looked ridiculous and plasticy although it's movement was really intelligently designed. Paul Geminagni is conducting and I died. There were plenty of open seats as I was able to move from the mezzanine to the orchestra during intermission. 

[wolfwriter2]

Posted: 3/12/16 at 1:08am

Caught this tonight and was utterly charmed. I have never seen a production before, but I had a grin on my face for much of the 2 1/2 hours. I won't recount the plot, as others have already, just add my take.

The cast is quite good and with apologies to Ms. Murin, I don't know what's going on in the cafe scene and Peter Bartlett. The scene stops the show and not in a good way. Mr. Bartlett, whom I have enjoyed, in the past, is so out of place, that he makes a poorly directed scene, even worse. The scene drags and almost makes everything, enjoyable, that came before, in act one, vanish. I enjoyed Ms. Krakowski, but I'm not convinced she has finished developing her character. She's still lovely to watch, though. Zachary Levi is utterly charming. I have never seen him before, although I knew of him. He seemed so invested that he didn't want to be anywhere else, but on that stage. I'm a fan. 

I only knew a few tunes from this show, but really loved the whole score and found myself not just listening to the lyrics, but the music, as well, which doesn't always happen. I could not understand most of the words 'Twelve Days to Christmas'. Maybe, it was where I was sitting on the far side orchestra.

The staging is ingenious and almost too perfect for 1934, but I rather enjoyed the cleverness.

The Roundabout orchestra sounded nice, but a little small. I have come to expect that from Roundabout.

Overall, I really enjoyed the show, save my quibbles. By the conclusion, I had, pretty much let my quibbles go and was won over for a mostly fast-paced 2.5 hours

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 3/12/16 at 1:49am

NFools said: For instance, what is the significance of it being set in Budapest? I didn't see that the story really incorporated that at all. 

 

Bock and Harnick chose to retain the setting of the source material, which was by Hungarian Playright Miklos Laszlso. I don't think the city is specifically mentioned; The character names are all Hungarian and at one point Sipos referrs to himself as "an old Hungarian" but otherwise it could be set in any pre-war City in Europe. When I did it in college, we updated it to the 50s (because it was easier to costume) and, because at that time Hungary was behind the Iron Curtain, decided that we were setting in a Hungarian-heavy community in the midwest. We didn't have to change a word. Maraczeck was played with a heavy accent as an emegree, everyone else was played as American. 

 

 

 

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 3/12/16 at 1:49am

Updated On: 3/18/16 at 01:49 AM

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/13/16 at 12:47am

There's not much else to add to this thread regarding this production's strengths. I loved it quite a bit. I figure in order to contribute more meaningfully to the conversation, I'll mention one quibble I have:

 

Was anybody else really unimpressed by Creel? He certainly wasn't bad, but I found him to be very bored and boring. I felt like he lacked energy, like he was really going through the motions. Or maybe he just wasn't playing to the rear-mezz well enough. I would much rather have seen someone like Andy Karl in the role.

 

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/13/16 at 12:47am

I also thought Andy Karl would be phenomenal in that role. 

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 3/13/16 at 1:09am

I actually really enjoyed Gavin Creel. I thought he was adorable and charming, and that made it easy to see why Illona would fall for him time and time again. And the number "Illona" was actually one of the most thrilling moments for me, too. He had fantastic chemistry with Jane, his voice sounded heavenly, and I loved the staging. 

[UnwoundFantasies]

Posted: 3/13/16 at 1:15am

JBroadway- I personally thought Gavin Creel did an amazing job, I tend to overlook "Ilona" but I loved his rendition. But you might be right about the rear mezz thing. I've seen the show twice now, first time from front mezz and the second I was in rear mezz during act 1 and moved to the front mezz for act 2. I completely noticed a change especially regarding sound and I felt much more engaged once sitting closer. Once I moved, I felt like the sound just wasn't as clear in the rear mezz. So maybe your perspective could've affected his performance for you?

[Patash]

Posted: 3/13/16 at 9:14am

Interesting that others have updated the setting.  We did it in Naples, Florida a number of years ago and set it in the early 1900's.  The costuming was very effective and stage settings made great use of Art Nouveau.  And again, while it gave a slight bit more "naughtiness" to the sexy parts, not a word was changed and it played beautifully.  But yes, we left it set in Budapest.

Incidentally, my avatar is me as Marachek in that production.