Bandstand or Miss Saigon - Page 2

[loliveve]

Posted: 6/17/17 at 5:56pm

Bandstand.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 6/17/17 at 6:00pm

Unequivocally Miss Saigon.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 6/17/17 at 6:18pm

Bandstand is a decent, somewhat generic musical that is entertaining but will be long forgotten 10 years from now. Miss Saigon is a classic and any time you can see a good version of a classic, you should do so. So... Miss Saigon.

And thank you Iris Tinkerbell for saying what I have long thought. How about helping the person choose between the 2 shows they have narrowed it down to instead of incessantly shilling in every thread for your own pet show when the OP has clearly indicated that is not one of his or her final choices. The "don't go to any of the shows you're interested in, go to the show I think you should see" routine is so tiresome. 

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 6/17/17 at 6:33pm

Miss Saigon. At a minimum to see Eva and Jon Jon. 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 6/17/17 at 9:38pm

I enjoyed both shows quite a bit, so it's difficult for me to recommend one over the other. Miss Saigon is an epic drama presented on the enormous stage of the cavernous Broadway Theatre, while Bandstand is a more intimate show at the much smaller Jacobs Theatre, with great dancing and an upbeat vibe (even though it's about PTSD). If I were you, I would do Wednesday or Saturday doubleheader. If you're able to rush, you can see both shows for $74 per person.

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 6/17/17 at 10:27pm

Plus, it stars Laura Osnes, who has a beautiful voice, but a symbol of Broadway whiteness. 
"

What? Are we actually inserting race into this thread?

The critics didn't do justice to Bandstand. Along with the original swing score and dance, the second act brought tears, not smiles to the faces in the audience the night I saw it.

But Miss Saigon is a classic and this is a good production. Unless from what you know of the show in advance you don't think you'll like it or you think it might upset you -- well a classic is usually a classic for a reason.

 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 12:15am

Nicole Bermeo said: "Taking a friend to see a show, can't decide between these two. Thoughts? 

 

"

Nicole go with BANDSTAND...feel both of you will enjoy that more than MISS Saigon per a quick view of your profile.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 12:26am

Plus the night I saw it both Eve Nosebleed and Jon Jon were out. Understudies were okay; not great.

[mehtotheworld]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 12:32am

OlBlueEyes said: "Plus, it stars Laura Osnes, who has a beautiful voice, but a symbol of Broadway whiteness. 
"

What? Are we actually inserting race into this thread?

I was confused not just by that strange comment, but also by the sweeping over of the issues with Miss Saigon! Good lord.

I went into Bandstand thinking it would be hokey, forgettable dribble but came out really liking the show. Corey Cott wasn't bland like I thought he would be and Laura Osnes was just as lovely as I had hoped. It's not all blind patriotism either. Apparently you just need to go in with no expectations like I did and you might like the show.

I went into Miss Saigon thinking I would be bored and snoozing, but it held my attention and I left a bit troubled for so many different reasons (reminder of the US role in Vietnam, asshole Chris, story issues, etc.). The music was beautiful and Eva Noblezada and Jon Jon Briones were amazing. Everything you'd expect from a late '80s/early '90s blockbuster musical.

Like others have said, it really depends on what kind of night you're looking for. Big Broadway spectacle with amazing performances (ignoring the "story issues", go with Miss Saigon. If you're in for a smaller scale show with a lot of heart, go for Bandstand.

[Malka2]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 1:17am

I thought Bandstand would be light fun, but it brought me to tears more than once. There's a lot more substance to it than their Tony performance would have you think!

Miss Saigon actually bored me to tears during the first act, though it redeemed itself in the second. But I really, REALLY wish someone, somewhere, would have mentioned the repeated depictions of oral sex in the beginning of the show. It made me personally very uncomfortable, and I wouldn't have brought my little sister with me :/

Updated On: 6/18/17 at 01:17 AM

[Dave28282]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 4:13am

mehtotheworld said: "

I was confused not just by that strange comment, but also by the sweeping over of the issues with Miss Saigon! Good lord."

 

If you read into people's "issues" with Miss Saigon, you will find they actually have nothing to do with the show, but all with their own insecurities and mental problems. The issues are mainly about characters not being wholesome all the time, basically like real people, or their issues are about the casting where they basically don't like Asian people to play Asian people, because they would rather see them in other shows/roles. So again, has nothing to do with the actual show and it's greatness.

 

Updated On: 6/18/17 at 04:13 AM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 5:00am

^No Miss Saigon has some major problems in it's structure and score.  It has moments of beauty mixed with moments of wtf.  Personally, I always have thought that it should have been a book musical instead of having all that talk-singing, which can seem rather hokey.  I saw the original production and this revival.  I know that I may be in the minority here, but I thought that Eva Noblezada and Jon Jon Briones were both better than their predecessors.  The production is spotty.  It is beautiful in some moments  (the lighting is gorgeous) and odd in others, much like the actual musical itself.  This production certainly doesn't hide the flaws well.

I'm not even going to dive into the fact that the show is pretty high key racist.  It portrays that Asian girl western fantasy that is made fun of in that one scene in M. Butterfly.  Westerners like seeing the uncivilized, niave oriental girl fall for the big strong American GI.  It also perpetuates the whole Asian stripper stereotype, which I've always found to be repulsive in Miss Saigon.  Overall, if look past the show's major problems, you'll love it.

Updated On: 6/18/17 at 05:00 AM

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 8:41am

GeorgeandDot said: "  It portrays that Asian girl western fantasy that is made fun of in that one scene in M. Butterfly.  Westerners like seeing the uncivilized, niave oriental girl fall for the big strong American GI.  It also perpetuates the whole Asian stripper stereotype, which I've always found to be repulsive in Miss Saigon.  Overall, if look past the show's major problems, you'll love it.

 

"

It sounds like you've only seen the first 40 minutes of the show. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 9:48am

Malka2 said: "...I really, REALLY wish someone, somewhere, would have mentioned the repeated depictions of oral sex in the beginning of the show. It made me personally very uncomfortable, and I wouldn't have brought my little sister with me"

I've seen this production three times and have yet to notice repeated depictions of oral sex. I guess you and I must focus on very different things!

[AnnTheatre]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 10:07am

BANDSTAND..100%!!!

I did not like Miss Saigon . Classic opera  of  Giacomo Puccini transfered to 1975-1978.   I do not like changed classic to modern times. It never works.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 10:29am

This is a wonderfully produced production of Miss Saigon. The performances are great and it is well directed. Don't miss Miss Saigon.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 1:31pm

Dancingthrulife2 said: "GeorgeandDot said: "  It portrays that Asian girl western fantasy that is made fun of in that one scene in M. Butterfly.  Westerners like seeing the uncivilized, niave oriental girl fall for the big strong American GI.  It also perpetuates the whole Asian stripper stereotype, which I've always found to be repulsive in Miss Saigon.  Overall, if look past the show's major problems, you'll love it.

 

"

It sounds like you've only seen the first 40 minutes of the show. 

I specifically said that I saw the original production and this new production......

 

[ntrackbar]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 2:22pm

Peronista said: "Bandstand.  I saw it Thursday to see what the show would be like since the Tony's thing. I had to do standing room. STANDING ROOM on a Thursday for a show that didn't even get a best musical nomination.

the energy was unbelievable. A wave of emotion coming from the house and sent back from the stage.  The cast seemed to be throwing caution to the wind and giving no holds barred performances.  

It bore no resemblance to what was on stage at Papermill.  

Something surprising and genuine is happenig on that stage.

 

"

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Dave28282]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 2:31pm

GeorgeandDot said: "
It portrays that Asian girl western fantasy .

  It also perpetuates the whole Asian stripper stereotype, which I've always found to be repulsive in Miss Saigon.  Overall, if look past the show's major problems, you'll love it."

The fantasy of a better future for her child. Kim's choices are human, your remark is racist.

And the show starts with bar girls in Saigon. And yes, there were A LOT of them in the war in Vietnam. Why taking offense in reality? That is your problem, not a problem of the show in any way, shape or form.

 

Updated On: 6/18/17 at 02:31 PM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 2:58pm

^Well, I stated my problem with the actual writing of the show and then I simply said that the show perpetuates distasteful and negative stereotypes.  As is said in M. Butterfly, if she were a white homecoming queen, you would consider her to be a deranged idiot.  Her wanting to give her child a better life is very human, it's her actions after that, that become kind of ridiculous.  Also, the French writing a musical about how the Americans f*cked up Vietnam is kind of hilarious, considering that they f*cked Vietnam up probably more than the Americans did.  Anyways, the show is nice and I like it, but I cannot deny that it is pretty racist.

Also, Dave you're sounding very white right now.  You may want to tone it down a bit.

Also, what I meant by "the asian girl western fantasy" is that it has always been a western fantasy to have the young, naive asian woman.

Updated On: 6/18/17 at 02:58 PM

[Dave28282]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 3:50pm

GeorgeandDot said: "^Well, I stated my problem with the actual writing of the show and then I simply said that the show perpetuates distasteful and negative stereotypes."

The only thing you mention about the writing is that you don't really like te speak-singing parts. Which were actually much more "sung" in the original version, which indeed works so much better in my opinion.

Like here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnpJp3PWCdw


GeorgeandDot said: "Dave you're sounding very white right now.  You may want to tone it down a bit."

If you ever want to be taken seriously again, I would abstain from comments like this. Try to think in human, not in race.

GeorgeandDot said: "what I meant by "the asian girl western fantasy" is that it has always been a western fantasy to have the young, naive asian woman."

This fantasy has nothing to do with this show. This show is all about very particular situations of war and victims of circumstance. 

 

"

 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 4:20pm

You really aren't brilliant are you?  You don't seem to be reading what I'm writing or comprehending it either.  I said that there are major structural issues with the show and the score is kind of a mixed bag.  I didn't just say that there is a problem with the speak singing, which was also present when I saw the production with the original cast.

Also, we have to think in race, so that POC aren't forgotten.  Ignoring race is easy when you're coming from a place of privilege.  This story is a romanticized version of the Vietnam war written by the French.  It's a show filled with negative and distasteful stereotypes.  It's time to see Asian roles that aren't strippers, or diminutive wives, or victims.  Let's get some positive musical theatre role models for young asian women.

Dave, you are the one with problem.  You are speaking for POC, yet you are in a place of privilege.  Someone who is half Asian is currently telling you that this show is pretty offensive and yet you are telling me that I'm racist??? Get your head out of you a**.

[Dave28282]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 5:14pm

GeorgeandDot said: "Also, we have to think in race, so that POC aren't forgotten.  Ignoring race is easy when you're coming from a place of privilege.  This story is a romanticized version of the Vietnam war written by the French.  It's a show filled with negative and distasteful stereotypes.  It's time to see Asian roles that aren't strippers, or diminutive wives, or victims.  Let's get some positive musical theatre role models for young asian women."

You need to talk to someone professional. This discussion (which has nothing to do with the show by the way) is not about forgetting POC. It's about seeing them as people instead of color. 

About the show, it's about people too. And it's tragic. Not about romanticizing the war in the slightest.

The fact that you like to see other Asian roles too has, like i said, nothing to do with this show.

 

Updated On: 6/18/17 at 05:14 PM

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 5:26pm

GeorgeandDot said: "This story is a romanticized version of the Vietnam war written by the French."

Umm...no.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 5:38pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "GeorgeandDot said: "This story is a romanticized version of the Vietnam war written by the French."

Umm...no.

Umm.... yes.

It romanticizes the war and is written by french writers.

Dave I am a POC.  Therefore I'm pretty sure that I see myself as a human.  I don't think that you speak for me ypu racist PoS.
Anyways, I actually really like the show, but it is far from perfect.
 

Updated On: 6/18/17 at 05:38 PM