I was there tonight. Yikes. Performances were good, but the piece really isn't coherent. Some sections are narration-heavy, others present song after song without any real purpose. Sets are cheap, rickety-rackety, not steady at all, just a little better quality than community theater. SO many ballads, since there's no ensemble to do big production numbers. Costumes and lighting look nice! But the piece doesn't really have a central argument. Its major issue is a lack of consistency in its vision and execution. And JRB's original song sounds kinda cheesy. I wish the piece had a bigger budget, but I'm glad it's a limited run nonprofit so that it's not a commercial flop.
Hey There (Pajama Game) - Michael Xavier (literally just a single line, and it's prerecorded)
Heart (Damn Yankees) - Brandon Uranowitz, Michael Xavier, Chuck Cooper, Tony Yazbeck
Something's Coming + Tonight (West Side Story) - Tony Yazbeck, Kaley Ann Vorhees
Tonight At Eight + Will He Like Me? (She Loves Me) - Brandon, Bryonha Marie Parham
You've Got Possibilities (It's A Bird... It's A Plane... It's Superman) - Michael, Janet Dacal
Beautiful Girls + Waiting For the Girls Upstairs + The Right Girl (Follies) - Emily Skinner and Karen Ziemba as Phyllis and Sally, Tony Yazbeck and Chuck Cooper as Buddy and Ben, Brandon, Michael, Kaley Ann, and Janet as their young counterparts
Night Waltz + You Must Meet My Wife + Send In the Clowns (A Little Night Music) - Michael, Emily
If I Were A Rich Man (Fiddler on the Roof) - Chuck Cooper
Wilkommen + If You Could See Her + So What + Cabaret (Cabaret) - Brandon, Karen, Bryonha
ACT II:
Company + Ladies Who Lunch + Being Alive (Company) - Michael as Bobby, Emily as Joanne, Kaley Ann, Brandon, Chuck, Karen, Tony as other roles
Buenos Aires + A New Argentina + Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Evita) - Janet as Eva, Tony as Che, others in ensemble
Ol' Man River + Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (Show Boat) - Chuck, Bryonha, Kaley
Now You Know (Merrily We Roll Along) - Emily [weird rearrangement on this one]
This Is Not Over Yet (Parade) - Tony
Dressing Them Up + Kiss of the Spider Woman (Kiss of the Spider Woman) - Brandon, Janet
The Worst Pies in London + My Friends + The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd) - Karen, Chuck, others in ensemble
The Phantom of the Opera + Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again + The Music of the Night (The Phantom of the Opera) - Michael, Kaley
I agree, Bryonha's Cabaret was a highlight, as was Michael's Being Alive. I think some of the song choices are a little peculiar, but you're right that the material (mostly) makes up for the shortcomings.
It was nice to think how some of these songs haven't been performed on a Broadway stage in years--alternatively, in the case of Phantom of the Opera, the same songs were being performed in two different theaters on the same night!
So the narration doesn't really establish a plot or a story about Hal Prince's life/work? Because it's sounding like a 92Y concert with more rehearsal and some set pieces. I really like some of the performers but I'm not sure it's worth paying the price you'd pay for a normal show for that. It's not like a revue can't have some driving force... or at least more razzle dazzle.
10086sunset said: "whatdoesntkillme, I think you raised a good point about the narration. Your earlier comment was extremely accurate.
"Some sections are narration-heavy, others present song after song without any real purpose"
"
Thank you! In the beginning, I really enjoyed hearing about the story of his career show-by-show! But then the songs kept happening and the narration stopped, and I was confused/disappointed. Then all of a sudden it randomly started up again, with Merrily being the only show in which the song presented reflected the message of the narration.
I want to know exactly how much of the narration is Prince's words and how much was written/edited by David Thompson (or Susan Stroman, for that matter)
whatdoesntkillme said: "alternatively, in the case of Phantom of the Opera, the same songs were being performed in two different theaters on the same night! "
Though that's not the first time this has happened. Back when Fosse was running you had some of the same songs being performed right next door to each other, as Chicago was running next door at the Shubert at the time, as well as across the street from each other ("Sing Sing Sing" was also used in Swing!across the street at the St. James).
AEA AGMA SM said: "whatdoesntkillme said: "alternatively, in the case of Phantom of the Opera, the same songs were being performed in two different theaters on the same night! "
Though that's not the first time this has happened. Back when Fosse was running you had some of the same songs being performed right next door to each other, as Chicago was running next door at the Shubert at the time, as well as across the street from each other ("Sing Sing Sing" was also used in Swing!across the street at the St. James).
"
And Cabaret too.
Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE
ljay889 said: "It also happened with A Little Night Music and Sondheim on Sondheim."
One more example: "I Say a Little Prayer" could be heard in both Baby It's you! and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 2011. (Furthermore, it was in Promises, Promises the previous season.)
Am I the only one worried about what happens when Robot Hal Prince inevitably becomes a conscious being and takes over? The words “a disaster beyond your imagination will occur” come to mind here. Anyone?