Shows That are in Desperate Need of a directors visit.- Page 2

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 10:23am

BwayDreamer:  Directors stop in ALL the time to see their shows.  Why would they care once they've moved on?  Because its their name in the program.  They are often involved in all recasting choices.   

Sure, when they are out of town or the country, they aren't likely to do so as frequently...but those directors send in trusted people to check in on their behalf.

 

There is a story about Les Miz (the original run), but I cannot vouche for its truth.  The ensemble/cast was reportedly looking bored and phoning it in, Nunn (or a desginee) heard the rumblings and dropped in unannounced and fired a huge number of the ensemble as a result.  Again, I cannot say for certain this is true - but I was made aware of the story as I had just seen the show and commented to NY friends of mine how the show seemed too tentative and a bit "off", and heard the mass firing had only recently happened and much of the cast I saw was brand new.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 10:29am

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/30/theater/from-les-miserables-to-just-plain-miserable.html

[johannabarker]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 10:44am

Personally I think Hal Prince needs to clear the house at Phantom. Too many people are phoning it in (James Barbour, Kara Klein, ensemble members who've been there for years and years) and Rodney Ingram (Raoul) in particular is so far away from the late Steve Barton's version of Raoul- so aggressive and angry, you think "Why doesn't Christine leave both of them and run away".

[PepperedShepherd]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 10:56am

Phantom4ever said: "Just saw Chicago on Saturday night from the front row and the ensemble and leads (besides Tom Hewitt) were firing on all cylinders. I don't how they could have been more energetic or "on direction." 

Maybe they've had a director's visit since I last saw it in March. It was really looking fairly tired then. Aside from one male dancer, the ensemble just seemed to be going through the motions and striking poses. There was no *pop* to the choreography at all. Fosse would not have been pleased...

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 10:59am

LizzieCurry said: "http://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/30/theater/from-les-miserables-to-just-plain-miserable.html

 

"

The timeline in the article makes sense as I would have seen the show in Mid -late March!   

 

Thanks for the proof, Lizzie!

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 6:32pm

I had the absolute miss fortune of seeing Chicago on Broadway in 2015. 

I remember the run in London well, the slick marketing. 

When we arrived on Broadway the first thing I noticed was how out of date the marketing was. 

It wasn't my choice to go. 

Then Nene Leaks. That was the biggest crime. 

It needed some new blood, seems like some of the company were there years. 

Costumes looked really tatty. 

It had no slick, no sex appeal. Terrible evening. 

I'd say Fosse would shut it down if he was alive. 

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 7:08pm

I also saw BOM recently and agree there's no need for worry.  Maybe you caught them on an off night.

I will say that I saw Dom Simpson twice, and his acting is great, but at least over the weekend, his voice seemed strained and weak. Although, none of the understudies/stand-bys have been able to match Andrew's vocals that I've seen. 

HamilHansen - I love Stephen Ashfield's Elder McKinley as well.  Maybe even more than Rory's.

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 8/10/17 at 11:29pm

Chicago might not need Walter Bobbie back, but they could seriously use Ann Reinking back for a tune-up.  

 

This is aside from the fact that some of the ensemble is no longer the young, fresh, sexy dancer they used to be.  I'm all for job longevity, but it's starting to look a little odd.  You can only work long bangs for so long before people realize you're no longer 30.  

 

Fosse would DEFINITELY shut this down.  None of the current ensemble cast is fit for the task.  They're sleepwalking through the choreo.

Updated On: 8/10/17 at 11:29 PM

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 12:29am

I didn't see any sleepwalking in Chicago any of the 27 times I saw it. And I like that a lot of the ensemble in Chicago are not in the 20's (or even 30's). They are still able to do the choreography with the sexiness and spunk it demands. I love when they come out in the opening number and each one of them looks thrilled to run on the stage and tries to wink and flirt with audience members and other cast members. It's that kind of stuff that keeps the show from getting stale for me. The choreography is still as sharp and seductive as ever. 

I may have to take back what I said about BOM though. Chicago, I see it once every 2 or 3 months so I feel a lot more confident speaking of how it is holding up. BOM, I have only seen on Broadway in 2011, 2012 and 2014. That one time in 2014 is when I felt low energy. But then again, I think I have been projecting that onto the cast, and I can admit that. I think a lot of people go into "Chicago" and expect to see sloppiness and sleepwalking and they convince themselves that that is what they saw.