HEAD OVER HEELS Previews- Page 10

Posted: 7/25/18 at 9:45pm

I want to love everything. I went with a friend who had a last minute extra ticket and mistakenly told me it was based on the music of The Bangles. I liked them, didn't love them, but still . . .   

One thing I will never understand is when a show is given a title you've heard a million times before -- like -- head over heels.  When Oprah had her TV show, she had a writer on named Janet Fitch who wrote a book called "White Oleander," and Oprah complimented her on all the unique ways she described things in her book. Janet told her that it was her college English prof who told her to never, ever use cliches.

Oprah said, "You mean, phrases you've heard over and over before?" and Janet said, "No, anything you may have heard even once."

Let that sink in.  

It's always a good idea to google a potential title to see if anyone has come up with it before you did.  If you google "head over heels" (without the quotes), the first 11 things ARE this show, but #12 is a band with that name, then there's a gym with that name, and then hundreds and thousands of other entries under that title that have nothing to do with this musical.  Would a unique theatrical musical use such an overused hackneyed phrase as a title?  No, never.  But when the title is vague and familiar, it sets up low expectations.  If you can't come up with an intriguing title, what are the chances the work will be? 

I think the cast is terrific, but each one is better than the material.  A hardworking, talented actor can do only so much with what they are given.  I hope they all will find more rewarding work, and if they get "discovered" because of this show, then it has done the best it could -- kept actors and musicians and stage hands employed until better work down the road materialized.  

If you are reading this and are a creative person, remember to google any potential title before you commit to it.  A friend of mine did that when she wanted to call her project, "Bad Girl Trapped In A Good Girl's Body."

Turned out to be the catch phrase of a porn site. She dodged a bullet there. 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 7/25/18 at 10:01pm

I remember that Oprah episode (and that book). It has always stayed with me.

I will say (in defense of a musical I have not and will not see, which sounds like a hot mess) that it is named after one of their bigger hits. I would argue that it’s a much better title for a show than the unimaginative “The Cher Show” or “Summer.” Is “Beautiful” much better as far as the original name for a show goes? It was still successful. I think when you create a jukebox musical based on a pop song catalogue, it’s difficult to create an original title that is original and also honors the artist(s).

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/25/18 at 10:32pm

christinelavin said: "One thing I will never understand is when a show is given a title you've heard a million times before -- like --head over heels. When Oprah had her TV show, she had a writer on named Janet Fitch who wrote a book called "White Oleander," and Oprah complimented her on all the unique ways she described things in her book. Janet told her that it was her college English prof who told her to never, everuse cliches.

Oprah said, "You mean, phrases you've heard over and over before?" and Janet said, "No, anything you may have heard even once."

Let that sink in.

It's always a good idea to google a potential title to see if anyone has come up with it before you did. If you google "head over heels" (without the quotes), the first 11 things ARE this show, but #12 is a band with that name, then there's a gym with that name, and then hundreds and thousands of other entries under that title that have nothing to do with this musical. Would a unique theatrical musical use such an overused hackneyed phrase as a title? No, never. But when the title is vague and familiar, it sets up low expectations. If you can't come up with an intriguing title, what are the chances the work will be?"

Err, it's the name of one of the Go-Go's biggest hit songs... in a show populated entirely by Go-Gos songs... that is mainly attracting fans of the Go-Gos?!

I guess you would rather a more unique, yet accurate title, like: The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia: The Musical?

[Solipsist234]

Posted: 7/25/18 at 10:55pm

Miles2Go2 said: "I remember that Oprah episode (and that book). It has always stayed with me.

I will say (in defense of a musical I have not and will not see, which sounds like a hot mess) that it is named after one of their bigger hits. I would argue that it’s a much better title for a show than the unimaginative “The Cher Show” or “Summer.” Is “Beautiful” much better as far as the original name for a show goes? It was still successful. I think when you create a jukebox musical based on a pop song catalogue, it’s difficult to create an original title that is original and also honors the artist(s). "

I think Beautiful, as a title, worked because it took a song from Carole King's unbelievably amazing catalogue and completely turned it on its head in terms of the message and heart that's at the core of the musical (Beautiful, the song, closes the show, for Pete's sake!) I'm actually kind of glad they didn't call it Natural Woman:The Musical or Tapestry:The Life and Times of Carole King, because those titles suggest an anthology (which is basically what the Temptations musical that's been making it big out-of-town is doing!) Now, Jersey Boys is definitely an anthology show, as it takes the songs and puts them into a historical narrative to tell the story of each of the Four Seasons. Beautiful's catalogue doesn't necessarily do that, as all (or most) of the songs in Beautiful are already recognizable from the get-go, so they didn't really need to do much book-wise to make them work besides putting them in a specific performance within the narrative where the character(s) is performing it in real time in the story.

Also, I'm kind of glad they didn't call the Go-Go's musical We Got the Beat, because that would've been ridiculously bland and unoriginal (considering that was the only song I actually knew from their catalogue before this show was announced!)

Updated On: 7/25/18 at 10:55 PM

[michael122]

Posted: 7/26/18 at 11:25am

Does anyone know the story behind what happened with jeff whitty and this show? I saw the show last night and went to his twitter as someone in the theater mentioned he had beef with the show, which seems to be true according to his tweets.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/26/18 at 12:31pm

I doubt we will (or legally can) get the full story, but from what I gather, it was a matter of irreconcilable differences for what the show needed to go forward and both sides being very difficult for a number of reasons.

For what it's worth, I've read Whitty's version of the show.I would absolutely not say the original is "better" or more "artistic."  What's on stage now preserves a lot of it, while it does jettison a rather forced and unnecessary metatheatrical framing device and consolidate and streamline things. If people think the songs are shoehorned in on Broadway, the original would not escape the same criticism. 

[A Director]

Posted: 7/26/18 at 5:20pm

Kad,

How did you get ahold of Jeff Whitty's version?  Which version of his script are you talking about?  What's the date of the script?

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 7/26/18 at 6:07pm

anyone have opinions on what the reviews coming out will be like for this show???

critics were way more generous than i would have been for the sf run...curious to see what the nyc pros think....

[perfectliar]

Posted: 7/26/18 at 7:16pm

christinelavin said: "If you are reading this and are a creative person, remember to google any potential title before you commit to it."

What a stupid, myopic thing to say. This year's Pulitzer winner for fiction is called Less. Last year's is The Underground Railroad. Neither are likely to be the first search result you find, and they managed to be perfectly well off with their titles.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/26/18 at 7:28pm

A Director said: "Kad,

How did you get ahold of Jeff Whitty's version? Which version of his script are you talking about? What's the date of the script?"

It’s a 2014 version. I assume things changed before its debut the following summer. I know people who were involved. 

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 7/28/18 at 9:48am

I saw the show on Wednesday afternoon and I liked it, but with a better book, I feel like I would have loved it. The show feels right in my wheelhouse - campy, over the top, and ridiculous but the book with the muddled Shakespearean language dragged down the show for me. The cast is very talented and I actually felt like the Go Go's music worked well in context, but the book was very messy. Was there some good moments of the book? Yes, but ultimately I felt the overuse of the Shakespearean language dragged it down. If Something Rotten can make their show work in the setting of Shakespearean times and not overuse the Shakespearean language I felt like this could. Overall, I was a little disappointed because as I mentioned this show felt right up my alley, but ultimately it fell short with the book. I definitely still had a fun time, and I'd not turn down going again, but I definitely didn't love it as much as I felt I could. 

Updated On: 7/28/18 at 09:48 AM

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 7/28/18 at 10:22am

I also went Wednesday afternoon via an amazing seat in the balcony.  I wanted more, but I felt cheated after the performance. It could of been more campy/flashier (heaven on earth scene-how boring). I was even bored with Peppermint. Everyone was going through the motions. I didn't connect once with anyone on the stage. It will work great on tour. 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 7/28/18 at 10:28am

^ Based on its horrible box office performance, I’d be very surprised if this tours.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 7/28/18 at 10:30am

It's highly doubtful it'll happen but I would really like a cast album because the arrangements of the songs were great and the cast sang the hell out of the music. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/11/18 at 6:40pm

I went last night via the TodayTix rush and it planted me front row orchestra center (A108).

Honestly, slight as it is, I had a gay old time nonetheless. It has a bit of an energy problem, oscillating quickly between a slog and hyperactive, but the choreography and arrangements are stellar and I thought that Andrew Durand, Rachel York, and Bonnie Milligan were the obvious standouts.

If you can go, go for cheap. It’s good escapist fun, and they are all clearly having a good time, so you will too.

[BJR]

Posted: 8/11/18 at 7:44pm

I concur. I saw it this week and was very pleasantly surprised. It's not perfect but I think it's hugely ambitious and I gave it more points for that. Campy, highly theatrical and expansively inclusive, while remaining playful and ironic, I think it's a hell of a lot better than some of the paint by numbers shows on Bway now.

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/11/18 at 8:23pm

Also, even at the stage door, you could see every single actor just GLOWING at how proud they are of this show, like they’re walking on air.

You don’t see that so often.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 4/23/21 at 11:33pm

I decided to finally listen to the cast album today (now that I'm doing that again). Knowing the voices of some of the actors, it sounded quite thin to me and it made me wish I'd seen the show in person. It's interesting revisiting this thread. To be completely honest, I don't know that would have enjoyed this show in 2018 but it feels like the kind of show that would be very fun after a year without theatre. 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 4/23/21 at 11:52pm

I think I’d sit through almost anything after more than a year without theater. Our upcoming touring season is pretty paltry: My Fair Lady, Mean Girls, DEH, Oklahoma!, The Lion King, & Pretty Woman. I am most interested in DEH and seeing how they adapt Oklahoma! for a traditional stage presentation. But right now even Mean Girls and Pretty Woman seem fun. Mean Girls will be playing here during New Year’s and I’m thinking if they have a New Year’s Eve or New Year’s show it might be fun to have a few cocktails and then go see it.