ALW's Cinderella- Page 5
ALW's Cinderella
#100ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/9/21 at 6:52pm
I like how everyone is mentioning Sunset Boulevard through School of Rock and just pretending like Love Never Dies never happened.
#101ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/9/21 at 7:00pm^I still say “Beneath a Moonless Sky” is the most beautiful piece of music ALW has ever written.
#102ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/9/21 at 7:30pm
There was some beautiful music in that show. The music was never an issue.
#103ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/9/21 at 8:32pm
LND - once it got to Australia, I finally enjoyed that score. The original concept album had some beautiful music but it felt, I don't know - disorganized, unfocused? The new recording of LND feels more finished and is quite enjoyable as well
Cinderella, I'm on my second listen through and enjoying it a lot. Are there echos of previous ALW scores? Sure - but if you're an ALW fan you don't mind that :)
#104ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/9/21 at 10:00pm
There are echoes of “In My Own Little Corner.” Not that I mind. I assume it was intentional. I know Andrew is a fan of R&H.
#105ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/11/21 at 5:44am
Listening to the full recording a couple of times it feels like a good representation of the complete show to me. I still find parts of the score and story a little jarring but overall I would say I am definitely a fan. I can see myself listening to the full show more frequently than his others. I just love those final lines of the show too:
“[Cinderella] do you ever shut up?”
“No”
“Good”.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Loopin’theloop
Leading Actor Joined: 1/9/18
#106ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/11/21 at 6:53am
Jordan Catalano said: "***SPOILER***
Cinderella arrives at a shop with some glass cases and sees the “crystal shoes” and is greeted by The Stepmother. Around the point in the song where she asks “is this really what you want to look like?” she puts Cinderella in a barbers chair and puts a lighted white porcelain face mask on her. Then the chair is “swapped out” with another with a dummy Cinderella that the Stepmother starts “injecting” with long syringes and working on with various “tools”."
This is a really good idea that was just bungled. Making the Fairy Godmother into a slightly darker presence is interesting. It potentially adds the sort of Rumplestiltskin layer to the story. But they don’t fully explore the concept. Cinderella should have to give up more to be beautiful and have a clearer moment when she understands she never had to do that to herself and doesn’t need a godmother (fairy or plastic surgeon)
The whole ‘your plastic surgery will only last until midnight’ is utterly bizarre and just clunky.
is it magic? Is it surgery? Make a decision Andrew!
Loopin’theloop
Leading Actor Joined: 1/9/18
#107ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/11/21 at 6:53am
Jordan Catalano said: "***SPOILER***
Cinderella arrives at a shop with some glass cases and sees the “crystal shoes” and is greeted by The Stepmother. Around the point in the song where she asks “is this really what you want to look like?” she puts Cinderella in a barbers chair and puts a lighted white porcelain face mask on her. Then the chair is “swapped out” with another with a dummy Cinderella that the Stepmother starts “injecting” with long syringes and working on with various “tools”."
This is a really good idea that was just bungled. Making the Fairy Godmother into a slightly darker presence is interesting. It potentially adds the sort of Rumplestiltskin layer to the story. But they don’t fully explore the concept. Cinderella should have to give up more to be beautiful and have a clearer moment when she understands she never had to do that to herself and doesn’t need a godmother (fairy or plastic surgeon)
The whole ‘your plastic surgery will only last until midnight’ is utterly bizarre and just clunky.
is it magic? Is it surgery? Make a decision Andrew!
#108ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/11/21 at 7:26amI think it’s more that at 12am he gets married so she only has until then, at least that’s how people have described it after the confusion is discussed. I find the whole thing an example of the clumsiness. Also why would Andrew decide? He didn’t write the book, the lyrics and is not the director. I can’t help but feel he positions himself to get more credit than deserved haha.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#109ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/11/21 at 12:25pm
“The Vanquishing of the Three-Headed Sea Witch” has been cut from the show? The song is quite a tangent but I think it’s fun. How is Prince Charming’s absence explained without the song?
Updated On: 7/11/21 at 12:25 PM#110ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/11/21 at 2:14pm
I went to the show again last night and i agree with the clunky-ness of that moment. Don’t get me wrong - I LOVE IT but she says to be in bed by midnight with no explanation as to why. And the wedding is the next night, not the night of the ball so it doesn’t have anything to do with that.
And Cats, yes that song is not in the show now.
Sutton Ross
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
#112ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/11/21 at 2:51pmTshirts, sweatshirts, mugs, magnets, cast recordings, programs. Really just the standard show merch stuff.
Sutton Ross
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
#113ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/11/21 at 3:20pm
Thanks. Hope it's good looking and Im glad you enjoyed the show.
Loopin’theloop
Leading Actor Joined: 1/9/18
#114ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/11/21 at 3:21pm
binau said: "I think it’s more that at 12am he gets married so she only has until then, at least that’s how people have described it after the confusion is discussed. I find the whole thing an example of the clumsiness. Also why would Andrew decide? He didn’t write the book, the lyrics and is not the director. I can’t help but feel he positions himself to get more credit than deserved haha. "
Andrew is a producer. Oh he decides
#115ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/13/21 at 12:59pm
CATSNYrevival said: "I like how everyone is mentioning Sunset Boulevard through School of Rock and just pretending like Love Never Dies never happened."
Not everyone. I very much enjoyed the original London production of Love Never Dies, and while I agree with the fairly common assessment that some aspects of the book were improved in the Australian version, I still lament the removal of the original overture scene on the boardwalk. It was pure magic.
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
#116ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/13/21 at 2:04pm
I didn’t really care for the original prologue but I liked the idea of a prologue leading into an Overture like in the original Phantom. I still don’t think using “Till I Hear You Sing” as the opening is a good idea. “The Coney Island Waltz” would be a fine opening number, with “Till I Hear You Sing” in its original spot, but it seems like the creators are done tinkering with it at this point. I wonder what changes Cinderella will undergo if the show transfers.
Updated On: 7/13/21 at 02:04 PM#117ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/13/21 at 2:30pm
CATSNYrevival said: "I still don’t think using “Till I Hear You Sing” as the opening is a good idea. “The Coney Island Waltz” would be a fine opening number, with “Till I Hear You Sing” in its original spot"
The repositioning of those two songs, and the rearranging and restaging of "The Coney Island Waltz", are my problems with the Australian production.
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
#118ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/13/21 at 6:27pmI liked “Coney Island Waltz” as an ensemble number. I just thought it should have been the opening number.
#119ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/14/21 at 8:55am
If anyone is unsure what the whole midnight thing is about, it's that Cinderella won't be able to stand being in her dress and shoes by the time midnight rolls around, and will have to take them off. It's evidenced in the lyrics of "Beauty Has A Price" and Cinderella's dialogue at the end of "The Ball".
I listened to the whole album now, and as a gigantic fan of the fairy tale of Cinderella, I hated this take. It's just so weird, and the bigger thing is it misses the entire message of the original fairy tale, that Cinderella's true inner beauty and true self becomes seen when she gets her transformation. I thought I'd give this a chance and maybe forgive that misstep if the story, dialogue/lyrics, and music were especially well-written and groundbreaking, but nope.
My favorite songs were "Buns 'N' Roses", which was very Renaissance Fair, "Bad Cinderella", which I would probably love if it didn't rip-off "In My Own Little Corner", "So Long", which somehow was memorable, "Unfair" because it was like Baroque which was when the fairy tale was written, 'Unbreakable", which was ok, "Only You, Lonely You", which is an actual good ballad, Cinderella's parts of "Beauty Has A Price", "I Know I Have A Heart" which to me is a really great ballad, "The Vanquishing Of The Three-Headed Sea Witch", which was really cool as a rock song sung so well by Adam Lambert, and "Marry For Love", which is beautiful. So, yes, I liked a lot of songs, but still, except for like three of them, they are really just subpar or too weird, and together, none of all the songs weave a story I really want to revisit. I would love to see this on stage like once, but that's it. It's just not very magical. Special shout out to Carrie Hope Fletcher's great acting and singing. She's brilliant. Too bad the show isn't.
#120ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/14/21 at 9:19am
I agree it is plain weird and not magical at all (although I like that), which was such a shock. However, I think the feminist take on this it meant to be that actually Cinderella doesn't need a transformation to be beautiful and her true self is just fine as it is. Is this not a more inspiring social commentary?
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#121ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/14/21 at 9:34am
binau said: "I agree it is plain weird and not magical at all (although I like that), which was such a shock. However, I think the feminist take on this it meant to be that actually Cinderella doesn't need a transformation to be beautiful and her true self is just fine as it is. Is this not a more inspiring social commentary?"
You say her true self is just fine as it is, right? I also said Cinderella's self after the transformation is her true self, in the original fairy tale. Emerald Fennell is changing the fairy tale so her ball, princess self, isn't her true self.
#122ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/14/21 at 1:08pm
The Cinderella at the ball has never been her true self in any of the tellings. That's not what I ever took from the story. Maybe I was wrong.
Updated On: 7/14/21 at 01:08 PM
#123ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/14/21 at 3:12pm
I am trying really hard to not rock the boat but it's killing me. I have to agree with MagicalMusical. After finally finding the time to sit down the listen to the recording, I hated it. Maybe it's one of those shows you have to see in person to appreciate or doesn't translate well to cast recording or the fact they are using concept singers and not the actual actors in the show (for some roles) but wow I hated this cast recording. Concept recording. Whatever it is.
The thing that really urks me about ALW scores is here in FULL force and that's his overuse or misuse of musical motif. You take a melody line, you sprinkle it throughout in subtle ways. You don't take the same 'bad Cinderella' melody line and put it rather dominantly in half the songs in the score. Maybe not half, but a GOOD far share of them. I would listen again and count, but I don't think I hate myself that much today to do so.
It's a score that seems conflicted in itself. It's part fairy tale whimsy and part angsty pop wannabe. It goes so back and forth it makes my head spin.
But the thing is... I like the STORY. ALOT! I like the idea of a Cinderella that is unconvencial, kinda dark, not your traditional beauty. I like the idea of a less then perfect prince that is not really beloved or admired by his people. I LIKE that they have a relationship already. I LOVE that the fairy godmother isn't some heavenly savior that helps her out of the goodness of her heart. I like ALL that, but I HATE this score that half the time is dark and brooding and the other half a happy go lucky fantasyland ride.
There are a few okay songs sprinkled throughout and one legit GOOD song ("Far Too Late" is a ballad out to steal my heart). And yeah "Bad Cinderella" IS a bop... I just don't want to hear the same 'Call me bad Cinderella, nasty girl, gutter rose' melody line with different lyrics 20 times in one show.
#124ALW's Cinderella
Posted: 7/15/21 at 1:20am
In the original fairy tale of Cinderella, whether it be the first European, Italian Giambattista Basile version, or the one we know most, which is the 1697 French Charles Perrault version with the invention of the glass slippers, or the 1812 German Brothers Grimm version, all of those are trying to say Cinderella at the ball is her true self, and that is what the Prince falls in true love with, and that when Cinderella becomes a princess that is where she actually wants to be. She actually likes pretty dresses and glass slippers, and in true fairy tale fashion, they aren't uncomfortable for her.
Anyway, I didn't like the story not just because of that "her peasant self is her true self" change, but because the story isn't much of a mindblowing new thing or something that really grabbed me or made me emotional. I have to admit it did touch me a little, but not enough to make me wanna listen to the whole CD again or make me not hate it overall.
And the Fairy Godmother has always been my favorite part, so I miss there being an actual magical fairy in this show. If you're going to still do fantasy, including making a whole, entire village beautiful somehow (seriously, that is impossible!), she doesn't have to be a good, saintly figure, but she should still be magical!