THE MUSIC MAN Previews- Page 19

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/8/22 at 6:32pm

StubHub is the choice for this show right now.  They have Mezzanine Row E for tonight’s performance at $132 each.  These are definitely WAY below their original cost. You can download the tickets so no stress whatsoever.  

[Huss417]

Posted: 1/8/22 at 7:32pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "StubHub is the choice for this show right now. They have Mezzanine Row E for tonight’s performance at $132 each. These are definitely WAY below their original cost. You can download the tickets so no stress whatsoever."

I have been watching that also. Will be curious to see what they go for mid week.

Friends today on stubhub were able to get Orch Center Row C for Hamilton for $67.00 each. They we're more than thrilled. 

 

[BarnabyTucker]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 1:11am

 

Was at the 8 p.m. show. Packed house.

Jerry Zaks has accomplished what he did with Dolly. He took an old chestnut and breathed new life into it.

Hugh Jackman is charming, and bleeds sincerity. You believe that he’s not a huckster, but someone who is pulling these people’s legs for sport. He also dances way more than any leading man I’ve seen.

Sutton Foster is killing it with a whole new take on Marianne. She rarely loses her cool and allows Hill to have his fun until she’s ready to reveal to him that she’s known about his little game the whole time.

The supporting cast is wonderful. Jane Houdyshell looks like she was ripped out of Iowa, and she’s giving a dry and understated performance that’s a winner.

The real stars are the ensemble. The barbershop quartet, Mrs. Shinn’s gang, and all the kids are sensational. If there were a Tony for best ensemble it would hands down go to them.  I genuinely enjoyed the new dance arrangements and disagree with previous posters that any of it should be cut down except for the curtain call.  The curtain call dragged a bit.

Loved the set design, and agree with previous posters that the spare and open look fits the tone of the show.  There's no Harmonium Gardens in this piece, and the set design evokes a lovely American Gothic vibe. 

All in all, a joyful and life affirming night.  I hope to come back and see Max Clayton as Hill if/when he goes on. :)

Updated On: 1/9/22 at 01:11 AM

[BarnabyTucker]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 1:29am

One more point: This and COMPANY have reminded me that musicals speak to the soul, and I'm happy to be able to recognize the important role that musical theater plays in my life. Broadway is back and I am thankful for the stories and, even more so, for the storytellers who are giving their all on and off stage.

[A Director]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 3:19am

BarnabyTucker said: "

Hugh Jackman is charming, and bleeds sincerity. You believe that he’s not a huckster, but someone who is pulling these people’s legs for sport. He also dances way more than any leading man I’ve seen.

> Is this the first time you've seen The Music Man onstage?  If Harold Hill isn't a  con-man, there is no point to the show and the actor has nothing to play. Harold's plan is to get the folks money and get out of town before they find out the truth. Did you see An American In Paris onstage?  Jerry, the leading man dances more than Harold Hill.

Sutton Foster is killing it with a whole new take on Marianne. She rarely loses her cool and allows Hill to have his fun until she’s ready to reveal to him that she’s known about his little game the whole time.

> There is no Marianne in the show. The character is Marian. In the first act, she doesn't lose her cool until Harold kisses her in the library. At the end of the first act, she knows the truth about one of his lies. She is going to tell this to the citizens, but  events spoil her plan. Why would she tell when she sees the change in her brother by the end of "The Wells Fargo Wagon?"  This has been in the script since 1957, so how is Sutton Foster's performance a whole new take on Marian?

The supporting cast is wonderful. Jane Houdyshell looks like she was ripped out of Iowa, and she’s giving a dry and understated performance that’s a winner.

> What does someone ripped out of Iowa look like?  I hope she wasn't hurt when ripped.

 

 

[SueFB]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 6:56am

Hill's a conman in the guise of a salesman. It seems to me this new show interprets Hill's salesman persona as a smooth-talker rather than a fast-talker. Maybe that explains the choice to slow the tempo in Trouble that I've seen people complaining about. And why Hill can seem sincere even though he's a con. 

I agree it might make his character transition in this story more difficult to depict during the course of the show. It'll be interesting to see whether this choice is addressed in any promotional interviews leading up to opening night. 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 9:01am

A Director said: "BarnabyTucker said: "

Hugh Jackman is charming, and bleeds sincerity. You believe that he’s not a huckster, but someone who is pulling these people’s legs for sport. He also dances way more than any leading man I’ve seen.

> Is this the first time you've seen The Music Man onstage? If Harold Hill isn't a con-man, there is no point to the show and the actor has nothing to play. Harold's plan is to get the folks money and get out oftown before theyfind out the truth. Did you see An American In Paris onstage? Jerry, the leading man dances more than Harold Hill.

Sutton Foster is killing it with a whole new take on Marianne. She rarely loses her cool and allows Hill to have his fun until she’s ready to reveal to him that she’s known about his little game the whole time.

> There is no Marianne in the show. Thecharacter is Marian. In the first act, she doesn't lose her cool until Harold kisses her in thelibrary. At the end of the first act, she knows the truth about one of his lies. She is going to tell this to the citizens, but events spoil her plan. Why would she tell when she sees the change in her brother by the end of "The Wells Fargo Wagon?" This has beenin the script since 1957, so how is Sutton Foster's performance a whole new take on Marian?

The supporting cast is wonderful. Jane Houdyshell looks like she was ripped out of Iowa, and she’s giving a dry and understated performance that’s a winner.

> What does someone ripped out of Iowa look like? I hope she wasn't hurt when ripped.

"

Who p*ssed in your Cheerios? Jeez.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 9:49am

For what it's worth, I think describing the character as ripped out of Iowa is shrewd and evocative. I know precisely what that means: Houdyshell nails both the vintage and geographic terrain. 

Updated On: 1/9/22 at 09:49 AM

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 10:20am

BarnabyTucker said: "One more point: This and COMPANY have reminded me that musicals speak to the soul, and I'm happy to be able to recognize the important role that musical theater plays in my life. Broadway is back and I am thankful for the stories and, even more so, for the storytellers who are giving their all on and off stage."

This comment made me emotional! Thank you for your thoughts Barnaby, glad to hear you enjoyed the show. 

 

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 1/9/22 at 11:13am

BarnabyTucker said: "

Was at the 8 p.m. show. Packed house.

Jerry Zaks has accomplished what he did with Dolly. He took an old chestnut and breathed new life into it."

I'm so happy to be reading more positive reviews like this. It seems that the show is already improved since the first preview, and hopefully continues to do so. I'm especially curious to hear from folks that are seeing the show multiple times during the preview period to hear about the changes :)

[Tippy2]

Posted: 1/10/22 at 3:36pm

Hi Y'all.  I was at the 1/6 performance and I want to thank you all for covering just about everything that needs to be covered regarding the show.  Just some brief thoughts.

1) I had an enjoyable night at the theater

2) Sutton is killing it.  Thank goodness for her.

3) Hugh is Hugh.  Take that however you want.  

4) I think praise for Jerry is unwarranted.  It felt like he said I've got these 2 in Music Man, I don't have to do much. And it looks like he didn't.  Handed the reigns to W.C. and said make them dance.  

5) This is NOT the smash hit they were hoping for. COVID or not.  They didn't put enough into it.  You want $500+ per seat you're going to have to give me more.  Well, I don't need more dancing...Give me more of everything else.

6) Bravo to the company.  

7) SH and JM both disappoint on some level.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 1/10/22 at 3:44pm

Tippy2 said: 
"2) Sutton is killing it. Thank goodness for her."

Love hearing this. No one knew quite what to expect, but sounds like she is her, usual, wonderful self.

[SamG88]

Posted: 1/12/22 at 9:32am

A couple of seats have appeared for the performance we are attending in Feb. When we exchanged for this date we could only get seats apart. There is now an aisle seat on my row perfect for my companion who has knee issues but what a war I’m having with Telecharge to get it done. A call, an email and a second call today where I explained what I was trying to do again and heard a long sigh from the agent followed by “the box office don’t like that but give me your order number I guess”….another sigh.  Lol  Then 2 minutes late “No they don’t like this” 

 

so strange. I’ve never had an issue like this before. I have to go through Telecharge right? There’s no direct number for the box office? I’m in Europe so these calls are pricey think I may just leave our tickets although the rudeness is somewhat amusing :)

[adotburr]

Posted: 1/12/22 at 9:38am

SamG88 said: "A couple of seats have appeared for the performance we are attending in Feb. When we exchanged for this date we could only get seats apart. There is now an aisle seat on my row perfect for my companion who has knee issues but what a war I’m having with Telecharge to get it done. A call, an email and a second call today where I explained what I was trying to do again and heard a long sigh from the agent followed by “the box office don’t like that but give me your order number I guess”….another sigh. Lol Then 2 minutes late “No they don’t like this”



so strange. I’ve never had an issue like this before. I have to go through Telecharge right? There’s no direct number for the box office? I’m in Europe so these calls are pricey think I may just leave our tickets although the rudeness is somewhat amusing :)"

Purchase the new seats and ask a refund for the old seats. Much easier that way and you don't have to keep calling Telecharge. Telecharge is normally the easier of the ticket sellers to work with. Sorry you're having trouble with them! 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 1/12/22 at 9:39am

SamG88 said: "A couple of seats have appeared for the performance we are attending in Feb. When we exchanged for this date we could only get seats apart. There is now an aisle seat on my row perfect for my companion who has knee issues but what a war I’m having with Telecharge to get it done. A call, an email and a second call today where I explained what I was trying to do again and heard a long sigh from the agent followed by “the box office don’t like that but give me your order number I guess”….another sigh. Lol Then 2 minutes late “No they don’t like this”



so strange. I’ve never had an issue like this before. I have to go through Telecharge right? There’s no direct number for the box office? I’m in Europe so these calls are pricey think I may just leave our tickets although the rudeness is somewhat amusing :)"

If you bought the tickets on Telecharge, you should be able to do a self-service refund on the original seats and just buy the new ones you want. Log into your account on Telecharge, and look for your order under "Past Orders." There should be refund and exchange options. If you don't have a Telecharge account, click on "Order Status"at the bottom of the Telecharge home page, and enter your order number manually.

Updated On: 1/12/22 at 09:39 AM

[Wick3]

Posted: 1/12/22 at 9:47am

I used to call Telecharge back in September for a seat change for the same performance at same price. It was long and though agent was nice, told me it’s easier if I buy the new seat and give them the new order number and then they’ll cancel my original ticket order.

A friend then told me it’s possible to ask for a refund all online when you login to your Telecharge account (until 48 hours before curtain) so that’s what I’ve done nowadays to change seats.
 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 1/12/22 at 1:51pm

Today's matinee board :

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 1/12/22 at 8:02pm

Saw today's matinee, and my capsule review is: Generally unnecessary star vehicle revival that I really enjoyed watching, while delivering pretty much exactly what I was expecting (with extra dancing). Good old-fashioned fun.

FYI, I was sitting in mezzanine A 30, the first $99 seat on the right side, 7 seats in from the far aisle, and I thought it was a great view. Technically, I suppose it should be marked partial, since there are about 10 seconds of dialogue when the speaker can't be seen, but I wasn't disappointed in the least, and I never felt like I was missing out on anything significant. The view couldn't have been much better from the $229 seat next to me. Also, because of the mezzanine curve, it's much closer to the stage than the center mezzanine seats, so I never had to strain to see facial expressions. That being said, I wouldn't want to sit any closer to the far right, since there'd definitely be stuff missed, like Hugh's entrance, which was just at the edge of my line of sight.

Updated On: 1/12/22 at 08:02 PM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 1/12/22 at 8:10pm

Also, the show ran right about 2:30 today. Started a few minutes after 2 p.m., and when I looked at my phone while I was collecting my things to leave, it was 4:33 p.m.

Updated On: 1/12/22 at 08:10 PM

[angoradebs]

Posted: 1/12/22 at 8:49pm

TaffyDavenport said: "Saw today's matinee, and my capsule review is: Generally unnecessary star vehicle revival that I really enjoyed watching, while delivering pretty much exactly what I was expecting (with extra dancing).

FYI, I was sitting in mezzanine A 30, the first $99 seat on the right side, 7 seats in from the far aisle, and I thought it was a great view. Technically, I suppose it should be marked partial, since there are about 10 seconds of dialogue when the speaker can't be seen, but I wasn't disappointed in the least, and I never felt like I was missing out on anything significant. The view couldn't have been much better from the $229 seat next to me. Also, because of the mezzanine curve, it's much closer to the stage than the center mezzanine seats, so I never had to strain to see facial expressions. That being said, I wouldn't want to sit any closer to the far right, since there'd definitely be stuff missed, like Hugh's entrance, which was just at the edge of my line of sight.

"

Oh, that's awesome! I'm sitting in that exact seat for one of my performances, so I feel really good about it now. Thanks for sharing the pic!

[Melissa25]

Posted: 1/12/22 at 10:18pm

Excellent! I have that same seat too in two weeks. Thanks Taffy for the photo and report!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/12/22 at 10:45pm

I’m in Europe so these calls are pricey.

It’s 2022.  You DO know long distance calls are free on your cell phone.  Plus, there are countless free apps that make long distance calls.  

[PhantomMickey]

Posted: 1/13/22 at 10:06am

I was at last night's performance! I'm someone who likes the movie and has a partner whose family really likes it so the nostalgia is strong. We sat Mezz Right E 20-24, which were really good! 22 and 24 missed a smidge of movement in a handful of scenes, but nothing major.

On the whole it was enjoyable, but nothing spectacular. We were disappointed with the sets and lighting. Marian's home was our favorite set up. Like many here, I had high hopes this could compare to Dolly and it did not. I also found the dance break in 76 Trombones especially long and not very inventive. But I did enjoy the dancing in Shipoopi. 

In addition to Sutton, I loved the quartet and the mayor's wife. 

It was great to be back at the theater. Our last show was Six in early March only days before the shutdown. I've been holding onto these tickets since December 2019; it feels like a relief to finally have seen it. 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 1/13/22 at 10:10am

BrodyFosse123 said: "I’m in Europe so these calls are pricey.

It’s 2022. You DO know long distance calls are free on your cell phone. Plus, there are countless free apps that make long distance calls. "

International calls are NOT free on all cell phone plans.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/13/22 at 10:37am

I’ve never had international calls included in a plan. When I’m overseas i have a plan that allows me, for $10 a day, to use my phone to call back to the states for no additional fee, but if I were to call anywhere outside of USA or Canada now, I pay international charges.