KISMET @ Encores
KISMET @ Encores
Bluewatergables
Chorus Member Joined: 2/3/06
#0KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 10:50amI hear this is going to be a great show. Is anyone going
IssaMe
Broadway Star Joined: 5/15/03
#1re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 11:05amHave flown in from London for today's dress rehearsal - will let you know.
jasobres
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/9/05
#2re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 11:20amI'm going tomorrow night.
"Ev'ry-buddy wants ta get into de act!"
- Jimmy Durante
"Breathe from your hoo-hoo."
-Kristin Chenoweth
#3re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 11:24amI'll be there Friday night. Was listening to the OBC on the train this morning...should be a fantastic evening!
Bluewatergables
Chorus Member Joined: 2/3/06
Chorus Member Joined: 12/31/69
#5re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 2:42pmGoing this Friday night. Been humming 'Stranger in Paradise' all week.
alli2
Broadway Star Joined: 1/6/05
#8re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 3:52pmi want to see this show so badly. anyone know what the price range on tix are? could you pm me? thanks.
<< Gavin Creel and Kate Baldwin making vocal love... I adore these two.
#9re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 3:58pmwho is playing the Wazir
David walked into the valley
With a stone clutched in his hand
He was only a boy
But he knew someone must take a stand
There will always be a valley
Always mountains one must scale
There will always be perilous waters
Which someone must sail
-Into the Fire
Scarlet Pimpernel
#10re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 4:04pmJacobtsf, Danny Rutigliano is playing the Wazir. He is excellent...he replaced Max Casella as Timon in The Lion King back in 1998, and then originated the role in LA. He's also in the "When you do it Ebay!!" commercial. He's a friend of my uncle's, and I am sure he will be wonderful.
#11re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 4:21pmI will be there Saturday night!!!!!!! I can't wait!
"Did you know that if you take the first two vowels in Olive and rearrange them it spells I-Love?"-Spelling Bee
"It's night like this that hotel bars were specifically made." Light In The Piazza
MissNY
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/05
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#13re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 5:23pm
You can get even cheaper prices with the discount code from Playbill on-Line.
You might be interested in reading the interview I did with Marin Mazzie for this site. It's called "This Is Our Beloved". You'll find it on the homepage.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
Bluewatergables
Chorus Member Joined: 2/3/06
#14re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 6:14pmyou should spend the money to go see this. i think it will be a great success. great music. and the performances i am sure will be right on the "alms"
#15re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 6:18pmgoing sat night, can't wait. these stokes and marin belong together, they are dynamite on stage. sigh. if only they could have a show written for them. will try to write review on sat or sun.
Born2cthelightsofbway
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/30/04
#16re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 7:25pmgoing on saturday for the matinee, can't wait. My opera company is actually doing Kismet so we are all going as a group!! It should be fun!!!
"You alone can make my song take flight, it's over now, the Music of the Night!!!!!"
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#17re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 7:28pmMy fella and I will be there on Saturday night.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
IssaMe
Broadway Star Joined: 5/15/03
#19re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 10:39pm
This is Kismet-lite.
Which is as it should be.
People who know the show mainly through the glorious classically-based score may think of it as a more serious musical than it is - almost an operetta (which is how it started out on the West Coast before author Charles Lederer bought out producing partner Ed Lester and rewrote it as a comedy before bringing it in to New York).
It is really a spoof - like Funny Thing/Forum...sorta the Hellzapoppin of the Middle East.
And that is how it is played at Encores! Stokes is hilarious as Hajj and plays it very broadly. Danny Rutigliano as the Wazir is almost vaudevillian in his comedy and it works. He's a real crowd-pleaser
But the hit of the evening is Marin Mazzie - who constantly stops the show and brings down the house as Lalume - surpassing even the brilliant Joan Diener and Dolores Grey. Everyone was talking about her and cheering her. A performance for all time...making her the reigning Queen of Broadway.
It is a totally enjoyable show...and if it doesn't soar and totally take off like some productions of Kismet have...don't forget it is still a staged concert - a lavishly produced one (41 musicians and 37 in the cast)...but still not the full production Kismet usually sees.
Well worth it all in all...and lots and lots of fun. And, oh that Marin!!!!!!!!!
Encores producer Jack Viertel announced that they were doing Kismet because new conductor of the series, Paul Gemignani insisted that it be the first show he conduct at Encores. Good choice!
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#20re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/8/06 at 10:42pm
Anyone going to the Sat matinee should stay for the Talk Back immediately following it. These are always marvelous.
Sadly our schedules have us going to the evening performance this time.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
BumbleWumble
Chorus Member Joined: 12/25/04
#21re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/9/06 at 12:05am
I just saw the dress as well. I didn't really care for the production all that much... yes, Lonnie Price did a great job directing and extracting the musical comedy from the show. But it was overall just bland.
I agree about Mazzie, though. Spectular performance. And she looked great.
Not the best Encores, by far.
Bluewatergables
Chorus Member Joined: 2/3/06
#22re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/9/06 at 10:37am
bumblewumble. i too was there and have to disagree, for a concert version with less than two weeks of rehearsal i thought they did a fantastic job.
i personally was skeptical that Brian Stokes Mitchell could pull this off and was very impressed. I loved Marin Mazzie as Lalume, Danny Gurwin was ok, but not as innocent in ways as i think he should be. The girl playing Marsinah, beautiful voice. The Wazir, not funny at all.
the direction flat and per usual for Mr. Price boring.
However, the overall impact of the show is tremendous, the score the song, the overal ensemble work.
If someone has the money they ought to do a full out revival and dress this show up for all its worth. And the orchestra, led by paul gemingiani (sp) was absolutely beautiful
run to the show...its great fun
p.s. a note to the costume designer..stay away from white
IssaMe
Broadway Star Joined: 5/15/03
#23re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:02am
Interesting that you thought that the orchestra was beautiful. Quite a debate going on today at City Center before this afternoon's closed rehearsal.... since many comments made after last night about the uncustomarily distant, muted, subdued sound of the very large 41 piece orchestra. New conductor wants a more acoustic, natural sound...many believe that is not the Encores "sound". Stay tuned!
Updated On: 2/9/06 at 11:02 AM
#24re: KISMET @ Encores
Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:06am
Great to read all this early praise for Marin!
Atta girl!
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
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