#1
Posted: 5/16/05 at 5:35pm
I couldn't decide whether to put this on the main or the OT boards, so I picked the OT just because...
This past weekend I went to see a staged concert production of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", with Faith Prince, Lucy Lawless and the Seattle Men's Chorus. It was clearly advertised as a concert with minimal sets and staging.
The last time staged concert I saw locally was "Sweeney Todd". They had MINIMAL movement, and they came onstage and sung to a microphone, occassionally looking at each other, but no sets. AND they were holding their librettos the whole time.
OK. SO... for "Blondes", the actors (other than Ms. Prince and Ms. Lawless there were quite a few supporting roles cast and a chorus) were miked, had a lot more movement than I expected, and there were actually set pieces brought on stage. The Men's Chorus stayed in back the entire time. AND they were holding their librettos the whole time.
I, for one, wasn't bothered by it because I knew it was a concert. I actually was quite impressed that they did as much movement as they did holding their books, and the books pretty much became part of the characters, in a way. I enjoyed the show thoroughly. At the performance I heard several people complain about the books, and I thought, snobbishly (is that even a word) "ugh, don't they know it's a concert".
Well, at rehearsal last night, we were talking about it, and the people I was with were about 50-50. Some hated the idea that the actors were walking around with their books. They said it was quite distracting, and that they should've tried to memorize their lines; OR have a straightforward concert and have them just stand there and sing.
SO... what do you think? Do you prefer a straighforward concert, are you bothered with this hybrid? (someone mentioned that it's similar to the Encore stagings in NY)
This past weekend I went to see a staged concert production of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", with Faith Prince, Lucy Lawless and the Seattle Men's Chorus. It was clearly advertised as a concert with minimal sets and staging.
The last time staged concert I saw locally was "Sweeney Todd". They had MINIMAL movement, and they came onstage and sung to a microphone, occassionally looking at each other, but no sets. AND they were holding their librettos the whole time.
OK. SO... for "Blondes", the actors (other than Ms. Prince and Ms. Lawless there were quite a few supporting roles cast and a chorus) were miked, had a lot more movement than I expected, and there were actually set pieces brought on stage. The Men's Chorus stayed in back the entire time. AND they were holding their librettos the whole time.
I, for one, wasn't bothered by it because I knew it was a concert. I actually was quite impressed that they did as much movement as they did holding their books, and the books pretty much became part of the characters, in a way. I enjoyed the show thoroughly. At the performance I heard several people complain about the books, and I thought, snobbishly (is that even a word) "ugh, don't they know it's a concert".
Well, at rehearsal last night, we were talking about it, and the people I was with were about 50-50. Some hated the idea that the actors were walking around with their books. They said it was quite distracting, and that they should've tried to memorize their lines; OR have a straightforward concert and have them just stand there and sing.
SO... what do you think? Do you prefer a straighforward concert, are you bothered with this hybrid? (someone mentioned that it's similar to the Encore stagings in NY)
Celebrate Life
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. - Randy Pausch
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. - Randy Pausch
