The Official Raúl E. Esparza "Spread the Love" Thread, part two- Page 77

[Behind_the_Spotlight]

Posted: 4/4/06 at 8:41pm

Hi, I'm new to this thread. Long-time lurker, first time poster. lol. Anyway... I'm the mysterious "friend" Shiksa mentions, the one who saw Company with her. As she reported, it was FANTASTIC. Anyway, just wanted to join in the fun. :)

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 4/4/06 at 10:31pm

HelloHelloHello!

WelcomeWelcomeWelcome!

[Shiksa Goddess2]

Posted: 4/4/06 at 11:36pm

Ah, yes, my transportation I MEAN- my friend- finally surfaces! See, she provides the car, I provide the money, and Raul, Adam, and Anthony just have to show up somewhere close, lol .

[Behind_the_Spotlight]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 1:56am

Thanks for the welcome! :)

Hello, fund source... I mean, good friend! lol. We love each other. We promise.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 1:58am

Welcome! :)

[Bohemian1232]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 2:20am

Welcome!

[Shiksa Goddess2]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 12:10pm

I want more Company! Grrr. I guess it's a good thing that there are no more tickets left, lol.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 12:24pm

Welcome!

Now that I've been thinking about it, I really wish I could ask Raul what he thinks about "Barcelona." And yet I can't think of any interesting interpretation questions about Sweeney to ask Mano, who's actually accessible. It's ironic (in a complete misuse of the term "irony" sort of way).

Edit: Oh, Entertainment Weekly's Company review finally got put on their website (it hadn't the last time I checked). I don't know if anyone's seen it, but here's the blurb:

Long before Sex and the City, Stephen Sondheim's 1970 musical explored New Yorkers' mating rituals through the eyes of Bobby (a wonderfully deadpan Raúl Esparza), a 35-year-old commitment-phobe surrounded by happy loving couples. As he did in Broadway's current Sweeney Todd revival, British director John Doyle casts triple threats who sing, act, and play all the instruments. The show runs like a greyhound: sleek and elegant, without any wasted movement. The talented cast — charming from top to bottom — uses Sondheim's chromatic lyricism to paint a complicated, compelling portrait of modern relationships, making this Company a most welcome visitor. Updated On: 4/5/06 at 12:24 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 1:00pm

Even though I still know next to nothing about it (I blame it on my computer!), can I just say again now awesome it is that this regional production is getting attention in widely-read magazines and newspapers?

I usually find thatEntertainment Weekly reviews are usually spot-on, too. :) Yay!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 1:21pm

ooh. I'd been hunting for that.

[Behind_the_Spotlight]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 3:36pm

Hooray for the good review! I agree with it completely.

What do you want to ask about Barcelona?

[Shiksa Goddess2]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:09pm

This is a really good article (and a new picture). It gives me a lot of hope that if Company does move to Broadway *crosses fingers* that Raul will take the role again:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20060402/ENT07/604020301/1083/rssenq05

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:12pm

Very interesting....

[Fantabulous428]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:13pm

Good article.

Very good picture.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:22pm

Interesting. But goodness, what a choppily written article. I really, really wish they'd just published the text of the interview.

Yes, great picture.

Spotlight(? -- I'm bad at coming up with nicknames for people), I'm curious about the fact that he seemed to choose to play "Barcelona" much less cynically (or so it seemed to me) than Dean Jones on the original cast recording. There's a thread about it here: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=891919&dt=28
I was sort of baffled over the first few responses that suggest that Robert is conflicted about whether he wants April to stay, but after seeing the Cinci production, that's exactly the way Raul plays it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:28pm

He's so articulate and passionte, it blows. my. mind.

[Behind_the_Spotlight]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:33pm

Ahahah, I don't care what nicknames you use... it's not a very nickname friendly name. :) And I see what you're saying about Barcelona now. I'd never heard any cast recordings before I saw it in Cincinnati... I didn't know much about the show at all. This Barcelona thread is really interesting.

[Shiksa Goddess2]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:34pm

Em: It's what made me first "fall in love" with him .
S.S.: I never really thought about Barcelona, but now that I am, I think Bobby wants her to stay but never really expects her to say yes and when she finally does he is unsure of what that will mean and is scared. I guess that's kinda the same thing as him being conflicted, lol. Oh well.
Updated On: 4/5/06 at 05:34 PM

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:46pm

Right... I guess it was just interesting becuase I never saw the song that way. Based on the lyrics it's kind of mean, honestly -- I mean, Dean Jones on the OBCR actually yawns loudly while he's telling her "You're a very special girl, not because you're bright-- not just because you're bright." And given that Raul's Robert is a touch cynical (yet also, I guess, more emotional), I didn't expect the sweetness of his appeal for April to stay. It would be interesting to know what he sees in the song that prompted him to take a more sincere approach to it.

Anyway, I'm excited about having a new interview to ponder over.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:48pm

I think he's sincere about it because he knows he wants SOMEBODY. He probably likes having the company, pun not intended.

[Shiksa Goddess2]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:48pm

That's interesting. I've never listened to the cast recording, but Raul's Bobby never really seems outright mean to me. He says the wrong things a lot, he is very cynical, but all in all he really does care for these people, even if he knows they are not at all right for him.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:50pm

That's true. It's almost like.... he really wants to be able to care about her, but he's sort of unable to and that makes him sad. It's very melancholy. And effective.

I think I've officially crossed over into the realm of overanalyzing this song. Updated On: 4/5/06 at 05:50 PM

[Shiksa Goddess2]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 5:52pm

I love relistening to things and trying to figure out why the actor played it a certain way (not that I've been doing that with Raul's Company... *shifty eyes* ) It's so much fun to try to get into their heads and the heads of their characters to figure out what they are trying to tell you as the audience.

EDIT: Pretty new avatar!
Updated On: 4/5/06 at 05:52 PM

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 10:45pm

I LOVE that picture. That shirt is *perfect* for his eyes.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 11:51pm

Where's it from?