13 - Insulting and Amaturish.- Page 5

[matty159]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 2:09pm

Thanks for that review, Whizzer. I think your words have effectively scratched 13 from my list of things to see next month.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 2:24pm

There were SO many lines I wish I could have written down. The one mentioned early about "Even my priest thinks he's hot!" is still in it. I don't think anyone would say that, thirteen or not.

Plus, remember these kids are supposed to be in the middle of nowhere in Indiana. Have any of the creative team even been to Indiana? If this was small town Indiana most the kids would probably be living on farms and be quite different than they are protrayed in 13. I grew up in Ohio, and most of my relatives still live on farms there, so I kind of know what I'm talking about.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 2:28pm

Thank you for writing down your thoughts. It was truly a joy sitting next to you during this show since we were comparing it to a bunch of other things we've seen (In My Life, Prince of Central Park, Cry Baby, Carrie, etc).

At the stage door, the lead guy did tell me that they will be making many changes and that I should come see it again after it opens (which I may very well do). The first thing that needs to go is that curtain call...I'm sorry, it was just too long and pointless.

The score for the most part is great. I am a *huge* fan of Jason Robert Brown (Parade is the second best show i've ever seen in my theatergoing life) and I know he is talented. I just wish he had chosen different material to write about. To go from something as serious as Parade to something as mindless as 13...it just didn't seem to fit in with what he is about. Still, as I said earlier, I enjoyed almost all of the music...he is very talented and I hope his next show is something more serious.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 2:32pm

His next show is Honeymoon in Vegas and is most certainly not "serious". But it is "good" which should be all that matters.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 2:35pm

Excellent. Thanks for the info, shesamarshmallow!

[rich.hanson59]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 2:49pm

While I agree that a teenager would not say the scientology and priest lines, they were some of a very small amount of lines that a teenager wouldn't say. I din't know how old you are, but nowadays, 13 year olds really are that vulger.

[broadwayfan3]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 2:53pm

I haven't seem 13 yet, but I'm seeing it over the weekend, but from what I hear, it sounds like something that people think 13 year olds would say-because I know a lot of young teens who would never even think about saying half the lines I've heard on the board. But, I want to go into the show with an open mind, and I hope for the best-it would be very cool for teenagers if there was a show that they could audition for and become a part of that's not a Disney show or a show based on a movie. I'm pretty excited for this weekend to see the show!

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 2:57pm

Overall, the show is such a mess I don't even know if it is fixable. It's hard to mend a book with a paper thin plot and cringe inducing one liners.

I guess I'm not seeing it now.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 3:08pm

I'm 25, and I'm not for a second denying that teenagers are vulgar. It's just would young teens, especially young teens in rural Indiana, speak like this? The answer is quite simply no.

Edit: Plus, the creators try to have it both ways. When the kids need to be clever, quick and witty no problem, but let's not forgot that early on when Evan passes out the info for his Bar Mitzvah the kids can't even pronounce the words, let alone know what it is.

Updated On: 9/17/08 at 03:08 PM

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 3:28pm

Josh Freilich,you should make your own opinion of it. Many people, including myself enjoyed the show. Is does need some fixing, and it sure is fixable.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 3:38pm

Many people?

Many young tweens who haven't even started growing boobs or pubes.

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 3:47pm

No, adults too enjoyed it. I have to ask, how many "tween" pubes to do you see to make this statement.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 3:59pm

the majority of '13' schillers... err, I mean supporters... on here (including you) are little tweenies. at least I assume so. since you all went to the Teenager-Only Dress Rehearsal!

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 4:03pm

Assuming... that's always reliable.

I believe the age range was 12-18, I never stated my age.


I find it interesting that you didn't say something a long the lines of "I don't really look at tween pubes, it's a saying".

Updated On: 9/17/08 at 04:03 PM

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 4:07pm

so the same group that obsesses over LEGALLY BLONDE and SPRING AWAKENING.

... That's always reliable.

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 4:11pm

12 year olds obsessing over Spring Awakening, I gotta look into that. With Legally Blonde, they obsess over Bailey(and before LauraBell), not the show, they like it, but they like the actresses more, otherwise the would have just recorded it on MTV. Still doesn't get around the fact that adults like 13 as well, only 400 seats were given away to 12-18 year olds for the dress, I assure you, there were more than 400 people there, some older than 18.

Updated On: 9/17/08 at 04:11 PM

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 4:13pm

Honey, what do YOU think the target audience is going to be for this??

prepubescent tweenies!

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 4:16pm

Honey, what makes you think I'm that young?

I did not deny the target audience, but it can appeal to others. I think we should wait until reviews get out. You always sound so sure of yourself, have you even seen the show yet?

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 4:18pm

I saw it in L.A. and at Goodspeed.

My partner was at a rehearsal last week and came back absolutely horrified. I really never thought it was THAT bad but it's naive fan girls/boys, like you, that really irk me.

You can love a show. Go for it. But don't deny that it's a mess. You just love bad shows, that's fine. "13" needs A LOT of work. But even with that work, I'm not sure it can help this sinking ship.

Yikes.

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 4:23pm

I saw the show last night (the first preview). I am not a teenager, I'm a teacher (it was an Educator's Night so a bunch of teachers were there for free). I teach middle school so I'm constantly surrounded by thirteen year-olds, and I did find many of the one-liners unrealistic (even to be said by thirteen year-olds living in NYC). Overall I wasn't thrilled with the show at all. It needs some MAJOR reworking. As it is now, I wouldn't take my students to see it. All the jokes surrounding the geeky "terminally ill" kid made me uncomfortable, and there were other things I felt were inappropriate for middle-schoolers. The last song in the first act, "Here I Come," seemed pointless and I wasn't a fan of the DDR dancing. The curtain call song also seemed long and unnecessary. It's a shame, because there are some talented kids up on that stage. I do like the show's score. "What It Means to be a Friend" was probably my favorite song (I know the title sounds cheesy, but it really is beautiful, and Allie Trimm has a good voice). "Bad Bad News" was cute; the boys reminded me of some of my students. Overall, though, the show needs work.

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 4:24pm

LA and Godspeed... it's changed A LOT since then! I am denying it's a mess because I didn't think it was a mess. The only thing I thought they should change is the end of act 1 dance break.

"Rehearsal last week", I believe rehearsals are those things were there are mess ups and they fix it afterwards. Last week, that probably was literally the first rehearsal.

If the fans irk you so much why do you always respond to them?

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 4:27pm

Because you're ignorant and naive?

#1Elphie, along with many other older audience members, feel the same way.

wonderful review and completely accurate, dear.

I respond because I disagree. And when people disagree it sparks debate. And debate is a wonderful recreational activity!

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 4:43pm

#1Elphie, you really think teenagers talk freely around there teachers?

As horrible as it sounds, teenagers would say those things about a terminally ill kid , maybe not the ill kid there self, but teenagers in general would. Inappropriate for middle schoolers... go to yahooanswers.com typing in questions such as "when did you first make out with a boy or a girl" if you think the show was inappropriate for middle schoolers, the answers on yahoo may disturb you.

TooDarnHot, the show has changed since the times you've seen it, you are in no place to say what is accurate about it.

I'm ignorant? How do you possibly know my intelligence level?
Naive... How do you know my experience?

You make it sound like you know me so well, you know nothing about me.


Also, you don't know my age... what makes you think I was not there with a theatre group? That I was not a supervisor?

I love a good debate but this is absurd. I should be able to post a response to someone(clearly not directed towards you), with out coming back to find one of your abhorrent responses.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 5:53pm

abhorrent!

are we really using Thesaurus.com now??

Well... Well... I think your posts... are... MAWKISH!

Look, I can be an intellectual "13" fan too.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 9/17/08 at 6:20pm

For the record, TooDarnHot, I'm 21 and went with a group of about 10 people last night of the ages 21-28 or so, and all of them enjoyed it - some more than others, but that's to be expected.