Posted: 1/21/17 at 8:38am
Goung to see it tonight. What should I expect? I saw the 2001 Broadway revival and the 2003 tour. I know this is non-eq but experience has taught me that doesn't necessarily mean less talented just stripped down (or in the case of Beauty and the Beast VERY stripped down).
Posted: 1/21/17 at 9:08am
You should expect singing and tap dancing. Preparing yourself with others' opinions could ultimately taint your experience.
Posted: 1/21/17 at 9:30am
I thoroughly enjoyed it! Some of the costumes were fabulous.
Please let me know what you think!
Posted: 1/21/17 at 9:46am
If this is the same tour that made it to the Pantages in LA last year, the ensemble was spectacular. Every beat of chorus singing and dancing was spot on. The leads-- not so much. They're a mixed bag that didn't come close to the magnetism of the Bway revival of 2001. Costumes are full on Bway-scale magnificent and though the sets are reduced for touring, there are lovely witty set details all the way through. As tours go, this one will still fill fans of the show with happiness.
Posted: 1/21/17 at 10:17am
I've heard great things about the tour. The first year it went around it played some big cities, some for a week or so. Now this tour, in its second year, is strictly a bus & truck tour playing mostly one nighters.
Posted: 1/21/17 at 11:52am
It is the same physically. But it is a entire different company than what played at the Pantages last year.
Posted: 1/21/17 at 3:34pm
Someone in a Tree2, they replaced Peggy, Dorothy, Billy and a handful of others. Some of the ensemble returned, but there's some new blood there as well. I've heard great things about this year's company.
The Sassy Sam, how was Peggy? I saw a little video on FB that looked promising.
Posted: 1/22/17 at 8:13pm
Saw it last night at Shea's in Buffalo. A solid production.
Cons: -Bare-bones set compared to equity productions (just a curtain with scenery painted on)
-The comedy within 'Shuffle Off To Buffalo' was completely lost due to the lack of a train car. I'm confident most of the audience had no idea the scene was taking place in a train. The chorus girls sat in pairs around suitcases but that was it. You could clearly see Maggie crouching behind the girls begire appearing for her part. It was all just bizarre and disappointing.
-Company was not as powerful in some chorus singing parts (because they were dancing their butts off!)
Pros: -Great energy in this company. The dancing was top-notch, as expected.
-Julian Marsh (Matthew Taylor) and Dorothy Brock (Kara Gibson Slocum) gave standout performances. Anytime Annie (Kahlia Davis) was also strong. Peggy Sawyer was good. Played the part as it is meant to be played... just seems like one of those roles that's hard to make one's own. Billy Lawlor was incredibly annoying. The male ensemble members need to eat. They're all tall and skinny.
Overall.. A fun night at the theatre. I had to keep telling myself to stop comparing the actress playing Maggie Jones to Mary Testa!
An extra treat.. It was fun hearing the audience applaud and cheer in Buffalo at the start of 'Shuffle Off To Buffalo.'
