A Christmas Story goes LIVE... - Page 5

[John Adams]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 11:19am

TheQuibbler said: "IdinaBellFoster said: "I can't imagine being bothered by a racially diverse cast. Disgusting."

Agreed. I think it's strange that people use "politically correct" as a critique, as if removing racially insensitive jokes and casting an array of people who actually represent what America looks like is politically motivated and not, simply, the right thing to do."

Really? So, if the Bumpus family (stupid hillbillies, so low-down on the evolutionary chain that Charles Darwin would have described them as, 'your guess is as good as mine' were visible onstage, how would you have cast them? What would have been "the right thing to do"?

Updated On: 12/18/17 at 11:19 AM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 11:50am

Looks like most people did not tune in:

http://www.playbill.com/article/a-christmas-story-live-ratings-up-against-football-fox-faces-numbers-dip-compared-to-grease

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 11:55am

John Adams said: "TheQuibbler said: "IdinaBellFoster said: "I can't imagine being bothered by a racially diverse cast. Disgusting."

Agreed. I think it's strange that people use "politically correct" as a critique, as if removing racially insensitive jokes and casting an array of people who actually represent what America looks like is politically motivated and not, simply, the right thing to do."

Really? So, if the Bumpus family (stupid hillbillies, so low-down on the evolutionary chain that Charles Darwin would have described them as, 'your guess is as good as mine' were visible onstage, how would you have cast them? What would have been "the right thing to do"?"

Personally, I would have costumed them in red baseball caps.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 12:04pm

This thread differs from every other in the sense that people are offended by everything. Oh, wait. Sorry that’s still every thread.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 12:18pm

John Adams said: "Really? So, if the Bumpus family (stupid hillbillies, so low-down on the evolutionary chain that Charles Darwin would have described them as, 'your guess is as good as mine' were visible onstage, how would you have cast them? What would have been "the right thing to do"?"

I'm not really sure those two things are related. Not making fun of an entire region's accent and casting actors and children of varying ethnicities doesn't have much to do with characters that are written to be crass and unintelligent. They could have cast anyone they wanted to. 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 12:23pm

Of course, Playbill only focuses on the positives:

 

http://www.playbill.com/article/9-things-a-christmas-story-live-got-totally-right

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 1:14pm

Love Jane Krakowski and the kids homage to "Love Is Good for Anything That Ails You" from Herbert Ross' 1981 film PENNIES FROM HEAVEN which featured a 33 year old Bernadette Peters choreographed by the legendary Danny Daniels.  The costumes are by Bob Mackie.  

Take a look.  The film used existing recordings so the entire cast lip-syncs to these - no one sang in their own voices.  Bernadette is lip-syncing to Phyllis Robins' vocals: 

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TSdVilaBkg



 

 

 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 1:28pm

A minority opinion: I thought Broderick added enormously. The show digresses and sputters into fantasy with erratic points of view. Sometimes we don't know whose ideas are being musicalized or dreamed about.  But Broderick preserved a sense of the defining Shepard voice, and enough of the original narration to hold it together when nothing unified the action.  In the second half, it paid off.  And the mitten/glove moment: just a lovely ending.

Had they used Broderick as the cold open, instead of the Gap-styled commercial number that had zero to do with the material (it even looked like the 90s), its era, or its reputation, he and the conceit  would;ve benefited enormously.  The film begins with that narrator. How insulting to stick a pop star in front of it  -- think of doing the same thing in front of the Stage Manager for "Our Town." If Broderick had missteps, and a few phoned in moments, he was an emotional glue.  Again, that ending. Unattainable otherwise.  Had they trusted more moments thus I would've been happier. 

Updated On: 12/18/17 at 01:28 PM

[Nycat63]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 1:32pm

Was the mitten scene in the Broadway production or did they add that moment for this version? I agree it was lovely.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 1:33pm

I definitely agree about that opening. They should have used the overture or an abbreviated one and opened with Broderick and saved that awful pop tune for the curtain call.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 1:53pm

I thought it was atrocious and the only glimmer of hope was from Jane Krakowski. I've always wondered, with the amount of time and energy (and money) they spend on these things, why not mount a 8-9 week Broadway run through November and December of a classic show every year and film and stream the production live? I would think that would come out better and wouldn't feel so low energy since the musical would be presented with an audience, in the way it was originally intended to be performed. It would also be up for Tonys and Emmys.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 2:08pm

I would guess for two reasons:

1. harder to get "hollywood" types to commit to both that long a rehearsal schedule AND a run

2. I don't know ticket sales would support it: why  buy 150 dollar tickets if I can see it for free on my tv?

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 2:25pm

Miles2Go2 said: "Of course, Playbill only focuses on the positives:

http://www.playbill.com/article/9-things-a-christmas-story-live-got-totally-right"

It's weird how in an article about what they got right, they discuss what they got right.

And in an article about the low ratings, they discuss its low ratings: http://www.playbill.com/article/a-christmas-story-live-ratings-up-against-football-fox-faces-numbers-dip-compared-to-grease

It's almost like they have an ability to focus.

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 2:36pm

Miles2Go2 said: "Looks like most people did not tune in:

http://www.playbill.com/article/a-christmas-story-live-ratings-up-against-football-fox-faces-numbers-dip-compared-to-grease"

Also, ABC was playing The Sound of Music at the same time and the 90 Day Fiancee finale started at 8pm last night on TLC (for my fellow garbage reality show lovers). It just seemed like an off night. Maybe it would have done better just after Thanksgiving? Plus, it  was loooooooooooong. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:01pm

The 3 hour run time can only hurt a “family” program like that. They need to find a way to do these with “limited commercial” interruptions and knock it down an hour, otherwise the rating are only going to continue to decline.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:06pm

I know the soundtrack was released digitally today, but does anyone know if there are plans for a physical CD? I can't find any info on a release date.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:09pm

Jordan Catalano said: "The 3 hour run time can only hurt a “family” program like that. They need to find a way to do these with “limited commercial” interruptions and knock it down an hour, otherwise the rating are only going to continue to decline."

Jordan is right. I love musicals just as much as everyone else on the board. But when there is a 3 hour long musical, with constant commercials, even I get bored! I agree that the timing wasn't the best. I always didn't mind the early December date (per NBC). They always rebroadcast the show with NBC. Probably don't have time to redo a broadcast.

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:09pm

gleek4114 said: "I know the soundtrack was released digitally today, but does anyone know if there are plans for a physical CD? I can't find any info on a release date."

I don't think they released physical CDs for Grease or Rocky Horror...

[BwayLB]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:10pm

I actually really liked the show last night. Sound and style of humor was out of sync most of the time. But the music creativity of sequences and star power were forgiving. Pacing went nice and steady too

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:13pm

I liked it too. I didn't have any sound issues, though I did notice the sometimes dizzying camera movement and some missed cues here and there.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:13pm

I had fallen asleep watching it, but thankfully woke up in time to catch the tap number with Jane.  That was the best number of the entire evening (IMO).  I'm sorry I didn't see it when it was on Broadway.

I know I saw the movie, but I really don't remember much about it.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:20pm

Camera movements were more noticeable in Hairspray Live

Now here's my live musicals list liked most to least liked

Grease
Hairspray
The Sound of Music
The Wiz
A Christmas Story
Peter Pan

[Tag]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:26pm

Well the ratings were a big fat FAIL.  Is the end of these musicals near??

[bk]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:26pm

Scott Ellis: Mistake

Doing A Christmas Story the live musical: Mistake - no one knows the show, and I guarantee you it was chosen to capitalize on the writers (lyricists only) of La La Land.  But when the producer is the father of the star of the other Pasek and Paul musical, well...  The people who know and love the movie were not needing to see a musical version that they've never heard of.

A sixty-seven percent drop from Grease's ratings is not minor, no matter what the spin.  It's a disaster.

Glad someone pointed out the Love Is Good for Anything that Ails you comparison.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 12/18/17 at 3:32pm

I don't think an end is near, quite yet. I mean, Jesus Christ Superstar is coming in April. And there are the swirling of a few other titles for down the road (Bye Bye Birdie, Rent, A Few Good Men). I've always been curious why ABC hasn't tried to bring back the Wonderful World of Disney and their tv musicals (Cinderella, Geppetto, Once Upon A Mattress, The Music Man, Annie). Even if you didn't like those, they were leaps and bounds over a lot of the recent offerings.