"A Raisin in the Sun" TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC

[colleen_lee]

"A Raisin in the Sun" TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#1

Posted: 2/25/08 at 7:45pm

Just a reminder. I almost forgot, and I figured I probably wasn't alone.

"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. " --Sueleen Gay

[Yankeefan007]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#2

Posted: 2/25/08 at 8:30pm

Good so far. Excellent cast.

Wish I didn't miss this on Broadway.

[CapnHook]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#2

Posted: 2/25/08 at 8:32pm

Hmmm. I like Rashad. Didn't think I would. Audra, whom I love in anything, is also great but I don't picture her in the part.

Combs - meh. So far...meh.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[Yankeefan007]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#3

Posted: 2/25/08 at 8:35pm

And they both won Tonys for it.

[adamgreer]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#4

Posted: 2/25/08 at 8:41pm

So far it's exactly as I remember from Broadway- the women are spectacular, and Combs is just...there. He's not terrible, but the ladies are acting circles around him.

[grnsmwhr]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#5

Posted: 2/25/08 at 8:41pm

The women are good. I want Sean to be good, but he sounds like himself. Meh. He doesn't have a very expressive face.

You see, obsessions are very personal things, they come from deep inside us, where we are open and vulnerable, which is why I consider them sacred, not to be belittled....PalJoey

[hermionejuliet]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#6

Posted: 2/25/08 at 8:50pm

Audra and Rashad are wonderful. Combs looks much to young for the part though.

So, that was the Drowsy Chaperone. Oh, I love it so much. I know it's not a perfect show...but it does what a musical is supposed to do. It takes you to another world, and it gives you a little tune to carry with you in your head for when you're feeling blue. Ya know?

[CapnHook]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#7

Posted: 2/25/08 at 8:54pm

Ruby Dee would be an amazing mother.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#8

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:17pm

I'm starting it in about half an hour or so, in the hopes that I can bypass the commercials. I watched the original not long ago and was surprised at how powerful it was. I'm looking forward to this one.

[MCfan2]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#9

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:27pm

I'm liking Audra the best, which surprises me because I thought I'd like Phylicia the best. But they're both great.

[CapnHook]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#10

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:29pm

Audra kissing Combs = GROSS! I feel so sorry for her.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[MCfan2]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#11

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:34pm

Same here! As they used to say on "Mystery Science Theater 3000," she's earning her combat pay.

[sanda]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#12

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:39pm

Audra is soooo good! Well, has she ever not been good though? The three ladies are excellent. Combs, not so.

Am I the only one who feels that the background music is unnecessary and cheesy and distracting?

[Rotel1026]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#13

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:45pm

I just checked and this only ran from April-July 2004, was it just a limited engagement or did it not sell well? So far, I'm really enjoying it, not familar with the show but agree with everone else, Audra and Phylicia are great, Combs is just outclassed in this.

[IdinaBellFoster]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#14

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:48pm

Audra and Phylicia are fantastic. Hopefully they will be remembered come the time for the Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

While he is not in the same class as Audra and Phylicia, Combs is not bad. I actually am enjoying his performance.

"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards

[musicalmaster703]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#15

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:49pm

wait when was this

[MCfan2]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#16

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:51pm

I like the background music. But I've always liked the songs from that period.

We're ignoring poor Sanaa here. She's doing well too.

[orangeskittles]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#17

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:54pm

Audra is soooo good!
Well, has she ever not been good though?

That was an exchange my friend and I had as well.


Audra kissing Combs = GROSS! I feel so sorry for her.

Ugh, I know. Even worse than Audra and Taye Diggs. She deserves so much better.

Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never knowing how

[CapnHook]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#18

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:57pm

I'm not a fan of the underscoring, neither. It's distracting from the drama of the words. I have heard scores that enhance the words and magically set the mood. Here, in this TV film, not so much...

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[musikman]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#19

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:58pm

Rotel:

The 2004 revival was a limited engagement that I believe extended by a week or two due to "popular demand." The first few weeks it didn't sell all that well, but a few weeks later, it was SRO. You can check the grosses for it.

The audience was the most culturally diverse I had seen until the Color Purple. It was also filled with many young people hooting and hollering at the stage like it was a concert. It was sometimes distracting, but I remember feeling how great it was to see all these people who had never even heard of people like Audra McDonald, or even stepped into a theater so engaged and affected by the play.

As for this new film version, it is almost exactly the same as the stage production. The women are acting rings around Sean Combs, though he is doing better here due to the proximity and intimacy of the camera.

What I do remember is that whenever Walter Lee had a huge emotional moment or the equivalent of that, someone decided to have Sean turn around and face the wall so that he wouldn't have to show his face, and they seem to be doing that a lot here.

-There's the muddle in the middle. There's the puddle where the poodle did the piddle."

Updated On: 2/25/08 at 09:58 PM

[uncageg]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#20

Posted: 2/25/08 at 10:00pm

I was going to tape this. I haven't moved from the couch. it is wonderful. Just as wonderful as it was onstage. I expected Combs to be better her because he is more comfortable in front of cameras. But he was still good live onstage. JMO

Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder

[CapnHook]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#21

Posted: 2/25/08 at 10:08pm

I HATE HATE HATE HATE the John Stamos casting. It's distracting and he's not the best type for the role. Shame shame shame shame when you have to take a classic like A RAISIN IN THE SUN and fill it with big names in order to get an audience. Shame shame shame shame.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[uncageg]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#22

Posted: 2/25/08 at 10:14pm

Has he been onscreen yet? I missed the 1st segment. If he hasn't been onscreen, let's wait to see how he does!

Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder

[donna_darko_23]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#23

Posted: 2/25/08 at 10:15pm

Sean Combs. Wow. Not an actor. And this is only worsened due the amazing women giving fantastic performances.

[CapnHook]

re: 'A Raisin in the Sun' TV adaptation of 2004 Revival at 8PM on ABC#24

Posted: 2/25/08 at 10:17pm

His entrance was enough for me, uncageg. And now after seeing his scene, my feeling was correct. He did nothing wrong, he's just wrong for the part. And I don't like how that scene was directed.

Overall, so far, the film is solid and just 'OK.' The thing that kills it the most, for me, is the underscoring.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle