A STRANGE LOOP On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread — Page 21

Sutton Ross said: "Apparently the sound issues are not problems. They are a choice that the show is making which is...wild to me."

That..is wild. I'm sure someone on the team has to lurk this board. At the very least i'm sure it's been brought up behind the scenes many times. Why would you not want people to hear the songs clearly. When I saw it from the balcony, I had to stay super focused to make sure I heard everything

There's so much that's confounding about it, not least of which is that this was not an issue at Playwrights nor Woolly. Sure, the Lyceum has different acoustics, but the intensely muddled Late Night performance seems to suggest there's a creative choice at play. Even the "Inner White Girl" track they just released today has the vocals comparatively lower. Why!

Kind of crazy how they manage to consistently keep the vocals mixed that way in the theatre, on the album and on television. Obviously someone wants it to sound like that. I doubt it will change.

Just saw on Twitter that Kyle Ramar Freeman is on as Usher tonight.

Yes it sounds like that in the theater. What a shame. I wonder how many Tony Voters had problems too. It would certainly taint my experience. Ah well.

How did it get nominated for Best Score and Best Lyrics?. And Best Musical? It's an awful score.

It was certainly not that bad from where I was sitting, but clearly many others have found it that bad. It is really bad on that Late Night performance.

He's been doing a lot lately all while performing 8 shows a week. Maybe he needed a break like the two cast members who were out for one or two performances last week.

Also saw the matinee this afternoon.

Kyle Ramar Freeman was on as Usher, giving a incredible leading man performance. If I hadn’t seen the playbill insert, I would have assumed he was the full time lead; What a talent!

Unfortunately, I would agree that the sound mixing was muddy and jumbled during group numbers. The two Thoughts singing bass (#3 & #6?) were particularly difficult to hear during spoken lines. There were times I could see L Morgan Lee (also giving a fantastic performance) singing out, but I was struggling to find her voice in the mix. I will says that the mix seemed to improve during the second half.

While exiting the theatre, it looked as though the sound mixer was being given notes from the show and there were also a few late mic cues, so I’m wondering if there’s some cross-training happening in the sound department.

Updated On: 5/16/22 at 04:35 PM

Two things:

The sound – They are mixing it like a pop concert. Thinking about the musical influence of Tori Amos and Liz Phair, this is how their music sounds recorded and live, and I believe is the reference for the mix everywhere. Phair's "A Strange Loop" is even interpolated at the beginning of "Inner White Girl" for more evidence of this theory. (Which I feel is the absolute best song in the score, but also the one where the mix is most obviously super loud and muddied.) [I also think "Inner White Girl" can cross over into pop radio and do some amazing things, but that's another discussion. lol]

While I respect the creative choice, it simply doesn't work for the show imho. But who I am? It still got a best sound design Tony nom, which I stan for lol Maybe someone understands the creative choice and is praising that?

The understudies — I think what Jaquel is doing is ICONIC. What he brings to Usher is soooo lovable. He's turning the character into something many people can touch and embrace. But I know a few people who saw Kyle and...every last one is saying he's bringing the house ALL the way down. Leaving no crumbs on the table. I also heard the same about Mars and Jon, the understudies for some of the thoughts.

What I love about these reports is that the choices of the understudies seem to have been VERY considered and not just the person who was second best (for whatever reason that may be). With that said, I want to see them ALL now!!! This is so exciting to me! lol

The sound – They are mixing it like a pop concert. Thinking about the musical influence of Tori Amos and Liz Phair, this is how their music sounds recorded and live, and I believe is the reference for the mix everywhere. Phair's "A Strange Loop" is even interpolated at the beginning of "Inner White Girl" for more evidence of this theory.

Yes, you're absolutely right. Wow. I get what they are trying to do, at a concert you don't hear all the words due to many factors, none of which are present in a Broadway theater. So, the choice continues to absolutely confound me.

I don't know if I agree; Be More Chill was loud like a pop concert, but the mixing generally kept the lyrics primary and comprehensible, both off and on Broadway.

And, even if that kind of mixing is a conscious choice, why is it just coming into play now, after a 99.5%-identical version of this show just ran at two other venues? Someone had an epiphany this far into the process that they should drastically change the mixing style? It's bizarre.