Posted: 6/2/22 at 1:42pm
An interesting inside-baseball development: Joey Parnes (and his former employees John Johnson & Sue Wagner who spun off into their own company) appear to be no longer involved as producers, after shepherding it through development alongside Lia Vollack.
Updated On: 6/2/22 at 01:42 PM
Posted: 6/2/22 at 1:50pm
PeterC6482 said: "Agreed ... correct!
What if Paradise square just never closes and wants to stay for months, money be damned?"
I'd be perfectly okay with that. I love Paradise Square.
Posted: 6/2/22 at 2:27pm
EDSOSLO858 said: "Previews begin September 13, opening night October 11 at a Shubert theatre to be announced!
Well I certainly hope the show has been fixed since San Diego. They had plenty of time to do it.
What's to be said about the composer when the best songs in the show were written by Elton John, Bernie Taupin, & JONI MITCHEL??!!
Posted: 6/2/22 at 6:31pm
I received an email today announcing special preview pricing for Almost Famous and was completely confused until coming here to read that they are not selling the rear mezzanine yet. Tickets prior to 10/9 are $179 orchestra with some $79 -$99 mezzanine options. After 10/9 tickets are $199 with some rear orchestra corners for $149. Initially I thought why would I pay $79 for rear mezzanine but now I see that it's actually the back of the Front Mezzanine. I'm still not biting. Based on the clip, this does not look like a $199 show. Thank God for TDF. After 10/9 all the seats in the mezzanine are $199. I was having Mr. Saturday Night flashbacks.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 1:08am
On the Playbill site they have a video up for the shows opening number, "Everyone's Coming Together." It's pretty lousy, & I can already see it being staged in a parody version as some sort of porno orgy.
I can see this closing by January.
Why do people keep trying to make musicals out of old movies? Especially ones that weren't even big hits?
Posted: 6/3/22 at 1:23am
I don’t know the movie but isn’t it like a journalist traveling with a band? Seems like the opposite kind of show that would work on stage.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 10:07am
inception said: "On the Playbill site they have a video up for the shows opening number, "Everyone's Coming Together." It's pretty lousy, & I can already see it being staged in a parody version as some sort of porno orgy.
I can see this closing by January.
Why do people keep trying to make musicals out of old movies? Especially ones that weren't even big hits?"
POV: the show went on sale yesterday, you haven't seen the show, the show hasn't even started rehearsals for Broadway and it's already closing less than 3 months after it starts performances.
Some of ya'll are truly hilarious.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 10:12am
SouthernCakes said: "I don’t know the movie but isn’t it like a journalist traveling with a band? Seems like the opposite kind of show that would work on stage."
I found the movie to be unwatchable, couldn't finish even a third. Tried to get familiar with the material before deciding whether to purchase tickets or not, so this probably won't be on my list of fall shows.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 11:57am
gibsons2 said: "SouthernCakes said: "I don’t know the movie but isn’t it like a journalist traveling with a band? Seems like the opposite kind of show that would work on stage."
I found the movie to be unwatchable, couldn't finish even a third. Tried to get familiar with the material before deciding whether to purchase tickets or not, so this probably won't be on my list of fall shows."
Well, on the extreme opposite end of the spectrum......Almost Famous is probably my favorite movie of all-time, and *I* am deeply ambivalent about this. My only reason for hope is that the most successful musical adaptations seem to be non-blockbusters (Once, Waitress, Band's Visit, etc) -- presumably because they actually need to be good in order to succeed. I'd put Almost Famous in the middle. It's not like the ones I just listed (it is more popular/known), but certainly far from the Beetlejuice/Tootsie category. So vee shall see....
Posted: 6/3/22 at 11:58am
Wow, there are people that have not seen the film? But, it's so good! Lol. Anyways, without seeing the musical in California or the film, commenting on the actual show (not its location) is very strange.
POV: the show went on sale yesterday, you haven't seen the show, the show hasn't even started rehearsals for Broadway and it's already closing less than 3 months after it starts performances.
What a great comment.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 12:07pm
Wasn't there also a failed sitcom based on this? I think CRITICALLY the film was well rec'd, yes?
Posted: 6/3/22 at 12:11pm
dramamama611 said: "Wasn't there also a failed sitcom based on this? I think CRITICALLY the film was well rec'd, yes?"
Not sure about the sitcom, but yes to critical acclaim. Three oscar noms, and a win for Cameron Crowe for Best Original Screenplay.
EDIT -- and two Golden Globe wins.
Updated On: 6/3/22 at 12:11 PM
Posted: 6/3/22 at 12:20pm
I watched the movie for the first time earlier this year. I don't think it's aged well. It's a young straight boy's coming of age story/wish fulfillment. While the portrayal of the female characters is... sympathetic, you can feel the patronizing nice guy energy underneath the charm of the actors. And the manic pixie dream girl romanticization.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 12:23pm
VintageSnarker said: "I watched the movie for the first time earlier this year. I don't think it's aged well. It's a young straight boy's coming of age story/wish fulfillment. While the portrayal of the female characters is... sympathetic, you can feel the patronizing nice guy energy underneath the charm of the actors. And the manic pixie dream girl romanticization."
Not to mention, you know, the central sexual relationship between a grown-ass man and a 16-year-old (and I'm the Almost Famous superfan... no getting around that one!). It is what it is. I would hope they change Penny's age.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 12:35pm
It took place in the 1970s and filmed in 1999. You can't really look at it through a 2022 lens, it doesn't make sense. Besides, the age of consent is 16. However, in the musical I believe Penny is in her late teens/early 20s.
This was a critically acclaimed film, one of the best reviewed movies of 2000 and is a cult classic so I think interest is definitely there.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 12:40pm
Disappointed Colin Donnell didn’t continue with this, I like him and was looking forward to him finally getting back on Broadway.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 12:45pm
EllieRose2 said: "It took place in the 1970s and filmed in 1999. You can't really look at it through a 2022 lens, it doesn't make sense. Besides, the age of consent is 16. However, in the musical I believe Penny is in her late teens/early 20s.
This was a critically acclaimed film, one of the best reviewed movies of 2000 and is a cult classic so I think interest is definitely there."
Oh yeah, no question -- and reflects the reality of the time, for sure.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 12:53pm
I wasn't a fan of the song they posted, but the negative overreaction here is incredible. Read the out-of-town reviews, they were all extremely positive.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 1:13pm
They often are - but that doesn't necessarily hold water against a NY/Broadway audience & critics. (I have no opinion on this at all.)
Posted: 6/3/22 at 1:53pm
Almost Famous is one of my all time favorite films, I am definitely interested in seeing this. For those who have never seen the film the Director's Cut is the one to watch.
The film was just released in a 4K version which includes both cuts (theatrical and director's cut).
Posted: 6/3/22 at 1:56pm
I love the movie, I can’t wait to hear more of the score and I want the show to succeed but I don’t understand how they plan to sell this show with that artwork. The film poster is iconic and even if you haven’t seen the film it’s likely you’d recognize that poster art. I’m not saying they needed to replicate that exact art for Broadway but the art they landed on just doesn’t work for me. It’s difficult to understand how the producers and creative team would see the art and think it’ll help sell their show.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 2:30pm
gibsons2 said: "SouthernCakes said: "I don’t know the movie but isn’t it like a journalist traveling with a band? Seems like the opposite kind of show that would work on stage."
I found the movie to be unwatchable, couldn't finish even a third. Tried to get familiar with the material before deciding whether to purchase tickets or not, so this probably won't be on my list of fall shows."<
i also tried to watch and could not get through past the first half hour. If I do happen to get the chance to see this, I’m not saying it’ll be bad, but I’ll be going on without knowing anything. Especially the aforementioned plot of being about a touring band. Very interesting.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 2:35pm
CATSNYrevival said: "I love the movie, I can’t wait to hear more of the score and I want the show to succeed but I don’t understand how they plan to sell this show with that artwork. The film poster is iconic and even if you haven’t seen the film it’s likely you’d recognize that poster art. I’m not saying they needed to replicate that exact art for Broadway but the art they landed on just doesn’t work for me. It’s difficult to understand how the producers and creative team would see the art and think it’ll help sell their show."
Watch them Paradise Square this. I wonder how many other decent shows have struggled at least partially because their key art sucked.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 2:40pm
dramamama611 said: "They often are - but that doesn't necessarily hold water against a NY/Broadway audience & critics. (I have no opinion on this at all.)"
Two of them being the LA Times and Variety, which I deem to be fairly significant.
Posted: 6/3/22 at 3:07pm
I'm so grateful they put this on sale before they could sign the contracts on a specific theater. It's been hard to sleep the past few months not being able to buy tickets.
