^They’re all ensemble and also (I suppose) members of the Royal Court and basically just hot and examples of how everyone in the village is “perfect”. The middle one is also the Baker and I love him. They’re onstage a lot during the show and have a whole number where they workout and fence and just show off. ALW is obviously targeting the kids and the gays with this show.
blaxx said: "SouthernCakes said: "I’m not sure how’d they pull this off in a Broadway house. But a similar thing happened in the original Cats on Broadway, right? So it is possible! "
No, the Winter Garden stage wasn't a rotating one like the West End's Cats."
They removed the first few rows of orchestra street (up to about row L, I think), then built a semicircular extension of the stage about halfway through the open space, They then replaced the removed seats (or at least what would fit), wrapping them around the extension (the orchestra was off-stage). Essentially the fist few rows were like a thrust stage theatre. The "junkyard" set itself extended into the auditorium (including up into the mezzanine). From what I understand, the staircase for Grizabella's exited came down from the back of the stage in London. On Broadway it came out of the ceiling above the stage extension.
You are correct, though. Neither the stage nor any seats moved or resolved. I believe the Winter Garden was chosen because it is a fairly wide theatre, so more people could be close to the action (though the cats went out into the audience anyway).
1. Buns ’N’ Roses 2. It Has to Be Her 3. Bad Cinderella 4. So Long 5. Unfair 6. Unbreakable 7. Hunks’ Song 8. Man’s Man 9. So Long (Reprise) / Introduction to Only You, Lonely You 10. Only You, Lonely You 11. The Queen’s Boudoir In The Palace 12. I know You 13. I Know You (Reprise) 14. The Village Square 15. Unfair (Reprise) 16. The Godmother’s Shop 17. Beauty Has A Price 18. Fanfare 19. The Cinderella Waltz 20. The Ball 21. I Know I Have A Heart 22. Act 2 Scene 2 23. I Am No Longer Me 24. Moment Of Triumph 25. What Were You Thinking? / Introduction to Far Too Late 26. Far Too Late 27. Ego Has A Price (Reprise) 28. The Wedding Fanfare 29. The Wedding March 30. The Ceremony 31. The Vanquishing Of The Three-Headed Sea Witch 32. Man’s Man (Reprise) 33. Marry For Love 34. Cinderella’s Soliloquy 35. The Wedding Party 36. Finale 37. Marry For Love (Full Version / Bonus Track) 38. Only You, Lonely You (US Single Version / Bonus Track)
Thank you for the review, Jordan! Everything I've heard from this so far has surprised me (in a good way).
"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
The ‘man’s man’ song also had dramatic importance because it’s helping to setup that prince Sebastian is not really a man’s man like Prince Charming, making him a little bit of an outsider. Additionally it makes the wedding twist a little more funny when Prince Charming returns. Turns out he is a “man’s man” but not for the reasons they were singing about.
Interestingly the cast recording has a ‘US SIngle’ version of what I think is the best song (only you, lonely you). Similar arrangement rather than a pop reboot but with Todrick Hall singing (good performance).
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Many of the tracks are now uploaded to the shows official YouTube account - I’ve gone through a lot of them and I think this is Webber really returning to his old form of just purely enjoyable songs. Can’t wait for the full album tomorrow!
It appears that Adam Lambert is singing the role of Prince Charming and I have no idea why. Also, the full “Marry For Love” isn’t here, sung by that character. How…odd.
I'll definitely check the liner notes when my copy cd arrives. He seems to prefer having a recording out as soon as performances begin (if not before), even though there are inevitable changes and cut songs. Which I suppose means that if it eventually crosses the pond we can look forward to an "American premiere recording"
I’m enjoying the album. I think the story is just wacky enough to merit a new musical adaptation. As mentioned previously if you don’t enjoy “Bad Cinderella” and “Only You, Lonely You” I’m afraid the score won’t have much more to offer you as those two melodies are revisited frequently in the recitative. I’d love some spoilers on what exactly is happening in the transformation scene. The Godmother sounds frightening.
Cinderella arrives at a shop with some glass cases and sees the “crystal shoes” and is greeted by The Stepmother. Around the point in the song where she asks “is this really what you want to look like?” she puts Cinderella in a barbers chair and puts a lighted white porcelain face mask on her. Then the chair is “swapped out” with another with a dummy Cinderella that the Stepmother starts “injecting” with long syringes and working on with various “tools”.
I am enjoying the album. I think this is his best since Sunset Boulevard in terms of the score and musicality of the score. Just a bunch of nice songs. A good return to form.
Being a huge ALW fan - and I credit Aspects of Love - (the first musical I ever saw on Broadway) with my interest in theater, I've been waiting for a "full score" of his that I might enjoy again like Aspects and Sunset. Steven Ward was definitely not that for me, nor was School of Rock (which the CD underwhelmed me that it's probably the first ALW show on Broadway that I skipped)
Anyway, I had enjoyed all the releases of the 4 songs from Cinderella and had high hopes. I'm now on my second listen of the entire album and it's terrific. It's great to hear ALW having fun - and composing some of his beautiful melodies in this score. Very hopeful this will eventually make it to NY and curious to hear how the score will change (since this was recorded over a year ago)