Allegiance Previews- Page 12

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 3:07pm

The show freezes today, FYI.

[Pootie2]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 3:14pm

It opens Nov 8, right? I wasn't sure when previews ended exactly. Well, if official theater reviews are anything like the assessments here (mixed), that will probably make for some interesting discussion.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 3:26pm

For me, I found it strange that the show wouldn't strongly go after the government for doing something so unambiguously wrong. That wouldn't offend me. I was actually kind of turned off by such simplistic, villainous, cardboard individual young characters who are supposed to stand in for the problem. 

Updated On: 10/30/15 at 03:26 PM

[BWNUT]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 4:25pm

Misery and tragedy can be uplifting when presented through the prism of art by people who know how. Miss Saigon and Les Miserables are not afraid to show  the misery and tragedy inflicted upon individuals by the actions of their respective governments. You could not get any "downer" than that and yet both shows touch millions and provide audiences with catharsis, uplift, joy. Makes me wonder what Schonberg and Co.  could have done with this material.  Or is that level of artistry beyond the reach of Arima and Co.?

Updated On: 10/30/15 at 04:25 PM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 4:28pm

"Or is that kind of artistry beyond the reach of Arima and Co.?"

Yes. It is, unfortunately.

[lite2shine]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 5:17pm

haterobics said: "The show freezes today, FYI.

 

"

Are you connected with the crew/cast? Lea just tweeted about it 4 min ago way after you mentioned about it.

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 5:27pm

lite2shine said: "Are you connected with the crew/cast? Lea just tweeted about it 4 min ago way after you mentioned about it."

 

Nope. https://www.facebook.com/579515442/posts/10153092907790443/?pnref=story

 

[lite2shine]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 6:17pm

Thanks haterobics! From the FB tag, I went to an assistant director (intern?) Makiko Shibuya's articles in Japanese. Super insightful. She said during two weeks of preview period, they've changed the prologue and opening number's lyrics and choreography, 100+ lines were changed too. 

[Pootie2]

Posted: 10/30/15 at 6:57pm

lite2shine said: "Thanks haterobics! From the FB tag, I went to an assistant director (intern?) Makiko Shibuya's articles in Japanese. Super insightful. She said during two weeks of preview period, they've changed the prologue and opening number's lyrics and choreography, 100+ lines were changed too. "

At least they're trying; I have to give props for that.

 

*(or "were" trying since it's frozen today!)

Updated On: 10/30/15 at 06:57 PM

[Monty12112]

Posted: 11/1/15 at 8:08am

I was very pleased seeing the show on Saturday.  I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and the story it told.  I would definitely recommend going to see this.  I had seats in the front mezz and it was a great view.

For those who were wondering about stage door:

Sat matinee: Everyone besides George Takei came out to sign.  Lea quickly signed but did not pose for pictures. 

Sat evening: Everyone came out this time including George.  Lea took pictures this time.  many people left after lea came out and signed.  George was last to come out.  He took his time and gladly signed and took pictures for all those who waited.  He was so nice and thankful.

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/2/15 at 11:27am

More info on changes from Telly:

 

"Last week, they added two new numbers and were reconceiving another. What I love about the team of Allegiance is they hold nothing sacred. They are willing to kill the artistic baby—that song they slaved hours over. If it’s not working, they’re not afraid to cut it. I now have a number based on a real event. Many of the people in Heart Mountain, the internment camp, started their own baseball team. They reconceived a number that’s about that—they all come together and find joy and a way to pass the time. They find baseball. And there really was a Heart Mountain All Stars team."

 

http://www.out.com/michael-musto/2015/11/02/telly-leung-three-week-rule-keeps-his-relationship-strong

[Pootie2]

Posted: 11/2/15 at 12:10pm

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Monty12112.

 

haterobics said: "More info on changes from Telly: 

 

"Last week, they added two new numbers and were reconceiving another. What I love about the team of Allegiance is they hold nothing sacred. They are willing to kill the artistic baby—that song they slaved hours over. If it’s not working, they’re not afraid to cut it. I now have a number based on a real event. Many of the people in Heart Mountain, the internment camp, started their own baseball team. They reconceived a number that’s about that—they all come together and find joy and a way to pass the time. They find baseball. And there really was a Heart Mountain All Stars team."

http://www.out.com/michael-musto/2015/11/02/telly-leung-three-week-rule-keeps-his-relationship-strong

"

 

Thanks for that. The "baseball number" was mentioned a few times in this thread as being out of place, so I wonder if this change (attempts to) addresses that? I understand that the idea of "life must also go on" is an important theme in this show, which is why they wouldn't want to cut such a scene entirely (Takei talked about baseball in one of the video documentaries). Can't wait to hear reports from people who have seen a preview and will see after opening.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 12:14pm

http://entertainment.inquirer.net/182701/we-are-frozen

 

[Pootie2]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 1:26pm

I've wondered about this before, but can someone explain why preview shows would continue for a week after being frozen?

 

And a new article:

http://www.backstage.com/interview/george-takei-and-lea-salonga-break-groundagain-allegiance/?ts_pid=1&utm_content=inf_2_3098_1

[JBroadway]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 1:33pm

"I've wondered about this before, but can someone explain why preview shows would continue for a week after being frozen?"

 

I'm just speculating here, but I might guess that it's because they want time to allow whatever changes they've made to become engrained in the actors before they officially open. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 1:34pm

Pootie2 said: "I've wondered about this before, but can someone explain why preview shows would continue for a week after being frozen?"

 

To give the cast a few shows to lock in their performance after changing it daily before that, plus most reviewers come for the final previews, not opening night or post-opening...

[Pootie2]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 2:42pm

JBroadway said: "I'm just speculating here, but I might guess that it's because they want time to allow whatever changes they've made to become engrained in the actors before they officially open. "

 

haterobics said: "To give the cast a few shows to lock in their performance after changing it daily before that, plus most reviewers come for the final previews, not opening night or post-opening..."

 

Makes sense, thanks, especially reviewer/press access.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 11:27pm

Now that the show is frozen I decided to go back tonight to take in all of the publicized changes and see how effective they might be. I'm pleased, and frankly surprised by all the work that was done and the end result is a far better show than what I witnessed at the first preview. I haven't seen a musical change this much during the preview period since 13. It still isn't perfect and it's a shame that the work done in the past three weeks wasn't implemented during the out of town try-out/before the New York run, but I have to give the creatives kudos for not sitting on their hands and improving their show in real, meaningful ways.

 

The characters, which I previously found to be cardboard cutouts, have been significantly fleshed out and the performances have gotten better because the actors actually have something to play with now. The framing device has been tinkered with and so much for the better. The show now ends on a new song called "Still a Chance" which is one of the best in the show and million times more moving than the Wishes on the Wind (reprise) that once was in that spot. The book scene at the end is now very affecting and Takei really has a chance to show off some acting chops.

 

Even Arima's direction is better. There's less bombast and more naturalism, which is what the material needs.

 

Get in the Game has been overhauled and what once felt out of place is now integrated into the plot. 442 Victory Swing is much shorter (the entire dance break has thankfully been cut), but I still don't think it quite captures that Live, Laugh, Love happy-masking-the-tragic feeling they were going for.

 

I'm glad I saw Allegiance again and am happy to actually see a Broadway show undergo changes in previews, which is such a rarity nowadays. The reviews still might be mixed, but this went from a show I was not recommending at all to something worth checking out.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 11:32pm

Wow, Whizzer. I generally agree with you and very much agreed with your early assessment. I'd love to be wrong on this, especially for George. I may have to go back now.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 11:53pm

Yeah, I was just as surprised by my change of heart this evening. Who knows if my reaction would have been different if this was my first time seeing it, but knowing where the piece was at the first preview and seeing how much it improved impressed me. So many times we see shows that have some degree of potential, but stubbornly don't/won't make a single change during previews (e.g., Big Fish, Catch Me If You Can, Chaplin). Allegiance's creatives took whatever criticisms reached them to heart and made legitimate attempts to correct problem areas. And don't get me wrong, this is still no Fun Home or Follies or Caroline, or Change, but by the end I was moved.

[Pootie2]

Posted: 11/5/15 at 1:29am

Thanks for weighing in again, WhizzerMarvin.  Hearing about significant positive changes from the source of an early in-depth critique is great.

[MVintheheartland]

Posted: 11/5/15 at 10:04am

Thanks, Whizzer, for you updated review. I saw it about 2 weeks ago and just loved it, perhaps a lot of the changes had already been made. I could not understand the dislike that other posters had. 

The big criticism seems to be it is melodramatic, but for me, it was just a riveting story. The woman I went with had parents who were in the Poston, Arizona intern camp, and everything in the show was true, from signing the allegiance documents, to virtually no medical care given the Japanese Americans. 

I think it's a great show, and hope it is a success. (end of soapbox)

 

[Pootie2]

Posted: 11/5/15 at 11:01am

I'm certainly glad to hear the positive audience opinions because I want this show to at least have a healthy run. But I have noticed in many of their word-of-mouth retweets that there's a significant Asian audience. On one hand, that's a great thing for two reasons: more minority attendees, and it shows that they're properly paying homage to the topic when the survivors/relatives give positive feedback. But commercially, the show has to attract people who have neither personal connection to the history nor even much knowledge about it, and that means the rest of the show (artistry, etc.) must stand up to greater scrutiny, in my opinion, precisely because it's an important subject matter that should be well-served by the musical. Reading a critical turnabout like Whizzer's report is really great in that respect.

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/5/15 at 11:16am

So, when every other show has all white people, people find that troubling... but when a good chunk of non-white people go, then we're going to start wondering where all the white people are at?! Can't win on here, hehe.

 

I don't think it means anything or is surprising. If I went to On Your feet, I'd expect to see more Latino people in the audience, too...

[Pootie2]

Posted: 11/5/15 at 11:43am

haterobics said: "So, when every other show has all white people, people find that troubling... but when a good chunk of non-white people go, then we're going to start wondering where all the white people are at?! Can't win on here, hehe.

I don't think it means anything or is surprising. If I went to On Your feet, I'd expect to see more Latino people in the audience, too..."

 

That's not my problem. From my point of view, it's not a specific race problem that there are fewer minorities going to Broadway shows because I think that's less a statement about content and more about pricing and income stratification in the broader economic sense. The difference from a happy jukebox musical like On Your Feet is that Allegiance is very race-centric in a historically negative sense. I don't think Gloria Estefan could have been that commercially successful without a lot of non-Latino support, so while that audience is a bit more "outside in" to me (like more Latinos adding to a white audience), Allegiance's audience approach is sort of more "inside out"--taking an internal story largely unknown to the population and trying to popularize it, from a racial minority to the non-Japanese/Asian masses. You should be able to guess which target audience approach is going to be more challenging.