Allegiance Previews- Page 7
Allegiance Previews
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#150Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/9/15 at 1:29pm
macnyc said: "Regarding one of Salonga's tweets, has there been a questionnaire to fill out after the show? Would a regular audience member be given the opportunity to do that? I've been to many previews, and no one at any of them has ever asked for my opinion. (I haven't seen Allegiance yet.)"
LizzieCurry describes it on the previous page. It sounds rather involved, which I think is a good thing, though quite challenging given the short time frame they have.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#152Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/9/15 at 2:37pm
That's interesting. I wonder if they started doing that last night.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#153Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/9/15 at 3:40pm
Well, they probably had things they wanted to change after the first preview or two, and are trying to gauge whether they are dialing in on those changes better. No use having people weigh in on something you are already in the process of fixing/have identified as needing it?
Phan2
Understudy Joined: 6/1/15
#154Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 7:35am
I agree that simply because a story is "important," it does not deserve to get a free pass from its flaws, and yes, I agree that the work still ideally should be done well. The problem with assessing this production, as LizzieCurry stated, is that it is purely subjective what the weaker elements are in Allegiance, and how weak are those weaknesses. (For example, one person thought the characters were not well-formed, whereas another person thought the characters were fully formed.) Likewise, another question is, even given that a particular audience member may note some weaknesses of this production, do the strengths that are perceived by this viewer outweigh the weaknesses that the viewer notes. And again, this is purely subjective, as was seen by those who saw the musical and posted a positive review, versus those who saw the musical and gave it a negative review. For some the flaws may sink the ship. For others, the flaws may be so outweighed by the strengths of the show that they are moved, even to the point of being brought to tears. Subjective.
Someone also mentioned that the music is not an asset to the production because they lyrics are not well-written. That may, or may not, be the consensus in regard to most of the songs by most of those people who saw the show. . . I don't know. But I do know that even some who gave negative reviews mentioned that one of the strengths of the show is how well the members of the cast sing. Additionally, one person who gave a positive review felt that this was the best new score she or he has heard in a while (and several mentioned the score as a positive as well). Others who gave positive reviews cited their favorite songs and how the power of the singing moved them.
Another strength mentioned by both those who gave positive reviews, and even by some who gave negative reviews, was the strength of the cast, with some mentioning there is not a weak link in the cast. In addition to mentioning how well they sang, several (even those who gave overall negative reviews) mentioned how compelling their acting was.
I respect that people have different opinions. Some feel the strengths fail to overcome the weaknesses. And it does seem that the show itself is trying to improve on some issues, such as giving more depth to some characterization, which is positive. But even in the early stage of the previews, at least in this thread, there are those who believe the strengths of the show outweigh the negatives, to the extent that they feel moved by the production.
AaronSallan: "The book is pretty predictable, but that didn't matter too much, as the cast was impeccable. The messages will resonate with me for a while. I am so pleased with this show. Both me and my Dad were head over heels."
MNC77: "Whizzer has a point about the characters and lyrics being a little generic at times, fitting into definite cliches, but the design elements, cast and score were enough to make everything seem very real for me, and the material itself is very meaty."
bunnie3: "Hav e to say I wept like baby thru most of act 1, in a great way. I found this play tremendously moving, viscerally. You could hear a pin drop throughout. There was just something SO passionate, and genuine in the troupe, it pretty outweighed for me, the flaws that whizzer and others have pointed out. [...] imho, a story that should be told , and succeeded on many levels."
After Eight: "Its unaffected honesty, simplicity, heart and soul enable it to rise above its shortcomings to provide an affecting evening in the theatre. I was moved on more than a few occasions."
So several people had emotional responses to the show, but they also cited reasons why they were moved (whether it was the compelling acting of the cast, the score, the emotion behind the story itself, the messages, and/or the singing).
Updated On: 10/10/15 at 07:35 AM
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#155Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 9:51am
I think it's too early to pull-quote a defense paper, Phan2. We already agree that responses are mixed (*on this board). Let's just hope more people see it through the preview period and report on what changes they're making.
Also, I realized that Salonga's assertions are even more off base considering the show's Twitter account is already retweeting positive pull-quotes from preview viewers. Can't have it both ways if a creative team genuinely wishes to improve their work for public consumption, though it's important to retain the original vision.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#156Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 10:23am
Phan2 said: "I agree that simply because a story is "important," it does not deserve to get a free pass from its flaws, and yes, I agree that the work still ideally should be done well. The problem with assessing this production, as LizzieCurry stated, is that it is purely subjective what the weaker elements are in Allegiance, and how weak are those weaknesses."
Your honor, I object. The counselor for the defense is entering testimony... if he has something to say, he can put an eyewitness on the stand.
#157Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 10:29am
As to changes, an entirely new song and more changes from Telly went in last night.
On Telly's Facebook page, he posted the clip of Lea singing "A Whole New World", noting that she had such a long day with that, rehearsals, and doing a show that night. And she replied, "Given the changes you had to deal with, you are the rock star."
Updated On: 10/10/15 at 10:29 AM#158Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 10:37am
I can't remember last time I wanted to sneak into a theatre to see a show for free twice a week during previews just to see what they're doing. Maybe Spider-Man.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#159Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 10:42am
I am seeing the show again tomorrow night! I can't wait to see what changes they have made since Tuesday night.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
#160Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 10:53am
I would see this more often usually, but since I'm on a budget and their lotto excludes me, I'll just go toward the end of previews and see where it all landed...
#161Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 2:39pm
Same here. (I'm also excluded from the lotto.) I was laid off at the end of July and while I'm temping pretty regularly right now, it's not enough for me to come back to this and Spring Awakening repeatedly -- I'd do both if I could.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Phan2
Understudy Joined: 6/1/15
#162Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 3:19pm
Pootie2 said: "I think it's too early to pull-quote a defense paper, Phan2. We already agree that responses are mixed (*on this board)."
Really? I didn't realize there were rules on this board, . . . seems in the past I've seen many comments that were more inappropriate than quoting others. I wanted to respond to statements where you indicated that the production did not seem to have any clearly identified strengths that would support success from the mainstream audience. So I quoted the specific strengths identified by some of those posting positive reviews.
"It's important to remember that about 80% of the Broadway audience is white, so the basic premise of historical-racism-against-minority isn't a great marketing platform for anyone unfamiliar with and indifferent to the history. There has to be some kind of mainstream appeal for commercial success [...] Allegiance's lyrics aren't smart or poetic, though I like the melodies of what I've heard [...] And if the family drama lacks drama in the mature sense of nuance as Whizzer argues, that would probably bug me."
"
Updated On: 10/10/15 at 03:19 PM
Understudy Joined: 12/31/69
#163Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 3:26pm
neonlightsxo said: "Scarywarhol, I have to agree with you. I have not seen this incarnation but saw the show previously. I will never understand why producers don't take the hint when they can't get funding for their show. If you have a worthy musical, the funding will come. It took them forever to get to Broadway. There is a reason.
a lot of worthy musicals never make it to Broadway...
#164Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 3:42pm
Phan2, I don't think anyone was implying or saying you were breaking a rule (unspoken or otherwise) or regulating what you were saying.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#165Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 4:59pm
LizzieCurry said: "Phan2, I don't think anyone was implying or saying you were breaking a rule (unspoken or otherwise) or regulating what you were saying."
But I do think finding 4 people on BWW who said X versus 4 people on BWW who said Y still doesn't amount to a hill of beans, since that would barely be one row of one performance. Statistically, those are just 8 anecdotes.
#166Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 7:21pm
Oh, I agree. I understand trying to build a case, but at least wait until you have more to go with.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#167Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 7:52pm
Phan2 said: "Pootie2 said: "I think it's too early to pull-quote a defense paper, Phan2. We already agree that responses are mixed (*on this board)."
Really? I didn't realize there were rules on this board, . . . seems in the past I've seen many comments that were more inappropriate than quoting others. I wanted to respond to statements where you indicated that the production did not seem to have any clearly identified strengths that would support success from the mainstream audience. So I quoted the specific strengths identified by some of those posting positive reviews.
"
Unnecessarily defensive. It wasn't clear that you were responding specifically to my earlier broad post as an argument, so your post seemed pull-quotey in the way the Allegiance Twitter account has been retweeting positive tweets. But between the positive and negative comments in this thread so far, there are clearly gems in the show, all we have are mixed (p)reviews from an extremely small sample size, as the others above point out. That's why I mentioned mainstream. When I aggregate data for study, I try to aim for hundreds to thousands of data points across representative contexts to help with statistical validity (though this is more qualitative than quantitative). I think these threads are like pilot studies with limited representation--very important to note critically and would provide direction for further study, but the assessments may or may not directly translate to the "wild." So literally the only thing we know from this preview thread in the broad sense is "mixed reactions."
The real pattern of interest despite this small sample size, IMO, is consistency: What criticisms and praise are consistent? Is a specific area of the book or a single song consistently seen as ineffective? Is someone in the cast consistently lauded? A character? Did most people come already knowing some background? Were the most positive/negative reviews from people with a background in XYZ? That's where it gets interesting and where a pilot study can be launched into something bigger: So I hope the creatives are getting useful feedback in those questionnaires. I'd love to see the aggregate data.
The subjective evaluation is what allows people to weigh separate elements differently in importance, but if even the the positive reviews say they enjoyed something enough to outweigh a different viewer's criticism, the important part isn't the outweighing--it's the fact that the positive review also recognized the weakness. If a weakness is recognized by all sides of an audience, while one end of the spectrum isn't going to give it a pass and the other end will, it makes more sense to address it rather than hang on the hope that more people will fall on the end of overlooking it.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#168Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 8:14pm
Had I written the score, Allegiance would be good.
BwayinVan
Broadway Star Joined: 1/24/14
#169Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 9:23pm
I really hope this show does well. I had this on my schedule for my spring trip however judging by the reviews it's receiving it may move down the list. I really hope they make the necessary changes because I think it is an important story to tell.
#170Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 9:25pm
BwayinVan said: "I really hope this show does well. I had this on my schedule for my spring trip however judging by the reviews it's receiving it may move down the list. I really hope they make the necessary changes because I think it is an important story to tell."
Opens proper in 4 weeks, easy enough to know where things land before your trip...
Phan2
Understudy Joined: 6/1/15
#171Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 10:44pm
The first week of the show isn't even over. This thread has only one dozen reviews from people who have actually seen the show. A tiny number. And the majority of those who have seen the show gave positive to mixed reviews. Yet, some are predicting the show is doomed to a short run or talking as if the positive aspects of the show are not relevant.
I wasn't trying to prove that statistically that Allegiance is more likely to succeed than fail. I reviewed the positive comments from those who saw the show, as a response to those who were focusing on the negative comments. LizzeCurry, I'm not trying to build a case that Allegiance is the greatest show. I haven't seen the show and will not be able to, so I cannot state my opinion about that. I'm merely try to remind some who seem to not recognize the positive aspects that others have brought up about the show, that those positive aspects do exist. Others may see that as being premature at this point in time, but I see nothing wrong with bringing up the positives that are noted by those who have seen the show, since the negatives that have been stated by some people who have seen the show are being brought up by others into the discussion. The main difference is that I used quotation marks.
Updated On: 10/10/15 at 10:44 PM
#172Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 11:00pm
To me, this show will prove whether building a platform translates to longevity. The creative team have been hard at work to make Takei a social media phenom and that wasn't some weird thing that happened in addition to Allegiance, but because of it. So you have Takei with 9M followers on Facebook, and 1.75M on Twitter, and even the show itself has more than a half million Facebook followers (compared to Hamilton at 24K, Spring Awakening at 18K, etc.)
And even in previews, they have had 90+% of the house full for most (if not all) performances. Even on slow days such as Halloween, they have the matinee designated as Pinoy Day, and the evening performance as Star Trek Day (where people can attend in costume).
So, they have put a lot of muscle into the business engine of the show, leaving the show itself as the only thing to perfect and get right.
As to people saying negative things about the show? It's BWW. That's kind of what people do. 
#173Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 11:03pm
Phan2 said: "I wasn't trying to prove that statistically that Allegiance is more likely to succeed than fail. I reviewed the positive comments from those who saw the show, as a response to those who were focusing on the negative comments."
If people who want to say negative things lean on the negative comments to back up their argument, and those who want to say positive things lean on the positive comments just prove that you can easily construct any narrative you want?
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#174Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 11:41pm
haterobics said: "To me, this show will prove whether building a platform translates to longevity. The creative team have been hard at work to make Takei a social media phenom and that wasn't some weird thing that happened in addition to Allegiance, but because of it. So you have Takei with 9M followers on Facebook, and 1.75M on Twitter, and even the show itself has more than a half million Facebook followers (compared to Hamilton at 24K, Spring Awakening at 18K, etc.)
And even in previews, they have had 90+% of the house full for most (if not all) performances. Even on slow days such as Halloween, they have the matinee designated as Pinoy Day, and the evening performance as Star Trek Day (where people can attend in costume).
So, they have put a lot of muscle into the business engine of the show, leaving the show itself as the only thing to perfect and get right.
As to people saying negative things about the show? It's BWW. That's kind of what people do. "
Wait, are you saying that Takei's social media presence happened because of Allegiance? I may be parsing that wrong, but Takei's social media weight was gained long before Allegiance became an idea. Rather, the creative team is making good use of an automatic and free marketing engine right there. Salonga is also promoting to her followers by tweeting about the show progress and is quite active on social media.
Meanwhile, someone at a preview has already posted a photo on Twitter of someone in a Star Trek uniform. I expect their Halloween publicity stunt to be a mini scifi convention cosplay; I believe there's now an added treat of (potentially) meeting Takei himself if you dress up.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
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