Allegiance Previews- Page 8
Allegiance Previews
#175Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 11:44pm
I thought I'd heard Takei say that the reason he began having a social media presence, years ago, was about this show. No?
#176Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 11:51pm
I don't remember where I heard that, but that sounds familiar to me as well.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#177Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 11:53pm
Pootie2 said: "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."
Yes, I am totally saying that. Takei's social media is managed by The Social Edge, which has Lorenzo Thione as its CEO (aka Allegiance's producer and co-book writer ) and Jay Kuo as its Chief Creative Officer (aka Allegiance's composer and lyricist). This show has been in development long before Takei even started his Facebook page in 2011.
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#178Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/10/15 at 11:53pm
rcwr said: "I thought I'd heard Takei say that the reason he began having a social media presence, years ago, was about this show. No?
"
Really? I'd like to hear that interview (not being suspicious, just very curious). I could've sworn he joined because of his activism, and he was promoting a book; I've only noticed the mostly political and comedy bits in his accounts besides the show more recently. Ten million online followers is quite an amazing feat for just this purpose, if that's so.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#179Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 12:04am
Pootie, I don't have a link, I'm sorry. Maybe somebody else will remember where he said it.
#180Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 12:04am
Pootie2 said: "I could've sworn he joined because of his activism, and he was promoting a book..."
You don't think the book(s) were about platform-building for Allegiance, either?! Oh myyy... 
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#181Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 12:14am
haterobics said: "Pootie2 said: "I could've sworn he joined because of his activism, and he was promoting a book..."
You don't think the book(s) were about platform-building for Allegiance, either?! Oh myyy... "
Ha! Wow, I remember seeing that "Social Edge" connected to one of the creatives when casually browsing and never thought about the relationship. That's ridiculous...and what a fantastic experiment on social media presence and audience exposure and how that potentially translates to ticket sales. (Although I hope Takei and Salonga can also remind their followers to behave in the theater if they don't know etiquette.)
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#182Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 12:30am
Here is Lorenzo putting all the pieces together: http://www.wsj.com/articles/george-takeis-road-from-star-trek-to-broadway-1438563178
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#183Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 12:40am
haterobics said: "Here is Lorenzo putting all the pieces together: http://www.wsj.com/articles/george-takeis-road-from-star-trek-to-broadway-1438563178
"
Thanks! Wow. I am super amaze. I'm sad I missed that article because it's full of the stuff I commented on upstream (how do they market this? etc.).
And I really enjoy their documentary series. Transparency is great.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#184Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 12:50am
Pootie2 said: "(Although I hope Takei and Salonga can also remind their followers to behave in the theater if they don't know etiquette.)"
Lea Salonga is definitely not shy about calling out bad theatre behavior.
And thanks for that link, haterobics!
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
A Director
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/18/07
#185Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 2:14am
The folks who wrote the show are also producing it. That is not a good sign. They need an objective eye. When is comes to theatre, they are just starting out.
They are handing out surveys. LOL! Name one Broadway producer, past or present, who used/uses surveys.
Just like Amazing Grace, this is a vanity project.
#186Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 2:19am
Name one Broadway producer, past or present, who used/uses surveys.
Well, Finding Neverland at ART had that show quality survey to determine whether Riedel or Weinstein would get an ice bucket on their head...
(I was happy to vote despite hating them both)
#187Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 2:19am
A Director said: "The folks who wrote the show are also producing it. That is not a good sign. They need an objective eye. When is comes to theatre, they are just starting out."
They sorted that out a while ago, which is why they brought Marc Acito in to work on the book.
#188Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 7:22am
Basing on the twitter feedbacks and instagram photos I saw online. The show's marketing group is really doing a great job. Heard people who watched the show are happy and satisfied but then again these are mostly Takei and Salonga fans. Attendance is great as most previews are packed if not 90% attendance.
Salonga was in Good Morning America the other day for Disney's Alladin reunion. She performed (although not from allegiance) and promoted allegiance. The video became a viral video in less than 48 hours. Good free ride on promo for Allegiance right there.
I hope this show is still running by spring of 2016. Coz that's the only chance I have to go down south and watch Allegiance.
#189Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 9:44am
Haterobics, I have to disagree that they got their subjectivity as producers "sorted out" by hiring a third book writer. Nobody who works creatively in musical theatre and isn't directly involved could listen to these lyrics and think they are competent. I applaud the team for having such passion, but it seems really dangerous.
Updated On: 10/11/15 at 09:44 AM#190Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 10:53am
Scarywarhol said: "Haterobics, I have to disagree that they got their subjectivity as producers "sorted out" by hiring a third book writer. Nobody who works creatively in musical theatre and isn't directly involved could listen to these lyrics and think they are competent. I applaud the team for having such passion, but it seems really dangerous. "
I haven't been to the show yet, so I can't say. But realizing you need to bring someone else in to write, since it is a skill set you may not have completely nailed down, is not a move every show has made. I'm talking about the intent... there are many ways to get to an unsatisfying result, though.
Pootie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/1/14
#191Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 11:24am
A Director said: "They are handing out surveys. LOL! Name one Broadway producer, past or present, who used/uses surveys."
Why is that a bad thing? It's a method. Name one Broadway production that positioned its conceptual lead into a social media juggernaut. Name one Broadway production that raised $100k by asking for $5 in exchange for early access and OCR download, just to gauge interest. If audience reactions are important in the preview process, it actually makes more sense to delve deeper if possible; if the show is in a much better (subjective) place for a greater percentage of people by the time it opens, that would be proof this method worked for them; why is that bad?
Occasionally there are going to be amazing groundbreaking things like Hamilton, but Broadway as a business isn't very groundbreaking. Statistically, this show still very likely won't recoup, but new blood and new methods aren't automatically bad things. New ideas have to be balanced against pure inexperience, of course.
#BoycottTrumplikePattiMurin
#192Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 12:17pm
As someone who took one of the surveys, they were very comprehensive, and I was impressed. It didn't seem desperate at all -- they honestly wanted to know what people thought. And as someone else said earlier, I would also love to see the aggregate data.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#193Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 12:21pm
I get e-mailed surveys after seeing any show at the Public, Roundabout, or Playwrights Horizon. Not Broadway, but I don't think it is some unheard of thing in the theater world...
Cupid Boy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/5/13
#194Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 12:45pm
A Director said: "Just like Amazing Grace, this is a vanity project."
Out of curiosity, have you even seen Allegiance? Or has the knowledge you've acquired on a message board given you the authority to make such a proclamation?
BWNUT
Featured Actor Joined: 9/26/07
#195Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 2:03pm
On Lea and bad theater behavior, she once started a concert by admonishing the audience to observe phone etiquette or she'll come down and get "all Patti Lupone on you." Everybody was LOL but everybody knew she'd do it too.
#196Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 4:13pm
Wow, there are lots of varied opinions on this thread. This seems to be a very divisive show. Here's my 2-cents, such as it is:
It's a flawed show, for sure, but I thought it was good overall. I found the story, themes, and staging to all be compelling enough to hold it together for me. The book has issues to be worked out. For example,
**SPOILER
I thought the nurse's death was a really bizarre turn of events, and not in a good way. I also wish that the Grandfather had a more fleshed-out final moment before dying. Both of their deaths being revealed to Sam in the same scene lessened the emotional impact of both of them.
**END SPOILER**
On the whole I thought the 2nd act was weaker than the first, but the final scene was incredible moving, and actually made me cry quite a bit. You could tell that it Takei's performance in that scene was really coming from a true place in his heart.
The score definitely has some great moments. I enjoyed most of the songs in the first act, but very few songs in the 2nd act. However, there was a lot of really bland, generic music in this show, and even more bland, generic lyrics. The song, "I Oughta Go" comes to mind in particular, when Sam says "I'm not going 'til I get what I want." Like, we can tell that's what the song is all about without him having to say it so directly. There's a lot of 2-dimensional lyrics like that which really bugged me.
I actually thought the staging and choreography were really good. While I'm usually not a fan of heavy projection-use, I thought it was well-integrated in this show, and created pleasing stage-pictures. The performances were good, but nothing to write home about. As I said earlier, Takei's performance in the final scene was the most excellent part of the evening for me.
I'd be interested to revisit this show after opening to see what else they change. I also think that it's a show I would get more out of the 2nd time. I wish this show well, and hope this important historical story reaches many people.
For those wondering about rush and/or stage-door:
Got to the rush at 9:00am, first in line. 2nd person arrived at around 9:10. Probably 10 people in line at 10am. Seats were in the balcony, but the view is perfectly fine. It didn't feel like I was very far away, like some Broadway balconies do.
Stage-door was pretty crowded. A lot of people were crowding in the streets, forming a full circle around the actors' car. The supporting actors came out first, and managed to make their way around to the people in the street. Salonga followed, and I think she mainly signed for just the people behind the barricades. She signed and posed for pictures. As soon as she left, Takei came out, and was very kind and generous with his time. He posed for pictures and chatted with his fans.
Updated On: 10/11/15 at 04:13 PM#197Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 7:17pm
JBroadway said: "Wow, there are lots of varied opinions on this thread. This seems to be a very divisive show."
Is there a show that isn't divisive on here, though?!
#198Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 7:26pm
haterobics said: "Is there a show that isn't divisive on here, though?! "
Haha, well there's often a wide-spread consensus, even if its never universal. Also, my reaction was partly due to the fact that it's been in previews for 5 days and there's already almost 200 posts in this thread.
#199Allegiance Previews
Posted: 10/11/15 at 9:25pm
Being in San Diego, I always take a special interest in the shows which are fortunate enough to move from here to Broadway. If I remember correctly, Allegiance and Gentleman's Guide... played at the Globe the same season and they were both monster hits for the theater. I would not underestimate the following that Takei has on social media or the popularity of Lea Salonga. San Diego has a very large Asian population and they made their presence known. Broadway may be a different story. Certainly the bar is far higher.
Many years ago I was waiting to see the very first reviews for Jersey Boys which had played at the La Jolla Playhouse and arrived at Broadway with zero fanfare. And I very clearly remember that it was Hushpuppy who was first on this board with a review which was very positive. I hope he is right this time.
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