Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?- Page 10

[Dennis-in-ct]

Posted: 4/4/11 at 10:07pm

We are going this Thursday night after we hit the Priscilla CD signing on the east side. Looking forward to seeing this show. The styling looks well done.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/4/11 at 10:42pm

Again, my heart brims over with happiness for Dennis. I think he has a really exciting day in store for himself!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/4/11 at 10:43pm

Everybody knows you hate well done styling.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/4/11 at 10:45pm

Styling can either make or break a show, Namo. We've discussed that here at great length.

[Dennis-in-ct]

Posted: 4/4/11 at 10:45pm

Lol --- use I do hate that - how did you know :)

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/4/11 at 10:47pm

We're all mind readers here.

[broadwayboy101]

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

For what it's worth, I saw the show tonight and the audience didn't seem confused or bored at all - they seemed to be loving it.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/4/11 at 11:36pm

It is tightened up and the story made more sense tonight, but I felt that the audience was extremely tepid. I feel bad for this cast...they deserve better material.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 4/5/11 at 6:23pm

Was there last night, and best response I have heard from the audience so far--- (especially during "One Knight")

Definitely tighter--- a few of the "cheesier" lines are gone---
("Hatter" no longer says "I have to speak with my fashion designer" after Chloe says "you frightened me"- She just said "I get that alot"--

The beginning orchestration and projection was longer.. (I dont remember a projection stating "New York City" right before the bed appears, but I could be wrong)

[philly03]

Posted: 4/5/11 at 7:06pm

The New York City projection would be new... Bizarre, I would assume from the opening lines it was known (them living in Queens). Overture/Entr'Acte were both expanded as well.

Glad to hear some of those lines are being cut - some aren't as bad as people say (ie: The All State one some don't even realize it happens) but some were bad ("I have to speak with my designer" or "We'll just bench-press weights in the gym")

[RENT_is_Wicked2]

Posted: 4/5/11 at 7:26pm

I saw both the world premiere and the pre-Broadway engagement in Tampa, I LOVED it both times I saw it. Thy really did need to improve it a lot though, I mean some of the plot interfered with the world premiere plot and yada yada.

I wasn't happy when they cut out the song "Don't Wanna Fall In Love" when it moved to Broadway... one of the best songs in the show and they got rid of it!!! If you haven't heard it look it up on YouTube.

I really hope it does well on Broadway though, kind of worried about it though =/

[Anakela]

Posted: 4/6/11 at 12:21am

Testing- did you take your daughter already? What did she think? (Did I miss that post?)

You guys: THE I AM MY OWN INVENTION BALLERINA IS BACK! (Yes that needed an all-caps :)) People who have only ever seen it in previews on Broadway are like, what? People who saw it out of town know what I mean. I *love* that moment, such gorgeous dancing, so glad that it's back!

Ok, return visit to Wonderland tonight, seems like changes are still being made, all good things (note the shouting about the ballerina above), so, from what I remember, changes since I last saw it...
- yes there's now a New York City screen at the top of the show; there's a tree, and push through the tree and it's a aerial view of Manhattan mid-screen, identifies Manhattan and the outer boroughs, and then we open on the apartment.
- a lot of cut Alice jokes/lines. The whole "calling 911 about a rabbit" bit when the Rabbit appears in her apartment, the line about the excellent storage space after Welcome to Wonderland, the who the bleep are you line when she meets the Caterpillar, etc. a lot of Alice jokes- gone
- I think El Gato's new entrance is longer than his new entrance used to be. And his new exit is hilarious!
- the Hail the Queen number now pulls from even more songs than it used to
- it was my first time seeing the Alice/Chloe duet staging of Home, which I really liked, as it makes the transition from Wonderland to the apartment way less severe/abrupt
- Allstate is still there.

- there are now two, not three scenes, during I Will Prevail. The first scene is still the Chloe as prisoner scene. Then, the scene with Hatter finding out about everyone breaking through to Looking Glass World, and the scene where Hatter has Jack/El Gato/Caterpillar in custody, these two are now one scene. And the dialogue itself has had small cuts. (philly: the weights in the gym joke is gone)
- the new Together and Hatter/Jack death I loved! Tighter, less confusing, less people on stage, there's a boy band encore, etc. Loved it all. And now Alice doesn't reunite with Chloe until after all of that too.
- there was no Heroes. I've never seen Heroes, I don't think it's ever been in during Broadway previews? (Someone mentioned it being in when they saw it?)
- now during Finding Wonderland instead of a sampling of all of their costumes the female ensemble wear either their Caterpillar legs or their Queen's ladies costumes; and the male ensemble are the dethroned Hatter and the boy band costumes.

...ok I think that's it.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 4/6/11 at 12:47am

When I saw the show, it was entertaining, but the book was weak. Not just the bad puns, but I just feel like they didn't focus on the relationships enough. Outside of Wonderland relationships that is. Alice is severely underwritten. The little cuts sound like they are all for the better and I didn't find it confusing at all. I feel like her exit from Wonderland was the worst part of the book. Just really cheesy and cliche in a bad way. It was actually fun and entertaining. Just not all it could be.

Things I liked:
-The score. It is catchy to me, what can I say. The lyrics. Not so much.
-The sets/lighting. I didn't find it ugly at all. I thought a few of the pictures made were really beautiful.
-Costumes. They were all fun and stuff (especially the Queens)
-The Tea Party scene. Probably my favorite staging. I really liked it.
-Kate Shindle. She was in great voice and really milked her character.
-The Queen's entrance. As a theatre person I thought it was hilarious. I loved KAren as well
-The cast in generally is very solid. Janet is good but doesn't have much to work with
-The jokes that landed and weren't bad. Does that make sense?
-The concept of the plot. It was a little cliche (and a little Wizard of Oz reminiscent) but it worked.

[philly03]

Posted: 4/6/11 at 1:07am

Yay for the bench-press gym line gone. Totally awkward.

Thanks for the updates - I knew "Heroes" wasn't back in, I'm sure whoever posted that was "confused" because "Home (reprise)" isnt just Alice or Chloe, it's the list of characters under "Heroes." That song should be back, it's a beautiful melody!

El Gato's entrance is extended... it includes the whole "invisible" cat thing!

[Testing1232]

Posted: 4/6/11 at 8:09am

Yea, was hoping I wasnt going nuts--- the NY projections were definitely new- Really liked the extended projections.

El Gato ("Che"- (love that..dont know why!!) -- the entire sequence when we first see him is better.. as is the initial sequence with the caterpillar.

PLEASE get rid of "Allstate" !!! I mean, the March Hare is basically off stage when the line is delivered, so just cut it !

<< Testing- did you take your daughter already? What did she think? (Did I miss that post?) >

Yes, we went Friday night---she loved it !!! She had her little "Wonderland" shirt on (those baby tees are cut so tiny, that the small fit her !!!) Of course, she liked Chloe the best-- and the "One Knight" scene- she makes me play the concept album constantly (and the video from the show website !!!)

[Testing1232]

Posted: 4/6/11 at 8:16am

<<<
- the Hail the Queen number now pulls from even more songs than it used to >>

Yes, the "Dame" usually gets the most laughs, but I think they added "Gypsy" too now !!

[Anakela]

Posted: 4/6/11 at 2:37pm

El Gato's entrance is extended... it includes the whole "invisible" cat thing!

Oh yeah, that 'he lost the powers years ago' bit existed the last time I saw it, but (I think) it's longer now, there's a whole "You're Alice/we've been expecting you" dialogue from El Gato that I don't remember hearing before, is the part I was thinking about.

Yes, we went Friday night---she loved it !!! She had her little "Wonderland" shirt on (those baby tees are cut so tiny, that the small fit her !!!) Of course, she liked Chloe the best-- and the "One Knight" scene- she makes me play the concept album constantly (and the video from the show website !!!)

Yay, glad to hear she loved it! That is too cute- hope you're enjoying listening to the concept cd on repeat. :)

Yes, the "Dame" usually gets the most laughs, but I think they added "Gypsy" too now !!

The Gypsy "for me" part was always there, but there's now an "everything's coming up roses" bit to go with it... I noticed an Evita bit I haven't noticed before, and the "Ya Got Trouble" bit is definitely new since I last saw it.

Oh and nothing to do with anything, but the plastic cup drinks you get at the bar say "drink me" on them; I don't usually get drinks at the theatre, so thank you drunk guy sitting behind me for pointing that out, I'll have to get one next time. Or I might still hold out in the hopes that merch will start selling a "drink me. responsibly." water bottle...

[Testing1232]

Posted: 4/6/11 at 3:05pm

<< but there's now an "everything's coming up roses" bit to go with it>>

Yes, that was what they added! And its so funny you mentioned the cup...!

We have three of them (so far..lol)- I have been using it to take my coffee w/ me to work, and everyone on the train keeps asking about it-- Love that it says "Drink Me" on it !!

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/6/11 at 3:49pm

Are those cups something new? I saw them at "Priscilla.." and "How to Succeed...". Someone told me that a full cup of wine was something like 30 bucks at "How to Succeed...".

[Testing1232]

Posted: 4/6/11 at 4:38pm

They are the "standard" cups that most of the shows have now... plastic, with the snap-on lid- Have one from "Wicked", "ITH" (few more, I think...)

$5, included my soda.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 4/7/11 at 9:38am

I've just heard the "old" version of Worst Day of my Life which is just Alice and more uptempo. WHY did they change it to what it is now? I know from listening to it now that it would have totally grabbed my attention from the beginning with that number. The opening as it is now seems far too slow.

[philly03]

Posted: 4/7/11 at 11:58am

^^Exactly, that's one of my complaints. And any time the show gets going, it gets slowed down (I think "Home" does this in Act 1).

This past year in Tampa they shortened the song, had the chorus have certain "She hasn't got it anymore" verses, and then the scene shifted home where Chloe sang "Home." I wish they'd do something like that or make the song uptempo atleast!

[N2Theater]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 2:43pm

A friend of mine in the cast says it's now frozen. She's worried.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 1:38am

I saw the show tonight and pretty much agree with what has already been posted here. I kept feeling like I was missing something because the audience tonight was really loving it! I mean they were going crazy cheering, especially for the "boy band" number. I was wondering if there were several groups in the audience that were friends of the cast, because there was a bunch of people in the very front row, and another in the right Orchestra who would loudly cheer, clap and laugh for every joke.

Was the El Gato song supposed to sound exactly like that Santana song "Smooth"? Did they actually sample the music from that song, or was it just a complete rip off?

Updated On: 4/9/11 at 01:38 AM

[philly03]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 4:35am

Frank Wildhorn always said his basis for the choosing of the stylings for specific characters were such as Pink as the Mad Hatter, Santana as El Gato, and Luther Vandross as the Caterpillar!