Anyone going to see Wonderland this week?- Page 7

[JeaniusIsMe]

Posted: 3/24/11 at 6:54pm

I'm pretty sure "Heroes" was still in the show- and the Rabbit, Knight, Caterpillar, and El Gato do sing a song about becoming Heroes, if that's what the Heroes you're referring to was? I think there was a song called "Heroes" in the playbill.

And, yeah, that entire ending was unbelievably fast and confusing. SPOILER (if it even matters): To make matters worse, when the Queen of Hearts said"off with your soul," the sound was so off, you could barely hear her and it was garbled. Plus, as someone mentioned, the ending pretty much turns into Wizard of Oz, so that's a glaring issue in and of itself.

[philly03]

Posted: 3/24/11 at 6:59pm

"Heroes" was cut. It is now a reprise of "Home" sung by Chloe, Rabbit, El Gato & Caterpillar (happily) while Alice is sad. Makes 0 sense. In Tampa '11, "Heroes" was a fantastic song (one of my favourite Wildhorn tunes) that was lamenting Jack's death.

To be fair, the song "Home" was originally sung by Chloe while she was in the Looking-Glass prison, and this year it brilliantly followed "Worst Day of My Life" (sung by Alice) mourning the divorce of her parents. I have absolutely no idea why Alice & Chloe are suddenly best friends in this version.

The dumbest decision was clearly bringing in writers who have never seen the show, did no research on previous incarnations and are just putting something together for payday, which will probably never come.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/24/11 at 7:07pm

During "Home", Alice says how she wishes she could be back home. I looked at my friend and said "That makes two of us". We both lost our shlt and just cracked up.

[philly03]

Posted: 3/24/11 at 7:11pm

Like I said... I have NO defense for this version. I have NO idea why any producer in their right mind would produce this version... at least the previous versions followed some sort of storyline. This is actually awful.

Luckily, they are implementing changes this week I believe. Who knows how drastic, but still something.

[rougeduck]

Posted: 3/24/11 at 7:39pm

Oh my god. I loved how last night, our entire audience bonded over how bad the show was...it was a joyous event. I loved standing right up when the curtain call began.

and yeah. All State joke was in there.
I loved it how in the beginning we played what racial stereotype are we going to see next?! Black-Latino-White-Gay. Awesome! Updated On: 3/24/11 at 07:39 PM

[jennafan]

Posted: 3/24/11 at 8:12pm

Do you think it will last through the summer? If it does, it will probably be on the name alone and not the reviews. lol

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 3/24/11 at 8:28pm

sorry, i saw this three times in Houston and this libretto makes HELLA more sense than that one. Plus at least folks talk TO each other while in Houston they had some kind of conceptual take where they played front the majority of the time not acknowledging each other.

If the Tampa librettos (either one of them) made more sense, i can see comparing this one as worse. But compared to Houston, it's much better. Also, if folks are serious that they prefer SPIDERMAN's book and lyrics to this one (at least the version of SPIDER i saw in December), i just gotta say i'm baffled. Neither is genius, but this one is a lot more coherent than that one.

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 1:46pm

This is really hard to follow. How many total scripts have there been? Three or four? And with each script, what percentage of the score has changed?

[philly03]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:08pm

There's been 4 full productions (including Broadway). Naturally with an "original" (loosely, the story itself is original based off the familiar title) there were countless scripts before it ever hit the stage.

Tampa '09 - Reflects the concept album for the most part, minus "Keep Dancin'" which was never in the show.

Houston '10 - Cut "Don't Wanna Fall in Love," added "Together" (as purely the boy band), "Down the Rabbit Hole" (which the previous elevator song was just music), and the opening was tweaked (and set up the family problems before .. not at the party). "Worst Day started out slower rather than with the big bang intro. Of course lyrics changed, and Act II opener has always been changing ("Throuhg the Looking Glass Reprise" previously). "Love Begins" was moved to Act 1, and "Once More I Can See" in Act 2.

Tampa '11 - Totally different, reorchestrated (with the bigger orchestra), with "Worst Day" taking place in a board room with the ensemble chiming in as "Gavotte" was cut. "Home" followed sung by Chloe in her bedroom. "Heroes" was added, as was the Kate Shindle song "I Will Prevail." "Nick of Time" which was certainly catering to someone like Nikki Snelson's talents. Many, many lyric changes. "Together" became similar to Broadway - big production number. "Advice from a Caterpillar" was tweaked as well.

The only songs that have really remained the same are "One Knight" and "Off With Their Heads"... the biggest "fan favourites" from Tampa for sure. "Off With Their Heads"'s scene has been redone and re-set for Broadway, however.


One of the weirdest changes is in "Through the Looking Glass"... they give Alice an additional verse basically saying why she's going through the looking glass, although the whole song is about going through the looking glass... Previously they had the Mad Hatter appear with her own verse taunting Alice and holding Chloe captive. With a "Nice Little Walk" they basically made 2 Act 1 finales in a way, they should just link them together, but I suppose they want to showcase Janet's voice.

They are using the first Tampa '11 TTLG, they changed it mid-run where the Hatter's "control board" popped up showing the Hatter and Chloe with Alice singing an actual vengeful verse.

Like I said... I don't think these writers have any idea of the previous incarnations which makes no sense this far down the line...

[rougeduck]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:10pm

Just give Kate Shindle more to belt and everything will be fine.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:12pm

i would venture with a timed deadline and a preview pending (they didn't want to become SPIDERWOMAN IN WONDERLAND) the new team started with the latest version as this cast had rehearsed it and moved forward, not taking the time to dramaturg each edition and the changes that had gone before. If those changes were useful to the producers, they were in the current show when it hit NYC for rehearsals; if not useful, chances are they had hit the editing room floor as outtakes already. No need to reinvent the past. And "these writers", particularly the real writer, are more than just hacks...they have proven pedigrees and obviously the producers respect them. We all might try the same approach.

[philly03]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:16pm

It's incredible how much Shindle herself changed the piece... I wish more people could have seen Nikki Snelson as her Mad Hatter.

Totally different, really incomparable, but she certainly was a hoot to watch, though it seems people were pretty split. Shindle is much better at being truly evil, which of course was the direction they went for. And I never complain hearing Shindle belt out that last note to "I Will Prevail"!

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:18pm

yep i saw both and Snelson was like Pink...manic and chaotic and on the edge of a breakdown. And Shindle is like Pink....smart, witty, cooly controlled. Both are hot as ****e and very fun to watch. Which works "better" is not only subjective, but a child of the context.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:23pm

I think the creative team knew the versions on the road wern't working and so they brought in Rupert Holmes and Scott Ellis and proceeded into full Broadway production with their script more or less un-tested. It was a huge, huge miscalculation to do that and I don't think the production has the coffers (or creative insight) to invest in making the kind of substantial changes that would be necessary to be of any real value.

At this point, its somewhat futile to discuss what worked about the earlier incarnations - clearly what is on Broadway is going to be massacred by the critics and will likely close after just a few weeks.

This has been one of the most fascinating Broadway seasons in recent memory in that we've seen flops from THE SCOTSBORO BOYS, to WOMEN ON THE VERGE to SPIDER MAN to WONDERLAND - all representing some aspect of 'how' a production can easily fail when some aspect of production doesn't come together (to be clear the failure of SCOTSBORO BOYS lays in its marketing and half hearted producing effort of the under-obligation Weisslers).

I think one of the reasons that BOOK OF MORMON ultimately triumphed is that the writers knew exactly what they thematically wanted to say. Clearly, the writers of WONDERLAND even after 4 productions have no clue what their show is supposed to be about.


Updated On: 3/25/11 at 02:23 PM

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:29pm

the show is, and always has been, about stringing together some okay pastiche numbers of Wildhorn's, using an episodic narrative structure with a familiar title. Many shows have succeeded with less.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:33pm

Such as ?

[philly03]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:47pm

One can only hope they make changes... but I agree, I doubt they'll be doing much changes.

As a feel for if the $10 MIL was short or not, they implemented new costumes over the course of the entire Tampa '11 run... One here, one here, etc. I would imagine it was a lack of money, not sitting there viewing the show saying "Kate should have a gladiator costume." Remember Snelson's Napoleon hat? Ha!

[philly03]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:49pm

And I know I'm not the only one who is baffled at how the generally pointless "Writer" (Lewis Carroll) scene has managed to stay in the show through all these incarnations.

All they do to tweak that scene is make the ending note bigger & bigger. Love the song, but it just doesn't work....

[rougeduck]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 2:53pm

Oh yeah! My favorite part in the show is during the overture when the electric guitar kicked in...my friends and I went nuts for that.

[philly03]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 3:02pm

Some of my favorite new Rupert Holmes lyrics:
"Oh well, all's well, end's well/Farewell Alice"

"I won't be afraid/To be chopped by a blade/I'm about to be spayed"

"What a thrill it must be as I throw this rose at you/
As you look up at me looking down my nose to you" (Pretty much not set to the music)

I know people have their thoughts about Jack Murphy's lyrics, but I don't think he'd write anything like this! (Although his "Bad news, you loose" and similar lyrics in "I Will Prevail" still are around.)

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 4:44pm

MB if you are addressing me personally, my response is that both SPIDERMAN and MAMMA MIA currently on the boards have as weak or weaker books than WONDERLAND. Many would say PHANTOM does too (or that they prefer the Yeston/Kopit version). MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET isn't brain surgery. BOOK OF MORMON is infinitely wittier and of more topicality, but like SPAMALOT, isn't about anything else than satirical opportunities. MARY POPPINS ain't gonna win the Pulitzer, and many thought NEXT TO NORMAL shouldn't have. The book to BEAUTY & THE BEAST was more beastly than beautiful. Are there better books in long-running Broadway shows? certainly. CHICAGO leaps to mind, and AVENUE Q is a satirical show (as was SPELLING BEE) that still had a heart, one i for one couldn't find in MORMON as much as i liked it. But all such things are subjective. Wildhorn shows traditionally don't run that long in NYC (though i think JEKYLL did okay on average). But often they make their money back elsewhere, or Murphy wouldn't have a career at all. This one had enough appeal in admittedly smaller venues/markets (though the Houston market is third largest, if we trust the recent census projections, in the country...passing Chicago as third largest city in 2011 if held to predictions)...that venue is small and subscription-based. Still and all, this configuration of a familiar story and a score some seem to like despite whatever judgement is put on lyrics had enough legs regionally for investors to feel a NYC run was worth the risk. i'm not saying any prediction of an early shuttering is impossible, but i'm saying the only thing certain in life is taxes and death. Anyone wanting to "tax" our patience with even more unimaginative, unanalytical predictions of WONDERLAND's "death"...for "certain" has that right....and the right to be tedious, too.

[SupportTheater]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 6:25pm

I agree with Tx.....i thought, "Wonderland" had an OK book and isn't nearly as bad as the real theater buffs are saying on this site. Actually, I liked the show a lot. The songs are catchy and performed very well. Visually, I thought the show looked amazing and changed looks effectively with so little. The costumes are designed by the same designer that did the costumes for, "Wicked" and are on that same level. Not only did the audience give a standing ovation, but they laughed very loudly at certain comedy lines in the show.....When I saw the show, it seemed like the audience was very much with the show....I didn't see anyone leave at intermission as well.

I honestly don't understand all the hate going on about this show....i thought it was really good...and so did the audience that saw the same show I did

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 6:29pm

The hate is because it is Wildhorn pure & simple

[philly03]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 8:00pm

As a ginormous Wildhorn fan and a huge fan of this show, I can actually say if they change nothing during previews, this could legitimately be the end of Wildhorn on Broadway (good thing B&C is basically already booked).

With past flops you had other things: Jekyll & HYDE was already a big fan hit. The Scarlet Pimpernel had an "all-star" cast (Multi-Tony nominees Terrence Mann & Christine Andreas, and of course the brilliant Douglas Sills making his debut), The Civi War was somewhat "revolutionary" in that it was a literal tapestry (but still failed).

Even DRACULA, the musical had it's flashy spectacle and was also led by Tony nominees.


SupportTheatre... I think a lot of people (myself included) are upset that THIS is what they came up with following THREE full fledged productions. This show is simply not at full potential at any level, especially if it really did cost $15 MIL to mount (debatable). But I agree, it's also Wildhorn, and the general opinion on the board (actually overwhelming majority) is hate!

[jennafan]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 9:36pm

I think Janet will win a Tony!