Anyone going to see Wonderland this week? — Page 7

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.

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.

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

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.

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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...

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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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.

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.

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The hate is because it is Wildhorn pure & simple

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I think Janet will win a Tony!