Anyone seeing FOLLIES in LA tonight?- Page 16

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/21/12 at 11:40pm

Now having heard audio (please don't ask me for it) of the production - I am liking what I hear of Clark's Sally. It doesn't sound like she's just reading line from a script anymore (like it did at Encores!). Her line readings are sounding very character appropriate. I'd love to see her live.

[gcal]

Posted: 5/22/12 at 1:19am

Her "If you don't kiss me, Ben, I think I'm gonna die" was beautiful. It was one of my favorite moments of the show.

[ABB2357]

Posted: 5/22/12 at 2:07am

I saw the show on Friday night and it was most certainly not full. The back half of the mezz was empty as well as the rear side orchestra. Not sure if they're selling off the rest as Hot Tix (probably not), but it's safe to say that Goldstar will probably have discounted seats for the rest of the run.

This was my third time seeing the production (once at the Kennedy Center and once at the Marquis). While the first act was as strong as I'd remembered, I was strangely disappointed by the second, particularly the Loveland sequence. Clark was a fine Sally but she hasn't yet nailed "Losing My Mind." Bernadette made polarizing choices for her delivery of it, although at least those choices were strong. Clark sang beautifully, but it didn't have the requisite emotion or a significant enough arc (her "In Buddy's Eyes," however, was fantastic). It simply didn't register and the final scene, which should be devastating, suffered as a result.

Raines was nearly perfect, Maxwell fine (albeit getting a tad indulgent with "Could I Leave You?"), and Burstein is still hamstrung by the poor choreography of "The Right Girl," coupled by the fact that he has to perform it after that unnecessary and intrusive intermission.

I think my ultimate disappointment had as much to do with the Ahmanson itself. If you think the Marquis is a barn, the Ahmanson is REALLY a barn. I was sitting in the middle of the center mezz but didn't feel the intimacy of a Broadway house - I can only imagine how the people in the balcony felt. There was something cold and disconnected about it, and Loveland in particular (which should be overwhelmingly powerful) didn't feel overwhelming at all. It was just another part of the show. The sound mix also seemed quiet. The orchestra was lush and smoothly conducted, but not as enveloping as it was at the Marquis.

Has anyone else seen the show both in NY and LA? I was nearly blown away by it a few months ago, and while not much has changed I couldn't help but feel slightly let down.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/23/12 at 7:26pm

I JUST bought my ticket for Thursday June 7th. It will be my first time in L.A. AND my first time to see Follies!!!

[DAME]

Posted: 5/23/12 at 7:31pm

ABB2357;
You are absolutely correct about this theater being a barn. If I have to sit up there I simply choose not to go.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 5/23/12 at 8:35pm

I found the first row of the mezzanine (house left) a wonderful place to sit. Completely unobstructed view and the illusion of natural sound. I highly recommend it.

Alas, it also gave my husband vertigo, so we're sitting in the third row mezzanine (center) when we go back.

[ABB2357]

Posted: 5/23/12 at 8:42pm

I've never gotten vertigo anywhere other than the front balcony at the Ahmanson. It made me feel like Liza Minnelli on ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.

I'm sure the front row mezz is great - the more I think about it, the show just didn't register for me in the larger venue. Perhaps I wouldn't criticize it so strongly if I hadn't had a such a wonderful experience at the Marquis, but the difference was quite noticeable to me. I'd like to go back but since orchestra seats are over $100, I'm not sure I can justify that having seen the show three times already.

Then again, it is FOLLIES...

[DAME]

Posted: 5/23/12 at 8:57pm

ABB2357; they sold us extreme side orchestra seats for $47.00 the day of the show. It was a Sunday evening performance. We were in row E. The tickets were labelled as obstructive but they were excellent seats. All you really miss is is some of the ghosts . It really does give you a different perspective to be seated so up close. Just a option.

[ABB2357]

Posted: 5/23/12 at 9:13pm

Thanks for letting me know! Did you get those tickets via the website or box office? I've sat side orchestra in the past (those seats are usually sold as Hot Tix) and they are indeed excellent seats.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 5/23/12 at 9:25pm

They're selling Hot Tix at $47 now? No more $20 tickets, eh? So, I have 2nd row center balcony tickets for closing night. Taking my parents for their birthdays. Should I be worried? I guess I've only sat in the orchestra at the Ahmanson now that I think abou it.

I've never found the Ahmanson to be too big, but I guess I'm more used to the massive civic/regional theatres than the more intimate Broadway houses. If you think the Ahmanson's a barn, try the San Diego Civic Theatre or the Segerstrom Center for the Arts (former Orange County Performing Arts Center). When you're in the upper balcony sections at those venues you may as well be in another country.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/23/12 at 9:51pm

No. The hot tix are in the balcony. Yes they have sold those tix as hot tix before but this time thy were sold to us as obstructive view. Got them in person at the box office.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 12:06am

In person at the box office was the best way to go for tickets, hoping to catch it again next week

[keb2]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 12:27am

Horse Tears, I'm distinctly not a fan of the Ahmanson's balcony (or any balcony for that matter—I'm yet to encounter anything above the first few rows of the mezzanine that I've enjoyed), as it is far away. If the show isn't selling out though, I do believe their ushers are pretty reasonable about letting people move down at intermission. I saw Follies and Bring It On from the front row the mezz, and those are fine seats, probably on par with rear orchestra, from which I saw American Idiot. What I noticed especially with Next to Normal about sitting in the balcony is that the show becomes more of an aural experience than a visual one.

Granted, my opinion on the production is that its strongest points are the score and the general aesthetic of the show (not so much the details, but more the overall feeling), so the balcony should be okay for this show. I may be a heretic, but I didn't enjoy Follies that much as a story. It is a beautiful composition, though.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 1:00am

Well, what can I say, I shelled out much more than I usually do for the last decent (as in within the first 8 rows of the orchestra section. I'm a picky mofo) single seat for a performance in June.

I'm happy because I have an awesome seat and seeing a reportedly awesome show. I'm disappointed in myself for giving in and paying the ridiculous price. Theatre should be accessible and that type of exploitation is shameful--"Single Ticket prices subject to change without notice. As demand warrants single ticket pricing may be adjusted accordingly."

I have been going to the theatre since I was 11 years old and I've only recently started seeing this trend of pricing the best seats to ridiculous levels as demand grows. What happened to setting a price and leaving it at that. No, I'm not expecting to pay what I paid for a show in 1989 ($47.50 for orchestra, ha!) and I know times and trends change and I'm aware of inflation but it's a whole other story when ticket prices for the same section are $100 last week and $300 today. WTF!!???

*Slaps own hand very hard!!!!*

Meh. Color me hypocrite. Still, love this sh*t.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 1:04am

Thanks for the clarification on the Hot Tix and the feedback on the balcony. Unfortunately, I think I'm stuck with these tickets, but we're 2nd row center so I'm sure we'll be fine.

My Oh My - I assume that example you gave ($300) was not in reference to how much you paid for a Follies ticket. Surely not. As for dynamic pricing, I think it's here to stay. The one positive is that when a show/concert isn't selling well, you can get great seats at a steal.

Hey, is anyone else having trouble accessing this new article posted on BWW about V. Clark?

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Victoria-Clark-Talks-FOLLIES-Sally-Durant-Plummer-and-Stephen-Sondheim-20120523
Victoria Clark article

[gcal]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 1:21am

The "article" is on page 2.

[ABB2357]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 1:57am

I agree that the Ahmanson ushers usually look the other way when people move down, especially when several rows in a particular section are empty.

And you're totally right about Segerstrom, HorseTears. That place is the barn of barns.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 2:04am

You're correct, Horse, I wasn't referring to my Follies ticket. Apologies for not making that clear.

I was referring to the anniversary Les Miz, 2011 "Dream the effing Dream" thingo that infected the Ahmanson last year. I paid $100 for 3rd row, center orchestra as soon as single tickets went on sale. They had soared to $300 during the final weeks of the run.

As for insight on seating at the Ahmanson, I've been attending performances there since seeing Phantom for the first time before the renovation in 1995. If y'all think the current Ahmanson is a barn, the old Ahmanson was a cave...

...unless you were me and sat within the first 8 rows every time. Then such things don't matter and the space behind you could be the Rose Bowl for all I care. But all of y'all aren't picky mofos like me, so I will add what I know from experience.

-Don't pass up side orchestra seats for nosebleed center ones. One of my pet peeves is the lengths some people go to to enhance the perception of nosebleeds, so they say they'd rather watch a whole show through a bulky set of binoculars rather than CRANK their necks at the front row to see anything at all. Puh-leeze.

No cranking of anything required at the Ahmanson side orch seats. They are actually really great seats, even those at the extreme ends of each row. I can only vouch for seats up to row N. OK, so I've compromised and have sat in the 14th row once. The few extra rows was enough to make me feel disconnected but you're not me so it should be aiight.

-Center, PREMIUM (*eyeroll*) seating can be as much as double the price, when the side orch seats are almost as good!

-A chance to sit front row should be accepted immediately. Unless you're 2 feet tall, you'll likely not be cranking anything to see. I'm a midget at 5'4" and my neck does not bear evidence of CRANKING.

-Don't think anything beyond 8t row is crap because I say so. Again, I'm nit-picketty. Just don't be a fool and purposely sit afar because of fear of CRANKING!

-There is a point about mid-orchestra (row M) where the seating level is elevated a bit. I saw a performance of Miss Saigon from row N and while that nasty disconnect did come along with the distance, you should disregard it along with concerns of cranking, as its a purely personal thing that I hope does not reach the level and hype as does neck CRANKING.

-My sis accompanied me to the Les Miz thingo last year and sat nosebleed balcony due to the shameful price hikes. I walked her up to her seat and we both experienced vertigo as we eyed the teeny weeny stage below.

Seriously, why even bother?

[keb2]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 2:12am

re: front row of the Ahmanson, I beg to differ on one show. I definitely had some neck pains after watching Next to Normal (a few weeks after seeing it from the balcony) in the front row—but then again, most shows do not have three story sets, so for anything else, you should be fine!

On a side note, it must be interesting, and probably a tad scary to watch War Horse from the front row. I remember when I saw it at the Beaumont, one of the women in the front row was cowering because she thought Joey was going to fall off the stage onto her when he reared at one point during the show. When you add that into how loud the show is... that's a show I'd probably want to see from the fifth row or further back. But not too far back, there's so much incredible detail in the puppetry that I'm sure will be lost in the balcony, and even the mezzanine.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 2:47am

Well, ****, you guys have me worried about the balcony now. Due to my work schedule, closing night may be the only performance I can attend. And the way tickets are [not] selling, there's no chance I'll be able to sell these tickets for anything close to what I paid ($50+ service fees/ea).

gcal - thanks for the pointer to page 2 on the V. Clark piece. Not much of an interview. There's a much better Q with her on Playbill from a few days back. Not sure if got posted. She had some truly respectful and complimentary things to say about Bernadette. Gotta say, Ms. Clark seems like a real class act.

"Bernadette is so beloved, and she's so respected, and she's very missed here. People miss her spirit and miss just having her here. She's part of the company, but I always feel like her spirit is definitely here. She created the template for this production, so she's very much a part of this even though she's not here."

" particular high point is "Mirror Mirror," which is led by Terri White and features Clark and many of the women in the company. "Well, I haven't gotten it right once," Clark laughs, "but the thing is, what's so brilliant about [choreographer] Warren Carlyle and what he's done with the movement — the dancing in the show is so exquisite — is he's made a number that's so hard. The chorines, our wonderful ensemble, they nail it every night because they're spectacular, but it's pretty difficult so that the divas, as we're called — the older ladies — that's what Eric and Warren call us — it's very hard for us to get. It's hard for us to nail it. It didn't seem like it was that hard for Bernadette — she seemed like she nailed it when I saw her do it — but it's definitely hard for most of us to nail, so the mistakes and the memory lapses and everything don't need to really be too choreographed..."
Playbill 'Diva Talk' Q w/ V. Clark

[ABB2357]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 3:45am

She is indeed a class act. I found it particularly telling that the four principals only got one day of rehearsal together, not to mention how early in the run she had to face the critics. While I wasn't a fan of her "Losing My Mind" or the final scene, her first act work was so strong I wouldn't be surprised if she irons out those issues by the final performance.

[binau]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 3:52am

HorseTears I don't know if this will work but try calling the box office and say if you purchase more expensive tickets can you get a refund on the cheap ones...I've done it before with telecharge. They first charge for the expensive tickets then refund the old tickets afterwards. (If you wanted to sit closer)

[emo_geek]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 4:37am

If you beg with the Ahmanson staff, and mention how you hope and know that this "award winning audience service staff" (which they like to advertise) can help you out by switching you to a better seat and paying the difference. I did it with my tickets to Follies.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 6:41am

^ Yes, the Ahmanson staff has always been surprisingly courteous, resourceful, and incredibly professional, not to mention...patient!! I've always been very picky about my seat locations and they'd happily check all my requested dates and made me feel less guilty about wanting the absolute best for my buck!

I book everything myself online nowadays and no longer hold up lines at the box office but I'd happily hold 'em up today if I had to and regardless of how many fists are being shaken at me!

Try asking what others have suggested/recommended above. I'm sure they will do all they can to help if you're polite.

Be thankful this isn't Ticketmaster!!!

Updated On: 5/24/12 at 06:41 AM

[HorseTears]

Posted: 5/24/12 at 12:44pm

Great idea. I'll give it a shot. Thanks, guys!