Saw the first preview tonight as well. I should probably point out that I've known the show extremely well since 2005, and spent over a year and a half trying to mount a production of it and ended up being in one as well. So I'm a huge fan.
That being said, after hearing of the complete re-invention of the material, I was able to lower my expectations going in. Thankfully, it seemed to work to an extent.
There are 8 completely new songs. The first being the opening "Million Miles from Heaven" replacing "Epiphany." The song fit the cast well, and some of the harmonies were gorgeous, but compared to "Epiphany," it was really underwhelming. As someone who went to a Catholic high school, the fact that "Bare" opened with a Mass really put you right into that strict, Catholic setting right off the bat. Without "Epiphany," the show's religious tone felt almost non-existent.
The next new song-- "Easy Girls"-- WOOF! An ode to horny, high school jocks everywhere, it's sung in the locker by Jason's basketball buddies who are forced to default to porn when girls aren't around. It felt like it was just an attempt to flesh out the chorus guys, and it completely took away from the action of the main 5 characters.
"Drive You Out of Your Mind" replaces "Wonderland" and it's actually the one replacement song that bests its predecessor. It's sung by Nadia, who replaces Lucas as the drug dealer of the group, and it's the closest thing the show has to a showstopper. Barrett Wilbert Weed (Nadia) is brilliant!
"You Don't Know" is a new duet between Nadia and Ivy, showing that even though these two girls are foes, they have much more in common then they realize. It's ok, nothing good, nothing bad, and the girls sounds very beautiful together. But when you notice that this song probably replaced "A Quiet Night At Home," it becomes a little frustrating to take in.
"Best Friend" is sung by Peter and Diane Lee as they prepare for the birthday party (Jason's birthday now; not Ivy's). It's comical and both Taylor and Alice have great timing. I was a little confused by it's purpose though, considering it doesn't move the story along.
"Hail Mary" will be the song that divides fans from this point forward-- guaranteed. It replaces "911 Emergency" in every sense of the word. Sister Joan appears to Peter as the Virgin Mary in a pot-induced vision. It's R&B/Soul infused, and even comes with a disco ball, and Supreme-like back up singers. I enjoyed it only for Missi Pyle's performance. She's funny, commanding, and really goes for it. "911 Emergency" is VASTLY better musically, but this scene works better overall because of Missi Pyle.
"What If I Told" is actually incredibly powerful, and may be the best new song in the show. It doesn't serve to replace anything per say, rather, it shows the audience what Jason is going through. How he's trying to reconcile his true self with what his father and church want him to be. Jason Hite (Jason) really shines here-- both as an actor and singer.
"You're Not Alone" replaces "God Don't Make No Trash." It's a tender and emotional ballad as opposed it's loud and joyous predecessor. It's basically a nod to the phrase "It gets better," and it succeeds on an emotional level thanks to Missi Pyle and Taylor Trensch.
I need to make a plea, right here and now, to the producers, director, and Mr. Hartmere... If you change ONE thing in previews, it HAS HAS HAS to be these new lyrics to "All Grown Up." God awful. Ready for this... the line "Life is there to interrupt" in the chorus is now "Fragile as a paper cup." Enough said...
The structure as a whole is very different. Instead of being mostly sung through, it now has book scenes, which serve Sister Joan and Peter very well. "Promise" is now just dialogue, which worked just fine, and all the Shakespeare is now spoken as well, which I was disappointed in.
Songs that were greatly missed-- "Epiphany," "A Quiet Night At Home," and the motif: "Hear my voice... I don't think you see me... And you think you know me."
I also had a issue with the character of Nadia. Not the performance-- the performance was actually pretty damn close to perfect. It's the change to the character itself. I found her to be extremely angry with none of the humor. Nadia used sarcasm and humor to deflect her feelings of insecurity about her physical appearance. I have no idea why this new Nadia was so angry. Nothing was said about it, except one throwaway line about her not getting along with her mother. She was also extremely hostile towards Jason throughout the show until the end when she provides him with the drug that he OD's on. (Another change that didn't sit well with me).
The bullying theme was down fairly well (although what the cool kids forced the outsiders to do felt awkward: lay down on their back and act like cockroaches in front of everyone).
Cast was pretty incredible-- Jason Hite (Jason) was fantastic. Taylor Trensch (Peter) may not have had the strongest singing voice, but given the new character of Peter that isn't as vocally demanding as before, he fit the role perfectly. Incredibly funny, charming, and showed quite an amount of emotional depth. I was impressed. Elizabeth Judd (Ivy) had a fabulous voice and is a good actress, I just think the character suffered in the rewriting of the score/script. Gerard Canonico (Matt) is the best Matt I've ever heard and seen. Great acting chops with a beautiful voice. Missi Pyle (Sister Joan) and Barett Wilbert Weed (Nadia) were my favorites. They managed to take characters that probably would have come across as hammy and extreme, and stole the show.
Overall, what I have a hard time understanding is why they felt the need to change SO much of the score. I feel like most of the music worked before, so why replace so much of it? I get the need to update it to the smartphone/Facebook generation, and that worked just fine. But the radical omissions overall were detrimental to some of the characters (Nadia) and themes (religion and family).
If you were not a fan of Bare to begin with, you definitely won't be a fan of this. If you are a fan of Bare, lower your expectations, realize you will not be seeing ANYTHING like the 2004 ATA production or 2007 licensed version, and you may find it enjoyable.
As I sat and listened to Judy Shepard talk about discrimination, hate, violence, and how the arts can provide hope and acceptance for younger members of the LGBT community, I realized this show needs to be out there. Whether it meets my standards as a fan is irrelevant. Its message is back, finally, after 8 years, and young people who knew nothing about it are seeing it and being moved by it. It's thrilling to think about.
"I shall stay until the wind changes."
