BAT OUT OF HELL Will Play 8 Weeks At NY City Center In 2019- Page 15

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 7/3/19 at 10:41am

Strong enough to pick up on as a minor subplot that drives part of the second act, but small enough that you could cut it [and "Rock and Roll Dreams..."], and reassign many details of that subplot to another character in a way that would honestly resolve their arc better than it's handled now, and you wouldn't miss all that much.

Indeed, in looking at various drafts of this show's script, it seems like their biggest problems have centered around two things:

* Plot vs. score (the biggest battle, to hear a creative tell it, was between the push for more songs and having enough book to tell the story Steinman wanted to tell, because desired running length couldn't accommodate both options), and...

* Having too many songs for the same spots in the show and not being willing to let go of them, even if that means putting a square peg in a round hole. (Example of the latter: a song called "Bad for Good" works in more or less the same spot that the show's title song occupies, as it was written for basically the same scene in another version decades ago, but once "Bat" was picked, until the show left rehearsals in Manchester, where it was cut before previews [I think], "Bad for Good" occupied what I'd argue was a rather unfitting position late in Act II for pretty much that reason.)

I honestly think it could work pretty well as the first musical mini-series (for Netflix or similar platform) if they wanted to stick to maybe two, three songs per episode and use elements of all previous drafts in world-building. As it stands, it's a mish-mash, and after 50 years of hype, you'd think Steinman's fans would have wanted more, but I think they're just excited there was a result period.

Updated On: 7/3/19 at 10:41 AM

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/3/19 at 10:54am

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "Strong enough to pick up on as a minor subplot that drives part of the second act, but small enough that you could cut it [and "Rock and Roll Dreams..."], and reassign many details of that subplot to another character in a way that would honestly resolve their arc better than it's handled now, and you wouldn't miss all that much."

I'm assuming by your response that you've actually seen the show. Lyrically, I'm trying to work out how "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" fits the scene to which it's assigned.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 7/3/19 at 10:56am

To share without delving into too much spoilerific detail for others in this thread, it's very... funereal in purpose. Make of that what you will based on the summary you're reading, and PM me if that's not clear enough.

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/3/19 at 10:58am

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "To share without delving into too much spoilerific detail for others in this thread, it's very... funereal in purpose. Make of that what you will based on the summary you're reading, and PM me if that's not clear enough."

Is it sung, at least at the start (I'm sure it's an ensemble number), by Strat?

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 7/3/19 at 11:00am

No, it's started by a supporting lead named Jagwire and picked up by the ensemble. Strat's a little too grief-stricken to sing at that moment.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 7/4/19 at 3:06am

I had heard from a friend that the producers have been tinkering with the ticket prices to see if they can get more traction and that the obstructed view situation early on was more about getting people to buy more expensive seats. I do not know if there is any truth in this but the information was interesting none the less.

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 7/4/19 at 6:03pm

Well, once previews begin we'll have answers to many questions. My biggest is re the set...will it be the original, scaled down or even a hybrid set for later touring?
As mentioned earlier, I'm attending 8/19.

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/8/19 at 9:40am

Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "Well, once previews begin we'll have answers to many questions. My biggest is re the set...will it be the original, scaled down or even a hybrid set for later touring?
As mentioned earlier, I'm attending 8/19."

I'm attending 8/10, but haven't seen any previous productions so will have nothing to compare it to.

[V2David]

Posted: 7/8/19 at 3:28pm

A bunch of seats have now either sold or been taken off the website. Maybe producers are holding back tickets to make it look like show is more in demand?

I'm seeing the show August 4th, so I will report back after seeing it. (I saw the show at The Dominion too to compare).

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/9/19 at 8:15am

V2David said: "A bunch of seats have now either sold or been taken off the website. Maybe producers are holding back tickets to make it look like show is more in demand?"

Wow, you weren't kidding. I looked yesterday at availability for the performance I'll be seeing and there had been very little change from when I  bought my tickets several weeks ago. I just looked again, and I'd estimate that availability has dropped by about 45-50% from yesterday.

[RumTumJM]

Posted: 7/9/19 at 9:34am

Geez. How does this type of scenario, usually, work out? The seats appear at a later date?

I had my eye on seats, but didn't get the opportunity to buy them yet. Since every time I looked they were still there, I wasn't sweating it. Now should I?

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 7/9/19 at 10:49am

My advice, though I admittedly could be wrong, is not to sweat. Sales have been absolutely in the toilet so far.

[ren598]

Posted: 7/9/19 at 12:58pm

I would wait for the deals.  I made the mistake of buying front row balcony seats when they first went on sale.  I should have waited.  Recently I bought orchestra tickets to a second show thru Audience Rewards for pretty much the same price as what I paid for those balcony seats plus 250 points.  Looks like all the tickets on Audience Rewards are now sold out.    

My concern isn't that the shows will sell out.  My concern is that they may decide to scrap this entire run if tickets sales don't improve.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 7/9/19 at 1:00pm

I know the producers have a reputation for pulling out but have they ever done it this late in the game?

[Star87]

Posted: 7/9/19 at 3:27pm

Yes. They cancelled the US Tour in October a few days before it was supposed to begin.

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 7/9/19 at 10:10pm

I'll ask again...where's the damn media blitz? Certainly nothing yet here or on Playbill
Tick tick tick.

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 7/9/19 at 11:25pm

I received an email yesterday from Broadway Direct with a coupon code. They also have an offer up on Audience Rewards to earn 500 bonus points. That's pretty much all I've seen so far. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/9/19 at 11:31pm

They aren’t in rehearsal yet? Or are they? You’d think they’d be pimping the cast out.

[Tag]

Posted: 7/9/19 at 11:50pm

Yes. They cancelled the US Tour in October a few days before it was supposed to begin.

The tour had technically started, and had played 3 weeks in Toronto before being cancelled.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 7/10/19 at 3:19am

I guess it will all come down to the wire. I hope City Center got a large non refundable deposit.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 7/10/19 at 10:20am

RippedMan said: "They aren’t in rehearsal yet? Or are they? You’d think they’d be pimping the cast out."

Per Andrew Polec's Instagram, they started rehearsals yesterday.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/10/19 at 10:30am

I saw an ad for it while at a bar in midtown last night. The TVs were showing both the All-Star Game and something on ESPN2 (poker?), so I don't remember which program it aired during.

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/10/19 at 12:04pm

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "RippedMan said: "They aren’t in rehearsal yet? Or are they? You’d think they’d be pimping the cast out."

Per Andrew Polec's Instagram, they started rehearsals yesterday."

The start of rehearsals was also mentioned on Twitter yesterday.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/10/19 at 12:07pm

By...?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/10/19 at 12:40pm

I have friends in the show and just haven’t seen much of anything.