BCEFA Easter Bonnet Competition 2016

[sorano916]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 11:07am

Yesterday was the first day of the presentations.

 I've gone to the last couple of Bonnets & Gypsys and generally, I really loved the performances. However, I kinda always felt the presenters ranged from delightful to painfully awkward. I don't know if it's the material that was written for them or if they just aren't really great in public speaking (which is a different skill set than performing in front of person, IMO). But I'm thankful that each set of actors who presented the next performances took the time to come to the Bonnet.

 
The show rundown was:

Opening Number (honoring The Will Rogers Follies)

An American in Paris - "Turn It Off, Seriously" (based on BOM's "Turn It Off"

Chicago - "We Know Where We've Been"

School of Rock - "Rhiannon" (to show the kids playing the instruments)

Bucket Brigade - "The Bucket Brigade for You!"

Hamilton - "Fleet Street Remix" (think the show's opening song but about Sweeney Todd)

Disaster! - "Alone in the Universe" (Kevin Chamberlin singing with guest Andrew Keenan-Bolger from Seussical)

Kinky Boots - "Meadowlark" (a semi-rap version of the song)

National Tours Presentation - "Canvas" (a dance piece to "Run Boy Run" by Woodkid)

Straight (an off-Bway play) - An Understudy Challenge (not a song or dance number but a skit)

Fun Home - "Gee, Mr. Miranda" 

Broadway Cares' Affiliate Organizations - "The Rhythms of 1312" (with members from Broadway Serves, R.Evolución Latina, Broadway Green Alliance)

The Lion King - "One World"

Broadway Inspirational Voices - "Sunday"

Wicked - "Rise Up"

Avenue Q - "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye"

Finale - "Help is on the Way" (sung by Rachel York)

 

Anyone else go yesterday? Or are planning on going today?

Updated On: 4/26/16 at 11:07 AM

[Jshan05]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 11:10am

All of those sound amazing. Can't wait to see some videos...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 11:11am

I went yesterday. Straight's skit was hilarious. The Fun Home kids were fantastic (but made me wonder if LMM was actually there to see it.) Hamilton and Avenue Q were my other favorites. I spent a while being scared that someone was going to cut their foot on the piece of the Kinky Boots bonnet that fell off.

I can't wait for video!

Updated On: 4/26/16 at 11:11 AM

[sarahb22]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 11:22am

LizzieCurry said: "I went yesterday. Straight's skit was hilarious. The Fun Home kids were fantastic (but made me wonder if LMM was actually there to see it.) "

I think he was there, wasn't he? He tweeted a picture of him and the Hamilton cast, with him done up like Sweeney Todd complete with dark circles under his eyes and holding a straight razor.  Reneé was there too, with her hair done up in twin Mrs. Lovett buns. I'll bet that number was fantastic!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 11:27am

Oh, no, I meant if he was still in the building to see the Fun Home number.

[sorano916]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 11:29am

sarahb22 said: "LizzieCurry said: "I went yesterday. Straight's skit was hilarious. The Fun Home kids were fantastic (but made me wonder if LMM was actually there to see it.) "

I think he was there, wasn't he? He tweeted a picture of him and the Hamilton cast, with him done up like Sweeney Todd complete with dark circles under his eyes and holding a straight razor.  Reneé was there too, with her hair done up in twin Mrs. Lovett buns. I'll bet that number was fantastic!"

Since Lizzie answered, I'll just add that I hope the sound gets fixed for today's presentation, because it was kinda hard to hear the Hamilton cast when they spoke their different lines. Luckily, Lin said he'll post the lyrics after today's show. :)
 

Updated On: 4/26/16 at 11:29 AM

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 11:40am

Do the same shows perform today?  Going this afternoon.

[sarahb22]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 12:12pm

LizzieCurry said: "Oh, no, I meant if he was still in the building to see the Fun Home number."

Oh, gotcha.  

[sorano916]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 12:26pm

DramaTeach said: "Do the same shows perform today?  Going this afternoon."

 

Yup. The only changes would be in the presenters as well as having the judges, announcing which shows raised the most, and revealing the amount they raised this collection period.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 12:27pm

Don't the performers occasionally change, too? I imagine this year, they would for An American in Paris (another one of my favorites from yesterday).

[sorano916]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 12:32pm

LizzieCurry said: "Don't the performers occasionally change, too? I imagine this year, they would for An American in Paris (another one of my favorites from yesterday)."

 

Yeah, sometimes they do. The Monday show is sometimes seen as the "final dress" of the performances with the Tuesday show being the big one.

 

I, too, enjoyed AAIP's one. I think theirs was my favorite Bonnet, as well.

[beensince1987]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 6:39pm

3 words...   Stevie Freakin' Nicks...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 6:43pm

Here are the Hamilton/Sweeney lyrics: http://linmanuel.tumblr.com/post/143448737880/our-winning-easter-bonnet-presentation-sung-to

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 6:51pm

Hamilton won with Fun Home coming in second place...

[sueb1863]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 7:22pm

LizzieCurry said: "Here are the Hamilton/Sweeney lyrics: http://linmanuel.tumblr.com/post/143448737880/our-winning-easter-bonnet-presentation-sung-to


That's awesome!!!

 

[ZellMorrowsPledge]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 7:30pm

LizzieCurry said: "Oh, no, I meant if he was still in the building to see the Fun Home number.

 

"

He was!

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 8:03pm

When they said Stevie Nicks, I thought it was a joke.  When I heard her sing, my jaw fell to the floor.  An amazing experience for those kids on top of an already incredible one.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 8:04pm

What did she sing?

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 8:08pm

LizzieCurry said: "What did she sing?

 

Rhiannon with the kids killing it on instruments.  Nothing else in their performance and nothing else needed.  Incredible.

 

[delongpre]

Posted: 4/26/16 at 9:40pm

When they introduced the School of Rock act yesterday I said to my daughter "how cool would it be if they really got Stevie to come!?" When they started the song today and she was THERE I almost fell over the mezz railing. I have to say, I think it was the biggest surprise of the evening.

[sorano916]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 3:14pm

BCEFA has been posting videos from the presentations:

 

School of Rock: https://youtu.be/1kG-loNDL1c

 

Hamilton: https://youtu.be/bruTOQoNtO4

[Sda99]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 7:24pm

I wonder why more cast members from Will Roger's Follies weren't present. Where was everyone else? 

Separately, the bucket brigade deserves a special shout out for having Dana Moore and Mamie Duncan-Gibbs dancing for us again. I couldn't take my eyes off them.

[phan24]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 11:20pm

Can someone confirm or deny if the kids from Fun Home were lipsyncing during their performance? I thought they definitely were, but no one else in my group seemed to have even noticed, not a big deal, just trying to prove myself right or wrong.

Updated On: 4/28/16 at 11:20 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/27/16 at 11:25pm

I didn't think they were at the time, but looking back on it, they definitely had the clearest sound of any skit or presenter. Not that that means anything, but it was enough for me to remember. An acquaintance who was also at the Monday show happened to bring this up in conversation with me yesterday, too.

Updated On: 4/27/16 at 11:25 PM

[followspot]

Posted: 4/28/16 at 12:07am

About halfway through I sensed that they were lip-syncing — vocals and sound mix were just a little too polished for the amount of physical movement going on.  Still a good performance.