BEACHES Previews- Page 2

[Kad]

Posted: 3/27/26 at 12:49pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "bwaylyric said: "inception said: "WTF? TheycutWBMW from aBeachesmusical?"

PASS! Imagine if The Bodyguard musical cut out I Will Always Love You?"

WBMW has not been cut."

WBMW was the only song retained from the movie (likely because if they cut it, they would lose any hope of selling tickets at all).

[inception]

Posted: 3/27/26 at 1:08pm

Ok then I misread or misunderstood all the previous comments. Sorry.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 3/27/26 at 1:28pm

To be clear, in the film, Bette Midler('s character) sings a song, "Otto Titsling." Jordan jokingly requested someone get him a titsling if they give them away as a first preview gift; several others (getting the joke or otherwise) said it won't happen since that song ("Otto Titsling" ) has been cut (along with all other movie songs that aren't "Wind Beneath..." ). But it was easy to misread if you didn't get the "Otto Titsling" reference and know that was specifically the cut song in question.

 

 

 

Updated On: 3/27/26 at 01:28 PM

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 3/27/26 at 2:23pm

I nearly fell asleep looking at the photos of the marquee, so I hope what's on stage has more life.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/27/26 at 10:57pm

Updated On: 3/27/26 at 10:57 PM

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/27/26 at 11:00pm

BEACHES merch

[Matt Legg]

Posted: 3/27/26 at 11:02pm

Attended the first show.  Having survived the Shoshona Bean version in Chicago back in 2015, I was pleasantly surprised with what was on the stage tonight.

Kellie and Jessica really outdid themselves.  Powerhouse singing of songs I may not remember, but I will remember the performance.

And, agreeing with a post up above, the child version of CeCe literally stole the show.  The singing, the dancing, the acting... she really was amazing throughout.  She actually is the singer on the first part of WBMW.

I do wish there would have been some water on stage... so many scenes of taking a dip in the water and it would have been easy to have a small stream or something.

Another missed opportunity was what I associate with Beaches the movie... the photo booth photos!  Seems like they easily could have taken some in the early part of the show to display near the end.

Overall, it could use some trimming, but I did leave satisfied and really impressed with the performances.  The awful marketing campaign does not match the quality of the show

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/27/26 at 11:20pm

Could  Samantha Schwartz's  "Little Cee Cee"   end up with a Tony nomination?

Updated On: 3/27/26 at 11:20 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/29/26 at 6:57pm

This is not some interesting-to-dissect failure like LEMPICKA or PARADISE SQUARE. It didn’t make me mad like SMASH or QOV or City Center's PAL JOEY. It’s just boring.

It is an inept work of musical theatre writing because almost every song feels like it’s in the “wrong” place in the story. Big emotional moments get overlong book scenes, and the songs don’t elevate/move the story. Mike Stoller’s melodies are enjoyable enough (some are constantly shoved down our ears). “Wind Beneath My Wings” is jarringly 80s when the rest of the score feels authentically of the 1950s/60s. It comes out of nowhere, and then the show ends abruptly. It’s awkwardly arranged and staged, and in a key that doesn’t showcase Vosk’s range.

If a "dying mother" storyline doesn't break my heart, there's something seriously wrong with the show. (It should probably also be the entire second act. Right now it feels like a weak addendum.) Vosk is attempting to make something out of a narcissist who uses comedy as a cover, but her arc isn't there yet. We talk a lot about how “unlikable character” is not a criticism, but here we are given nothing to latch on to, I just didn't care about these two ordinary women. I disagree about the children stealing the show: I found them shrill and overused.

It is horrendous to look at.

It’s long and they will probably shave 15-20 mins from it by the time it opens. I have low expectations for any other type of meaningful change.

I feel sorry for everyone involved (except the writers and producers who thought this was a good idea). May everyone enjoy their Broadway money for the next 1-3 months.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/29/26 at 10:09pm

Matt Legg said: "Another missed opportunity was what I associate with Beaches the movie... the photo booth photos! Seems like they easily could have taken some in the early part of the show to display near the end."

I don’t know the novel, but is the Photo Booth stuff only in the movie? This musical is based on the novel, not the movie, and has book & lyrics by the novelist, who was not involved with the movie. And if she’s like other novelists probably has mixed feelings about how her work was adapted for the screen without her involvement.

There are awkward Photo Booth style photos of random people projected on the curtain for the last few minutes of intermission.

[Jcrispee2]

Posted: 3/29/26 at 11:57pm

CoffeeBreak said: "Could Samantha Schwartz's "Little Cee Cee" end up with a Tony nomination?"

I left the 2nd preview thinking she easily could get a Tony nomination. Her song is a highlight of the show and she is (along with the others) featured a lot throughout the show. Reminds me of when David Bologna got the nomination for Billy Elliot. I asked her at the stage door what her favorite part of the show was and she said “when I get to smoke!” LOL!

[MaxineElliott]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 12:12am

it's cool Little Cee Cee (Samantha Schwartz) is getting a lot of praise because in the movie little CeCe is played by Mayim Bialik and Mayim slays in that role too. 

 

..

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 12:59am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Matt Legg said: "Another missed opportunity was what I associate with Beaches the movie... the photo booth photos! Seems like they easily could have taken some in the early part of the show to display near the end."

I don’t know the novel, but is the Photo Booth stuff only in the movie? This musical is based on the novel, not the movie, and has book & lyrics by the novelist, who was not involved with the movie.And if she’s like other novelists probably has mixed feelings about how her work was adapted for the screen without her involvement.

There are awkward Photo Booth style photos of random people projected on the curtain for the last few minutes of intermission."

The Calgary production had a photo booth in the lobby, to take a photo with your friend.

Then those were projected on the curtain at intermission, could that be it? 

[GottaGetAGimmick420]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 8:58am

To be fair, as someone who saw it previously in Canada... I don't think they'll be cutting as much material as we'd like. They've been working on this for how many years now? I feel like it's probably as close to frozen at this point as we'll expect.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 8:59am

This musical is based on the novel, not the movie, and has book & lyrics by the novelist, who was not involved with the movie.

They may try to distance themselves from the film but the entire look on stage is full out references to the film - from Jessica Vosk sporting Midler’s Cee Cee long red curls to even copying the silhoutte of her “Wind Beneath My Wings” gown seen in the film. Heck, Little Cee Cee’s beaded red kiddie show costume is literally a full out replica of the one Mayim Bialik wore in the film. 

[musicthatmakesmedance]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 9:13am

Frankly, this was better than I was expecting and far from the worst thing I've seen. But yes...boring, safe, and ultimately feels like regional theatre.

[inception]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 9:25am

The Times needs to hire Emengarde.  That's the kind of reviews we need.  

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 9:38am

On further reflection, the stage also feels CAVERNOUS for a show with an onstage cast of 12 and most scenes/songs have 2-4 people. And because of that weird platform midstage, it means some intimate scenes (like the hospice bed) are played 10 feet from the edge of the stage instead of in the audience’s lap. Maybe this is less problematic in the orchestra, I was in the mezz.

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 2:22pm

That's it? No one else has anything to say? I popped popcorn to check this board. 

[Kad]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 2:27pm

MadonnaMusical said: "That's it? No one else has anything to say? I popped popcorn to check this board."

People need to see the show to have opinions on it and judging by their sales, that isn't happening much yet. Glancing at their house for tomorrow... it's maybe 20% sold? Their houses for this weekend aren't better, either. 

Updated On: 3/30/26 at 02:27 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 2:33pm

I bet it’d be selling better if they had some titslings to give out at the door. Just sayin…

[Leapinlizards]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 8:08pm

I saw Beaches on the first night of previews. As a huge Jessica Vosk fan, it hurts my heart a little to write this.

As many have mentioned, the set was very lacking. For such a big stage, only a small portion of it was utilized. It felt like they were just wheeling out props. That, combined with the small cast size, made it seem very empty.

All three kids were great. I enjoyed little Bertie and Cee Cee's short interludes and actually wish there were a few more of them. Samantha Schwartz stole every scene that she was in and I think we will be seeing more from her. I honestly don't think the teen versions of the characters were needed at all. They had such tiny parts and I thought it was strange that teenage Cee Cee was in Wind Beneath My Wings.

I liked the music while I was watching the show, but I couldn't recall a single melody or lyric once I left. I understand that all the songs are new (except for WBMW), but man, I think Glory of Love would have been fantastic in the musical. As somebody else said, it seemed like the songs were misplaced.

Jessica was outstanding and it was worth it for me just to see her. She crushed every song. I wish WBMW was longer or she sang more of it. I mostly wish I got to watch her in a different show :-(  I fear that once all of her fans get to see her in Beaches, it's going to be over because I can't see people going to see this more than once. If Jessica Vosk were not in this, I would have had a hard time watching most of it. 

I hope that they can make enough changes for it to be successful. I'm anxious to hear other people's thoughts and I hope I'm wrong about a lot of this!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/30/26 at 11:41pm

My mind is all over the place, getting in from this. I feel like I should marinate in the show for the night and write about it tomorrow but I might forget a lot by then, so let's do this. 

Overall, and I mean big picture here, this isn't the worst thing I've ever seen. I've seen shows where I left angry at what I had just paid to see and this wasn't that. For the first 2/3 of act one, I was actually having a blast. The book was pure camp and we were laughing our asses off and I mean legit belly laughs where my side cramped up. But on the other side of that, the music - and I mean every original song here - is some of the worst I've ever heard in a musical. I'd still judge it just as harshly if it were some college kids show being presented at Theatre Row because it is just horrendous. The "sets", if we want to call them that are as cheap and ugly as everyone said they were. The show relies on projections for far too much to fill up that enormous stage with the dozen or so people in the cast. And since it's mostly only ever 4 people max in a scene, the stage swallows them and the show up. 

As far as performances go, they were all good with what they're given. Like I said, act one is (for me) hilarious and that's in large part Vosk who knows how to deliver some good comedy. Barrett is fine here but she really has nothing to do for the majority of the show. Bertie is such a boring character if they're going to change stuff up at least give her some personality for the stage. The young CeCe is magic and I'd rather see 2 hours of her just telling Henny Youngman jokes than some of the stuff she has to do, here. But there's three sets of the women, one kids, one teens and then the adults and at various scenes (and I'm guessing it's SOLELY to fill up the stage) all 6 are in the scene, kind of shadowing each other which is ridiculous. 

Equally ridiculous is the pacing of this show which spends far too much time on certain things and having them sing songs with absolutely nothing moving the story or their characters along in any way, which means the ending is rushed and abrupt. I heard a few sniffles but me, who cries at everything, was just kind of looking around thinking "really? This is it?" But there is kind of my problem with the entirety of act two. They leave so much story left that it's all rushed and things are cut that it just all feels so rushed. There's a little bit of that humor I liked in act one there, but mainly it's a total slog. When "Wind Beneath My Wings" is finally sung, the audience started laughing with how ridiculously the number was staged. I think I leaned over and said "Oh my God" and just bit my lip hard so I wouldn't laugh. 

So I have no idea where I stand on this show. Tons of fun with some of the book scenes and jokes in half the show but terrible score throughout and a second act that doesn't need a show doctor, it needs a show miracle worker. Like every show, I'm glad I got to see it but c'mon, Broadway. Get your act together. 

[Ptero2]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 12:05am

Not too much to add to what’s been said, but I hope Vosk can squeeze a Tony nom out of this. She’s carrying this whole thing on her back right now.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 3/31/26 at 2:12am

The show started at 7:35 and the kids (alone)were still on at 8:05 so I knew I was in for a long night.  I found the kids to be overbearing and hated whenever they came on. The jokes didn’t work for me and the music is completely forgettable. 

The repetitive use of signs is overdone but without much else to go on I was trying to like the scenery. The beach looked nice. It definitely felt like a regional production. I felt bad for Vosk and Barrett because they are both good in just a bad musical.

I kept praying for Bertie to get sick so we could get to the big number and it just did not feel like it was ever going to happen. The music finally started for Wind Beneath My Wings and crap, that kid again and then the teen and then finally Vosk center stage in a dress that looked like the one Bette Davis wore in All About Eve. The poofy shoulders? The dress did not match anything else in the show. For the life of me I don’t understand why producers and writers think we need three versions of the same person. It just felt so unnecessary and why they had to drag three CeeCee’s out on stage for the number everyone is waiting for just didn’t make any sense to me. The staging literally made me laugh out loud when a wooden runway that Vosk is standing on center stage starts to move forward. So she is coming toward us, singing to us and I am thinking shouldn’t she be singing this to her friend on her deathbed or maybe watching her friend sit on the beach? But no, she is singing straight out to us with a younger CeeCee on each side of her. Then I see that wooden runway headed straight for the conductor’s head. Took me right out of the moment because it looks like the poor guy is going to get decapitated. Then the thing stops like an inch from his head. 

There were sniffles around me and a lot of folks laughed throughout at the Henny Youngman humor but this did not work for me.