BEETLEJUICE - Pre-Broadway Tryout in DC- Page 11

[BOM]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 10:46pm

GeorgeandDot said: "I'd kill for Tim Michin to write and star in this."

Pretty sure Tim is done doing musicals for awhile after getting screwed over at the 2013 Tonys and his brilliant work for groundhog day going to waste. 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 10:58pm

Just because something didn't win a Tony award doesn't mean it "went to waste." Also, Groundhog Day really wasn't snubbed of anything. Nor was it particularly brilliant. I have also heard nothing about him quiting musical theatre. He's had two fairly successful musicals. Groundhog Day being less so on Broadway. This would fit him like a glove.

[BOM]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 10:59pm

GeorgeandDot said: "Just because something didn't win a Tony award doesn't mean it "went to waste." Also, Groundhog Day really wasn't snubbed of anything. Nor was it particularly brilliant. I have also heard nothing about him quiting musical theatre. He's had two fairly successful musicals. Groundhog Day being less so on Broadway. This would fit him like a glove."

He said himself that he was done with musicals for awhile. 

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/6/18 at 7:57am

I believe that was announced at the wine-drunk semi-impromptu concert at 54 Below.

[massofmen]

Posted: 11/6/18 at 9:59am

hubris is an amazing thing

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 11/6/18 at 11:54am

Do we know how much the film studio is involved?   Is there a Broadway creative producer involved on this show?   From the reviews, it seems like its being shaped like a corporate product, which may be fine because it will probably just sell.   Coming after Pretty Woman, this may be where its at right now.   The title just sells?   Same for Tootsie? 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 11/6/18 at 12:27pm

They should postpone the Broadway production and spend time fixing it. Those reviews are brutal. This show will be a lot more expensive to run than something like PRETTY WOMAN and the BEETLEJUICE has always been more of a cult favorite than anything else. I think it needs reviews more than something like PRETTY WOMAN did to have a successful run.

[BJR]

Posted: 11/6/18 at 1:31pm

I'm sure they were going to do more work already, but these reviews are likely giving some folks some pause.

It's almost never the case that national out of town critics are harder on a show than NYC critics. So, they should expect worse than this in NYC. True, PRETTY WOMAN is doing fine with mixed to negatives, but it has the bridge and tunnel BRONX TALE/JERSEY BOYS crowd going for it. That ain't this show.

[Broadwayeveryday2]

Posted: 11/6/18 at 11:17pm

BroadwayBear2 said: 

I won the lottery, but only got 1 ticket that was all that was left--but i was row F orchestra, dead Center. AMAZING SEAT. My fiance and friend also needed tickets and didn't win, but they were given vouchers for sticking around after the lottery and they were able to buy seats for only 49.99 a piece, and they were Row G orchestra left on the center aisle. So stick around and hope they have those 49.99 tickets too if you don't win. BEST OF LUCK."

I already saw the show once, and I only want to go again for $50 or less, so this Friday my friend and I are going into DC and entering the lottery. If we don't win we are hoping to get these vouchers. As of now, there are about 500 seats still available in the 1676 seat theatre. I know this comment was posted a while ago but if anyone knows any more information on these vouchers I was wondering how long we should wait and if we have to ask for the vouchers or if they will just be given, Also, do they hand out these vouchers in a sort of secrecy to specific or are they offered to the crowd. Sorry for all of my questions, Thank you. 

 

I also saw earlier that people were talking about the chance that Brightman is not hired for Broadway. This came to my mind after reading the reviews, but I really hope it doesn't happen. I personally liked the show a lot, but at times Brightman is given very weak material in this show. He embodies the role very well and has great comedic timing. Furthermore, I have met him twice and have left those interactions feeling touched by his kindness and humbleness. The reviews are saying that all he does is deliver crude jokes, but that is not his fault in my opinion. 

This is not to say that Norbert Leo Butz, Tim Minchin, and Chris Fitzgerald (who participated in readings) would not all be excellent in this role. There are many great actors who could do this part justice, but I still do not believe Alex should be fired. Hopefully this show runs long enough to have replacements so that other actors can play Beetlejuice. 

 

As to whether Minchin should be writing this show that is a different story. I understand the score needs work, but I do think Eddie Perfect's score is pretty great. Letting go of him would mean not having some of the songs I really loved, and there were quite a few. That being said, I am sure I would love anything Tim did to this material, as his past work (specifically GHD) has always impressed me. I also know that they went through many different composers before choosing Perfect, so I bet there's a fair chance that Minchin was already considered and said no or was not selected. 

 

 Also my review of the show is going onto a blog on the 12th, so I will probably post that on this board as well!

Updated On: 11/6/18 at 11:17 PM

[HunterK]

Posted: 11/7/18 at 12:13am

freewilma said: "$49 orchestra seats for performancesNov. 6-8 using the cod FLASH2"

I just tried using this code for 11/7 (tonight) and it says invalid. Did it expire already? Or does anyone have a new code? Lots of seats open! Fingers crossed.

Thanks in advance!

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 11/7/18 at 5:53am

Broadwayeveryday2 said: "BroadwayBear2 said:

I won the lottery, but only got 1 ticket that was all that was left--but i was row F orchestra, dead Center. AMAZING SEAT. My fiance and friend also needed tickets and didn't win, but they were given vouchers for sticking around after the lottery and they were able to buy seats for only 49.99 a piece, and they were Row G orchestra left on the center aisle. So stick around and hope they have those 49.99 tickets too if you don't win. BEST OF LUCK."

I already saw the show once, and I only want to go again for $50 or less, so this Friday my friend and I are going into DC and entering the lottery. If we don't win we are hoping to get these vouchers. As of now, there are about 500 seats still available in the 1676 seat theatre. I know this comment was posted a while ago but if anyone knows any more information on these vouchers I was wondering how long we should wait and if we have to ask for the vouchers or if they will just be given, Also, do they hand out these vouchers in a sort of secrecy to specificor are they offered to the crowd. Sorry for all of my questions, Thank you.



I also saw earlier that people were talking about the chance that Brightman is not hired for Broadway. This came to my mind after reading the reviews, but I really hope it doesn't happen. I personally liked the show a lot, but at times Brightman is given very weak material in this show. He embodies the role very well and has great comedic timing. Furthermore, I have met him twice and have left those interactions feeling touched by his kindness and humbleness. The reviews are saying that all he does is deliver crude jokes, but that is not his fault in my opinion.

This is not to say that Norbert Leo Butz, Tim Minchin,and Chris Fitzgerald (who participated in readings) would not all be excellent in this role. There are many great actors who could do this part justice, but I still do not believe Alex should be fired. Hopefully this show runs long enough to have replacements so that other actors can play Beetlejuice.



As to whether Minchin should be writing this show that is a different story. I understand the score needs work, but I do think Eddie Perfect's score is pretty great. Letting go of him would mean not having some of the songs I really loved, and there were quite a few. That being said, I am sure I would love anything Tim did to this material, as his past work (specifically GHD) has always impressed me. I also know that they went through many different composers before choosing Perfect, so I bet there's a fair chance that Minchin was already considered and said no or was not selected.



Also my review of the show is going onto a blog on the 12th, so I will probably post that on this board as well!"

The lady at the lottery talks open about the voucher and they are given right after the lottery ends, just grab quickly and move to the line to get the best possible seat.

[Broadwayeveryday2]

Posted: 11/7/18 at 2:09pm

MadsonMelo said: "Broadwayeveryday2 said: "BroadwayBear2 said:



The lady at the lottery talks open about the voucher and they are given right after the lottery ends, just grab quickly and move to the line to get the best possible seat."

Thank you!!! 

[kelsey1389]

Posted: 11/7/18 at 10:31pm

Is there any chance that the Broadway transfer would be delayed so that more major changes can be made? From what I've been reading, they seem necessary... but I don't know if shows do that? 

Also, how appealing do people who don't like Broadway shows find this? I'm thinking about taking my brother (17) to see it once it transfers because I'm desperate to find something he'll like, but don't know if this is worth it...

[Bwayfan292]

Posted: 11/7/18 at 11:02pm

I think this show is a prime example to never announce before you have your first performance. Because now they dug themselves into a hole, cause now theres no time to make an eh show, great.

[HunterK]

Posted: 11/7/18 at 11:54pm

From a cast member's own mouth this evening after the show.."After we close here (in DC), the show is being totally reworked. So if you're coming to NYC to see it, it may be a little different"..and she smiled!

So I think they all know there are issues. I saw it tonight (won't the lotto), great deal! The audience was extremely into it, especially in Act 2 when all the movie references come into play.

Also, anyone else find it weird that Lydia gets the final bow and not Alex? I just thought it would be opposite. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/8/18 at 12:47am

It is odd that the title character wouldn't get the finale bow, no? 

Also, there is plenty of time, 3 months, to fix this. They just need a rock solid plan and idea. Which they may or may not have. They need to DIAL back the Beetlejuice. Give him an entrance, etc. 

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 11/8/18 at 2:30am

They need to fix the book and maybe change the Beetlejuice tone.

The score is more than serviceable and wouldn’t change anyway.

[Broadwayeveryday2]

Posted: 11/8/18 at 11:02am

HunterK said: "From a cast member's own mouth this evening after the show.."After we close here (in DC), the show is being totally reworked. So if you're coming to NYC to see it, it may be a little different"..and she smiled!

Wowza! I'm glad I am going again before they end their DC run. It'll be really fascinating to watch the changes from here to the Broadway Production. I hope they keep some of what they have though, because in my opinion despite it's flaws they still have some great material. 

[NYCblurb]

Posted: 11/8/18 at 4:22pm

Bwayfan292 said: "I think this show is a prime example to never announce before you have your first performance. Because now they dug themselves into a hole, cause now theres no time to make an eh show, great."

They also sometimes announce a NYC theater, to avoid NYTimes from reviewing. That may or may not have been the strategy here. The show I think, cannot be saved. I have seen it twice, and it pains me to say, it is not salvageable.

 

 

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 11/13/18 at 8:16pm

Found the thread.

[JustReviewingOkay]

Posted: 11/13/18 at 8:26pm

Welp, here's my thoughts then: 

Let me cut to the chase.  I know what you’re gonna ask, is Beetlejuice “good”?  Now I have a very complicated answer, but I will say this: if a Tim Burton styled stage so is what you’ve always wanted, then should probably be off to see it as soon as you can.  Hold your sandworms, I’m not done yet.  Beetlejuice may be a visual masterpiece, but it is also a work in progress.  If you’re looking for more than high caliber Broadway comedy actors and half-baked humor, it may be better to wait and see what the move to the Winter Garden Theatre has in store for us. 

Now for the complicated answer.  If spoilers aren’t your thing, turn back now, for the surprises of Beetlejuice are extremely rewarding.

Making it Beetlejuice’s given job to usher the dead into the netherworld is an excellent addition to the character, except there isn’t very much character to begin with.  The opening makes the blind mistake of relying on the audience already knowing who Beetlejuice is.  A newcomer to the show might find him confusing or vague.  “The Whole Being Dead Thing” is an explosively entertaining number where BJ bashes some funeral goers.  Cutting in half way is Lydia mourning with “Invisible”.  Although the long arm gag is good and the bus driver costume from the film is much appreciated, the big B is introduced all too soon.  The buildup is killed rather quickly and consequently, the anticipation.  Alternatively, since the scene starts off with a dirge, Lydia could plunge right into “Invisible” with Beetlejuice popping out of the casket and delivering the brilliant line “a ballad already?” The audience cheers as he climbs out and begins “The Whole Being Dead Thing”, uninterrupted.   Act One’s pacing is quite tangled, so this jumpy establishing song is important.  Alex Brightman is an absolute tour de force and does his best with the often immature dialogue.  It’s obvious that Brightman is doing a good job of balancing the voice, but it’s still a bit much when he’s singing.  His vocal talents are betrayed in this respect and some of the lyrics are hard to understand because of it. 

The Maitlands are brilliantly portrayed by green clad Rob McClure and Kerry Butler, known for Something Rotten! and Little Shop of Horrors, respectively.  “Ready, Set, Not Yet” is funny, but far too frantic to be endearing.  Contrary to the writers’ belief, Adam and Barbara can be thoroughly lame and likeable simultaneously.  In the following scenes one could argue that too many pelvic thrusts are performed.  The scene progression is quite choppy, with so many reprises that one wonders if the song ever ended in the first place.  “Fright of their Lights” has a weird 1980’s sound and it has a great joke where Adam informs BJ that they can still hear him, with BJ responding “Well that was a soliloquy, so you’re the one being rude.”  BJ’s interactions with them are typically crass, but not in a clever adult way, an almost childish mentality instead.  Many of the jokes end with an unnecessary “F You,” which often feels like it’s only there to keep children out of the theatre

The show really begins to pick up when the Deetz family begin to move in and Lydia sings “Dead Mom,” easily one of the best numbers.  Sophia Anne Caruso plays the iconic goth girl in a way that doesn’t leave you cringing at all.  As the show progresses, Lydia upstages everyone.  An odd thing to note though, Lydia comes downstairs to dinner wearing a yellow dress to confuse her dad, which is exactly what Wednesday Addams does in the Addams Family Musical. 

Slapstick is the name of the game, considering BJ himself isn’t given many witty lines in the first act.  The sight gags are what work best, so you’d assume that the iconic Day-O scene would be the hit.  Instead of ascending to a new level of ridiculousness, it stays at relatively the same length.  A puppet roasted pig is added to the song which is funny by itself, but they didn’t stop there.  The pig’s male organ begins to invade Delia’s personal space.  Leslie Kritzer (a delightful scene stealer) appeared to be having troubles realistically interacting with it, awkwardly thrusting herself into the pig’s appendage for the remainder of the song.  Even though it garnered some laughs, initially it was a distraction from more clever effects such as the shrimp hand.  This is a perfect example for most jokes in the show; something clever is undermined by something vulgar.  They say a funny person can make a good joke, but a comedian can take it to the next level.

Act Two is significantly better than the first, giving the ghost with the most just the right edge.  “That Beautiful Sound” is my personal favorite, showing off the comedic prowess of Beetlejuice and Lydia as a pair, only seen before during “Say My Name.”  Casting actual teenagers as the girl-scout and Lydia was a great move, considering the big concern among fans after the misfires in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

“Children We Didn’t Have” is a wonderfully somber piece, (beautifully sung I might add) but would have made a larger impact if the audience had learned to view the Maitlands in a more positive view throughout the first act. If any song is to be removed, I hope that this one survives instead. 

Otho’s lines aren’t too brilliant, but luckily for them, they’ve got Kelvin Moon Loh to deliver.  Brief as the character is in this version, Kelvin’s comedic talents make the scenes memorable.  His days on SpongeBob SquarePants especially prove that he deserves a bigger spotlight. 

“Everything is Meh” by Boy Inferno is quite brilliant considering… well… boy bands are dead.  The netherworld has a well-designed look and the characters are quite faithful to the film, including Mrs. Juno Shoggoth exhaling smoke through her neck, Miss Argentina, a shrunken headed hunter, (the effect works surprisingly well) and that one guy who appears to have been run over.  “Running Away” has a nice tune to it and its enjoyable right up until the “woah-oh’s” start off.  This trope feels almost anachronistic and quickly evokes the desire to attempt Miss Argentina’s “little accident” on yourself.  It does end up being a good moment though, with character development for Lydia and Charles. 

The ending is hilarious and pretty unexpected. Beetlejuice’s exit is somewhat delayed though; every time you think he’s done, he turns around and delivers another cheesy one-liner.  BJ being carried off into the netherworld was quite enough.  Even though it doesn’t really make sense, (does Lydia somehow have a karaoke record?) it is indeed surprisingly pleasing to hear the cast sing “Jump in the Line”… and the levitation effect is flawless.    

In fact, probably the best aspect of the show is special effects and scenic design.  David Korins has done an absolutely astounding job of fulfilling Tim Burton’s vision, all while presenting his own take.  Michael Curry’s puppet design is not to be missed, with smooth movement and grand scale. Enough cannot be said about the visual aptitude of Beetlejuice.

The music by Eddie Perfect is ironically not… perfect.   Sorry.                                   Rock and Roll style ballads may be a good choice for the musical, but a few things it still lacks.  Remnants of Danny Elfman’s original score are always welcome and can be heard during some cues.  After all, the music is half of what makes Beetlejuice feel like Beetlejuice.  Thankfully, the keys and trumpets are pretty prominent in Perfect’s score, which helps greatly to set the tone.  It’s important to mention that one thing is missing… strings.  Violins are either utilized very little or are nonexistent.  Sound design should be looked in to, most of the time the music overpowers the voices or the voices hide the music.  Even though I have no hearing problems whatsoever, the lyrics were frequently hard to understand.  (I do realize that this could entirely be the National Theatre sound system’s fault) When you come down to it, the music needs beefing up.  Giving it a fuller, more orchestral sound to complement the rock instruments is the exact way to accomplish this.  (See Hans Zimmer, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Kansas, or Foreigner with the David Eggar Orchestra)

Overall, Beetlejuice is a spectacular show with immense potential.  That fact is, frankly, quite enough to satisfy considering it could have been a huge misstep, similar to the fate of Moulin Rouge.  With the fabulous cast and crew carrying it through, Beetlejuice could be an absolute Broadway hit in the making.

We’ll see at the Winter Garden Theatre on April 25th, 2019.  

 

[neeGallagher]

Posted: 11/15/18 at 11:08am

Long time lurker/reader, first time poster.

 

Summary:

I saw the show last night in DC. There’s potential in it, but the story needs A LOT of work before New York. The set was great – one of the best I’ve ever seen. The mezzanine was half full, and the audience response was tepid, at best.

 

Full thoughts:

The opening sequence(s) was too long. The story needs to be tightened up. After “Dead Mom” the story picked up (but I hated that song). The second half of first act was quite good. Beetlejuice, the character, was introduced way too soon. It would work much better if he was a narrator until he’s summoned.

 

The Maitlands and the Deetzes have been dumbed down into caricatures of their movie characters, especially Delia – who is now a prostitute (WTF). In this story, the Deetzes aren’t even engaged at the beginning, yet they bought a house six months after Charles’s wife/Lydia’s mother died? Spoiler alert – Charles proposes in the show. (When/if this storyline is replaced, so should the actors. They are not the right fit for the parts.)

 

There’s not a song list in the Playbill. But there’s one especially downer song near the end of Act II about “the child we never had” – it turns out the Maitlands are talking about Lydia, but … woof. It was uncomfortable.

 

Act II is a Mess with a Capital M. I am still not sure what happened. There were lots of new characters introduced for the sake of introducing new characters. (I’m looking at you, Girl Scout cookie girl and the hip-hop boy band). The levitation at the end was far too short – maybe 5 seconds? That’s one of the most iconic moments from the film and would be a great ending if it lasted longer.

 

Also, it’s not explicitly stated nor said by any characters (except for the reference to “Brigadoon” – and who knows that?), but I can’t tell if this is *meant* to be a parody of musical theatre? Or if they’re just ripping off other shows?  The Act II opening number is eerily similar to “Brotherhood of Man,” down to the choreography from the 2011 Tonys. There’s another un-memorable Act II number (at least I think it was Act II?) which was ripped from Jesus Christ Superstar.

[BobRandomGuyMan]

Posted: 11/15/18 at 2:18pm

Saw the show this past weekend, and disagree with nearly every single thing JustReviewingOkay said. In order for this to survive in New York, they will need a book doctor who actually understands this story to start work immediately. The writers completely missed the point of view of the movie Beetlejuice and don't have the ability to fix it. No one cares about Kerry Butler's dead baby or even Lydia's dead mom. That's not what this story was built to withstand. Those are the inventions of an insecure, not very smart team.  Maybe that would fly in your original NYMF musical, but not with these specific ingredients. It's about subversion - Lydia doesn't need a Lifetime motivation. She is the universal angsty teen who has awful, self centered parents that she'd love to punish. We would too! We want them to get haunted because they are so absurd. No one cares about their secret affair and marriage and conflict of interest as a life coach. (!) Similarly, the poor, boring dead couple are caught between life and death and are trying in vain to get their house back from assholes. They don't need complex feelings! That is cancer to the show. And I won't even go into Act 2, which is a thorough mess. A girl scout? A boy band? A cult leader with an expensive box that doesn't figure into any of the rest of the plot? Cut it all. I'm all for attempting to improve a source material, but these "improvements" universally stemmed from a misunderstanding of the appeal and point of view of the original. Super unfortunate.

[sfs1414]

Posted: 11/15/18 at 2:21pm

BobRandomGuyMan  I agree 100% with what you said. Let us hope that they can make some massive changes before March.

[HunterK]

Posted: 11/16/18 at 12:58am

neeGallagher said: "Long time lurker/reader, first time poster.




The Maitlands and the Deetzes have been dumbed down into caricatures of their movie characters, especially Delia – who is now a prostitute (WTF). 

 

I have tried to keep quiet about this but this sentence really bothered me about Delia. She is NOT a prostitute, she is a life coach. She made a joke about that to Charles when he talks about him paying money to here to be apart of the family. I found it hysterical (especially the way Kritzer delivers it!). But by no means is she a prostitute. "You're a life coach and what does a life coach do? Almost anything!! " 

I think Leslie Kritzer is a feaking GEM in Beetljuice. Maybe a possible support Tony nom? Thats how much I liked her. Her comic timing is brilliant and that voice is amazing. Out of all the characters, I believed her craziness the most. She has a lot go great moments. When it is fixed, I hope she has more to do. 







Act II is a Mess with a Capital M. I am still not sure what happened. There were lots of new characters introduced for the sake of introducing new characters. (I’m looking at you, Girl Scout cookie girl and the hip-hop boy band). The levitation at the end was far too short – maybe 5 seconds? That’s one of the most iconic moments from the film and would be a great ending if it lasted longer.



Also, it’s not explicitly stated nor said by any characters (except for the reference to “Brigadoon” – and who knows that?), but I can’t tell if this is *meant* to be a parody of musical theatre? Or if they’re just ripping off other shows? The Act II opening number is eerily similar to “Brotherhood of Man,” down to the choreography from the 2011 Tonys. There’s another un-memorable Act II number (at least I think it was Act II?) which was ripped from Jesus Christ Superstar."