BIG the musical

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 4:59pm

So I've been doing this show for a week... we have it totally blocked, most of the music learned, and almost all of the choraeography learned... (we're rehearsing 9-5 Mon-Fri.)

But it ain't the best written show in the world. And, yes I know all about the contreversy from the OBP, and then the tour where they changed it and all that crap, but...what do y'all think about it?

[Act4ever]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 5:03pm

some of the music is cute... but other than that...

[Kringas]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 5:05pm

I saw it during its Broadway run. Apparantly I am the only person in the world who actually enjoyed it.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 5:19pm

For me, seeing the Broadway version was a bore. The show should have had a magic or charm about it but unfortunately it had neither. The musical number where the kids came out on skateboards seemed gratuitous and most the score seemed serviceable at best. When adapting a popular film to the musical stage, you need to do more than just re-tell the story by numbers or you'll quickly lose the audience. I didn't hate the show enough to walk out at intermission but I wasn't surprised at its short run. Favorite part of the show...at the souvenir stand I was able to purchase a pair of boxer shorts with the word B I G written across the crotch area.

[Patronus]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 5:29pm

I saw the National Tour. I didn't love it, but it had it's moments.

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 5:33pm

ok... wel... what would you guys change about it? What would you keep?

Personally I would only keep Cross the line, and a lot of MacMillan's Stuff... but it just seemed written by inexperienced writers... What if a big composer like ALW/Stephen Sondheim/Stepen Schwarttz wrote it? How do you think it would fare?

[Demitri2]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 6:08pm

Ouch! David Shire and Richard Maltby Jr. inexperienced? They've been around writing music since the fifties ("Baby", "Starting Here Starting Now") with Shire writing countless film scores. Let's just say "Big" was right up there with Schwartz' score for "Wicked", Sondheim's for "Bounce" and ALW's for "The Beautiful Game". .

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 7:47pm

I am another one who enjoyed the Broadway production. In fact, I went back to see it a second time.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 7:51pm

I never saw a professional production, but I was in it my Senior year of HS. I was Mrs. Baskins and I loooove her songs! "Say good morning to mom" I think was added to the tour (or to the package when you purchase teh rights..something like that) and it was a fun song! and of course "Stop, Time" is absolutely gorgeous...I still cry and get all emotional when I hear it or sing it...I'm friggin 19 too! I have no kids! lol

[Kicks8567]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 8:49pm

This was my first Broadway show....I don't really remember too much about it, but I do have a mug, CD, and the foot keyboard thing that was available at FAO Scwartz.

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 2:00am

I know they are wxperienced, but it just doesn't really have the quality that most shows should... key word. Should. It just sounds like generic Broadway balads and dance numbers. They lyrics really just sound thrown together. I realize that with all the contreversy, scrambling to write all the songs for the show (58 in all.... obv. not all made it into the show) But it's just not amazing. The music is pretty... don't get me wrong... it just doesn't fit together real well.. I mean the orchestra is very pretty. Its this beautiful floating melody played by an fairly nice sounding orcehstra.. however most of the melody never appears in the rest of the show, until it gets to the Brassy Cynthia Benson part, then we're fine, but, there's every genre of music ever found on the face of the planet in this show. Generic Broadway pop songs (Cross the line, Coffee Black) Plain old Broadway Ballads (Talk to Her, Stop time, all three of Susan's songs, Stars) and the random rap-ness that opens Act 2. Also, the minuet THE REAL THING. It's beautiful, but doesn't quite fit. The script lacks also... the scary premise of a child going missing, it's only apparant when the police intercepts a phone call from Joah to his Mother... I would make that more of a plot point, and random characters entering at the most random moments (ie: Billy at the company party, Mrs. Baskin at the end... I mean she just happens to come into the warehouse with no explanation of why she's there...) I think they should have done a few more workshops I don't know... I wish they'd rewrite it... It has amazing potential for characterization, and transformation of the characters... maybe they were just having an off... decade...

[mrcacou]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 7:43am

There have been many changes between the Broadway and touring material. One of Josh's best songs has been cut for the tour and the local productions. When I did paly Josh in South Carolina the Director insisted on putting " I want to go home" back, which she did, It still makes my mother cry to hear my tape of it, lol. The song in the toy store was horrible comapered to the one on Broadway while still sharing the same name "Fun". The real thing was re staged by our Director as a straight theater scene with Gospell singers singing what was in the mind of the characters, that was a great idea.
The whole song 3this isn't me" was repalced by "Say good morning to mum" wich really gave more material to Mrs Baskin.
The only problem we had while doing the show was building the sets as you have to go from a house in Jersey to a fun fair and then a toy store.




My experience doing "Big the Musical"

Updated On: 8/15/05 at 07:43 AM