BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical - Pre-Broadway Chicago- Page 11

[MidWestTheater]

Posted: 12/5/23 at 6:16pm

I caught this show this past Friday and really went in with no expectations...and I was thoroughly charmed with this whole production. Yes, it has book issues, especially in the second act, but I didn't care. Jerry Mitchell knows how to stage a big production number and there are quite a few in this, and that is when the show just soars. I also agree with everyone here, Jasmine Amy Rogers is giving a "star is born" performance and not just in her singing and dancing, but in her whole performance. She makes a Betty a much more fleshed out character, then some of the writing may suggest. Also how she keeps that "Betty Voice" going for 2 hours I don't know. I think the biggest surprise was David Foster's score, which was incredibly strong, it's been a long time since I left a musical with that many earworms stuck in my head, I look forward to hearing it again. I think with some major book changes especially in the second act, there could be quite a hit here.

[romain2]

Posted: 12/5/23 at 7:15pm

I caught the show this past Sunday (December 2). As everyone agrees, Jasmine Amy Rogers delights and dazzles as Boop. The dancing is terrific. A lot of the stage craft impresses (Grampy's invention, that chair, leads to a "how did that do that?" moment). I enjoyed the work of Ainsley Melham and Stephen DeRosa and the ensemble in general. Many of the songs are in great shape with "Where I Wanna Be" a fabulous act one closer. It's funny--people compare it to Barbie--it reminded me at times of Xanadu. 

The book though is all over the place. And there are two things that stuck out at me. Betty keeps talking about how in her cartoons she's chased around until she bops a guy on the head. Why not show this in the first act? We are being told, not shown. Why not have a montage of her doing this again and again? That would make some events in Act Two stronger.

Also Melham's love interest character is a guy who loves old-style jazz. He's practically a Gene Kelly in On the Town or Cover Girl (the latter served as an inspiration to Xanadu with Kelly playing his Cover Girl character) kind of throwback. However I have questions...spoilers...

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

He wants to play in a club where Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong on the wall. So when he tells Betty later in the show that he hasn't seen her film shorts because he likes the new, not the old, it doesn't make much sense. Why doesn't he simply say he doesn't like cartoons? And then could cause a crisis where he has to open his mind and take her work seriously?

The show bends over backwards being a tribute to modern day NYC. And that was cute. 

Overall I had a good time. And as a light entertainment with some good (if generic) messages about being yourself, it's a pleasant show. People have compared it to the rather flawed Thoroughly Modern Millie and I have to agree. I got the same absolute joy watching Rogers as I did watching Sutton Foster, and the same "what a delightful leading man" feeling while watching Melham as I did while watching Gavin Creel. 

 

Updated On: 12/5/23 at 07:15 PM

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 12/6/23 at 1:20am

Ahead of the Press Opening on December 6, Tuesday night's show had an insert added to the Playbill. Though the CAST is the same, the roles of Director, Assistant Director, Malcolm Carter (a news reporter), Cheryl King (a news anchor), and the 3 featured Mascots have been added. 

The revised song list is included, too, on the same one-sided insert. SHE KNOCKS ME OUT is the third number in Act 2, and the closer is COLOR OF LOVE. Both numbers were added late last week.

The biggest change of the evening was the top of Act 2. The round "dance atop" discs have been removed from SHE'S HERE, and the video backwall has changed from busy text messages to the New York skyline, bathed in searchlights. A great improvement! There is now much more focus on the Ensemble instead of the text message wall. 

The number is shortened as well. The intricate sharing of the discs between the 5 yesteryear characters and the modern day 10 colorful characters has been removed. The black and white newspaper backdrop is gone. Boop no longer appears atop the tiny stairs. The gray street barricade has been tossed out entirely.

The 5 yesteryear characters sing a short reprise of GET HER BACK, yet as WE WANT HER BACK.

Two small changes appear near the top of the show: the Fleischer Studios logo that pops up during the overture has added 7 studio characters above its name. In one of the shorts, 4 Ensemble women don garrison caps before changing into top hats.

Lighting changes: when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and other characters trade spots with the Black and White Ensemble, the top-of-the-proscenium frames of the studio cartoons change color. When the slimy Raymond Demarest sings atop his office desk, the auditorium is awash with soft white, kaleidoscope-type movement.

The Director has a new line: "we're ready for your close-up" replaces "stop repeating me". At the Finale, the Director and Assistant Director sing their brief duet in Black and White, but the Ensemble then helps the duo with a quick change into color.

Three technical hiccups - got it out of their system before opening - creeped into Tuesday's performance.

At the end of the full-stage I SPEAK JAZZ dance, the green walls of the dining room did not float back into the scene. These same walls transform into Trisha's bedroom. Her wall paintings were absent for a bit until the 2 screens gently lowered into view. The NY skyline briefly flickered.

KUDOS to the cast and crew - the show did not slow down nor stop for any of the hiccups. Another blip of the night was a few seconds of no microphone for Valentina at the tail end of A CURE FOR LOVE.

Early on, when Boop grabs a seat in Grampy's teleporting marvel, the backwall video of a collapsing fadeout began its change a few beats early, and the usual explosion of carbon dioxide was fully absent. Everyone saw Betty's removal from the chair.

Updated On: 12/6/23 at 01:20 AM

[BETTY22]

Posted: 12/6/23 at 6:28pm

Best of luck tonight.

I see NYPost critic is in Chicago...do you think NYTimes will send someone? 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 8:41am

https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/reviews/ct-ent-boop-musical-chicago-review-20231207-il5ulvagu5awzhoi3t4nx7z5gy-story.html
 

Given that she is playing a baby-faced, anatomically impossible cartoon character known mostly for a wink, a center-parted coiffure and a five-word catchphrase, the relative unknown Jasmine Amy Rogers turns in an astonishingly fleshed-out performance at the heart of “Boop! the Musical,” which opened its pre-Broadway tryout a the CIBC Theatre in Chicago on Wednesday before an audience that included singer Katharine McPhee and, more improbably, Bill Gates. Boop-oop-a-doop!

Rogers will be a shining new star as Betty Boop in the latest show directed by Jerry Mitchell, the fifth highly polished musical this maestro has opened before Broadway in this city and a modestly scaled, family-oriented show wherein there is a great deal to like, and much more work still to be done, especially in the wildly uneven Act 2.

Rogers, though, already is the complete Broadway package: a stellar vocalist for the lush score by David Foster and Susan Birkenhead, a subtle comedic natural when it comes to Bob Martin’s book and, above all, a warm-centered and vulnerable performer who humanizes the central character in a show that has yet to sufficiently surround her with sufficient truth for this director and choreographer’s signature emotional trajectory to achieve all it could. Mitchell is a talent scout of formidable talent and Rogers is a discovery neither he or Broadway will soon forget.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 9:41am

Is this still planning an immediate Broadway transfer?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 9:44am

Sounds like it's going into the Broadway - that's the rumor. 

The review is in line with what we all said. Star turn, decent music, fine/pedestrian staging, and a wonky book. 

[OhHiii]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 9:59am

RippedMan said: "Sounds like it's going into the Broadway - that's the rumor.

The review is in line with what we all said. Star turn, decent music, fine/pedestrian staging, and a wonky book."

It's either the Broadway or if a smaller house opens up just after the New Year (looking at the Barrymore and Belasco, unfortunately), imagine they'd prefer the tighter ticket.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 10:02am

Yeah, I think the Barrymore would be perfect. I was going into it thinking it was this huge show, but it's pretty small for a large musical. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 10:20am

That's an awfully prescriptive review, even by Chris Jones' standards.

If Prince and DeRosa are that much of a problem, I wonder if we even see them recast for Broadway. Jones basically implies that DeRosa is miscast, and that Prince is underutilized in a badly written role (as others have said here).

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 10:43am

I'm kind of hoping Boop waits to transfer next season... or am I alone on that? lol.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 10:50am

I think it could use some tinkering and I think Rogers would have a shot at the Tony in another season, but this year seems to be O'hara / James if their show is well received. But I also think her performance lifts the whole thing up so all the B plots and whatnot are neither here nor there. Just depends what the producers want from it.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 11:29am

It's already a crowded season for new musicals. And the Broadway would have to be transformed back to it original form.

[Globefan]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 12:54pm

I think the Chicago Tribune review gave great feedback on room for improvement. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 1:07pm

Another change I noticed last night that was different from earlier viewings, the second “umbrella” was absent and they just used the first “umbrella” in its place.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 1:25pm

I would think they could easily transform the Broadway back in time for an April opening. It’s not a tough show to load in. 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 1:48pm

Maybe a summer opening?  I don't see this being a favorite of the Tony's anyway.  Pretty Woman opened in the summer and had a good year on Broadway.  But they'll probably open whenever the theatre they want becomes available.  I thought Old Friends was going into the Broadway Theatre.

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 2:01pm

Broadway Flash said: " I don't see this being a favorite of the Tony's anyway."

I am fairly certain it would have locks for Rogers, Mitchell, and Foster/Birkenhead. Probably costumes, as well. 

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 2:11pm

I agree. I think if they can tinker with the book and make some tweaks it'll get some Tony noms for lead and score for sure.

[Varun Gangawane]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 3:14pm

I was trying to check out that thread too! Weird that it won't load. Maybe a glitch in the system? But hey, thanks for the heads up on BOOP! Tickets booked for the Broadway-bound musical, and I can't wait to catch Betty Boop live at the CIBC Theatre.

[Globefan]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 5:23pm

I'm sure the creative team are reading the reviews

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 5:42pm

Lola Getz2 said: "I am fairly certain it would have locks for Rogers, Mitchell, and Foster/Birkenhead. Probably costumes, as well."

And when a show is getting those nominations, Best Musical is not a far walk from it.

Obviously the team will want to improve because a stellar performance from an unknown entity does not sell a show (hello, SLIH), nor does a handful of Tony nominations.

[WestEndGal]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 5:44pm

Here’s a pretty detailed review from the Chicago Sun Times - it’s really positive overall but says that the plot is a mess and if they can work on that it could be a hit.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/12/7/23992246/boop-review-betty-musical-chicago-cibc-theatre-jasmine-amy-rogers-jerry-mitchell

Beginning of review:

“Here’s what doesn’t need to change about “Boop!,” the new musical getting its pre-Broadway tryout at Chicago’s CIBC Theatre this month:

• A single step of director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell’s spectacular footwork.
• A single note in David Foster’s score.
• The gorgeous gray-scale cartoon world that shimmers like silk as it unspools on stage with lush, cinematic detail.

Under Mitchell’s occasionally frenetic direction, “Boop!” offers a lovingly detailed homage to cartoonist Max Fleischer’s iconic pin-curled, squeaky-voiced creation Betty Boop, as well as one spectacular number after another.”

End of review: 

“Wresting a viable musical from a two-dimensional character whose work peaked in the 1930s is a mighty challenge. Mitchell is part of the way there. “Boop!” looks and sounds great. If its creators can come up with a plot that’s more focused and supporting characters with more depth than, well, cartoons, they just might have a hit.”

 

 

Updated On: 12/7/23 at 05:44 PM

[BroadwayGirlie2]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 6:12pm

Who is handling the marketing and socials for this?  They seem to be doing a good job pushing out content and promoting the Chicago run. Clips of the music and choreography are getting a lot of attention and they seem to be generating a great community excited for a transfer. 

Other shows with upcoming out of town runs should start implementing similar tactics. In this age of social media, you need to cultivate your audience before an announcement. 

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 12/7/23 at 7:22pm

 Easier to fix a flawed book when the rest of the show is nearly perfect, than to have to scrap  almost  everything  just to have Jerry come in and do it right (looking at you, Devil Wears Prada). By the way, in my opinion the score for Boop! is far superior to DWP. And I have a feeling Elton won’t be to invested in fixing that.