BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY Reviews — Page 4

Playbill website says it will be 2 CD'S. I assume besides dialog a lot of cut material should be on it (maybe including some of the demos)

---

I'm sorry to hear the show is doing so poorly. I hoped reviews might help it a little bit. Do you think it will stay open through the Tonys? I'm planning on getting down there sometime in April or May to see it, and now I'm worried it might close before then.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/artsbeat/2014/02/24/slow-start-for-newly-opened-bridges-of-madison-county/

How expensive is this to run? I can think of few shows except those that aren't too expensive ever recover from such a slow start. There does seem to be at least some hope though (cf. Leap of Faith or Scandalous).

The theatre looks strange at the moment with new pull quote artwork and old Marquee artwork.

---

I think they don't have the money to spare and they don't think it's worth it.

---

I saw the Saturday matinee, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The music was beautiful, the cast gave stellar performances. When Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale sang together, their harmonies were beyond amazing. Especially during One Second And A Million Miles/Before and After You, the music and their voices soared, it felt like the entire theater just lit up and it was glorious! I hope that this show finds its audience, because it is definitely a treat to see live.

As for the stage door, when I went, many cast members came out, including Steven Pasquale, Kelli O'Hara, Hunter Foster, Derek Klena, and Cass Morgan. They were all very nice, and Kelli is so genuine and sweet. Have a good time at the show!

Exactly. It could than have moved to broadway if there was a demand for it

It should have also opened in April after the first 3 brutal months and it would have been closer to the Tony nominations.

---

I have tickets for the first week in April; I hope it lasts that long. I suppose the fan base for this story is just too narrow, and it doesn't have the draw of a well-known film or TV star. Perhaps if it had gotten absolute raves things might be different, although I understand there is also some softness in the ticket sales for Gentleman's Guide. I have been listening to the songs, and Brown's lush, romantic score is gorgeously sung by O'Hara and Pasquale. It's really too bad, but Broadway musicals are such a crap shoot. At least there will be a cast album.

Actors moving a staircase leading to nowhere is not a set piece that will draw in people as the commercial shows. A boxing ring that floats will. And Rocky the movie has more fans than Bridges the movie.

If Cate Blanchett had played Francesca, you'd want to put your fingers in your ears. Blanchett can sing a bit, but for that role you must have a superb singer with a big voice.

I am somewhat surprised that O'Hara isn't a bigger draw. But I suppose the days when someone could become a real broadway star by just performing in musicals are over.

I wonder if those who choose to musicalize certain films bother to ask themslves from the outset: does this film cry out for musicalization, or even lend itself to it ? Were these films such blockbusters themselves that their title alone could bring in huge crowds? Wholly irrespective of this show's merits-- or lack thereof -- this is just not a property that would have inherent wide-range appeal, or one that needed musicalization in the first place. And the same could be said for Big Fish, Leap of Faith, Little Miss Sunshine, Grey Gardens, Far From Heaven, and many others I've failed to mention, I'm sure.

If the creators had stopped and asked themselves these basic questions before startng these projects, a lot of money could have been saved, and a lot of disappointment avoided.

Updated On: 3/4/14 at 11:03 AM

^

It already had been a musical as a film.

"Sounds like a terrible idea for a musical."

Really? Not when you know the critics will pull out all the stops to ram the wretched thing down our throats, and that award givers will follow suit.

The Light in the Piazza ran for a very long time and it's story wasn't one you would think would be a draw nor did it have bigger name stars as leads. I know it was LCT, but it ran long beyond its initial subscriber appeal.

(I have never read the book or seen the movie, I didn't really know the plot at all going in).

The plot is thin in the sense that it isn't very complicated but I think it is a character driven, not plot driven show. The first act was a dream...the build up to the two leads getting together was so, so satisfying. I loved the exposition of the opening number, the subtext of "You're Never Alone", Robert touching Francesca's arm for the first time, when they sing about how they feel about each other when they are alone after their first meeting, the dramatic pauses when you can see they still want to be together but don't want to say it and eventually Francesca having the courage just to come right out and invite him over again. It really was so well set up and very carefully detailed and developed. This is the kind of show people probably expect when they hear of a musical called "Passion". The score is great, as are the two leads. I can't wait for the cast recording - I've never heard of a score that describes the process of falling in love in as much detail as this one. Something didn't work in the second act for me that I can't quite work out at the moment, but the ending brought it back together. I can't stop thinking about the show and the two leads' performances.

There were no other real stand-out performances to me. However, I will say that Hunter Foster did a good job at looking unattractive next to Steve and I've always been prejudice towards him ever since he made those comments about giving the "Tonys back to Broadway". This actually really works for the show because it makes it so believable how Francesca was never in love with him and would fall in love with Robert.

I was a bit skeptical going in because I hated the (original) artwork, and I'm scarred from 'romantic' musicals having seen the disastrous Lucy Simon DR ZHIVAGO and the OFFICER AND A GENTLEMEN tryouts in Australia. I was afraid it would be boring. But I really was blown away.

The orchestra seemed full (not sure about the Mezz) and the audience response was pretty positive - this was just a Tuesday night. I really hope it lasts till the Tonys.

In an ideal world this show would have been at the Booth Theatre with a better marketing team. I can probably see why they thought this show would be served in a large theatre given the brand name (which TBH I hadn't heard of anyway), the creative team and cast - which all seem first rate. I can't see how they thought the original marketing would work though. Seeing the house staff wear those ugly red hats with the old logo makes me feel very unclean. The worst artwork I have seen in a very long time.

This is O'Hara's GREY GARDENS, NEXT TO NORMAL or GYPSY. I can't imagine anyone , or at least I wouldn't want to imagine, anyone else doing it.

---

Updated On: 3/5/14 at 01:48 AM