BROADWAY SECRETS: Wherein we confess our controversial opinions- Page 15

[Pootie2]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 12:19am

You're not alone, rcwr. In fact, I viscerally hate POTO.

[rcwr]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 12:20am

I find this very relieving, Pootie. Thank you.

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 12:50am

Next to Normal has a fascinating story, but I absolutely HATE how the show is put together. I find the songs bland and corny and the book poorly written. I also don't find the appeal in Aaron Tveit (past the fact that he's gorgeous).
Hopefully I'll eventually learn to love it, but I currently can't.

[Fantod]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 1:00am

icecreambenjamin, I actually somewhat agree with you about Next to Normal in that the book (at least the dialogue) is poorly written. However, the story and portrayal of bipolar disease was so scarily accurate and powerful that I've never been more moved in my life. For all of the people talking about how there are so many shows I don't get because I don't have the experience, that is one show that I completely and totally got and had a lot of personal experience in relation to the topics in the shows. The facts were not 100% there, but the emotions were so raw and real that it was like looking into a mirror. It still devastates me to think about that show, and as much as I loved it, I don't think I could ever see it again because it was too difficult to watch.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 1:04am

"Kelli O'Hara - I wish she would stop using accents..."

So she should only play characters from her native Oklahoma? That would certainly cut back on the roles available to her.

[AngelorPhantom1359]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 9:22am

I loved Michelle Williams as Sally Bowles. I thought her performance was so interesting, different, and subtle. Her breakdown during the title song was so perfect and wasn't overwrought and scenery chewing as many Sallys can be.

[broadwaytbay]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 10:17am

I love the Australian Production of Love Never Dies, the design, even the music, and performances are wonderful... however Beneath A Moonless Sky is ridiculous, and its the lynch pin of the whole thing... hey I snuck away to have pity/willing sex with this rapist/murderer svengali is it love? or stockholm syndrome? How they didn't all go wait, no really? really? in the rehearsal room is beyond me.

Also Book of Mormon is so remarkably overrated. Excellent Performances, Cool Set, some fun music, but thats about it.

Updated On: 3/27/15 at 10:17 AM

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 10:24am

I look at Love Never Dies as a comedy. It really helps me to bear the whole thing.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 10:29am

Angela Lansbury is a legend and a national treasure but I thought she was absolutely dreadful in Blithe Spirit. It seemed like every time she forgot a line she pretended she was having a premonition. She also couldn't remember her lines in Deuce. It all made me doubt what the fuss was about.

A painful night of theatre.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 10:30am

I think Ahrens and Flaherty are, at their best, only adequate creators of musical theatre.

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 10:32am

My "controversial" opinions:

- I Don't get the appeal of Kelli O'Hara. Her voice does nothing for me.

- Jeremy Jordan should be leading Finding Neverland instead of Morrison.

- The only song that impresses me in FUN HOME is Ring of Keys. The rest is forgettable.

- Alan Cumming is terribly dull in the new Cabaret revival. Would have preferred someone new.

- Aside from the music, THE VISIT looks terrible.

- The new Les Mis revival is terrible aside from Ramin. He's anchoring the show and should have just done a one man show instead of being in a mediocre production only existing because of a mediocre film.

- Into the woods was a terrible film. Just awful. They nailed act 1 and then Act 2 was complete ****

- The Chicago revival is dull and broken and should have closed years ago. No production of Chicago will ever compare to the film.

- IF/THEN isn't as smart as it wants to be. I actually found it cliché in many parts.

- FROZEN should not come to Broadway.

- SpongeBob should come to broadway.

- Huncback of Notredame should not come to Broadway. Looks like a college production.

- The only good song in HEDWIG is WIG IN A BOX. The rest is just crap.

- Jessie Mueller doesn't have the uniqueness to play Fanny Brice.

- Emma Watson is not a good enough actress to play Belle. Or singer. If only Susan Egan was still 22.

- The Beauty and the Beast film looks like it's going to be crap.

- ON THE TOWN should and will win Best Revival.



-

[enjoyable2]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 1:31pm

No, that's not what I meant at all! When I saw South Pacific I was so distracted by her accent. I thought it was too heavy and just felt fake. I've seen plenty of musicals where the lead doesn't take on an accent and it worked fine. Mary Martin never had an accent that I recall in Peter Pan and it was far better than listenting to Allison Williams and her phony British accent. If you can do a perfect and consistent accent, great. But, if not, get it outta there!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:08pm

Jesse Mueller is a completely underwhelming, very average performer. I don't wish to to see her in anything. Kelli O'Hara should have won for Bridges instead of Jesse.

A lot of people hated Michelle Williams as Sally, the audience members near me were pretty harsh on her. But, I thought she played it perfectly and her acting skills were absolutely brilliant.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:19pm

I would like to change that annoyingly ubiquitous acronym to NMH (No More Harris!!!) Ever!

And I loathed, loathed, loathed [TITLE OF SHOW]. Great concept, excruciating execution.
Updated On: 3/27/15 at 02:19 PM

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:43pm

Almost every song in BOOK OF MORMON should have been halved at least. The jokes were funny at first but after 4 plus minutes it got old. That show ought to have been a 90 minute one act at the most.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 2:47pm

"I think Ahrens and Flaherty are, at their best, only adequate creators of musical theatre."

I kind of agree and kind of disagree. I think that at their BEST, they were really good, but a lot of their stuff is just....not good. I think they're pretty inconsistent.


"- Jeremy Jordan should be leading Finding Neverland instead of Morrison.
- The Chicago revival is dull and broken and should have closed years ago. No production of Chicago will ever compare to the film.
- IF/THEN isn't as smart as it wants to be. I actually found it cliché in many parts.
- FROZEN should not come to Broadway.
- SpongeBob should come to broadway. "

I feel like all of those opinions are pretty widely held, at least on this board. Especially the SpongeBob one.

[JamesBroadwayWiner]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:18pm

I think Into the Woods (as a show) is really boring, annoying, and not very well put together. (I enjoyed the movie though, which is a testament to how good it was)

[jkstheatrescene]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 3:18pm

Add me to the Michelle Williams as Sally Bowles fan club. I saw 5 others in the previous run, and Williams was by far the best.

I saw the third preview of Women on the Verge on Broadway and LOVED everything about it, messy and all.

Well, except Sherie Renee Scott, who is one of the most consistently annoying actresses I've ever seen in anything. And she was horribly miscast in WOTV.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 4:14pm

"Jesse Mueller is a completely underwhelming, very average performer. I don't wish to to see her in anything. Kelli O'Hara should have won for Bridges instead of Jesse."

Wait... this is a controversial opinion?

I agree that Chicago probably has to be tired after running this long but I'm still seeing it for the first time tonight. I just want to see Jennifer Nettles. Yes, I know I'm part of the problem.

[valeposh]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 4:38pm

I don't get Jeremy Jordan's appeal. He's not attractive, I don't like his voice, his performance in The Last Five Years was as one-dimensional as it can get.

[Showface]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 4:39pm

-I think Lea Michele is talented, but wrong for Funny Girl

-I like(or "liked") Glee

-Smash was amazing--flawed, but amazing

-After re-listening to the song, Katherine McPhee's "Never Give All the Heart" is quite thrilling

-I'm excited for Frozen to come to Broadway

-I am loving that the movie musical is re-becoming more and more prominent, and I am so pleased that they have been filmed with great success!(Not that controversial)

-I enjoyed both Shrek the Musical and The Addams Family

-I think a lot of times theatre-going audiences could be a little too harsh, and sometimes search for faults.

[Showface]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 4:48pm

Oh, I forgot:

-Say what you will about Bernadette Peter's performance in Gypsy, but in my opinion, Bernadette Peters' "Small World" and "You'll Never Get Away From Me" are the best versions of those songs yet.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 5:01pm

I thought Spring Awakening was basically a glorified after-school special with some nice music and eye-rolling lyrics.

I found Bombay Dreams and Bring It On to be delightful.

Priscilla was the only Broadway show I ever left at intermission. I loved the movie, but the musical removed everything I thought made the movie so effective. It was a nauseating eyesore.

I don't get the hype for Kinky Boots. It was okay, but nothing particularly interesting, new, special or even memorable.

I hated the Lord of the Rings movies, but I LOVED the musical in London and would see it again in a heartbeat (with the original staging). It should have gone into the Foxwoods (or whatever it's called now) instead of Spider-Man: Please Turn It Off.

I think Hedwig is one of the best productions of a musical I've seen in almost 30 years of attending Broadway shows. The finale had me reeling.

The Cameron Mackintosh revival of My Fair Lady should have transferred directly from London with the original cast intact, with the exception of Jonathan Pryce.

The latest revival of La Cage was everything I always thought the show should be.

I thought the revival of South Pacific was nice, but I didn't see what people were gushing about. I especially didn't want to watch that nightmare image of Bloody Mary sing Bali Hai or Happy Talk. *shudder* I sorta sympathized with the Lootellan. I would have run from the prospect of that as my mother in law as well. The mute girl was nice and pretty, but you just KNOW that Bloody Mary will show up on your door one day with suitcase in hand. "YOU LIKE?!?!?!" Not worth it.

[jiff]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 6:11pm

If it's true what I heard on the internet (Salon) that Todd Bridges (Different Strokes) is being considered to play Sweeney Todd, I think it is a great idea. The guy on the radio didn't think it was so great though.

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 3/27/15 at 6:59pm

Oh, and also, I think Phantom absolutely deserved Best Musical at the Tonys and don't feel that Into the Woods was robbed in any way.