BROADWAY SECRETS: Wherein we confess our controversial opinions- Page 6

[Kad]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 6:32pm

I'd love to see someone like Alex Timbers tackle a production.

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 6:49pm

I thought Elena Roger was nothing short of thrilling in Evita.

I don't get the appeal to LuPone.

I also don't get the appeal to Sondheim.

Although they may be age appropriate, I think many of the Elphabas and Glindas (particularly those on tour) are miscast. I can't remember the last time I saw a Glinda who I felt didn't completely ham it up throughout the entire show.

I genuinely believe Jinkx Monsoon could make it big on Broadway.

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 6:59pm

The OLVC of Phantom with Boggess and Brent Barrett was vocally stunning

I'd love to have Linda Eder back on Broadway

I've seen Mamma Mia 12+ times (Broadway, LV, London, tour)

Ethel Merman was overrated. Hate hearing her sing Gypsy or AGYG.

Both Cheno and Audra are one-trick ponies. I'm bored when I see them live.

Bernadette Peters has no business singing anymore. It's like she's gargled with broken glass and listening to her now is as sad as listening to Liza attempt to sing. Just tell stories. I'd pay to hear that.... Stritch made a good living doing that.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 7:52pm

I think it's a real shame that we've gone from "why are they making so many musical out of movies" to "they should make this movie a musical next."

Musicals must stop putting "The Musical" after it in the title.

I love Audra but not enough to endure an album of her solo work.

Bernadette should've won for Gypsy and Patti should have won for Sweeney.

PATTI LUPONE GYPSY was full of awful performances and incessant screaming and overacting being sold as "bringing out the subtext."

Marissa Jaret Winokur is a one-trick pony, and it rode off into the sunset eons ago.

Memphis was pablum.

I liked Good Vibrations and Lennon.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson needs to bring it down to a simmer.

Updated On: 6/15/13 at 07:52 PM

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 8:12pm

Here are my opinions:

RENT: I became aware of the show when Jonathan Larson passed away. I'm not a fan of this show.

PASSING STRANGE: Ugh. I remember their performance at the Tony Awards. More like a concert than an actual show.

BOOK OF MORMON: There are a lot of catchy songs, but I really don't have much of an interest to see this show. I may see it, out of curiousity.

ETHEL MERMAN: Before, her voice came off as commanding and just...so Merman. Now, it's grating and seemingly one note.

ELENA ROGER: I saw the first preview at the Marquis. What were the producers thinking? I thought her voice was too slight for such a powerful role as "Evita".

EVITA REVIVAL: Loved it. Max Von Essen was fantastic as Magaldi. If only the leading lady had been as talented as the majority of the cast.

DROWSY CHAPERONE: I loved the show. Hated the stereotypical Asian scene.

FILM VERSION OF CHICAGO: I would have liked this film if they had utilized the original Fosse choreography. To me, the movie was kind of "meh."

IN THE HEIGHTS: I can understand the appeal that it has...for others. It didn't interest me at all.

from RC in Austin, Texas

Updated On: 6/20/13 at 08:12 PM

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 8:29pm

Here's mine: "And I'm Telling You.." is really a quite awful song that people are only impressed by because...well,you gotta give props to the bitch who can get through it!

Oh, and not necessarily Broadway, but significant: I am the only gay man alive who can't abide AUNTIE MAME.

Updated On: 6/15/13 at 08:29 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 8:42pm

You don't mean that!

[Tsao5]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 9:35pm

Saturday Intermission Pics have gotten boring, forced and a vanity exercise for Max v. Essen, who God Forbid, cannot leave himself out of them for 1 week.

If you are under 50 doing self indulgent cabarets about the journey of your life and " how the first time I saw a Chorus Line my life changed" [piano underscoring of Music and the Mirror] type stories packed with your close friends, some co-workers and 10 theater fans is.......well, a bit premature. And self indulgent.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson was terrible in On The Town. Such a mediocre performance.

All equity actors are professional......so so not even close (talking to you long run chorus members)

Color blind casting needs to be a two way street. If you are going to complain that the Engineer in Miss Saigon MUST be asian and then you go play Linus in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, then you are a hypocrite. (Talking to you B.D.Wong)

Adam Pascal is a talented guy and can/should write how he feels (life is short) and should not give two craps about what people here write.

The producers ONLY works with two REALLY strong leads (Brad Oscar and Steven Webber were not)

Starlight Express is WAY MORE fun and has WAY MORE HEART than Phantom of the Opera.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 9:44pm

"If you are going to complain that the Engineer in Miss Saigon MUST be asian and then you go play Linus in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, then you are a hypocrite. (Talking to you B.D.Wong)"

I don't think you understand what the word hypocrite means.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 9:46pm

"The idea of traditional casting in Les Miz is just idiotic."

I don't totally agree with this. We know in the show that Eponine is the daughter of the Thenardiers. So there should be some effort to make them look somewhat alike.

It's less of an issue with Fantine and Cosette because we don't know what Cosette's father looked like, but there should still be some believability in the casting. For example, would you cast Patina Miller as Fantine and Amanda Seyfried as Cosette?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 9:48pm

Only if there's a fight scene between them.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 9:57pm

OK, it's taken me many posts to admit this and I'm not even sure why I feel this way, but...

I liked Aspects of Love

[Tsao5]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 9:59pm

http://dianaland.tripod.com/rent/yagmcb/yagmcbnyp.htm

True, I don't. But. he changed his story a few times over his original
objections.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 10:07pm

God forbid people's thinking evolves, right?

[WickedRENTAwakening]

Posted: 6/15/13 at 11:30pm

Oh, theatrefan4, I don't think we're meant to take seriously something that includes this:

"Last weekend I traveled 7 hours to 118 degree heat to see LES MISERABLES in Sacramento..."

Are we?

That is all true. We drove from Los Angeles to Sacramento with stops two it took 7 hours. It was very hot that day turns out it was 108 ( I herd lady on the TV said 11 but accuweather has it at 108 whatever still freaking hot!

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/sacramento-ca/95814/june-weather/347627

I just saw the matinee of NEXT TO NORMAL at the LA Mirada theatre today. It was a great production, very well done. Gabe was latino but he was outstanding unlike Asian Marius who was trying to make jokes during "A Heart Full of Love"

[Kad]

Posted: 6/16/13 at 12:37am

Uh, so your problem lies within their performances and not their ethnicity, then.

[binau]

Posted: 6/16/13 at 12:44am

My confession is that Bernadette should retire from singing. Her voice has nothing on Elaine Stritch and Carol Channing. I mean, look at how she expressively hits and sustains the notes in this song. It's truly heinous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNwnrA8EshM

[all that jazz]

Posted: 6/16/13 at 12:58am

She was brilliant in that clip! The song is not supposed to sound pretty.



Updated On: 6/16/13 at 12:58 AM

[broadwayfever]

Posted: 6/16/13 at 2:07am

Liked:
-In The Heights
-Spiderman
-Bonnie & Clyde
-Sutton Foster in Anything Goes

Disliked:
-Follies
-Newsies
-Phantom of the Opera

[beagle]

Posted: 6/16/13 at 5:47am

I love TV casting shows. Well, ALW's BBC ones, anyway.

[billis2]

Posted: 6/16/13 at 8:56am

Kelli O'Hara in SOUTH PACIFIC and Boyd Gaines in GYPSY were really overrated. They were fine but I don't know what all the fuss was about.

I don't know what the fuss was about with Raul Esparza in COMPANY, either. David Hyde Pierce was so much better than him.

I thought Geoffrey Rush was terrible in EXIT THE KING. Acting with a capital A the whole time.

[michellek45]

Posted: 6/16/13 at 12:07pm

Jason Robert Brown's best musical was Parade, and I don't know if he'll ever top it.

Pasek and Paul's music, while technically good, lacks whatever that spark is that makes you connect to it and feel engaged by it. That said, I thought Dogfight was incredibly dull. I also feel similarly about Sondheim, though there have been some moments in his shows that really captured me.

I cannot stand the trend toward rock/pop musicals with tiny little 4-5 piece orchestras, the drum set being the only acoustic one among them. I find electronic instruments (other than the electric guitar) obnoxious, which was part of the reason I hated Kinky Boots' score.

The current revival of Chicago is probably the worst revival I've ever seen, including the Godspell revival.

I truly think that if someone gave Annaleigh Ashford a serious role that wouldn't allow her to use her humor, she would be amazing. She needs a good director to reign her in.

Laura Osnes is one of the most versatile actresses working on Broadway today.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/16/13 at 5:35pm

"I genuinely believe Jinkx Monsoon could make it big on Broadway."

Me too. I understand she did a one-night only performance of Grey Gardens in the Seattle area recently. Wonder how it went.I have tickets to see her when she comes to NYC in July. I bet a lot of theater people are going to be looking at her then.

[Emma White]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 12:13am

Hate Rent. Never seen Next to Normal. Not fond of Lss Mis or Phantom. I'm 16. It's awkward.

I really dislike Patina Miller's voice. It grates on me.

Megan Mullally needs to do another Broadway musical ASAP.

My love for Laura Osnes is undying and kind of terrifying. As in, she should be afraid.

[VeraCharles3]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 11:02am

I love Bernadette Peters and ...Patti Lupone

I hope Sutton Foster's TV show keeps her away from Broadway for a long time - I don't mind her, but for a while there, it was if she appeared in everything!

I could do without Meryl Streep getting the lead in, nearly, every film adaptation of every Broadway show/musical.

I hope Charlie Williams gets one of the leads if they ever revive Full Monty!

I really like "With You" from Ghost - is that bad?

I look forward to looking at Jordan Catalano's avatars!!