BROADWAY SECRETS: Wherein we confess our controversial opinions- Page 7

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 11:43am

I don’t get the appeal of Jessie Mueller or Laura Osnes. Both put me to sleep onstage.

[zepka102]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 2:55pm

To preface what I have to say, I LOVED Patina in Sister Act. I haven't seen Pippin yet, but I'm very uncomfortable watching performance clips from the show because it looks like she lost complete control of her face. (Still looking forward to seeing the show though.)

[OperaBwayLover]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 9:12pm

Letsee:

-I hated Ricky Martin and Elena Roger in Evita.
-I genuinely don't understand the fuss over Next to Normal.
-I love the music of Gypsy, but hate Madam Rose as a character.
-the Spider-man: Turn Off the Dark CD is a guilty pleasure.
-I'm kinda over Queen Latifah in movie musicals. She's done two movies already; please stop recommending her for roles.
-same with Amanda Seyfried.
-I hated Mary Poppins when I saw the tour. I left at intermission.
-I prefer the OBCR of Cats to ever seeing it again. It just works better as a listening experience for me than viewing.

That's all I can think of for now...

[steven22]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 9:16pm

I really enjoyed HANDS ON A HARDBODY

Hated PASSING STRANGE and GODSPELL (especially GODSPELL)

Disliked PIRATE QUEEN...would've hated it BUT I really like Stephanie J. Block

Out of the many different broadway shows I have seen...NEXT TO NORMAL has been my favorite overall production...and I'm waiting for something to beat it...Maybe IF/THEN?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/17/13 at 9:20pm

My confession is that I fear qolbinau has a wholly unnatural attachment to Bernadette Peters. I get that he can't let uncomplimentary comment go by about her in most any thread, but when he can't even let one slide in a thread about subjective and controversial opinions makes me feel like that he and Ms Peters are separated by miles and miles of ocean.

[gossipguy215]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 2:16am

Phyl, did you forget about Broadwayguy and Lea Michelle? I think it was love at first sight, but he likes her for her PERSONALITY.

[binau]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 3:28am

Phyllis Rogers Stone, my confession is that I am Bernadette Peters. At least, that's what they let me call myself when they let me leave the hospital.

Updated On: 6/18/13 at 03:28 AM

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 3:43am

- "Tarzan" was not THAT bad. Ugly set, but not that bad. The added songs were quite good.
- "The Little Mermaid" WAS that bad. It was REALLY bad.
- Megan Hilty was the best Glinda.
- "Dance of the Vampires" was the most glorious hot mess I ever got the pleasure of seeing live. I would see it again in a heart beat. The only thing that could have made it better was a box of popcorn. Only downside was Michael Crawford.
- SPEAKING of Crawford. Overrated and awkward. I don't understand his appeal at all.
- I fell asleep during the "1776" revival. Woke up at intermission. Then fell back to sleep again in act two.
- I thought "Brooklyn" was really enjoyable
- I hate "A Chorus Line"
- Bebe Neuwirth can dance ALL she wants, but please keep singing to a minimum. "The Addams Family" was painful.
- "The Wedding Singer" is great!
- "Love Never Dies" is one of the more visually stunning shows ever but that doesn't save it from being a total embarrassment at the same time.
- The original production of "Ragtime" should have won best musical over "The Lion King."
- I have always been a huge Wildhorn fan but even I, a legit super fan, have grown frustrated with his more recent choices. Frank. Please. Get better lyricists and book writers. PLEASE. I BEG you.

[sanda]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 9:11am

I don't like Patti Lupone's Rose. I think Peters' Rose is far superior.

[Gorlois]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 11:00am

I would have traded a movie version of My Fair Lady with Julie Andrews for a movie version of Sweeney Todd with Julie Andrews (circa 1982).

She would have killed it.

[DrowsyKaye]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 1:01pm

-Passing Strange is the best musical that's been on Broadway in the last ten years.
-The Tony Awards are a wonderful celebration of the Broadway community coming together for one night, but hold no real meaning outside of that.
-The best musical last season was Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.
-Save for The Book of Mormon, The Story of My Life, and The Drowsy Chaperone, I can't think of a truly great Broadway musical in the last decade that didn't start in London or Off-Broadway.
-And yes, The Story of My Life was severely underrated.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 2:04pm

One Man, Two Guvnors should've taken Best Score over Newsies.

[sanda]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 3:51pm

History boys is a piece of pretentious crap.

[PositivelyEmerald]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 4:03pm

-Thought Elena Roger was magnificent when I saw her as Eva. She was in much better voice than she had been in other parts of the run. (I saw her Sept. 29) Her Rainbow High "Star Quality" sounded great.

-I felt bored when I saw Catch Me if You Can on broadway.

-I'd love to see a production of bombshell.

-I absolutely adored Rock of Ages even though I went in with not so high expectations.

-There isn't a bad song in Evita. (Or grey gardens)

-I'm praying Rebecca makes it to broadway. The show is stunning. Also Karen Mason as Mrs. Danvers is something I need to see.

-I can't stand Dancing Through Life from Wicked.

-Stephanie J Block would have been magnificent on the recording of Wicked if she had originated the role.

-Carrie is hugely underrated musical.

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 9:38pm

- I thought Bernadette was the worst part of the Follies revival
- I thought Nick Jonas was really good in How to Succeed
- Jersey Boys is a guilty pleasure
- I thought Marin Mazzie was SO much better than Alice Ripley in N2N. Same with Kyle Dean Massey and Aaron Tveit
- I have seen EVERY Gypsy revival and thought Tyne Daly was by far the best Rose. Lansbury second.
- I have no appreciation for Mary Martin, Ethel Merman or Robert Preston.
- I think SJB is a treasure but didn't like her Elphaba at al

and finally...

I have only liked Audra McDonald in Ragtime. Her Bess drove me up a wall.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 7:01am

-I hated Godspell with the passion of a thousand suns.
-Hair's best asset is it's score.
-The current revival of Pippin is wonderful and well done, but the circus tricks [despite the end justifying the means] get old very quickly and don't further the plot or add much.
-Kinky Boots deserved Best Score over Matilda, but A Christmas Story was better than both of them overall.
-Johnny Rabe should have gotten a honorary Tony for his work in A Christmas Story.
-Darren Criss and Broadway do not mix - please stop trying to make that happen.
-Dogfight was incredible.
-Billy Porter deserved his Tony win.
-Bertie Carvel got dicked over by the Matilda producers, and could have easily won in Featured Actor.
-Gabriel Ebert deserved his Tony win.
-Laura Osnes deserved the Tony over Patina Miller.
-Billy Elliot is a better show overall than next to normal and people who keep harping on that Tony win need to get over it.
-I adore Wicked.
-I fell asleep during Leap of Faith several times and only stayed to find out what happened in Act Two.
-The Mystery of Edwin Drood bored me to tears.
-The Into the Woods production from the Park should have transferred to Broadway.
-Annaleigh Ashford deserves more credit than she's given.
-I'm inspired/touched by a lot of Melissa Errico's blog about Passion and I feel for her.
-Patti LuPone's Mama Rose is the single greatest thing I've ever seen life on stage.
-I love Catherine Zeta Jones in A Little Night Music.
-The recent revival of Follies was beautiful.
-Corey Cott is a better Jack Kelly in Newsies than Jeremy Jordan.
-I love Newsies.
-I want Hit List to happen somewhere so I can see it.
-I am glad I skipped Hands on A Hardbody.
-All Shook Up deserved more love.

Updated On: 6/20/13 at 07:01 AM

[nsguy45]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 7:35am

I actually liked the revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever with Harry Connick, Jr.

Never understood why the outstanding production of Damn Yankees/Encores! didn't transfer to Broadway.

As others have posted, a little Neil Patrick Harris goes a long way.

Laura Osnes' talent amazes me.

Julian Ovenden should be a much bigger name in the theatre than he is today.

I'll see Raul Esparza and Cheyenne Jackson in anything they do.

[SuperSecretBoyband]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 9:45am

Adam Pascal's voice grates on me and it almost ruins listening to the Rent and Aida cast recordings

I will be able to die happy if I ever see Jenna Ushkowitz as Kim in Miss Saigon

Kerry Ellis and Eden Espinosa are my favourite Elphabas that I've seen so far, and Megan Hilty and Kendra Kassebaum are my favourite Glindas, with Dianne Pilkington (UK) coming in a close 3rd.

I like Spring Awakening, but I don't like how we never find out what happens to Martha after Dark I Know Well, and how Melchior is still portrayed as sympathetic after the hayloft scene.

I wish more of the Disney musicals (mainly Aida and The Little Mermaid) would come the London.

I don't have a problem with bootlegs. They allow someone to watch a performer they would've otherwise missed out on seeing and if anything they encourage more people to see a show.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 10:25am

On TV Megan Hilty always looks fat. (I know she's not)

Raul Esparza singing makes me want to rip my ears off.

I think 9 to 5 was better than Kinky Boots-not sure why it tanked.

Jerry Mitchell's choreography always looks like a drag show, no matter the musical.

Marin Mazzie should be on Broadway much more than she is. She's one of the best vocalists alive.

[John Adams]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 10:59am

Also Karen Mason as Mrs. Danvers is something I need to see.

Not so "controversial" an opinion!

[algy]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 12:32pm

I didn't like Jerusalem. Rylance gave a great performance, but I could've done without the last act (my parents left at the second interval).

Viva Forever was the best night at a musical I've had in a while. For all the wrong reasons. Never before have I been to a show where the audience didn't realise the show was over until the chorus boys jogged on for their bow. The climactic final moment fell flat because there were so many plot points left undone.

Related: Viva Forever should be shown to anyone considering writing/producing a jukebox musical as a warning/lesson in what not to do.

We Will Rock You is not High Art (duh) but it did get me into theatre, so it has a special place in my heart.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 1:25pm

- I always get confused when I see people trash a show online and then post their photos from the stagedoor. If you hated it so much then why would you feel the need to stalk the show after? To tell them how much you hated it? Or to lie so you can meet "famous people"? Fakity fake fake fake.

- I think bootlegs serve a purpose and I don't hate them, though I don't like when people post full video bootlegs of shows on YouTube. There's something to be said for discretion.

- I think Laura Osnes is the most overrated performer I've ever seen. I've seen her in three shows now and not once have I felt like she had a single genuine moment onstage.

- I'm also with nsguy in that I liked (at least most) of On a Clear Day AND I agree that City Center's Damn Yankees should've transferred. I loved that production a lot.

- I wish Broadway could see a truly well-done, reimagined, well-cast version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream", I'm sick of seeing it done badly.

- I believe if you're going to meet a performer you love, it should be for the right reasons and with no expectation beyond being grateful for their talent and what it's meant to you. People who collect stagedoor photos with actors they won't even remember in a year confuse me. It's like a weird kind of hoarding.

- Peter and the Starcatcher fits better Off-Broadway than on, though I loved the Broadway production. I found the NYTW and the current Off-Broadway production superior, in addition I think Jason Ralph captured parts of Boy that eluded Adam Chandler-Berat and in general, I find the Off-Broadway cast stronger than the closing cast on Broadway. Rick Holmes outdid Matthew Saldivar by a clear mile in my mind.

- I still think Zanna, Don't could play the Helen Hayes (if Rock of Ages would GTFO) and run for awhile.

- I also think it's time for a Bat Boy revival. Like, yesterday.

I think that's it.

Updated On: 6/20/13 at 01:25 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 5:11pm

I thought Women on the Verge should have won Best Musical, Best Score and Best Featured Actress (Benanti).

August: Osage County was too long and too ridiculous.

The NT production of Cloudstreet in London should have transferred to Lincoln Center.

Legally Blonde was a contemporary representation of classic American musical comedy.

Cats is not a bad show.

Fosse (the revue, not the man) was interesting for seeing the choreography, but rather monotonous and tedious as a show. I was extremely disappointed in its Tony wins for Musical and Orchestrations.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 5:19pm

I think she's talented, but Jessie Mueller is lacking that ephemeral it factor. Also her soprano in Carousel sounds oddly strained to my ears.

And add me to the group saying that Bernadette Peters' voice is shot.

[Eleah]

Posted: 6/20/13 at 11:35pm

I love Cats.
I was on the bus with Leap of Faith.
I wanted to wear Raul's disco jacket, but it wasn't anywhere to be found at the Broadway Flea Market.
I liked most of Season 2 more than Season 1 of Smash.
I think Tom Wopat is a hack.
I think that a majority of encores shows belong in theater stock and not the NY stage, like Girl Crazy.
I think LuPone is perfection and could listen to her audiobook for hours.
Alice Ripley's acting triumphs any sour notes for me in Next to Normal.
I want a new, more broadway, host that is just as funny as Neil Patrick Harris....perhaps Nathan Lane or Kristin Chenowith?
I loved Legally Blonde.
I did not enjoy Jerusalem and thought they needed a speech coach immediately for those accents, but thought Rylance was exceptional.
I did not like Sherie's solo show and found it so self obsessed.