BYE BYE BIRDIE first preview...- Page 3

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:37pm

I liked it!

The sets and costumes were wonderful. It's a really fun time. John and Gina need the most work. They were outshone by the supporting cast. I thought Nolan was great, Conrad is a small role, what do you people expect?
John needs to get more comfortable with the role. I don't know what was going on with Gina's singing. She wasn't supporting any of her notes, and when she held a note, her voice would quiver. Her acting was quite good though.

Random notes/changes
- The overture from the OBCR is used
- Rosie still sings the ONE BOY reprise, but the dance is entirely cut (as I expected)
- They seemed to have switched the KIDS reprise and the regular version. It's hard to explain
- Rosie starts WHAT DID I EVER SEE IN HIM? in a beauty parlor, and sings it with a beautician. Then she enters Kim's bedroom. Is that new?
- Random lyrics from the original movie's A LOT OF LIVING TO DO were incorporated
- The title song worked wonderfully at the end

I thought the teens were great. But sadly the two leads are the ones who need the most work. The production aspects were really great, in my opinion. I think it's going to be a hit (meaning it will extend). And I don't think the critics are going to trash it like you guys.


Updated On: 9/10/09 at 11:37 PM

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:40pm

So tonight I saw Bye Bye Birdie and overall I have to admit I liked it a lot. Gina Gershon acted the role of Rose beautifully, although I wasn't too fond of her singing. I will say though, I absolutely loved her Spanish Rose. Not at all like Chita's version. I think with some more comfort in the role, John Stamos will be a good Albert. He seemed a little stiff. As for Nolan Gerard Funk, I didn't think he was all that. He was sorta boring. The teenagers were really good, especially Brynn Williams. If you want my opinion, I think Bill Irwin stole the show. He was fantastic. You could tell it was a first preview but give it a few weeks and it should be a very good production.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:40pm

ljay .. honestly how could you think Nolan was great? He was like a talking Ken doll. And yes, the critics are going to have a field day with this one.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:42pm

WestVillage, I was about to say the same thing. Nolan was easily the worst part of the show for me. ATROCIOUS.

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:43pm

I think they are all going to grow into their roles. They have a full month of previews! There's no need to be so overly negative.

And yes, Brynn Williams was a GREAT Ursula.

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:44pm

Who is this Nolan guy? What does his bio say?

[maybethistime]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:45pm

On the bright side, after seeing the show tonight, I think "Bye Bye Birdie," and hopefully many other shows of its era, has the potential to be as fresh and fun today as everyone remembers its original run.

Unfortunately, this production - miscast, poorly directed and totally pedestrian in every way - is not the one to remind us.

I won't go into much detail as it's all been said but, firstly, who misguidedly put Bobby Longbottom in charge of this? And who told him incessant mugging would distract the audience from horrible choreography and incompetent actors?

And who thought that putting Gina Gershon on the marquee would be worth the incredible discomfort in the audience whenever she's onstage, let alone help draw an audience?

And who the hell made cheesy projections a prerequisite for a Broadway set design? More is not more, and the same can be said of the costuming.

They sure don't make 'em like Dick Van Dyke or Chita Rivera anymore, but there have got to be actors out there that could come close, or at least a hell of a lot closer than Gershon and Stamos came tonight, and it's a shame that in the current state of both Broadway and the economy, audiences won't be treated to their performances.

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:45pm

Nolan plays Conrad Birdie.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:45pm

She was on some tweeny Nickelodeon show Blaxx.

[dramadude]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:46pm

Wow... compared to North Shore (may it forever R.I.P.) John Stamos was singing above a whisper all night. In addition to all of the above, tonight's audience was a dream for any Broadway house. They were truly excited to see the show and ate up a good majority of it. I'm stupified that I stood by and watched the actors not play off the audience or even respond at all to the crowd. I know it's still in previews, but any performer would have killed for this kind of, well, kind audience.

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:47pm

Ah, I guess anyone can be on Broadway nowadays.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:47pm

blaxx,

"One of Hollywood's rising stars, Nolan Gerard Funk is best known to family audiences for his starring role as Nikko in the Columbia Records/Nickelodeon movie Spectacular! Nickelodeon premiered Spectacular! in February 2009 and over 14 million viewers watched the first week it aired in the United States. With the number one soundtrack and a top ten album on itunes, Funk also had his first song on the billboard charts, "Break My Heart"."

[Anakela]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:48pm

Who is this Nolan guy? What does his bio say?

He starred in some Nickelodeon movie, and was a national gymnast.

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:49pm

Thanks everyone. I guess I don't watch Nickleodeon often (or ever), but I don't think he's that good looking.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:52pm

He's not.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:52pm

Um, how was the new theater!!

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:54pm

The new theater was very nice. Gorgeous inside and plenty of leg room! Which is always a plus.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:55pm

LOVED IT. Except Gershon!

[gypsy4]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:56pm

I wonder what chita and dyk will think about the production or any one who has been involved with the show (OBC,original film '95 remake) will think about it.

[pli1018]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:56pm

I had a ton of fun. Gershon and Stamos are the weakest parts, but I really enjoyed it.

[RyToast1]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:57pm

A little late, but are you guys seriously going to **** all over someone for wanting to like a show and then....liking it?? Just because someone goes into something with high hopes doesn't mean they have to like it. It just means that if they DO like it, then their reaction is going to be even more positive.

I really, really, really, really, REALLY wanted to like The Little Mermaid and my avatar was the show logo. Then, when I went to see the show, I was majorly disappointed. I think if ColorTheHours had been disappointed by the show they would've been super bummed out and let us all know about it. CTH has always, in my opinion, posted very honest reviews of shows. Updated On: 9/11/09 at 11:57 PM

[Parks]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:58pm

I'm typing from my phone--so I'll be keeping it brief:

At first, I was really worried that Gershon was going to outshine Stamos, but they both ended up being pretty dull. MAN, does that opening scene need tightening! The production where I played Albert last summer had a better opening scene than this production--and I am a HORRIBLE actor! I blame whoever directed this. It was so sloppy and they REALLY need to pick up the pace! Please cut Gina's 2 short reprises of "An English Teacher". They were almost painful to sit through--since, as everyone else has said, she is not a singer at all.

Thank God for Telephone Hour--something to wake me up! I enjoyed it, but I kind of wish they had cast older actors to play the teens. I can appreciate the innovative idea to cast actors that are... actually the age of their part, but a lot of their voices just weren't as strong as I would have liked them to be. I guess i'm just used to my London cast recording of the show (which annoys me--but I liked that the girls were very loud on that cast recording--how Telephone Hour should be!).

I enjoyed Allie's performance and hope she will sing out more in the future.

Bill Irwin was good. Not my favorite performance, but I can see why people like him.

Jayne... Couldn't decide if I loved her or not. She grew on me a little, but I'm sure she will find laughs in more places as the show continues to run.

Nolan--ok, apparently I am the only one who like him in the role. I thought he had a great voice! Well, much better than I was expecting. And his scene when he enters the MacAffee's kitchen in the morning was worth the 10 dollar ticket, for sure. Whoever said Honestly Sincere was awful, I strongly disagree--I thought it was one of the most, if not THE most fun number in the show.

Really, this show just needs tightening. LOTS of tightening. I feel like Stamos isn't really trying. I don't see any sense of urgency in him as Albert. I was always under the impression that Albert was a nervous wreck, sort of. He is a push over and he is always very uptight. Stamos was just cute... I didn't get that he really cared about his job at all.

I don't think I'll be seeing it again unless things get a LOT better with the show.

Grade: C+.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 9/11/09 at 12:03am

What looks amazing about it? The sets are bland (like someone said, looks like Ikea furniture), lighting nothing special, the conveyor belt was so repetitive. The jungle gym was a jungle gym .. you can see that on any playground. I didn't see anything amazing at all tonite.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 9/11/09 at 12:06am

Nolan was the blandest, besides Gershon of course.

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 9/11/09 at 12:06am

I thought the beginning was cool during the overture. I don't want to give anything way for the people who haven't seen it. The phone booths were really cool too and the train. Other than that though, It is nothing to write home about.