Beanie Feldstein & More to Star in SPELLING BEE at Kennedy Center- Page 2

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 12:08am

The standard for what gets deleted on this board has never been consistent in my two decades of posting here. That said, from my observation, deleted posts tend to fall into one of three categories:

a) something particularly harsh is said about a very beloved Broadway actor (usually if it's about their personal life/personality etc. rather than an opinion about a performance)

 b) the post is unusually mean towards a particular board member (bullying, name-calling, etc.)

or c) whoever was moderating that day happened to be personally offended and deleted the post simply because they didn't like it and because they can.

Anyway, I am also happy that Beanie is doing a musical again. She isn't a bad singer, and I think the blame lies more on the director and producers of the Funny Girl revival than on her. They never should have put her in that situation to begin with.

[Listener]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 12:33am

Guess who's back...back again...

Beanie's back....tell a friend...

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 1:29am

Professional rights to produce the show regionally are restricted for 2025, so this is almost certain to be aiming for Broadway.

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 4:24am

IdinaBellFoster said: "Professional rights to produce the show regionally arerestricted for 2025, so this is almost certain to be aiming for Broadway."

Unless I’m missing something (which could be the case, I don’t know) according to the list of upcoming productions of this show on the MTI website, the last one on the list is for a production in December of 2025. How does that make it restricted for 2025? 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 9:13am

Licensing companies all have different rules as to what is a “professional” production, but I imagine if professional productions are restricted, it is mostly Equity companies that will not be granted licenses for it.

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 11:29am

Good for her for bouncing back.  

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 11:58am

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Licensing companies all have different rules as to what is a “professional” production, but I imagine if professional productions are restricted, it is mostlyEquity companies that will not be granted licenses for it."

What about a professional company that isn’t an equity one? For example, years ago I lived upstate in Rhinebeck New York and volunteered at the local armature theatre there. There was one season where they were going to do Cats. However, rather than doing it in the fall like they initially planned, they had to move it to the spring. The reason for the change was because the non equity tour of Cats was playing not too far away in West Point. What I’m wondering is, could that fall into the category of different licensing companies having their own definition of what professional is? 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 12:12pm

Islander_fan said: "The Distinctive Baritone said: "Licensing companies all have different rules as to what is a “professional” production, but I imagine if professional productions are restricted, it is mostlyEquity companies that will not be granted licenses for it."

What about a professional company that isn’tan equity one? For example, years ago I lived upstate in Rhinebeck New York and volunteered at the local armature theatre there. There was one season where they were going to do Cats. However, rather than doing it in the fall like they initially planned, they had to move it to the spring. The reason for the change was because the non equity tour of Cats was playing not too far away in West Point. What I’m wondering is, could that fall into the category of different licensing companies having their own definition of what professional is?"

 

I think these are all handled on a case-by-case basis, and ultimately it is up to the people who control the property. For example, years ago, I applied for the rights to direct My Fair Lady at my school and was denied. I asked why, and the representative from the licensing company (I think it was Tams-Witmark back then?) told me that the Lerner and Lowe estate had restricted all rights to the show and gave no further details. I could not find any announcements about an upcoming tour or anything - it made no sense. Then about two months later, I got an email saying, "Hey guess what! You can do the show! We will happily take your money!" So who knows how these things really work. If some non-Equity professional theatre, like a summer stock or dinner theatre in the middle of nowhere wants to produce Spelling Bee in 2025, I imagine it will get approved. They probably just don't want the "big" theatres doing it.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 12:21pm

Every single licensing restriction is different.

Sometimes first-class rightsholders restrict amateur & professional licenses nationwide, sometimes they only restrict professional theatres, sometimes it's only within a certain radius of NYC.

Sometimes a non-Broadway professional theatre in the region can cause restrictions for amateur licenses for X months before or after.

Sometimes first class rights also get optioned and then nothing happens. That's why it's called an option.

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 12:44pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Every single licensing restriction is different.

Sometimes first-class rightsholders restrict amateur & professional licenses nationwide, sometimes they only restrict professional theatres, sometimes it's only within a certain radius of NYC.

Sometimes a non-Broadway professional theatre in the region can cause restrictions for amateur licenses for X months before or after.

Sometimes first class rights also get optioned and then nothing happens. That's why it's called anoption."

Yeah, my community theater has been trying to do Mamma Mia! for the last two years or so but MTI keeps denying us the license because the newest tour keeps coming through our region.

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 1:16pm

Boy has this thread been edited. Huge parts of it deleted . And for no reason. All of it was benign and just discussion.  Very sad that a difference of opinion is not welcome here.  

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 6:05pm

On paper, this cast looks terrific, and never having seen this show, I'm tempted to go. What's holding me back though is my fear that this is one of those musicals where adult performers sing mostly loud and slightly off key in order to seem like they're kids. Is that generally the case? There was a lot of this with the chorus of the recent Bye Bye Birdie, and a whole evening of this would be irritating, I think. 

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 6:22pm

You will get splashes of that mixed with some extremely beautiful harmonies. These aren’t just kids, they’re WEIRD kids.

[Kad]

Posted: 8/30/24 at 7:24pm

The ensemble numbers have some of that, but not grating so, but the solos are very well-drawn character studies and as darquegk says they can be very beautiful and musically complex. The show takes its young characters seriously and requires performers to do the same to really work. I think “The I Love You Song” is one of the most heartrending and gorgeous numbers in contemporary musical theatre.  

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 8/31/24 at 6:49am

Kad said: "The ensemble numbers have some of that, but not grating so, but the solos are very well-drawn character studies and as darquegk says they can be very beautiful and musically complex. The show takes its young characters seriously and requires performers to do the same to really work. I think “The I Love You Song” is one of the most heartrending and gorgeous numbers in contemporarymusical theatre."

 

I agree, one of the most devastating songs in all of musical theater, and such haunting yet beautiful harmonies.  It’s so effective because it’s not about death or heart break or something that is obviously tragic…simply a child expressing her need for her parents’ presence and attention, not just “love.” A quiet internal struggle that often goes unnoticed and unspoken. It wrecks me ever time. 
 

 

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 8/31/24 at 7:26pm

Thank you for the feedback. Just got Orch E center tix for the last performance. Excited!

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 8/31/24 at 9:27pm

Agree with the others weighing in. Though goofy and very funny in spots, it’s also a lovely piece about what weighs on children internally, told through the lens of this competition. And yes, so many years later, I get chills listening to The I Love You Song.  I remember tears welling up watching Celia Keenan-Bolger perform it back at CITS.  You will never hear the word “chimerical” the same way again. Enjoy!

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/31/24 at 9:54pm

"I Love You Song" also includes one of the most chillingly ambiguous lyrics in all musical theatre, with a meaning that has been debated heavily because it changes the tone of the song and of the show itself even more than a "Drowsy Chaperone" level.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 9/4/24 at 7:26pm

I hear that they are adding a new song for Beanie!

I'm the Greatest Speller!

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 9/4/24 at 10:08pm

darquegk said: ""I Love You Song" also includes one of the most chillingly ambiguous lyrics in all musical theatre, with a meaning that has been debated heavily because it changes the tone of the song and of the show itself even more than a "Drowsy Chaperone" level."

What lyrics are you referring to?

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 9/5/24 at 4:03am

HenryTDobson said: "darquegk said: ""What lyrics are you referring to? "

I would guess they’re referring to, “I think he takes out on me what he wants to take out on you.” 

[jams allen]

Posted: 9/5/24 at 6:26am

It's fantastic to hear that Beanie is back on stage and the cast is shaping up to be top-notch! Her return is indeed a positive development, and it's great to see such a talented lineup following the original Broadway cast. Regarding a possible transfer, if the show performs well and garners strong reviews, a transfer to another location or a larger venue could be a viable option. The success of the production and audience reception will likely play key roles in determining if a transfer becomes feasible.

[wsondheim94]

Posted: 9/5/24 at 8:08am

I would guess they’re referring to, “I think he takes out on me what he wants to take out on you.” 

 

I've only ever 'read' this lyric as physical abuse. What other meaning could it have?

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/5/24 at 10:19am

It’s a question of, is the taking out emotional neglect/resentment, physical violence or sexual abuse? 

[wsondheim94]

Posted: 9/5/24 at 10:58am

darquegk said: "It’s a question of, is the taking out emotional neglect/resentment, physical violence or sexual abuse?"

Ah, I see. Makes sense. Thanks!