Beanie’s Last Performance 9/25 — Page 6

CarlosAlberto said: "Anyone who saw Beanie in previews go back to see if she's grown into the role and if her vocals have improved?"

Having seen it after previews, I can’t imagine her vocals being worse. God help those who saw her if they were.

I was told by a repeat attendee at the Wednesday matinee I saw that she is placing more of the score in her head voice than she did in previews. Not trying to belt except on “Parade.” Tracks with my impression that her comfort zone is a light soprano sound. It’s likely safer and more protective. She didn’t hit “People” the way it was often described here. It’s nasal but she only sounds forced in the pushed, shouty belt. As I posted, I didn’t find her singing unpleasant, just not exciting, negotiated in a range that’s not where the score sits.

Updated On: 6/18/22 at 07:20 PM

Lea Michelle is no more a name to some people outside of NYC than Beanie was.

Updated On: 6/18/22 at 07:54 PM

I mean, Glee was a huge success for the first four seasons and it’s availability on streaming since it ended it’s fun has kept it in the mainstream of youth culture. Out of context clips regularly go viral on twitter! Olivia Rodrigo sang about watching Glee in one of her singles last year! So, no, I don’t think Lea Michelle is a huge star, but I do think some of y’all are underestimating how known she is. She is definitely better known than Beanie just from Glee alone.

Highland Guy said: "TheOrpheumCircuit said: "I would love to see Julie in the role. More so than Lea, but Lea would be fine. Rosie would make me NOT see it 100%. No problem with Rosie as a person, but just awful in musicals IMHO. I get she's a name and tourists love her, but tourists also think The Olive Garden is a good Italian restaurant."



In the few hours that you have been a BWW member, you have posted three times. And in each of those posts, you have demeaned "tourists". Only you know the reason(s) for your rudeness. I visit Broadway frequently from the West Coast as an out-of-towner. While in NYC, my husband and I spend substantial dollars that add to the economy of NYC. Transportation. Meals. Accommodations. Entertainment. Gifts. Without "tourists" there quite likely might be no "Broadway". We help keep the engine running. So spare me (and other out-of-towners) your snarkiness.

And for the record. We have never eaten at an "Olive Garden Restaurant". But you can be certain that if we return to NYC, we most certainly will dine at the Broadway "Olive Garden" and will leave very generous tips.

"

…have you never heard of Olive Garden…? It’s a nationwide chain with hundreds and hundreds of locations.

Sally Durant Plummer said: "I mean, Glee was a huge success for the first four seasons and it’s availability on streaming since it ended it’s fun has kept it in the mainstream of youth culture. Out of context clips regularly go viral on twitter! Olivia Rodrigo sang about watching Glee in one of her singles last year! So, no, I don’t think Lea Michelle is a huge star, but I do think some of y’all are underestimating how known she is. She is definitely better known than Beanie just from Glee alone."

I watched the show once and didn't care for it. I'm a senior and that does show up in my taste and criticisms - I realize that. The only other time I checked it out was to see Lea after her name came up with FG. It was the episode where she was doing Barbra doing Fanny - the middy-blouse and Barbra wig - in I'm the Greatest Star. She had a lot of energy, but while she was loud, her voice wasn't all that great. The biggest thing was I didn't like her and was mildly amused to see Jane's reaction from the audience in the clip. JMO.

To be fair, (as I was with Beanie's singing - not using a single video to make a judgment about her vocal skills) I watched the video of her at the Tonys and then another of her in concert singing DROMP. They were okay. I found her to be behind the music most of the time and, again, imitative and more loud than actually being expressive of the song itself. The song is difficult not to copy, but I did hear Julie's rendition and she made it her own, so not impossible. TBH, I actually preferred Beanie's to Lea's.

I've made this comment earlier - I think the talk of Lea is a circle jerk and cannot imagine a deal being cut this quickly. The timing on all of this is weird. Someone is pushing the Lea narrative, but I don't think it's the FG people.

The suggestion about Anna Kendrick is likely as true as the rumors about Lea. Lea is just an easier target because of her own known desire to play the role.

I had to laugh at someone suggesting Lea with Michelle Lee as Rosie. Michelle Lee is 79 - older than I am (I remember her from How To Succeed...) and a tad old for Rosie. Would be a cute on a marquee, though.

Highland Guy said: "Kad said: "

…have you never heard of Olive Garden…? It’s a nationwide chain with hundreds and hundreds of locations."

I didn't say I had never heard of "Olive Garden". I said I had never eaten there.

"

Then enjoy your meal at “Olive Garden” before you go back to your “Hilton” in your “Uber” to get ready to see some “Broadway.”

But since you’re apparently the financial lifeblood of the city, why not instead spend your money at any of the hundreds of small businesses in the theater district instead of a giant corporate chain. Unless you think eating mediocre unlimited breadsticks is somehow going to own some message board poster.

Kad, diss Olive Garden all you want, but don’t come for the breadsticks!

Highland, I recommend Carmine’s and Sardi’s.

BrodyFosse123 said: "As all New Yorkers, we avoid the tourist trap areas like Times Square and mid-town between 5th & 8th Avenue. If we’re ever in that area, we shut up and put up with that cluster-ph**k of people as that’s their territory. We fellow New Yorkers have our own peaceful non-touristy areas we head to.

Correct. Thank God. We couldn't care less about tourists!

Updated On: 6/19/22 at 10:13 PM

bwayphreak234 said: "Honestly, I'm still just pissed about the fact that the first ever Broadway revival of this property was produced and directed in the way it way. What should/ could have been an event like "Hello, Dolly!" was just turned into one giant missed opportunity. Yes, Lea Michelle will be great (and it will be nice to have someone who can actually SING the songs), but at the end of the day, the production itself is so lackluster."

This production was never going to be like the Dolly revival. Dolly is an incredibly well put together show. Dolly has a strong score, and it also has one of the strongest books in the canon. Frankly, Dolly has more in common with Gypsy than it does Funny Girl.

Funny Girl is a weak show. It has some great tunes, but beyond that not much is there. No matter how much money you threw at it, this show was never going to be a Hello, Dolly level experience.

TheOrpheumCircuit said: "It's interesting how the Funny Girl artwork and playbill is 100% an image of Beanie herself. This is a notable choice. Often times--most of the time--artwork for the show logo makes a point to be somewhat general so that it won't be a problem when casts change. The only time an actual face/likeness is used is when the show it completely identified with the star and no one else. This is a really curious choice as if it were sold on Beanie alone. They'll have to adapt that logo after Beanie leaves to be more general. Another weird embarrassment for the show."

Mean Girls did the same thing. Then changed it after Louderman, Park and Rockwell left. It’s been done. Just curious to see what they’ll change it to.

Sutton Ross said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "As all New Yorkers, we avoid the tourist trap areas like Times Square and mid-town between 5th & 8th Avenue. If we’re ever in that area, we shut up and put up with that cluster-ph**k of people as that’s their territory. We fellow New Yorkers have our own peaceful non-touristy areas we head to.

Correct. Thank God.

#Facts