Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond to star in NYCC Gala presentation of Parade- Page 7

[BakerWilliams]

Posted: 11/2/22 at 11:19pm

Ben Platt stars as a victim of cancelation in "I Didn't Do Anything Wrong: The Musical"

[2]

Posted: 11/2/22 at 11:54pm

The second act was more effective than the first because it has most of the better songs, but I'm in the minority of opinions here it seems. There really is no perspective on the situation or characters and everyone behaves exactly as you predict they will. There are no surprises or momentum to the drama.

By removing all of Leo Frank's skittish tendencies (I assume to avoid comparison to Evan Hansen) they've also removed his only defining trait. Now when other characters exaggerate Frank's nervous behaviors in the courtroom it makes no sense. Micaela Diamond easily walks away with the show with her focused performance but I would've taken Carolee Carmello and Brent Carver over them any day. The standout was Alex Joseph Grayson as Jim Conley.

It does feel calibrated for Platt to star in a musical where he's wrongly persecuted by a mob mentality but completely innocent, and I don't think it helped them tell the story. It hardly manages to condemn antisemitism and white supremacy effectively—they aren't helped by an implied conversation about cancelation. Arden's direction is leaden and relies on over-indication throughout, with the occasional nice touch here and there.

The gushy nonsense that is the Times review says the production "delves further into America’s history of violence and delivers the best-sung musical in many a New York season" and I didn't feel it did either of those things. There is no delving into almost anything here, and Into the Woods easily tops the strained vocal performances in Parade.

Still, even with indistinguishable lyrics over thick orchestrations, underpowered staging, unreadable projections, and a slog of a book, the audience around me loved it. I think the yassified theatregoing audience is devoted enough to give this show legs to transfer. I'll probably sooner revisit the OBCR than see it again.

[UWS10023]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 1:51am

I can hardly believe this would transfer. If Ben Brantley had written the review I think it would have  been much different perspective. Critics get the best seats in the house. Center Orchestra six rows back on the aisle. I sometimes wonder what their experience would have been like sitting in row K of the balcony.

[inception]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 2:00am

Not sure this will have same momentum to transfer that Into The Woods had this past summer.  ITW is a better known show, & producers could see a window in the summer where there wasn't much else new going on to interest NY area resident theater goers.

In the spring this will be competing for sales almost directly with the same audience for Sweeney Todd - Groban vs Platt  Plus any of the new shows that have just opened that end up hits, and other new spring shows.  The season is looking very saturated at this point.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 1:12pm

Seems like part of the reasoning to support a transfer would be the timeliness of the material given the environment in which we current find ourselves and how that might translate into interest in the topic/show.  Whether it would do so at sufficient levels to sustain much of a run is a other story.

[UWS10023]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 1:28pm

Quite obviously Platt would have to transfer with the production otherwise I do not think it would sell very well. I don’t see it. The Gala could have been the worst musical ever starring Platt and it probably would have sold out.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 2:15pm

inception said: "Not sure this will have same momentum to transfer that Into The Woods had this past summer. ITW is a better known show, & producers could see a window in the summer where there wasn't much else new going on to interest NY area resident theater goers.

In the spring this will be competing for sales almost directly with the same audience for Sweeney Todd - Groban vs Platt Plus any of the new shows that have just opened that end up hits, and other new spring shows. The season is looking very saturated at this point."

I asked some friends in the industry about a transfer and was told no discusions are happening for it

[Alex M]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 5:00pm

Robbie2 said: "inception said: "Not sure this will have same momentum to transfer that Into The Woods had this past summer. ITW is a better known show, & producers could see a window in the summer where there wasn't much else new going on to interest NY area resident theater goers.

In the spring this will be competing for sales almost directly with the same audience for Sweeney Todd - Groban vs Platt Plus any of the new shows that have just opened that end up hits, and other new spring shows. The season is looking very saturated at this point."

I asked some friends in the industry about a transfer and was told no discusions are happening for it"

Hearing the opposite. 

I saw the show opening night and it was spectacular. Truly do hope it transfers. 

Updated On: 11/3/22 at 05:00 PM

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 5:12pm

Been thinking about how as soon as a production off-Bway, at City Center, Kennedy Center, wherever is well received we immediately think "will it transfer ?" or "when will they announce a transfer to Broadway?" And it's not that I don't want shows to come to Broadway, but I don't know... I guess I'm starting to think more along the lines of Broadway doesn't always have to be the goal for these things.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 5:53pm

It is a predictable cycle often repeated.

Show does well.

People ask if it will transfer.

People debate if a transfer will or won't happen.

People then question whether everything needs to transfer.

Just how good the show in question really is starts to be debated.

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

[Kimbo]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 6:42pm

Alex M said: "Robbie2 said: "inception said: "Not sure this will have same momentum to transfer that Into The Woods had this past summer. ITW is a better known show, & producers could see a window in the summer where there wasn't much else new going on to interest NY area resident theater goers.

In the spring this will be competing for sales almost directly with the same audience for Sweeney Todd - Groban vs Platt Plus any of the new shows that have just opened that end up hits, and other new spring shows. The season is looking very saturated at this point."

I asked some friends in the industry about a transfer and was told no discusions are happening for it"

Hearing the opposite."

Same here.  As noted earlier, Ambassador Theatre Group and others contributed enhancement money for the City Center production; but that aside, my sources were telling me early yesterday morning, long BEFORE any of the reviews even came out, that plans were already well in place for the transfer. 

Now that the notices are out, between word of mouth, Ben Platt's name, the timing seeming all-too-right, and tickets for the sold-out run going for anywhere between $300 and $1500 on the resale sites, I'm sure it's basically a done deal.

 

[OhHiii]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 6:58pm

Do we have anything slated for the Spring for the Hudson? No right? Easy, it’s going there if it transfers given the producers and they’d build the business model around what was done for SITP with Jake. But you can bet Platt will want to be eligible for another Tony (where the former didn’t want to be disappointed when he lost given he’s a bit of a Susan Lucci of film awards).

[Alex M]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 7:39pm

OhHiii said: "Do we have anything slated for the Spring for the Hudson? No right? Easy, it’s going there if it transfers given the producers and they’d build the business model around what was done for SITP with Jake. But you can bet Platt will want to be eligible for another Tony (where the former didn’t want to be disappointed when he lost given he’s a bit of a Susan Lucci of film awards)."

Hudson would be good. I could even see them selling out a slightly smaller theatre if they only did a 3 month run around Tony Season.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 8:34pm

JasonC3 said: "Seems like part of the reasoning to support a transfer would be the timeliness of the material given the environment in which we current find ourselves and how that might translate into interest in the topic/show. Whether it would do so at sufficient levels to sustain much of a run is a other story."

Bingo. I have to believe its up to Ben Platt; given the torrent of hate flowing these days a show about uniquely American antisemitism strikes me as timely, and with Ben Platt on marquee, would sell well especially for a limited run. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 8:35pm

It would be interesting to see how this show would play in the spring. Didn’t the original production open in December? How do you build an audience in December?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/4/22 at 10:01am

JasonC3 said: "It is a predictable cycle often repeated.

Show does well.

People ask if it will transfer.

People debate if a transfer will or won't happen.

People then question whether everything needs to transfer.

Just how good the show in question really is starts to be debated.

Yadda, yadda, yadda."

Just as predictable as someone posting to whine about it.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 11/4/22 at 10:12am

Just dropping in to say that Micaela Diamond is a fantastic actress.

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 11/4/22 at 10:30am

TotallyEffed said: "Just dropping in to say that Micaela Diamond is a fantastic actress."

I agree! I won't forget seeing her in the Cher Show. Besides the amazing SJB, Micaela truly gave a standout performance!

[JasonC3]

Posted: 11/4/22 at 1:13pm

dramamama611 said: "JasonC3 said: "It is a predictable cycle often repeated.

Show does well.

People ask if it will transfer.

People debate if a transfer will or won't happen.

People then question whether everything needs to transfer.

Just how good the show in question really is starts to be debated.

Yadda, yadda, yadda."

Just as predictable as someone posting to whine about it."

If this was directed at me, I certainly wasn't whining about it.  Just noting this is the way the conversation goes.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 11/4/22 at 1:15pm

Boy, this show has the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

As someone who read a LOT about the real life case (actually because I was so in love with this show), I can say that the show really oversimplifies the case too. I'm not saying that there wasn't anti-Semitism or that I think Leo Frank wasn't wrongly convicted (and certainly he should have been better protected by the state while in their custody), but there is a lot more nuance and complexity that the show doesn't convey.

It also really exaggerates Leo Frank's social alienation and being different from southerners etc. In real life, he actually had plans to attend a baseball game on Confederate Memorial Day.

Still an amazing score, though.

Updated On: 11/4/22 at 01:15 PM

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 11/4/22 at 1:19pm

It’s a musical, not a documentary.

[binau]

Posted: 11/4/22 at 1:41pm

Also, to be fair it is positioned as 'inspired by historical events' only rather than something like 'the visceral, raw heartbreaking TRUE story of how one man...' type marketing. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 11/4/22 at 3:20pm

SporkGoddess said: "Boy, this show has the subtlety of a sledgehammer.


It also really exaggerates Leo Frank's social alienation and being different from southerners etc. In real life, he actually had plans to attend a baseball game on Confederate Memorial Day."

I have no idea if Leo Frank was, in real life, social alienated from the society he found himself in; it would seem to me that a Jewish New Yorker would not quickly or easily fit into the early 1900's deep South. But who knows, i dont think the show pretends to base itself off of some definitive account/biography. 

But i am confused by your reference to his attending a baseball game on Confederate Memorial Day? His going to a baseball game is evidence of his non-alienation? I don't quite follow.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 11/4/22 at 4:12pm

PipingHotPiccolo: So in the show he says that Confederate Memorial Day is silly and refuses to "celebrate" it (at least as far as I remember), instead going to work. It's an example of how the show makes Frank look more socially alienated from the people in the area. The south definitely viewed him as different and not like one of them, but how much HE felt like he didn't belong is unclear (especially since there was a large, thriving local Jewish community).

And yeah, I'm not saying the show needs to be a documentary! Just agreeing that it isn't very subtle.

 

 

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 11/4/22 at 4:21pm

Saw it last night. Enjoyed it. Was in the balcony so missed the projections and had some difficulty hearing the lyrics in the group numbers especially when the orchestra was overpowering. 
 

everyone was in fine voice.  My biggest surprise was Micaela Diamond. Wasn’t fond of her in the Cher show but loved her in this. Whether it transfers or not it was an experience.