Biggest disapointments or surprises... — Page 3

I was quite disappointed by Shrek the Musical. I loved the movie, but the musical just wasn't very memorable at all. I listened to the music for a long time before seeing the show and loved the score, but the show just wasn't my thing.

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Big disappointments:

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Wicked

To be fair, I wasn't quite myself and was sleep deprived. Even worse, the audiences at both were extremely obnoxious. I still don't hold out much hope for both, this coming from a person who is so sensitive to the theatre experience and what it has to offer that I can find something of value in just about anything. I was so let down by Spelling Bee, I spent a couple of hours after the show Googling reviews, just to see WHAT ABOUT IT PEOPLE ENJOYED.

It's not that I didn't "get it." How can anyone NOT get it? I just found it gratingly EAGER to please. Waaay too forced. Maybe it was the cast phoning it in? I saw most of the original cast in Los Angeles and they all seemed to be over it, and so was I.

Wicked took itself way too seriously and when it didn't, it attempted to cue laughs by way of ditzy Glinda. I had enough and was rolling my eyes heavily toward the back of my head, when that uber-serious plot-point about the animal abuse made everyone pull out their hanky on-cue. I was like, whhhhhhatttteeeeevvvvverrr.

Biggest Mutha-effin' Surprises:

A CHORUS LINE

FOLLIES

Holy Jesus, sister Mary, and the three kings! Those two shows captivated me...I kid you not, I felt like a 5 year old discovering the world anew, except, I understood it as an adult. Anything that could do that, is a gem. Interestingly, I've only had those types of incredibly moving experiences at the theatre.

And, of course, there's that one show with the lazy susan that tickles my fancy.

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My Oh My, it's funny you mention ACL. Growing up, my entire body would cringe whenever I would hear "One". That show NEVER held any interest to me. *probably because I never took the time to go any deeper than "One". Then on Sirius in 2007, I heard the original cast doing At The Ballet. I was immediately transfixed by it, and started uncontrollably sobbing in my car. Needless to say I have now seen the show 5 times and have been fairly lucky to see many stellar casts. But that show owns me in a way that I'll never be able to explain. So I guess that would be my biggest surprise too, but I already knew going in that I would adore every second I spent in the Schoenfeld that afternoon.

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Most recently, I'd say I was very pleasantly surprised by The Columnist. I went in expecting to enjoy Lithgow's and Gaines' performances if nothing else, but I left completely invested and satisfied.

Biggest Disappointment: LION KING. Everyone I ever talked to said this was the most amazing show they had ever seen. After "Circle of Life" I was bored to tears. Nothing special at all. Music and whole show is just completely boring. MAMMA MIA.. worst show on Broadway and have no idea why it is even still running after all this time. Jersey Boys.. ehhhh.

Biggest Surprise: Follies, Bonnie & Clyde, and Addams Family. Follies I went into not really knowing what to expect, and it is now one of my favorite musicals. Sondheim's music is PHENOMENAL. Bonnie & Clyde, Obviously I had heard all the horrible reviews, but being an Osnes/Jordan fan I went and was absolutly blown away! I actually really loved the music and the story line. I think it was awesome!! Addams Family, I went to only because my Mom wanted to see it, and I was pleasantly surprised. I normally am not a fan of movie/TV show adaptations to the stage, but I actually enjoyed it!

Disappointments:
Mamma Mia!
Young Frankenstein


Surprises:
Billy Elliot (I went to see it because Emily Skinner had recently joined the cast...I didn't think I would like the show. Emily was out, but I LOVED the show so much more than I thought I would).
Bonnie & Clyde (I just wanted to see Laura Osnes perform and had low expectations for the show...REALLY, really enjoyed it and I'm glad I caught it right before it closed).
The Blue Flower (I decided the night before to make a 4-hour journey to see Teal Wicks perform in a show I knew little about...Teal was fantastic, but I really enjoyed the whole show. It was much more like a performance art piece than a musical and I've never seen anything quite like it)

Not biggest, but recent --

Disappointments:
EVITA, PRIVATE LIVES, The Public's LEAR, CLYBOURNE PARK

Surprises:
HARVEY
NICE WORK

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An off-Broadway show called "The Road to Qatar" comes to mind. The two guys involved in this real-life story had killer source material that could have yielded an incredible musical, but it was squandered away.

Recent Disappointments - God of Carnage - saw it with the 3rd cast - Jeff Daniels, Lucy Liu etc. Thought it would be great and it was just blah. The cast did their best but the content was just weak. Also agree with the comments on Clybourne Park. Saw it last week and with the Tony and Pulitzer thought it would be powerful and it just wasn't.

Surprises: Anything Goes, Venus in Fur and Rock of Ages. Went into them not expecting much and came out with a great, memorable night of theater from each (for different reasons).

The Scottsboro Boys has been my most recent surprise. I saw it in San Francisco and knew I would enjoy it but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. I had little problems with little things but overall it was amazing and that finale left me in awe.

The biggest surprise for me was ROCKS OF AGES. I thought it was going to be cheesy and too 80s. (I was a little kid in the 80s and didn't listen to rock music.) Well, the show was cheesy and 80s, but in a completely fun way. It didn't take itself too seriously and had heart.

Two recent big surprises for me was:
Curtains & Mary Poppins.

Major Disappointment was "The Little Mermaid" (I wanted to like it so much 'cause it was my husbands favorite movie)

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