Bonnie & Clyde -- 1st Preview Today- Page 3

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:14am

For the most part, the gunshots are okay. I would say there are about 10-15 shotgun sounds. Then there are the two MASSIVE automatic sections -- some serious tommy gun action going on.

SPOILER: The opening moments of the show are thrilling. Bonnie and Clyde are in the car and suddenly a burst of guns. They're dead. BOOM. We're back at the beginning. In the final moments, Jeff Calhoun chooses to NOT show us what he showed at the beginning, which is striking, beautiful and surprising.

I spent the last ten minutes eagerly awaiting the opening picture and I never got it. Not quite. And that anticipation, that waiting, it was magnificent.

[philly03]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:14am

Have to say I'm surprised Wildhorn's score getting all this praise, especially since Ivan Menchell wrote a pretty solid book in my opinion. I guess I'm more curious why people praise this score to all other Wildhorn scores.

Agreed - the leads make this show!

[supersam1026]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:14am

Wow! Pleasantly surprised to hear it went so well! Was thinking that if this tanked (I thought it would be as quick as Wonderland!) Jeremy Jordan would just go to Newsies. If this does even semi- well and can run at least until the summer, what are the chances that Newsies does come this spring without Jordan?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:16am

I completely disagree about "When I Drive". I thought it was one of the most electric numbers in the show. And it was at that point that I said to myself, "This kid is going to be a MASSIVE star."

I really liked the orchestrations. It's a period piece, but I wasn't expecting a period score. HOWEVER, I think that the band is drowning out the performers. For 8 musicians (that floored me when I realized, by the way, because the sound is SO much larger), they really are overpowering the cast.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:19am

"Theatertrash" I'm in complete agreement about the opening and final scenes. Very moving.

I don't think "When I Drive" was a poor song, I just thought it slowed down the pace of Act I that is in need of cutting but we can agree to disagree about whether or not it should be cut.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:21am

For me, it was the cop's song (Louis Hobson - can't remember the character name right now) that slowed it down. I loved 'When I Drive'. In fact, I think it might be my favorite song in the show. I would be very sad to see it cut.

I will WEEP if they change the beginning/ending. When they went to blackout, I was DYING for more. And that is JUST how he should leave the audience. I actually wanted to know what would happen next, even though I already saw it happen.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:25am

"You Can Do Better than Him" I think is the song you're referring to. I could also do with seeing that cut. The whole plot line of the cop's love for Bonnie seems a bit strange and unnecessary in retrospect. It was hardly developed, I kept waiting for something to happen and removing that song would make the undeveloped plot line much less of a focus.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:26am

Louis Hobson's song should absolutely be cut- a completely bore or a number. I thought "When I Drive" was a fine song on its own, and will play great on a cast recording, but it seemed completely unnecessary to the action and really slowed down the pacing.

I also didn't like the opening song of act two, "Made in America." The phrase itself seems a bit of an anachronism (but can't be certain of that). There was a terrible lyric in that song about the city hall running low on kindness, but still having enough flags.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:30am

Whizzer, I know exactly what you're talking about with the flags line. I forget how it went but I remember cringing and the audience nervously laughed. I thought the song, however, was a nice "period song." Most of the other music has nothing to do with the setting and the wider world and I thought it was a decent introduction to Act II, though you may be right about the anachronism.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:30am

I wonder if you were sitting right behind me, Whizzer. (I was in orchestra row M, house left.) That lyric got a huge laugh. But I actually liked the symbolism of it. I thought, though, for the most part - the lyrics were stronger than Don Black usually supplies. Not great. But serviceable.

I see what you're saying about "When I Drive". I was completely enchanted by Jeremy Jordan, though, and got a little lost in the moment.

I'm not sure if I liked the show itself as much as I appreciated the performances. But regardless? I left that theater singing 'Dying Ain't So Bad' to myself. And noticed a few people at the stage door doing the same. I would GLADLY sit through it again.

[PopAria]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:33am

I won't be surprised if Laura and Jeremy win a Tony. (unless they get drowned out by competition.) Laura was a star in my eyes as soon as she sang her solo in the first act.

The set was interesting and worked really well. It looks like the picture someone posted on the first page. I love how they used the spaces between the wood. And it was always a surprise to see what was behind each wall.
(I'm still rooting for Spider-Man's set for a Tony, but this one could get nominated.)

I was surprised to see how they used the gospel number "Gods Arms Are Always Open". It was not my fav on the demo, yet I loved how it was broken up and sung on stage.

In the end I feel like it was a great musical full of great songs with an interesting story.

P.S. Get ready for lots of gun fire!

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:35am

I agree! I would love to see Jeremy take home a Tony for this.

And the set is SO clever. SO many wonderful surprises.

Problem: Calhoun seems to be struggling with removing "dead bodies". It got a little laughter, but as a director, I realize how challenging this can be. He does his best, but I hope he can clean it up a little.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:35am

^ So the set has not changed? Just instead of saying the title it says 1934? I love how the set looks.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:37am

Yes, bwayphreak, looks identical to the picture posted on the front page except "1934" replaced the title. I too thought the set was very good.

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:38am

What type of merch did they have? A Poster?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:38am

Thanks Here is a link to Aaron Rhyne's website. There are some pictures of the full set with projections... It looks pretty awesome


http://www.aaronrhyne.com/bc.htm

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:39am

Hobson's character is odd.

SPOILER: Towards the end, he sort of takes over. But -- is he the sheriff? I didn't think so. Bonnie's complete lack of interest in him makes us completely uninterested as well. His entire character could be cut and the overall plot would not change at all.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:40am

The windowcard (which I bought and got signed) is BEAUTIFUL. I am not tech savvy and posting a photo is pretty impossible. But it's gorgeous and I'm so glad I bought it. The cast was thrilled to see it at the stage door, too.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:40am

What is the merchandise like?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:41am

I was sitting pretty near you :)

I thought the symbolism was pretty heavy handed with that number, and the scene in the bank. It was a little too "the economy/depression (insert recession) justifies what they were doing. Can't you see how they relate to today?"

The performances far outshone the material, but that's not to say the material was dreadful. Far from it. Just felt a tad uninspired to me. Will this go down as one of my favorite shows, or even in a top 25 list? No way. One the same token it wouldn't be in my bottom 25 either. It was a solid effort with great performances.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:41am

They have a very cute flask (which I considered buying for first previews...), a keychain, a magnet, a couple of AWESOME tee-shirts (I will definitely be buying one at some point) and windowcards. I THINK there was a coffee mug too... Not positive on that one though. It was very crowded at the booth and hard to get a close look at everything.

[After Eight]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:42am

I'd call it a fair effort, but it sets off no sparks. The problem is that it tells the story in a formulaic, paint -by-numbers way. It's odd that a musical about two famous outlaws should move so placidly, and be so lacking in grit, energy, and drive, and even a point of view. Characterizations are stereotypical and generic. The score is easy to take, but unmemorable. The scenic design is dark and unattractive. The two leads were fine. The secondary characters really never engaged one's interest. I found the first act more interesting than the second.

Blandness does not seem to be the appropriate approach to the tale of Bonnie and Clyde.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:42am

Projections are used a lot to great effect. Throughout the show, the actors snap pictures of each other and the actual picture of that individual in the same pose gets projected on the wood panels. It was very effective and was a very good constant reminder of the story's truth which made the story seem even more engaging. Kudos!

There was a poster and t-shirts, I didn't see much else but I didn't really look.

[wicked4l]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:42am

They had the show poster, 2 or 3 different t-shirts $30, a bag, and some other small stuff.

[bmwpjager]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 12:44am

Great to hear all the wonderful response!
Oh, and since no one's said, have they kept Jeremy's nude scenes in the show?