Boston 2008-2009 Season- Page 2

[jaystarr]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 7:43am

Millie- I dont think the Opera House is for try-outs. They usually have try-outs at Colonial theater for musicals....Wilbur for play (I dont know now-bec. the fate of the theater is uncertain for now) and sometimes at Huntington's BU Theater (like 39 Steps)

The Opera House has problems with acoustics, bec. the ceiling is very high and wide.. it usually reverberates...

I have been living in Boston for 15 years.. I dont remember having any try-outs at THE WANG CENTER- usually touring companies and Celtic dance special (you know what I mean? ) or kids shows...

The Opera House which just re-opened in 2004 (THE LION KING) is usually for touring company too and the house of Boston Ballet...

^^^ From what I heard from a friend of mine who works for the theater- these two theaters are fully booked.

The Colonial Theater is perfect for try-outs bec. sizewise it as big as any BROADWAY HOUSE and the theaters have special stage like 3 stories space underneath the stage with elevators for lifts /trap doors and the stage is deep too. (exactly like a Broadway house for musicals) and the pit is perfect for a full orchestra (like what its built for in the 1900's)

I am not familiar with the stagings of Brigadoon- I saw the movie version with Gene Kelly and it looks like there will be a lot of dancing and scenery changes (ex.. Scottish highlands and the mystic bridge)

I hope that answers your question, and from what I heard both try-outs will be at the historic COLONIAL THEATER (in October and December)

F/N, SA & A Bronx Tale will be at the Colonial theater too...

Dirty Dancing, Legally Blonde & A Chorus Line will be at the Opera House.

Note : The Wang Center is not a part of Broadway in Boston. They do have shows there though...its just not owned by the same owners as Colonial & Opera which are both connected to the NYC Broadway houses owners.

Wilbur Theater used to be a part of Colonial & Opera Houses but they sold it....

The Wang Center & the Shubert Theater in Boston are owned by the same owners(not the same group as Colonial/Opera)

J*






Updated On: 5/6/08 at 07:43 AM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 7:54am

and another obvious answer is THE COLONIAL THEATER is owned by the same owners as the one in NYC's theaters..I dont know if its the Nederlander group or Shuberts?

Here's the OFFICIAL announcement for the two try-outs that will play at the Colonial:
http://www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/FileNotFound.aspx?404;http://www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/boston

[jaystarr]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 7:57am

and btw- here's the two artworks for the two try-out shows which most likely will be the playbill artwork for the COLONIAL THEATER:

[Smaxie]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 8:01am

I think in the case of both shows, Jay, that's temporary art.

[bdboston]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 8:37am

J** - the Colonial is not owned by either the Nederlanders or the Shuberts. It (and the Opera House) is not "connected" to any NY theatres. They used to fall under the Live Nation umbrella, but that company sold its theatre division to Key Brand Entertainment, which now operates the Broadway Across America franchise.

The link below explains:
Key Brand Entertainment

[MusicAndPassion]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 10:07am

Nice season! Hopefully I'll catch Brigadoon and Nice Work If You Can Get It during my vacations when I'm back home. I'm wicked excited that Nice Work If You Can Get It is playing during my winter break, so I can see it in Boston AND New York. Same with Brigadoon.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 10:29am

GASP! Can't wait for ACL!

[Eos]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 11:53am

"Why Beantown?"

Beantown is a nickname for Boston originating I think from the fact that back in the colonial days, baked beans with molasses was a Boston favorite.
Anyhoo, too bad about Jersey Boys - that seems odd.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 3:05pm

All of the try-outs take the Colonial because back in the "Golden Age" almost all Broadway shows would tryout at the Colonial before hitting NY - its a tradition that many producers are trying - and rightly so! - to bring back.

[alliez92092]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 5:11pm

I really hope this is the start of bringing back try-outs to Boston. It seems to be, but you never know.

[yankees1253]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 6:19pm

i feel lie this os one of the most talked and written about tour spots so far this season. wish broadway had a pass for a season but a limted amount of shows.

[maya5892]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 8:57pm

I was watching Boston's local PBS station and the person talking (I forget his name ) said that Jersey Boys will most likely be here early next season. It will just take a while since it is starting on the West Coast and having a few sit-downs.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 10:51pm

The Opera House is having a pre-Broadway tryout/premiere, though...the Harry Connick, Jr. musical.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 11:20pm

No, the Harry Connick show (Nice Work If You Can Get It) is playing the Colonial, same as Brigadoon.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 11:29pm

No, it is playing at the Opera House according to the booklet I got.

EDIT: Never mind, you were right. I could've sworn I read and heard Opera House. Sorry!

Updated On: 5/6/08 at 11:29 PM

[maya5892]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 9:19pm

Here's the pic of Becky as Elle that was in the Boston Globe (sorry for the poor quality - cell phone pic):

[maya5892]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 9:21pm

(And her website finally includes Boston as a tour date )

Posted: 6/6/08 at 1:22am

ok this is a stuipd question...but are these shows all tours that come through and stay for an extended run?? or do they cast the show from the Boston actors pool...like in Chicago?????

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 8:24am

R&Hgal: These shows are all national tours, and Brigadoon and Nice Work are pre-Broadway tryouts. None of the shows are Boston sit-down productions. A sit-down production is when a certain city opens a new production of a show with a new cast, and they run for an extended period of time and usually close in that city. If they're lucky, they might tour that cast or eventually go to another city. For example, Wicked in Chicago and Mamma Mia in Las Vegas are sit-down productions.

Brigadoon and Nice Work are staying for an extended period of time, but are not sit-down productions - they'll only be there about a month and are pre-Broadway tryouts.

The rest of the shows are tours passing through that'll be there for a couple of weeks.