JSquared2 said: "PRETTY WOMAN up $90,000. Looks like it may be critic-proof and have a healthy run."
Nowadays critics have been more wrong than right. We see so many shows dying even after rave reviews. And the opposite is true. I remember reading disgusting bad reviews about Mean Girls and look where they’re now. Saw Pretty Woman here in Chicago and they literally took our city by storm. Never seen anything like it. And I never got why the critics went so viciously after them (perhaps fear it might succeed like MG?) Plus, unlike what the critics said, we, the audience, is sophisticated enough to know this is just a fictional story.
Anyway, I only saw the Chicago version of PW, but my girlfriend saw both (Chicago and NY) and she loved Andy Karl as Edward. She said he was just dreamy and his voice, amazing. She didn’t like Steve Kazee as she thought he was too low energy for Edward, but according to her, with Mr. Karl, there was a 360 shift and it was for the better.
My girlfriend feels like this cast is very solid, and after seeing all the other shows, she believes they have strong chances for Tony nominations. The main cast is just too likable and make the audience appreciate so much how hard theater actors work compared to other venues (like TV and films). Adaptations are difficult because you already have the expectations from the original fans but also the scrutiny of comparison with the source material. Also, the ensemble cast is great too. If the Tony committee decides to open a category for best ensemble, IMOHO the PW ensemble should be considered as well.