Mazzie was out again tonight. Her understudy was fine. The show is just okay. No one kept me from longing for their film counterparts. Asthmankis, Wolfe and Cordero were the performance highlights for me. I'm not getting the raves for Yorke. She was fine. I am amazed that some of my fave lines from the screenplay were cut. The numbers, mostly, felt wedged in. Stroman kept things moving and the sets were great.
Understudy Joined: 11/21/13
I have tickets for tonight. I'm disappointed to hear that Marin Mazzie has been out the past two nights. I hope she is back in tonight!
Broadway Star Joined: 3/20/08
I saw it Tuesday night, and I agree it was just ok. I did not find it as humorous as I think it needs to be. An apt comparison someone else mentioned is to Nice Work If Someone Can Get It, which I felt was better in the sense that it understood its tone and was more consistent with it than this piece was.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/29/12
Does anyone know what's up with Marin? She was fantastic on Friday night.
The Producers + Guys & Dolls + Nice Work If You Can Get It = Bullets Over Broadway
"The Producers + Guys & Dolls + Nice Work If You Can Get It = Bullets Over Broadway"
I'm not sure this is what you meant, but it sure looks like s hell of a show.
Stand-by Joined: 8/23/12
Let's not forget "Crazy for You" and "Me and My Girl."
"The Producers + Guys & Dolls + Nice Work If You Can Get It = Bullets Over Broadway"
In other words, it is old school musical comedy heaven.
It reminds me of an older musical as in there isn't much "real" conflict and everything is easily resolved. It's light, frothy and bright.
I watched the movie a couple days before seeing the show, and honestly there is nothing more I could have wanted from the stage show. It was big, bright, flashy, and just FUN. I was grinning from ear to ear from the first note of the Overture to the final bow.
Broadway Star Joined: 11/15/07
"The Producers + Guys & Dolls + Nice Work If You Can Get It = Bullets Over Broadway"
I'd rather a - Nice Work, unless that only references using old songs, and not that it's boring, uninspired mess.
Was Marin in the show this afternoon? We have tickets for tonight, and I have the feeling that they will not give me an exchange because she's not over the title.
A word of advice. See the show regardless as understudies are generally excellent. I never have not requested a refund because a star was out. Case in point Julie Andrews in Victor Victoria. The day we saw it she was out and Anne Runalfson took over for her and she was excellent. We did not feel we were cheated in any way
Speaking of Runalfson, where is she? Have not seen her on the boards for some time.
I've been reading a lot of things about how bizzare the finale is. Anyone care to elaborate? :)
I've been reading a lot of things about how bizzare the finale is. Anyone care to elaborate? :)
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/05
Mazzie was out again today. Janet Dickinson did a fine job though :)
Any idea what is wrong with her.
Younger Brother, the song is so bizarre!
"I've been reading a lot of things about how bizzare the finale is. Anyone care to elaborate? :)"
The finale is the song "Yes! We Have No Bananas". It's very random, but tons of fun. Very Woody Allen.
"The finale is the song "Yes! We Have No Bananas". It's very random, but tons of fun. Very Woody Allen."
I think if all the songs in the show had that same element of suprise and randomness, a Marx Brothers element, the show would have benefited. As it is the music is the least impressive element, they often stop the show's momentum and add nothing to character or plot development.
Sorry, but with all the comments about the show, I wasn't about to miss Marin, long a favorite. When I got there, and found that Helen Sinclair was being played by an understudy, I insisted on an exchange for another date, and I got it. Yeah, I know how it works (this has been happening to me since the days of the amazing-but-unpredictable Barbara Harris in ON A CLEAR DAY), and they probably could have refused, but they were actually gracious about it. And unless you know the show (as my fellow Board-ers do), you wouldn't necessarily know who Helen Sinclair was.
The only time this went badly was when I went to PASSION at CSC last year, and the sign about Melissa being out was way over the box office (in the crush of people, didn't see it). No flyer in the program, and no announcement made prior to show. You can imagine my amazement when someone other than Melissa appeared on stage. I was so angry for the first 20 minutes that I never got into the show. When it was over, I went out to the box office guy, who spouted a load of bulls**t about their position (name not over the title, not required to announce, blahblahblah) and totally blew me off.
Well, in their defense, a normal audience member probably isn't going to care. And they aren't a "star" so they only have to announce so much.
Anyone sat in the partial view?
I know I'm late to the game here, but I saw it tonight, and much like Nice Work, I felt like it was a nice evening out.
It's funny to me that nowadays people say all the songs sound the same, but by Act 2 all those darn songs sounded the same. They were all fine, but eh, it wasn't that exciting.
The show needs less Braff. I don't know if the 8 show week is getting to him, but his voice was rough tonight. His big solos were really awkward. And ending the show with him belting a big note that he can't hit just...makes for a pretty awkward ending.
Not sure if they downsized Wolfe's role, but she doesn't have a ton to do. Her songs were my favorite though.
The Hot Dog Song still killed.
Marin was out, and her u/s was fine, but there wasn't that star presence the character needed.
The set was massive! I don't know why they built out the proscenium because they virtually never used it. And that big "Theater" set piece where they perform the play? That was gorgeous! But that was used for less than 5 mins?! I wanted to look at it longer and whatnot. Crazy. But it was a gorgeously done production.
Best design will be tough this year.
I thought the "Bananas" finale was so joyful and exuberant and off the wall. I loved it.
I didn't really get it or get what it was trying to say.
I would say the whole show felt harmless.
But it's the first show at the St. James where I've seen the whole place packed. I had a partial view seat and thought maybe I could just sit up in the balcony but it was packed too.
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