"Bullets Over Broadway" Previews- Page 9

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 2:40am

I saw the show this evening as well and absolutely loved it. Of all the new musicals I've seen this season (I've seen them all now except If/Then and Aladdin) this is far and away my favorite. As has been touched on numerous times, the design is gorgeous. The costumes are top notch and it's clear no expense has been spared. The cast is uniformly excellent. Marin Mazzie is so believable as Helen Sinclair and is in tremendous voice. Whoever doubted her ability to play a comedic role will have their fears assuaged as she delivers some of the best lines of the night. That said, Helene Yorke absolutely steals the show as Olive, especially in the first act. "The Hot Dog Song" is absolutely hilarious and so well choreographed. Zach Braff definitely has the least showy role but he comes across with the right amount of naiveté and charm and is also very believable. I do agree that Betsy Wolfe is underutilized.

I was out about by 10:35, so maybe some cuts have been made. Either way, the show flies by and I never felt the book had any pacing issues. The songs work seamlessly with the show and while a new score would have been nice, I am perfectly content with the wonderful period piece and time period the score conveys. Somehow, I don't know if most modern composers would have been able to write such a score.

The orchestra seemed just about sold out and from my vantage point. Definitely see this soon before it's hard to get tickets.

[AntV]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 4:41am

Don't really get the argument that an hour and a half movie as a two hour and a half musical is bloated. Most scores are about an hour long so with the addition of the score, it's the perfect length.

[walkedthroughmany]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 3:05pm

My two cents: the Irving Berlin joke was the best thing about this production. It made me want to see Jane Krakowski as Helen Sinclair, but with 50 additional one-liners in the same vein. The actual performance was more exciting than Nice Work, but at least Nice Work gave you takeaways like "remember when Judy Kaye swung on that chandelier?" There could be about six Tony-contending performances here, if they were only given a "chandelier to swing on." Felt very much like we were stuck on the musical theatre runway for a few hours -- nothing crashed, but nothing took off.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 3:12pm

I am really surprised at the somewhat chilly reception this is getting on here and the comments about the show being boring and fulling flat.

[SweetLips]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 3:16pm

I will never get to see Bullets so reading all these comments are sheer bliss and Falsettos,must say loved reading your report-clever/concise and not cruel.

[steveshack]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 5:52pm

We saw Woody Allen on the staircase in the back of the house when we saw it the other night. The show is okay until the first gangster song near the end of act one. From that point on, it laid there like a dead fish.

[HighFlyingAdored97]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 6:09pm

I just got out of the 3/22 matinee. Here are some scattered thoughts:

I was sold Row E Seat 13 in the orchestra as a partial view rush seat. I did not miss anything... hardly what I would call partial view. The stage is very high and the people in the front row were eye level with the stage.

I have never watched the movie, but as I was watching the show, it felt like I had watched the movie before. The show didn't seem fresh or original... it seemed like I had already seen everything before. I'm not even sure if what I'm saying makes sense. That being said, it was still a fun afternoon. You will enjoy yourself but won't remember anything about it in a year.

This is my fourteenth year of dance; I appreciate a show with good dancing. The tap number is great as is the rest of the choreography. I don't mind that it wasn't an original score, I liked the songs they picked and they were all performed well.

Marin Mazzie sounds and looks amazing (especially in that last gold dress... OMG.) I don't understand why people were worried about her in this part, she was fabulous. She was funny and her voice is great.

The rest of the cast is good as well. Cordero and Yorke are very funny, and Wolfe has an incredible voice. Braff was quite charming and I was more impressed with his vocals than I thought I would be. I laughed a few times throughout the show.

Overall it's a fun time but not the most incredible thing you'll ever see.

[SayitSomehow]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 6:30pm

My audience ate this UP. Huge laughs throughout the show and an overall feeling of just being impressed by he proceedings.

They do kind of beat you over the head with the humor with lots of repetitive jokes and one-note characters (the worst of which is Ashmanskas's character).

It's not the funniest show in history, but it's often quite funny/silly with excellent sets and top-notch direction/choreography. It feels tight and BIG and splashy and classic and fun and distinctly Broadway - something we don't see all that often.

Also, Wolfe nabbed an extended applause after her second act number, which was well deserved. She slays it.

Updated On: 3/24/14 at 06:30 PM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/24/14 at 1:13am

It's a throw back to old school Broadway and the audience (myself included) were in heaven. Amazing sets, stunning costumes, full out dance numbers, gorgeous voices and great acting.

Mazzie is electric. The Irving Berlin joke stopped the show. The audience lost it. Yorke could easily knab the Tony. She talks like Cyndi Lauper-it's a hoot. Cordero is a standout.

The whole cast and production is tight. The audience went wild for Brooks. I loved the last number. The show just made me so happy.

Updated On: 3/24/14 at 01:13 AM

[dented146]

Posted: 3/24/14 at 1:43am

It has now been eight days since I saw the show. It hasn't stayed with me. No question that the audience liked it however.

I saw the movies Sleeper and Love and Death about 40 years ago. I can still remember lines from those movies like they were yesterday. To me it just isn't a memorable musical. Although, to be fair, few are.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/24/14 at 2:12am

"It's a throw back to old school Broadway and the audience (myself included) were in heaven. Amazing sets, stunning costumes, full out dance numbers, gorgeous voices and great acting."

I felt the exact same way. It's like watching an elaborate old school
Broadway show with one showstopper after another.

[bstoll1]

Posted: 3/24/14 at 11:16am

Tickets back on TDF for tonight and tomorrow night.

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 3/24/14 at 11:55pm

Saw this tonight. Marin Mazzie was out which kind of set the tone for the rest of the evening. I was disappointed

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 12:03am

How was her understudy?

And can anyone speak to any changes that may have taken place thus far in the preview period?

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 2:39am

I was there tonight. Janet Dickinson was on for Marin. Janet (of Forbidden Broadway background) was VERY funny, but she wasn't vocally up to the challenge. The show is cute, but it feels a little stale. They really needed an original score to make this one a stronger show. Helene Yorke walks away with the entire thing.

[Sauja]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 9:48am

Saw this last night. Was disappointed that I'd miss Marin, but suffice to say that as much as I love her, I won't be back for a round two. I love the movie so much, and I thought a musical version could be wonderful. I still do. But everything about the music and choreographs stops the momentum of the show. Otherwise entertaining numbers have nothing to do with moving us forward in the plot or developing the characters or even advancing the themes. It's like a revue laid on top of a play, not a legitimate musical.

I had very high hopes for Helene York but found her to be pushing too hard. Zach Braff acquits himself nicely enough but manages to give the least memorable lead performance possible. Admittedly, he's playing the straight man, but there's not a lot of real heart there. Vincent Pastore is a mess; Karen Ziemba is wasted; Betsy Wolfe shines vocally in a tiny part... I don't know. I wanted to love this, but I found it interminable and dull. It ran about 2:30 last night. I can't imagine making it through the whole thing when it was 20 minutes longer.

Best laugh of the night came from the older woman next to me at intermission: "It's like getting stuck at a bad Hadassah sketch show."

[LucyEth]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 10:26am

Was there last night as well. The show is a big "been there done that who cares?" Entertaining enough, but I swear the only show this season that has lifted me out of my seat was "After Midnight." This show has none of that electricity or inventiveness. It's polished, well executed and as dull as paint. Stroman is doing nothing up there that we haven't seen from her and her imitators a million times. She certainly isn't handing Woody Allen his "Producers."

Braff I thought was pretty damn good, it's a solid comedic performance. Does he sing? Not really, but he doesn't need to. Helene York is fine, but doesn't do with the part any more than required. Again, no electricity IMHO. Betsy Wolfe sounds fantastic, but the part is negligible. The only reason Karen Ziemba is up there is because her friend Susan Stroman was nice enough to give her the job; the part could have been played by anyone. Nick Cordero has NOTHING to do! It's the second male lead and he made no impression whatsoever. Kudos to Janet Dickinson for a flawless job given (one assumes) very short notice. No, the voice isn't at all strong, but she's elegant, has killer legs and played it like Charles Busch as Helen Sinclair, which is the highest of compliments coming from me. Brooks Ashmanskas, actually, was the person I enjoyed most up there. It's a ridiculous performance, but he's having such giddy fun it's impossible not to enjoy. I wish the whole show matched his energy and tone.

For all the new shows on the boards, what a lackluster season this is turning out to be.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 10:37am

Any idea when Mazzie will be back?

[jbroadway4]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 12:03pm

I was at the show last night also. I thought Marin's understudy was really good for having (probably) no rehearsal. Helen Yorke = Tony nomination. She was the best thing about the show for me! Zach Braff was alright. His performance wasn't really that memorable. The set is absolutley stunning! I love how they bring set pieces up through the elevators in the stage. Overall, I thought the show was good. It was slow at some points, but I still enjoyed it.

I'd love to see Beth Leavel as Helen Sinclair!

[Sauja]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 12:06pm

I'm with LucyEth on this being a really lackluster season. So disappointing considering how excited I was about some of the shows, particularly Bullets and Big Fish. But Stroman was 0 for 2 for me this season. Just makes me remember her work on Scottsboro Boys that much more fondly.

I also agree that After Midnight is the best thing that happened this season. Caveat: I haven't seen If/Then or Beautiful yet. To me, the only other shows that deserve nominations for Best Musical are Rocky (I know how much opinion is divided, but I loved it) and Gentleman's Guide, which I thought was more pleasant diversion than great show.

Bullets is by no means the worst new musical this season (heyyyyy, Soul Doctor), but to me it so far stands as the most tremendous disappointment.

[Up In One]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 12:28pm

I was there last night with Janet Dickinson in for Marin Mazzie as Helen Sinclair.

Overall a very uneven production, the first act is a deadly snore but the show redeems itself in the second act and we wind up with an entertaining evening. Like Rocky the music is not the main force of this show. Woody's story is very sweet but the book is very heavy handed when it comes to the musical number slots, very obvious choices are made and the songs (and thier new lyrics) are too light weight to support a production which puts out a ceratin amount of gravitas it doesnt deserve.

The only creativity on stage is the way in which Susan Stroman keeps it all moving. I say that in terms of her being a good traffic cop, the large cast, huge sets, mutliple scenes, hundreds of costumes and a real car and dog for goodness sake had to present its challenges. With all this reality on stage lately I long for the conceptual director who believes less is more. Like Rocky you see the money on the stage but unlike Rocky there is no payoff.

The audience was receptive, no standing O at curtain, the show fans were there whooping it up at odds with the rest of the crowd. The only numbers to get genuine, excited, applause were Olives's bawdy songs, the gangster's tap dance numbers and Betsy Wolfe's amazingly sung second act number which was truly the only show stopper. I don't need show stoppers to keep me warm but I do need a score when Im at a musical, not simple ditties from the past whose poor refrains get strangled to death tryng to make them act like grown up musical theatre songs.

The best moment of the night for me was the gangster's last line to Olive in the second act, hysterical.

My cousin who is a Woody Allen fan and not a musical theatre fan loved the night, she said it was very Woody. That might have been the problem, Woody doesnt know musical theatre well and he wasnt able to tell the story with the light weight brevity it needed to match the song selections. Instead we have what looked to me like a goth production of No No Nanette with Nietzsche looking over the shoulders of Busby Berkley and Mel Brooks. I guess that's very Woody but it didnt feel like it got that way on purpose.

Having never seen the film I can say that I think the show I saw last night would make a great non-musical period piece. Netflix anyone?

Updated On: 3/25/14 at 12:28 PM

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 12:48pm

I was there last night as well, and agree that it mostly felt like a straight play that just stopped every few minutes for songs. There were only a few times I felt as though I were watching an organic musical comedy, such as Olive's Hot Dog number. It was nice to hear some of these old songs, but the score just felt like a Frankenstein monster. Lyric changes helped a lot. But the big problem is that it simply isn't funny enough to stay afloat. I think the whole crowd expected more Woody one-liners to really land. The technical and design elements are just superb. I felt transported. When the dancing, scenery, and a catchy tune came together, it felt like a throwback to a Broadway I never experienced. Even if those moments didn't add up.

Given the number of new shows, it surprises me that this has turned out to be such a dreadful season for new musicals.

Updated On: 3/25/14 at 12:48 PM

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 2:05pm

and HOLY SH*T did that stage set move!!!!! That actually made me say WOW out loud.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 7:14pm

Is Mazzie sick?

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/25/14 at 7:59pm

The negative reviews about how Woody uses the songs makes me think that even less people than I thought ever saw his musical Everyone Says I Love You. Ugh.