Bye Bye Birdie dress rehearsal anyone ?- Page 2

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 12:25am

DCR, I don't mean to sound rude, but why have you been so down on everything lately? I know I probably shouldn't talk, but it seems like you're not really super pumped for any upcoming shows.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 12:39am

So did anyone actually go to the dress rehearsal? Any comments?

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 12:42am

Congrats, folks. It's officially "one of those threads."

Now, how about some reviews?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 2:32am

Looks like no one "rated" an invite! Sad.

We'll here tonight.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 6:26am

First of all I am 15, not 13. I think I am old enough to form my own opinions. That was a joke too. I was just joking because most of the revivals last year were bad.

Everyone get off my case.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 7:06am

"DCR, I don't mean to sound rude, but why have you been so down on everything lately? I know I probably shouldn't talk, but it seems like you're not really super pumped for any upcoming shows."

Like what? I'm actually one of the few people who is excited about the majority of the shows this season. So what shows am I not excited about sense you seem to know everything about me?

I'm excited fro Superior Donuts, A Little Night Music, Memphis, Spiderman, The Addams Family, Ragtime, Finnian's Rainbow, and many other shows.
Updated On: 9/10/09 at 07:06 AM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 8:30am

Had a friend there. They liked it. Can't say more than that.

[RyToast1]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 8:31am

"Looks like no one "rated" an invite! Sad.

We'll here tonight."

I was there, and there's plenty to say, but since it's a Roundabout show, all you people are going to do is bitch about it anyways. If you weren't invited to the dress, then go see it for yourselves.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:25am

Like what? I'm actually one of the few people who is excited about the majority of the shows this season. So what shows am I not excited about sense you seem to know everything about me?

Fair enough. I guess I was misunderstanding your comments in your flops/hits thread and equating that with not being excited about the shows. I didn't mean to sound nasty about it.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 11:40am

Can you really judge a show based on a dress rehearsal or first preview? It takes several performances for the cast to develop a rhythm of playing for an audience.

I don't get why so many of you want to rush to the very first public performance instead of giving the show a little time to develop. It almost seems like some of you can't wait to trash it.

Some are trashing it without even seeing it, or even worse, basing their evaluations not on this show but on previous Roundabout performances. They have had some successes over the years..revivals of 110 IN THE SHADE, CABARET, ASSASSINS, SUNDAY IN THE PARK, NINE. You make it sound like every show they produce is a complete disaster.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 12:06pm

I agree. I'm just excited that I'm going because I don't think I'll get another chance to see it.

[RyToast1]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 12:13pm

frontrowcentre2: thank you x2,000,000

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 12:39pm

I actually was disappointed that I couldn't go last night. I had the opportunity, but had tech for another show, and thus had to decline.

If I can I enjoy seeing a show very early on and then trying to catch it again to see where the changes and growth happened. Yes, there is an advantage to letting a performance settle a bit and find how it plays with an audience, but there is also an energy from the first time in front of a full house that can't be recaptured later in the run that I really like to be a part of when I can. It may not be the best performance they will end up giving, but you are virtually guaranteed that you won't be seeing a stale or tired performance at the early previews.

[BwayBuff2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 2:35pm

I was at the final dress last night...few things...

Gina Gershon...terrible. She needs to make her Rosie more likable.
John Stamos...alright. He needs to settle into it more. He's too stiff.
Bill Irwin...genius.
Jayne Houdyshell...brilliant.
Allie Trimm...adorable.
Nolan Funk...eh. Just a pretty face. Not strong vocally.
Matt Doyle...one of my FAVORITE parts of the show!

The ensemble of kids...fantastic! Lots of energy. They really shine. They're the star of the show at some points.

Any questions...throw'em at me.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 2:38pm

"Can you really judge a show based on a dress rehearsal or first preview?"

Seriously? OF COURSE you can judge a show based on it's first preview. They're charging, aren't they? People paid $121 a ticket to see a show that night, right? Than HELL TO THE YES you can judge a show based on that. If a show isn't ready to be seen by the posted date, than they had better develop "set problems" that delay the production a few more days to get it right before wasting people's money.

[BwayBuff2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 2:40pm

The show actually ran smoothly last night. They didn't stop once. I was impressed with the production side of the performance.

[matineeidol2013]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 3:01pm

Dont stop there, bwaybuff! Give us some more info! How were the sets and costumes? Choreography? Direction? How exciting that you were there to see it!!!

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 4:36pm

Actually, in all fairness, we all only paid $10 for the first preview. So they could essentially walk through the whole thing and we'd be getting our fair share. But I have a feeling that the show will tighten up within a couple weeks and we'll have a BETTER feel for the show then. Certainly we can't assess the show in the same way the critics will tonight, but we can ballpark where the production will be.

Did that even make sense?

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 4:41pm

I would just like to clear something up.

I never said I didn't like the show. I just said I didn't have high hopes. I have no opinion on the show. I want it to be good and hope it is but if it is mediocre I won't be surprised.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 4:55pm

I understand both sides of the argument in this case. Bye Bye Birdie is a very solid show (in my opinion), I LOVE the cast members they assembled, and the Director has come off to be extremely professional and intelligent; however, I am well aware that a large portion of all roundabout productions that weren't transfers were not generally liked on this board and by critics. I don't think that DCR meant to say that this production is bound to be bad, but he thinks that there is a good chance that Roundabout can possibly wreck another show.

As for me, I don't have an opinion on how this show will be received. It has a lot of positive factors that could benefit it and a lot of negative factors that can destroy it. I choose to hope that this production will be great and wait to see what the general opinion is (and I'm sure DCR feels similarly).

At the risk of getting eaten for saying this, I think this show will most definitely be a popular choice among tourists for a little while (at least).

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 6:04pm

I'm certainly curious to hear how things are going....I'm not going to make up my own mind until I see it....but I still want to hear what others have to say. (And, btw, I DO have tickets to see it, but not until Mid-Oct.)

Not everyone wants to bash the show...many of us WANT it to be good-- great even. Getting an "insiders" glimpse from the first few previews is just fun.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 6:22pm

1.5 hours!!!

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 7:50pm

Jayne Houdyshell could walk on stage, lift her skirt, take a big old dump,throw the audience a "whaaat?? What are YOU looking at?" look,walk off stage and that would be worth the price of admission.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 8:00pm

For those who have seen or going to see it, what is the new Henry Miller's Theatre like on the inside?

[April Saul]

Posted: 9/10/09 at 8:02pm

Totally agree about Houdyshell! She and Bill Irwin could read the phone book, such talented people. Do tell us what the theater's like: does the mezz feel pretty close or is it Siberia-like? And is the show really only 90 minutes?