CALL ME IZZY Previews- Page 2

[kurtal]

Posted: 5/27/25 at 10:57pm

This was...not it for me.

Jean Smart is great, of course.  But as others have noted, it's a predictable lifetime movie domestic abuse story.  The structure of the piece is confusing.  It's unclear when in the protagonist's life we are at the start and end of the play.  

And Smart seems miscast for what the play is meant to be.  While it's certainly ambiguous, the piece seems to be about a woman in her 40s at most.  And, while certainly bringing a youthful energy that belies her age, Smart is still in her 70s.

I was also both surprised and unsurprised that the play was written by a cisgender straight man.  Given the power and nuance of works like Prima Facie and How I Learned to Drive (which deal with different but related issues), this feels...outdated?  Out of touch?  

See it for Smart if that's important to you.  Otherwise, *shrug*

 

 

[THDavis]

Posted: 5/28/25 at 10:32pm

Just got back from seeing this and almost completely echo kurtal’s sentiments. 
 

As an opportunity to witness Jean Smart, I think it was a fantastic night at the theatre. As for most other elements, see previous posts. Not sure what it was I took away from it aside from being in awe of the performer. 

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 5/31/25 at 9:26pm

I was at today's matinee with the TodayTix $99 front row deal. They've definitely made cuts because I was on the street at 3:37.

I get the criticisms about the play being a Lifetime movie and not in the league of Prima Facie. But Smart is so damn good that it doesn't really matter. She makes the material work really well. 

The set design is very simple (I didn't love staring at a toilet for most of the show lol). But the late 80s period details are great, Jean has the exact same laundry basket as my parents.

Stage door wise Jean was out right after 4, very nice and soft spoken. One of the best-organized stage doors I've seen, Jean stayed in one place and we came to her then walked down 53rd

[edmondj5]

Posted: 6/2/25 at 11:24am

Fordham2015 said: "I was at today's matinee with the TodayTix $99 front row deal. They've definitely made cuts because I was on the street at 3:37.

I get the criticisms about the play being a Lifetime movie and not in the league of Prima Facie. But Smart is so damn good that it doesn't really matter. She makes the material work really well.

The set design is very simple (I didn't love staring at a toilet for most of the show lol). But the late 80s period details are great, Jean has the exact same laundry basket as my parents.

Stage door wise Jean was out right after 4, very nice and soft spoken. One of the best-organized stage doors I've seen, Jean stayed in one place and we came to her then walked down 53rd"

How was it sitting in the front row? 

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 6/2/25 at 11:53am

edmondj5 said: How was it sitting in the front row?"

Not bad, I didn't have to crane my neck much. Jean is center stage for a lot of the show but not right at the edge. She writes in the bathroom in secret, away from her husband- hence the toilet I mentioned.

For other scenes she moves to the side but still very easy to see. Sometimes the bathroom set stays there, which is a little annoying (and honestly the biggest note I'd give the production team, more than anything content-related).

Orchestra is definitely the way to go at Studio 54 since the mezz is a death trap. A few rows back would give you a slightly better view. But it's a one-woman show, not something like Sunset- so you'd likely be good anywhere.

[rogerad]

Posted: 6/2/25 at 6:13pm

My partner is a huge fan of HACKS and wanted to see Jean Smart.  I wasn't looking forward to going.  I was nicely surprised.  She's terrific in this.  The play is not great, but it does the job.  It is a showcase of her talents which are immeasurable.    By the end, I was deeply moved with her character's journey.  Definitely worth seeing.

[Dreamboy3]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 7:26am

Is there a lot of recitation of poetry in this?  I’m on the fence on seeing this and will definitely not go if there is. 

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 7:44am

Dreamboy3 said: "Is there a lot of recitation of poetry in this? I’m on the fence on seeing this and will definitely not go if there is."

Jean performs Trees by Joyce Kilmer and a few of the poems her character wrote. I would say it's not more than five minutes of the runtime

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 10:10am

Jean Smart is amazing in this.

[kurtal]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 10:21am

Dreamboy3 said: "Is there a lot of recitation of poetry in this? I’m on the fence on seeing this and will definitely not go if there is."

While I didn't like the piece overall, the few moments of poetry that are shared were among the most effective, to me.  

[Melissa25]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 10:23am

Jean Smart is sharp and I was very happy to get to see her from the second row. She plays out multiple scenes with three to four costume changes. I did get tired of the set but it was exciting to see her perform. She is definitely one of our greats. 

[broadwayben3]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 2:27pm

Has anyone stagedoored for this after a Wednesday or Saturday matinee? Would love to meet Jean and thank her for her work, but going to a Saturday matinee. 

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 2:42pm

broadwayben3 said: "Has anyone stagedoored for this after a Wednesday or Saturday matinee? Would love to meet Jean and thank her for her work, but going to a Saturday matinee."

Yes, reposting my comment from above

Stage door wise Jean was out right after 4, very nice and soft spoken. One of the best-organized stage doors I've seen, Jean stayed in one place and we came to her then walked down 53rd

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/8/25 at 11:41am

I saw this last night via Today Tix rush. Row DD in the center Mezz. Great view. Horrible set and kind of lackluster direction. Why did the "bathroom" set move up stage 2 inches? Just weird choices all around. I think more could have been done with the piece from a design/staging standpoint. The script is whatever. The audience around me was eating it up. But the reason to see this is Jean Smart. Just top notch acting all around. I'm still wondering how this script got into all the right hands. 

[THDavis]

Posted: 6/8/25 at 12:11pm

I saw this on its 4th or 5th preview and the director spoke pre-show about automation issues they were having with the set. Kind of strange, because I feel like I only noticed the bathroom initially come on, Smart later plays a scene upstage where the bathroom was in the way, then they tried to move the bathroom upstage for a later scene but it collided with a curtain and they stopped the show. When the show resumed, it was just a few feet upstage. 
 

So I don’t know if the bathroom/set was supposed to do more, but it seems strange they had any automation for how little it was utilized and how much grief it seemed to give. You could have just moved the bathroom upstage altogether and it’d have the same effect. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/8/25 at 12:31pm

SPOILER (ish?) 

But at the end of the show it vanishes off stage as if she's leaving the house all together. 

But there's one scene when the other couple comes over and the bathroom set moves upstage like 4 inches. It just seemed super unnecessary. 

Updated On: 6/8/25 at 12:31 PM

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 6/8/25 at 1:32pm

Mostly echoing others here:

Not the greatest play, kind of meh direction, but Jean Smart is absolutely wonderful and captivating the whole way through, and sold it. Ultimately I found it to be a mostly emotionally satisfying experience because of how fantastic she is—she managed to get me invested. 

Updated On: 6/8/25 at 01:32 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/8/25 at 2:01pm

I found this a waste of Jean Smart's talent and a waste of a Broadway theatre. Ineptly written, directed, and designed. At least the ad campaign is also terrible?

A shame that it's the show she chose as her long-awaited return to the NY stage.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/8/25 at 8:36pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I found this a waste of Jean Smart's talent and a waste of a Broadway theatre. Ineptly written, directed, and designed. At least the ad campaign is also terrible?

A shame that it's the show she chose as her long-awaited return to the NY stage."

I kinda of felt the same. Like why did she choose this? Why this team? Why open now? Like I have so many questions. But the people around me seemed to be invested. 

[pagereynolds]

Posted: 6/9/25 at 11:10am

RippedMan said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I found this a waste of Jean Smart's talent and a waste of a Broadway theatre. Ineptly written, directed, and designed. At least the ad campaign is also terrible?

A shame that it's the show she chose as her long-awaited return to the NY stage."

I kinda of felt the same. Like why did she choose this? Why this team? Why open now? Like I have so many questions. But the people around me seemed to be invested."

Basically all of this. I guess she may have her own timing/scheduling issues, but it's always strange when things open in June.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 6/10/25 at 1:58am

this is from the same producing team that did How To Dance In Ohio and while that was a different thing all together that show and this seem to have several of the same problems, mid directing, confusing/lackluster design, a question of why this story?

 

hoping their musical WANTED is better I guess. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/10/25 at 10:14am

I got an IG ad for Wanted and … it looks so bland.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 8:57am

Opening night tickets for tomorrow are available from $69-$89, last four rows of the mezz, cocktail attire is being encouraged