CAROUSEL (2018) Previews — Page 16

Call_me_jorge said: "This “forced to use our imaginations” is reminding me a whole lot of Charlie...."

Theatre isn’t meant to just give you the answers straight up. I will any day take a production that challenges me to use my imagination, and be involved with the story telling. Rather than sitting back and not being challenged at all.

I remember seeing the the RNT production twenty odd years ago. It had a Billy that couldn't sing and a dreadfully dull ballet in a soporific production with Quakers running around pretending to be starkeepers. . I dozed off several times. The Chicago Lyric Opera company's production starring Stephen Pasquale and Laura Osnes was glorious and probably the most definite one I have seen in fifty years of theatre-going.

Am I the only one who didn't like Lindsey Mendez? I've always been a huge fan of her, but I feel like she was completely miscast. She's right for the character, but the score just doesn't fit her voice AT. ALL. I thought it was grating.

On the other end, Jessie exceeded my (pretty low) expectations.

It's too bad that the 2015 Lyric Opera Chicago production of Carousel didn't move to NY. It was stunning and Laura Osnes and Steven Pasquale were perfection and had plenty of chemistry. A missed opportunity.

Here's the Chicago Tribune review: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/reviews/ct-carousel-lyric-opera-chicago-20150412-column.html

JHughesPSPB said: "Saw the show on Monday night. Now I desperately want to refresh my memory of the amazing 1994 production. Has anyone found any great clips of the Lincoln Center production?"

Here are some clips...

The Carousel Waltz:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUVqEwsXnZ0

Mister Snow:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZp8QE-4tPk

June is Bustin' Out All Over
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeG6WyVeAME

Updated On: 3/7/18 at 05:03 PM

NJ_BroadwayGirl said: "Can anyone speak to the view from the side orchestra outside aisles? Thanks!"

I sat Orchestra E 17. The last seat on the far outer aisle. That's 7 rows back (there is an extra A row). I had a full view and missed nothing, except the house was cut off at stage left. Therefore, I only missed entrances/exits, if anything.

Slight more action on stage right, however, the blocking allows for constant movement so it shouldn't be a proble if you're on that side.

OlBlueEyes said: "Olivia! What about the score? As one of the few musical lovers who had never heard it, your opinion would be of great interest.

This score is always included in discussions of musical theater’s finest. The bench scene (or at least the “If I Loved You” duet) is frequently pulled out of the show and performed in concert. On YouTube there is a full performance of the scene with set and costume by original stars John Raitt and Jan Clayton.

“Soliloquy” is also performed frequently in concert. Ol’ Blue Eyes sang it regularly and introduced it as one of the finest pieces of music ever written. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was at least at one time said to be Richard Rodgers’ favorite song. It has been recorded by Elvis and Gerry and the Pacemakers, among many.

I’ll bet you found a lot of the songs to be familiar."

Sorry for the delay in responding. With the impending storm, I ran to JFK yesterday and got out of dodge after my presentation.

I did feel a familiarity to several, in addition to the obvious "You'll Never Walk Alone". In particular, the Carousel Waltz was both familiar and lovely.


It it felt like a classic R & H score, capturing that era of American musical beautifully. I am not the aficionado that many in this board are and I admit that I am not the biggest fan of classics, but I did enjoy it. My only negative (and it's probably due to the subject matter and the fact that I was not fully engulfed in the relationship between Julie and Billy) is that it felt like long stretches without a more upbeat piece.

Updated On: 3/7/18 at 05:44 PM

JHughesPSPB said: "Saw the show on Monday night. Now I desperately want to refresh my memory of the amazing 1994 production. Has anyone found any great clips of the Lincoln Center production?"

Yes, but several of the clips below are of the original London production and I'm not sure if there were any changes in set/design when it transferred to Lincoln Center. (There was at least one significant casting change and I so I had my first Audra MacDonald experience.) As a teenaged girl, I was blown away by the Lincoln Center Carousel and Michael Hayden rang my chimes so loudly that I almost didn't notice that he couldn't sing.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUVqEwsXnZ0 0pening sequence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUVqEwsXnZ0 Louise's ballet (Spoiler: I have always been disturbed by the seduction and abandonment of Louise by the Roustabout, who resembles her father. Sir Kenneth MacMillan's choreography is very beautiful and passionate but there are hints of violence in this interpretation. I've watched at least half a dozen versions of the ballet and I've never been as fearful for the 15 year old Louise. Or as concerned that the ballet foreshadows her future relationships....which makes the scene between Louise and her mother even more problematic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUVqEwsXnZ0 Porch scene (Thanks to the poster who has already provided this link. Joanna Riding had left before I saw the LC production. I don't think that I've ever seen as convincing an older Julie. I hope that Jessie Mueller is as heartbreaking in the current production.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVdI_9qTAuo Michael Hayden and Sally Murphy, definitely from Lincoln Center, a portion If I Loved You. SM was my Julie and I have no memory of her performance. I think that Laura Osnes (if she could travel back in time to the nineties) and Michael Hayden (singing aside) might have had more chemistry.

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/17/theater/review-theater-london-makes-a-revelation-of-carousel.html?pagewanted=all Frank Rich review of the original RNT production http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/25/theater/review-theater-a-carousel-for-the-90-s-full-of-grit-and-passion.html?pagewanted=all D Richards (not familiar with him) review in NYT when it opened at LC

VotePeron said: "Getting out of tonight’s preview, and I am truly at a loss for words. No amount of work will salvage this emotionally void production - I’m shocked at how amateurish the entire evening plays out, save for the dancing which is excellent. Every actor is overacting to compensate for the fact they have no clue what to do on stage, and it’s not fun to watch. I don’t expect this to stick around for very long.

Hoping the best for the amazing actors caught up in this mess. "



I was there as well. It was sad that such amazing talent failed to have an emotional connection with the audience. I thought the vocals and dancing were outstanding. Having said that, I am so glad they translated “You’ll Never Walk Alone” for Renee. In not sure what language she was singing before that. It sounded lovely but was not my native English tongue. I thought Jessie was miscast. There was no reason and/or chemistry that would make her fall for Joshua. The sets for the majority of the first act looked like an unsuccessful IKEA project and in the second act, one sand dune looked like a shark fin was buried under it. The lack of a true carousel was a huge mistake and having the top spin while Jessie is off to the side on a stationary horse was just strange. Jigger seemed like he was in a high school production of Good Fellas. As stated already, there was some major overacting. The angel appearing through the first act was like an episode of Touched by an Angel with a special guest appearance by Morgan Freeman. I thought that at times, the attempts to perform a New England accent just did not work and took away from the acting. I think that this will hold up as a cast album better than it will as a live show.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/07/arts/music/renee-fleming-kelli-ohara-carousel-mozart.html

A conversation between Renee Fleming and Kelli O'Hara on 'swapping' genres.

Do those of you who have seen it still think it is worth seeing? I have room for two more shows in May (already seeing My Fair Lady) and thought this would be the next most important show to see...but it sounds like I might be better off seeing Frozen or Mean Girls! Never would have expected that. Thoughts? Should I still give it a chance?