Swing Joined: 3/31/09
Thanks for the answers, I feel rather stupid I didn't pick up on it being a nickname, especially having played the herald before.
We were not fans of the nickname "Topher". It took us out of the fairytale land--as did a few other things--but we felt it was way too modern.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/23/08
degrassifan, the Your Majesty motif reoccurs throughout, although there isn't really a chance for more than a few bars at a time.
Yeah, but it most likely won't be in the cast recording, and I won't be seeing the show any time soon.
As for Topher, don't worry, I asked the exact same question a couple of months ago. I thought they had changed the lyrics to The Prince is Giving a Ball as well. I didn't realize till someone else point it out here that Topher was short for Christopher. Imagine how dumb I felt.
Sometimes when I read some of these nit picking posts I think I'm in fairytale land.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
Degrassifan,
The interpolated songs are not first class R & H, and added nothing to the show but length. The ones that were cut won't be missed. It would ne nice, though, if they could be recorded as bonus tracks.
Hildegarde recorded "I Haven't Got a Worry in the World," on one of her albums, and she sang it very nicely. I hope you'll be able to track it down.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/23/08
Thanks, After Eight. I'll try to look for that one. Yeah, they probably didn't ass much to the show, but it would be nice to still hear them. Oh well. maybe someone else will record them one day!
Saw it tonight Thursday Feb 21. Wonderful costumes. Nice Sets. The overture was lush and joyful. The music sounded great. The cast was mostly right on. But the show went on and on and on.
First there was a ball. Then there was a banquet. What next--the Prince is giving a Bah Mitzvah? I felt like taking my remote and fast forwarding... but damn---there was no remote.
I thought they should have cut some songs. I think the song they should cut is When you're dancing at moonlight. And I love dance in musicals but some of those ballets went on and on.
I loved Ann Harada. I thought comedy wise she stole the evening. Quite enjoyable.
Also nice work from Harriet Harris and Peter Bartlett.
I also loved Santino Fontana as the Prince. i found him ...charming. Laura Osnes (whom I adore especially in the under appreciated Bonnie and Clyde) was good but gave me exactly what I expected; an ingenue turn. Good job. No more. No less.
I found it overall annoyingly vapid musical comedy. I just met you but where going to show you how to help the peasants. And have democracy. And have an election. And avoid communism.
So much good work on sets, costumes, lush gorgeous music but oh so long and oh so vapid.
Updated On: 2/21/13 at 11:49 PM
In actual time, the show ran 2:20 including the intermission. (I had a friend there last night and she timed it as I was curious about it. She had the curtain up at 8:05 and down at 10:25) But long can be a very subjective feeling, I understand.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/23/08
"I think the song they should cut is When you're dancing at moonlight."
Wait....do you mean shorten it or cut it all together? I can't imagine When You're Driving Through the Moonlight cut at all. I mean, something has to lead to A Lovely Night...
Updated On: 2/22/13 at 10:27 AM
"I think the song they should cut is When you're dancing at moonlight.
Wait....do you mean shorten it or cut it all together? I can't imagine When You're Driving Through the Moonlight cut at all. I mean, something has to lead to A Lovely Night.."
And if they cut any songs from the show, why don't they start with the songs that they ADDED in.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
fairy godmother's headpiece....
sooooo Madonna circa 2009.
done.
http://www.millionlooks.com/our-vision/madonna-new-face-of-dolce-gabbana/
bunny ears
Updated On: 2/22/13 at 02:58 PM
Insane to even think of cutting "When You're Driving Through the Moonlight" - it's an essential part of the score and the story!
I agree that the chase and some of the dances could be shortened, but you don't drop the classic songs most people are coming to hear!
I saw this last night and thoroughly enjoyed it! I had a very long post, but have no idea what happened to it. : ) Short version.....I thought everyone was very good in each role. Didn't think the set looked tacky at all. Still scratching my head about the gold gown. Well done. Loved the footman and the coachman/fox, raccoon sequences.
I would prefer a different gown and headpiece for the fairy godmother. Is that horns? Is it just used because it's collapsible? Are the globes on the sides of her gown there to help her fly? I was very impressed with her voice. Whoever said Laura Osnes was born to sing R&H, I agree. I do think Harriet Harris deserves her own song. I also think that "the powers that be" are reading your thread and listening to you.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/07
I read the Wall Street Journal article about the show today. I think it wise of Hammerstein to not make the step-family "cold and cruel" like Lady Tremaine and her daughters, Drizella and Anastasia, from the 1950 film. It was better in the musical to make them more human and three-dimensional. I've always felt that way about them in three televised adaptations.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/23/08
"I read the Wall Street Journal article about the show today. I think it wise of Hammerstein to not make the step-family "cold and cruel" like Lady Tremaine and her daughters, Drizella and Anastasia, from the 1950 film. It was better in the musical to make them more human and three-dimensional. I've always felt that way about them in three televised adaptations."
I've always felt that out of every Cinderella story that I've read and seen, the stepfamily in the R&H version are the nicest. Although, only the 1997 version gave a reason as to why the stepfamily hated Cinderella in the first place. Is there a reason as to their hatred in this new version?
"When You're Driving Through the Moonlight" cut? really? Not only is it, for all practical purposes, the verse of A Lovely Night, it's also beautiful.
regarding the proposed cut song:
II made me look at my watch and say
"Why am I listening to this?" It doesn't further the plot.
Just gives Cinderella and her sisters and stepmother a boring number that
slows the damn thing down.
My god, how many classic, wonderful songs could have been cut just because they "didn't further the plot"? Sondheim has complained that "On The Street Where You Live" did nothing but cover a scene change (and he's right), but it's one of the most beloved songs Lerner and Loewe ever wrote!
And "Moonlight" does further the plot - it starts to solidify the stepmother's suspicions that Cinderella was the unknown princess at the ball she thought looked familiar.
Cutting it would be a disaster that would have fans of the show up in arms.
The 1950 Disney version gave a reason as to why the stepfamily hated Cinderella - it was because she was so much more beautiful and charming than them.
Also, no, Cinderella did not leave her slipper on purpose in the original French Perrault version.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/07
I watched the montage just a moment ago and the carriage does not really look like a carriage. It looks almost like Santa's sleigh or one of the Kingdom of Atlantica's carriages from 'The Little Mermaid'. The shot of the Prince riding his horse with his knights around him looks sort like a ripoff of 'Spamalot'.
BWW TV First Look: RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA on Broadway - Montage!
Updated On: 3/1/13 at 06:54 PM
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/23/08
Sorry, I meant that out of the three R&H versions, the 1997 retelling was the only one that gave a reason for their hatred.
Featured Actor Joined: 3/10/09
Does anyone know what time the opening performance is on Sunday and what time the reviews should start to appear online?
Performance is scheduled for 6 PM. I think, based on other shows, that reviews start to trickle in within an hour or so of that start time.
Featured Actor Joined: 3/10/09
In this version do the step sisters and step mother realize Cinderella at the ball? I know most versions it's always "that girl looks very familiar".
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