COME FROM AWAY Previews- Page 10

[sabrelady]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 12:13pm

"The audience (which was clearly highly papered)"

Please explain your knowledge of this as it has appeared to be selling well.

I understand it didn't float your boat but to accuse the FofH of using seat fillers is not acceptable unless you know FOR certain ( and i don't mean a few comps- I mean your phrase" highly papered"

 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 12:24pm

I'm a little confused by the "clueless direction" statement. The show has a cast of 12 playing multiple characters in nearly constant motion for 100 minutes. I can't even fathom how difficult it must have been to sort that all out.

Updated On: 3/11/17 at 12:24 PM

[Tag]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 12:29pm

Not only roles and accents, but each movement of a chair or prop is unique for each character so that the object will be ready at some future point, sometimes for a different actor's use. It all happens in a way that appears effortless, but there are so many moving parts they each have to keep track of, it's crazy. 

BINGO.  Christopher Ashley deserves the Tony just for this!

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 12:36pm

The show is garnering phenomenal word-of-mouth- if there is any papering going on, that's going to end soon.  The show does seem to have a lot of very enthusiastic group sales patrons, many of whom are Canadian. Perhaps this is what WickedRocks is interpreting as a comped house.

 

Count me among those who think Christopher Ashleyactually did a phenomenal job directing this. If you want to see clueless directing go see War Paint. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 12:50pm

Every show has a significant amount of comps during previews. COME FROM AWAY also had the $38 rush ticket offer for four performances & 40% off most seats for previews. Great word-of-mouth combined with what should be excellent reviews should up their average ticket price. Already looked at sales for next week and most shows look close to sold out.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 1:04pm

Sabrelady, chill out.  I do know for certain that the performance I attended was highly papered.  It was a press performance and the producers wanted an enthusiastic audience.  I can't speak for other performances, but yes, the show I attended was, in fact, highly papered.

As for the direction, for me, the way Ashley handled the numerous characters and storylines was clueless.  I found it confusing, busy, and unfocused.  CT2NYC, the constant motion you are referring to is a main reason I found it clueless.  I'd be hard pressed to remember a directorial moment that allowed the story or characters to breathe.  The stage is so crowded and busy at any given time.

That said, again, I am clearly in the minority on this board when it comes to this show.  

[Michael Kras]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 3:12pm

If you're looking for a character study, sure, I get the criticism. But Come From Away is not really a character study and it's not trying to be one. The authors took on the audacious task of portraying a story with, realistically, over 7000 characters. They give us a handful of focal characters to grasp on to, but this is about thousands of people's journeys, not just one or two. This is about an incident, a monumental moment in time. What did you expect? 

Posted: 3/11/17 at 3:56pm

I think when a show is in previews it's best to let the creative team work out the kinks without publicly going negative on them.  My rule is that if I love something and want everyone I know to see it, I'll talk it up in previews.  But if I don't love it, I say NOTHING.  Why say hurtful things when the show is still being polished? These are real people putting themselves out there -- during this process they need as much support and encouragement as they can get.  

I am so serious about this that I have learned NOT to even post on my fb page that I am going to see a particular show, since my friends have figured out when I have done that in the past -- and then said nothing -- that I didn't like what I saw.  They have no idea how many shows I have seen early on in their productions -- they only know the ones that I LOVE, that I encourage them to see.  

Already for "Come From Away" I have numerous messages from friends thanking me for telling them about this show in previews -- they've gone and they love it, too. 

This show is very special for many, many reasons. One, of course, is that for almost every New Yorker I know who was here on 9/11, there is a sorrow just beneath the surface.  You don't even know you still carry this with you until something like "Come From Away" touches it.  

I went to the first preview knowing nothing about this show except that it had something to do with 9/11 -- I don't read out-of-town reviews, or the playbill in advance. I want the story to unfold with no pre-conceived notions, I don't want to know what other shows the actors have done.  

None of that matters. I'm here for what you are doing NOW.

I, too, think it's amazing how 12 actors portray so many different characters in a way that an audience can easily follow. I was never confused, and marveled at how they kept the energy up and the story always moving forward.  The music is authentically "Canadian" and truly reflects the kind of people they are. Love the band. 

I am so rooting for this show -- Sunday's the big day.  I think this show is going to have a long, happy run here, and elsewhere, too. That's my hope. 

[binau]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 5:44pm

I do think that's a very noble position for you to hold christinelavin, and shows a lot of respect for the creative team and creative process. I suppose I don't mind though if people criticise preview shows because they are still charging a lot of money and let's face it, bar a few shows (and I can't think of any to mind right now) there doesn't seem to be dramatic turnarounds/improvements in shows from preview to opening anymore these days.

I think if it was an invited dress-rehearsal people should not say anything negative though - when you are a guest of the producers and creative team it feels like a bit of a stab in the back (I look at someone who posted about the War Paint dress rehearsal). 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 5:49pm

Just check out the reviews on their Facebook page. Mostly 5 stars. The word-of-mouth from their tryouts in Toronto & D.C. have helped get the early word out, too. I'm also expecting the show to do very well. I see the Toronto production having a long run, too. Tickets were extremely hard to get when it was first there. I'd also expect the show to tour beginning in the 2018-19 season. I wonder if this would do well in London?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 9:16pm

I created a Fan page for the show on Facebook and I'd love to see more people join it, lol https://www.facebook.com/groups/1862878927331038/

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/11/17 at 9:18pm

Christine, if this show had not already had previous (well-received) out-of-town productions, I might side with you, but not in this case.

Posted: 3/12/17 at 12:43am

ACL2006 said: "Just check out the reviews on their Facebook page. Mostly 5 stars. The word-of-mouth from their tryouts in Toronto & D.C. have helped get the early word out, too. I'm also expecting the show to do very well. I see the Toronto production having a long run, too. Tickets were extremely hard to get when it was first there. I'd also expect the show to tour beginning in the 2018-19 season. I wonder if this would do well in London?

There is such a strong bond between Brits and Canadians -- I think it would do well over there.  9/11 is seared into the collective memory of so many people, I can imagine this being done in different languages, too.  

"

 

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 10:29am

Anyone notice the extreme amount of press this show has been getting lately? Specifically in the last week. Everytime I refresh BWW or Playbill there's a new article or exclusive on it. 

It's refreshing to see an original new show in the headlines rather than hearing about a light bulb being changed at the Richard Rodgers  

[Luscious]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 10:36am

I positively loathed this show. But just to put things in perspective, I loathed Once, as well. The reason I mention Once is because I haven't disliked a show more since Once. Guess it's that folk music vibe. Don't care what the critics have to say, this was my least enjoyable night of theater this season. To those who enjoy this type of music and musical, enjoy! To the producers and cast, break a leg! I'm sure the show will have a nice long run.

Updated On: 3/12/17 at 10:36 AM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 10:47am

See, I loved ONCE. 

COME FROM AWAY, not so much. 

[mysterywhiteboy413]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 11:10am

WiCkEDrOcKS said: "See, I loved ONCE. 

COME FROM AWAY, not so much. 

 

"I am working on Come From Away.  And I can understand if you don't like the show.  Obviously everybody is entitled to their own opinions.  However I don't know where you're getting the idea that the audience was "papered."  The only comps during previews were for the creative team in the last row of the orchestra.  

 

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 11:10am

I was a huge fan of ONCE(saw it 5 times - 3x on Bway & 2x on tour). I think COME FROM AWAY is a much better show. Both are ensemble shows with terrific music, but CFA's story is much more touching with a lot more heart.

[bwaybby]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 4:08pm

 Anybody who says anything negative about this production is either

1.  Invested in Dear Evan Hanson 

2.  A Trump Supporter

3.  Heartless 

or all of the above.

the show is glorious start to finish. New favorite show on broadway.

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 4:29pm

bwaybby said: " Anybody who says anything negative about this production is either

1.  Invested in Dear Evan Hanson 

2.  A Trump Supporter

3.  Heartless 

or all of the above.

the show is glorious start to finish. New favorite show on broadway.

 

"

Lol.  Ok.

Just from listening to the cast album, the show sounds incredibly corny.  The lyrics are not great and the tunes seem dull and forced.  Like I said, I may enjoy the show more when I see it, but I can tell you already that this will not be my favorite show of the season.  The score just isn't very good.  I can already tell that this show wears it's heart on it's sleeve, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it just seems like a bit much.  Also, as someone who lost someone in 9/11, I have a bit of a problem with anything that involves it being musicalized.  It's just very distasteful to me.  I can confirm that I'm not an investor for Dear Evan Hansen and I don't think I'm heartless and I am most certainly not a Trump supporter.  I just don't think the score is very good at all.

[Tag]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 4:35pm

^The thing is, is that this show isn't really about 9/11.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 4:40pm

This show truly deserves the praise. A moving story about humanity. This is the musical the world needs right now. 

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 4:41pm

Tag said: "^The thing is, is that this show isn't really about 9/11.

 

"

The show may not take place in New York as it is happening, but the show is most certainly about 9/11.  The lyrics like "Someone used the thing I loved most as the bomb" or something is absolutely cringey and distasteful.  The show is about people coming together during a time of crisis and all that, but the show is still about 9/11.

 

[cam5y]

Posted: 3/12/17 at 4:52pm

I really think it's important to see the show in context to see how the (in my opinion, very tastefully done) references to 9/11 work. The producers were aware of this, and invited a large number of 9/11 first responders and their families to the invited dress. Afterwards, the first responders sent the cast members FDNY hats with 9/11/01 embroidered on them. 

Posted: 3/12/17 at 5:21pm

cam5y said: "I really think it's important to see the show in context to see how the (in my opinion, very tastefully done) references to 9/11 work. The producers were aware of this, and invited a large number of 9/11 first responders and their families to the invited dress. Afterwards, the first responders sent the cast members FDNY hats with 9/11/01 embroidered on them. 

I went to the first preview with a songwriter friend of mine who lives downtown, watched the towers fall from her apartment window, and who carries emotional scars to this day.  I almost didn't even tell her about this show, knowing how 9/11 affected her -- but at the last minute I did tell her, was surprised that she said yes, I was able to get her a ticket, though we couldn't sit together. 

I found her at the end of the show in the lobby, tears streaming down her face -- she was speechless, moved beyond words. Like me, she had no idea what to expect. I feel that this musical touches something deep in everyone, but especially those who lived through that day and the aftermath -- which was considerable.  

Remember all the "MISSING" posters, the people wandering the streets with photos, stopping strangers, asking Have you seen my husband? Wife? Brother? Sister? Mother? Father? 

Two young sons of a friend of mine who worked in one of the towers told everybody, "Daddy's not here because he's down there helping to rescue people.  He'll be home soon." 

Down near St. Vincent's Hospital that chain link fence with all those pictures of the missing -- the utter sadness and despair -- the scores of people who worked on "the pile," but didn't wear protective breathing apparatus . . . these are all stories that we know and remember, though some may try to forget.

To see a story about what happened in Canada when those 38 planes landed -- to see the goodness that flourished in the midst of all the heartache and sorrow and anger -- it's a story many of us are only hearing about all these years later.  In these cynical times, it's what we need to inspire us to do better now. 

"