Cabaret previews — Page 8

Thanks, Kad.

Wikipedia says they shoot in NYC, so I guess that isn't a concern. So that's good...

As to food and beverage: They don't even take drink orders at intermission. If you want a drink at intermission, you have to order it before the show. And your drink is at your table before the show begins. They forgot my straw and were concerned about getting it to my table before they had to be cleared off the floor, so they seem very up top of that aspect of things.

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If you can see all of the second level above the proper stage, you'd be fine. Not much happens on those levels as far as scenes. Alan often observes the action onstage from different spots on the stairs, railings, etc., and at the end of the show, different characters appear in those places to just stand there with a spotlight on each briefly. So, if you're seeing all of the "frame" above the stage, you should be fine.

These seats were one table behind me, but it's too hard to tell whether their view would be greatly impacted, since that would put them... 10+ feet behind where I was.

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LAStevieG, I didn't notice those seats when I upgraded this morning. For that price, I probably wouldn't have chosen them. I went with the $82 last orchestra bar railing. My rep did not mention anything about not seeing the second level. So I'm hoping the only obstruction is the rail. Of course he also had me mail my old ticket to receive my new one and promised me an email confirmation which I haven't received. So who knows what I end up with?

I REALLY want to see this.
I would MUCH rather see Cumming's understudy.
As far as envelopes in the Playbills, I find that incredibly tacky and offensive. The seats for this are ridiculously pricey to begin with a ll things considered and the main problem anyone seems to have with this return engagement / revival is that it is a plain and clean and OBVIOUS money-grab on the part of the Roundabout. "Suggesting" a further donation at the performance is further proof of that.
Certainly no offense to anyone here is intended, but I find it funny whenever we talk about distractions in an audience. Even the slightest flinch from anyone has people in arms. It is part of the communal experience. Being aware of your fellow theatergoers. If you want no distractions, watch a DVD alone. LOL. As far as servers go, were they to serve during the show, it would be perfectly in tune with the atmospheric staging of this production.
To be honest, what bothers me most if that it is an exact duplication and hasn't really been re-examined or put thru a filter of 20 years of knowledge. From day one of the announcement, they seemed intent on doing it "by the numbers" which can all too easily become mechanical.

The Good Wife does film in NYC. I've seen those No Parking due to shooting signs for The Good Wife. So he could probably do both if he really wants to.

ArtMan,
You spurred the comment, yes. Was it a condemnation? No. It was comment on some of the often absolutely foolish things that people gripe about from other audience members.
In regard to your comment about Cabaret, I stand bye what I said as a counterpoint to your position, no snark included… In an atmospheric staging such as this, had they chosen to use waiter service during the show, I have no doubt that they would be trained and instructed in how and when to serve to not interfere with the show and it would be erectly in tune with the way the staged. Could you take issue with it? Naturally. But it would be part of the show and akin to saying that the ensemble at the back of the stage or a set piece you found garish was drawing your eye.
I am only making observation of that. :)

"Cliff is a very thankless role, despite ostensibly being the main character."

It is such an important part. It can easily be screwed up. Bill Heck has HUGE shoes to fill because John Benjamin Hickey is one of the great actors of his generation. He makes everything look easy because he is so brilliant.

I feel like cutting Cliff's musical number (be it "Why Should I Wake Up?" or "Don't Go") blunted some of his impact in this revival. I mean, yeah, he's not the most interesting character in any version of the show, but in the 1966 and 1987 versions, at least he has a fighting chance at building a character, and I think a large part of the impact is because of that song.

"Why Should I Wake Up?" would be especially heartbreaking in this version -- as much as Berlin frees him to be his true self, he wants to enjoy life with Sally, to straighten up and fly right, and when she wants to leave, that song is his frantic insistence that she can't leave, or his carefully constructed life of "normal" fun and frolic will come crashing down around him. "Don't Go," while less effective because of the "von Schwarzenbaum" nonsense, has roughly the same purpose.

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Updated On: 3/22/14 at 07:34 PM

for anyone who has done so, how rough was the stage door for this?

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In all honesty, I think it's the lack of a song. Without it, Cliff (or Brian) is kinda unsympathetic.

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I was told early on that the entire cast is contracted through November, for what it's worth.

Cumming said at the Times Talk event promoting CABARET that he only shoots about two days per episode on THE GOOD WIFE and it's almost always interior scenes, so it's been very easy to work around his filming schedule.

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Updated On: 3/22/14 at 08:04 PM

Has anyone sat in the partial view seats at the back of the orchestra? Wondering how the view is.

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