Carnival at Kennedy

[brooklynbecca]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 1:04pm

If anyone is lucky enough to see this tonight, could they please post a review? If I were the Man in the Chair, this would be my Drowsy Chaperone. I'm a bit obsessed.

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 2/17/07 at 1:43pm

A few of my friends are going tonight. Jim Stanek talked to one of them last night - poor Jim is awfully sick and said there's only a "5% chance" he'll make the performance tonight.

[ShowtuneRick]

Posted: 2/18/07 at 1:09am

Have to agree brooklyn. Something hauntingly addictive about this musical. Nice to know I'm not the only one out there!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/18/07 at 1:12am

This is a great show with an amazing score.
I hope Jim makes it thru.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/18/07 at 1:14am

I'm interested to hear about Natascia Diaz. I can just see her being a killer Rosalie.

[BroadwayBound86]

Posted: 2/18/07 at 9:48pm

I was at the show last night. Several minutes before the performance began the director came out and made an announcement welcoming everyone to the first preview and broke the news that Jim was out. Which is unfortunate because he is the reason I had tickets. His understudy did an amazing job! I was in awe of the performance of the entire cast and I wish they had productions like this here in NY. I'll post an actually review when I've had time to sit back. I've just gotten home from DC after sitting on a bus for several hours.

[brooklynbecca]

Posted: 2/18/07 at 9:53pm

Broadwaybound, thanks for the snippet. I'm so sad that Jim was out! I'm glad that you liked the performance so much though. Did they keep the slap? I know at Encores in '02, they cut it, and I think that hurt the show.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/18/07 at 9:53pm

How was Natascia?

[BroadwayBound86]

Posted: 2/18/07 at 9:56pm

brooklynbecca - They did have the slap.

AC126748 - She was good although I prefered hearing her voice in Brel.

I'll post a full review tomorrow with a cast list. I know someone mentioned in another thread about that.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/18/07 at 10:19pm

Stanek seems much to weak for the role anyway.

[secret-soul]

Posted: 2/18/07 at 11:33pm

Jim is amazing and Natascia keeps telling me how brilliant he is. I can't wait for him to get better so I can see him.

[sanda]

Posted: 2/19/07 at 10:29am

I saw the show yesterday night at Kennedy Center. It's one of the best shows I saw this year so far. Great production, excellect choreography, beautiful scene and light and a very good cast. Lili and Rosaline and Marco are especially good.

The one I feel less satisfied is Paul. His acting is too stiff. I think this role should give a lot more than what he did.

The best part is the pupets. Lovely, lovely.

I have a question. Who does the voice of puppets, Paul or the guy who showed at curtains?
Updated On: 2/19/07 at 10:29 AM

[BroadwayBound86]

Posted: 2/19/07 at 11:37am

I believe Paul does all of them and that the man who appeared at curtain call was an extra set of hands for the puppets when all four would appear at the same time.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:20pm

There's an excellent article about the puppets in Carnival! in today's Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/21/AR2007022102117.html

[FosseForever3]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:28pm

"I'll post a full review tomorrow with a cast list. I know someone mentioned in another thread about that."

Tee hee, that was me. Don't worry about the cast list, I have a friend in it, and she mailed me a playbill (lucky me, right?)

But whenever you find the time, I'd love to hear a little more about your experience.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:39pm

So much for walking over to the Kennedy Center during my lunch break to get tickets. It's thundering.

[circusliz]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:43pm

Dottie, I just heard that too! And was incredibly confused at first. I thought it was something going bang in the loading dock. Thunder in February?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:57pm

Now the sun's out. Go figure. Guess I'll head on over there now before it changes again!

[NiteOwl]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:01pm

I had no idea they were doing this at the Kennedy Center this year.
This is one of my all time favorite scores. I never saw the show (I wasn't even born when it was first produced). I am familiar with the film it's based on ~ "Lili".

I love "Love Makes The World Go 'Round". Such a beautiful melody.

Wish I could take a trip to go see this.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:45pm

Just got great tickets for the matinee on March 3. I am very excited to see this!
Updated On: 2/22/07 at 01:45 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 2:05pm

I got a ticket for this Sunday's matinee. They had a $25 ticket, but it was for Sunday evening, March 4. For some reason, I just don't like going to the theatre on a Sunday night.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 4:56pm

I just came back from this afternoon's matinee. Unfortunately the theatre was about 50% full (not sure if it was a weather issue (snow) or lack of sales). On that note, the ushers encouraged people to move closer, so I ended up with a great seat in the 9th row of the orchestra.

This was my first exposure to this musical. Though I was familiar with the songs, "Love Makes the World Go Round" and "Yes, My Heart".

The production was very good with strong performances from Jim Stanek (especially since he had been so sick), Natascia Diaz, Sebastian La Cause and Ereni Sevasti. I could not figure out why the character of Jacquot (Michael Arnold) had a Russian accent. The orchestra was wonderful with not a synthesizer in sight!!

The ensemble was in fine form. The puppets were absolutely adorable. Robert Longbottom did a good job with the direction, pacing and choreography. Paul Tazewell's costumes were beautiful, and some of the costumes for the "Grand Imperial Cirque De Paris" number were very reminiscent of Cirque du Soleil.

Although small in number, the audience was very enthusiastic.

For those of you familiar with this show, how old is Lili supposed to be? They made reference that she was eleven, but I'm wondering if it is because she's "naive" and comes off very young.

[thtrbear]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 5:10pm

Yo, she'd best not be eleven!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 5:39pm

thtrbear, that's why I asked the question. She'd best not be, is right!!

[D2]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 6:03pm

She's not supposed to be eleven. I did the show so many years ago, I've forgotten her exact age but I think she's in her late teens - somewhere around 17 or 18. Still very young, but not a child.

I wish I could see this production.