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Posted: 3/26/11 at 11:59pmI don't know what specifically (since I saw it for the first time last night), but that's what I heard.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/13/04
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:20am
Saw it this evening. And, I'm VERY sad to report that I was not a fan. I've wanted to love this show since day one. There are aspects I love, I've been a fan of the creative team, and the actors involved, but this one just didn't come together for me.
The score is mediocre overall and unmemorable. The best songs are the ones that everyone has heard already (Goodbye, Fly Fly Away, Jet Set, and Live In Living Color). Everything else is instantly forgettable.
The weakest thing about this show BY FAR is the book. What a mess. Dumb framing device, bad jokes, bad pacing, underdeveloped characters and relationships. There is something THERE in the concept and idea behind it all but the execution is so lame.
Aaron was in excellent voice and carried the show well, but I would still vote for Radcliffe for Leading Actor at this point. Norbert was his usual reliable self and brought down the house with his act one production number. Kerry Butler was fine, even if her voice is a bit grating.
The direction was uninspired, I thought. The costumes were fine, the lighting strong, but the sets were abysmal. The piece the orchestra was on took over like 60% of the stage and the other set pieces were rinky-dink. The orchestra did sound phenomenal, though.
I hate to say I was bored. I'm unsure if I liked this production more or less than the Seattle one, but I have to say I was shocked to see that this is what they did with the show after they had so much time to retool it. I had heard they re-vamped the whole thing and worked out many of the kinks. As far as I'm concerned, the problems were still glaringly apparent. They're highly advertising it as the second-coming of HAIRSPRAY, because of Wittman and Shaiman. And HAIRSPRAY this is not. That is for sure.
I still haven't seen SISTER ACT or PRISCILLA but BOOK OF MORMON has nothing to worry about over at the Neil Simon, in my opinion.
Updated On: 3/27/11 at 12:20 AM
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:26amrocks, if Tveit isn't enough for you in leading actor, really do go check out Priscilla. Tony Sheldon is remarkable.
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:28amWickedrocks- I think you're pretty dead on with your assessment of the show. Were there any significant changes you noticed from the Seattle try-out or did the feel of the show seem the same?
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/13/04
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:40am
Besides the changes in songs and a couple of changes to the book, there wasn't too drastic of a change, I thought. They really needed to scrap the framing device. I get what they were trying to do, but it just did not work. In so many ways. It's a shame.
The audience response was tepid, as well. I thought the house would fall down when Aaron and Norbert came out for their bows but instead, they got a few "whoops" and a partial standing ovation. Should be interesting to see how this one plays out.
Updated On: 3/27/11 at 12:40 AM
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 1:22am
Saw the matinee today...a few changes I noticed since the first preview...
They've cut about 30% of Kerry Butler's dialogue since the first preview. She's not nearly as annoying as she used to be- all of the "I just say so many things" bits she used to have are gone.
Frank and Brenda no longer have sex on the gurney.
The opening has been re-staged so that most of the action (including Frank's entrance) takes place onstage.
Most of the epilogue is gone. You only really find out what happens to Frank now.
Frank and Hanratty exit up the aisle now, not off the stage, at the end of the show.
Updated On: 3/27/11 at 01:22 AM
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 1:33amis this a show thats ok for kids? pre-teens?
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 1:35am
is this a show thats ok for kids? pre-teens?
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 1:36amAdamgreer, when you say that Frank and Brenda no longer have sex on the gurney, do you mean that Seven Wonders doesn't take place on the gurney anymore? I'm trying to figure out if they're still changing things since I saw it last night...
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 10:30amThey're still on the gurney, but after the song, the dialogue has been changed. Brenda used to say, "WOW! That was amazing! I mean...wow!". However, now the scene begins with her apologizing to Frank for being unable to go through with it and sleep with him. It makes her more of a goody two shoes.
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:26pmThat's what I saw on Friday. Thanks, adam!
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 1:11pmWhen I saw it last Tuesday, Kerry was still saying the "Wow" lines...so it is still undergoing changes. I dare say they will not help this production. I have yet to think of one memorable song at all. I predict mixed to negative reviews. Will need some Tony help in an acting category to make it through a year.
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 3:35pm
In the Seattle Production when they had a curtain come down to hide the orchestra on stage for certain scenes, the curtain that comes down also doubles as a large "tv screen" that projects a lot of different images.
Is that curtain still in the current version of the show? I understand that the backdrop TV screen behind the orchestra is now gone but is this second one also gone as well?
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 4:01pmAs I said previously in this thread, changes went in on Friday night. The changes were apparently just book stuff in act 2 (such as the above change on the gurney), but that is the extent of the fixing going on, as it's frozen as of tomorrow.
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 9:17pmbwayFAN7000 - it will be frozen by thursdsay, where did you hear monday? They are still working on changes to the second act.
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Posted: 3/27/11 at 9:41pmThe second act could still use a little bit more work, so I'm glad I misheard and they have a little more time to work on it. But I still think that the show is in solid shape at this point.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
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Posted: 3/28/11 at 12:03am
I'm glad the production team is making major changes, like where the leads are exiting after their bows.
Stupid.
The audience entrances at the beginning - along with that set piece - were the most interesting parts of the show. I wish the chance element had more of that feel. I don't like that they introduce the fact that the two men know each other before they actually meet in the story. That takes all the dramatic tension out.
I say give the award to an original musical that takes some chances.
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Posted: 3/28/11 at 1:21amIs Brenda's character have a big part in the story? I know she sings Fly, Fly Away, but wasn't her dialogue significantly cut? If she does not have that big of a part then why would she have her own song that is such a powerful song? (Feel free to correct me if I have anything wrong as I have not seen the show).
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Posted: 3/28/11 at 1:26amI showed my good friend a photo of Aaron Tveit and asked her to guess his age. She came up with 37 as the answer. I've always thought that he looked older than his age but 37 is not a good look at 28. Anyway I can't wait to see this show next week. Loved Hairspray and I am hoping to love this one also.
Chorus Member Joined: 8/2/10
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Posted: 3/28/11 at 1:36am
It is shocking how little sex appeal Tveit has, gay or straight.
Yuck.
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Posted: 3/28/11 at 10:33am
Is Brenda's character have a big part in the story? I know she sings Fly, Fly Away, but wasn't her dialogue significantly cut? If she does not have that big of a part then why would she have her own song that is such a powerful song? (Feel free to correct me if I have anything wrong as I have not seen the show).
I saw the show last week and this is my question too. I went in blind- didn't listen to anything from Seattle, didn't listen to the cd that came with the Ticketmaster mailer, saw the film once and don't remember that much of it, etc. And Brenda has like three lines in one scene towards the top of Act I, we see her again (but I *think* she doesn't even speak, right? We just see her walk across stage? can't really remember) right before intermission, and I realized that we didn't see Kerry Butler at all during the rest of Act I. But then she has the big 11 o'clock number in Act II? Pretty song, lovely singing, but...why? So I was wondering if there had been more to Brenda that was cut or something? Or was it always like this?
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/28/08
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Posted: 3/28/11 at 3:15pm
Absolutely loved it!
It will tighten up as it goes on but is 99% there.
Hope this gets a London opening, it will work there no problem.
There's a certain detective thats gonna walk way with the Tony me thinks!
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Posted: 3/28/11 at 7:46pmI really hope that Norbert and Aaron both get Tony noms!
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/24/03
Catch me if you Can Preview Thread#249
Posted: 3/28/11 at 8:23pmi find all the leads appealing (attractive) no matter what age you might perceive them to be...it's called "willing suspension of disbelief". If their chemistry and genetics don't do it for you, go rent yourself some specific erotica (gay or straight) and don't ask it to sing, dance, or act. Mazel tov!
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