#1
Posted: 10/7/05 at 8:47pm
ARGH. Not fair. Why can't LA get these shows...Anyways, lucky you Chicago inhabitants.
Article's on main page.
Article's on main page.
Chicago production of Spelling Bee?
#2
Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:51pm
Is anyone else really excited?
How cool is this! Go Chicago...
How cool is this! Go Chicago...
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
#3
Posted: 10/8/05 at 12:05am
HOLY CR@P this is amazing news! haha you have no idea how excited I am right now. wheeeeeeeeeee
"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D
#4
Posted: 10/8/05 at 12:25am
"ARGH. Not fair. Why can't LA get these shows...Anyways, lucky you Chicago inhabitants. "
Because Chicago is the largest city for theatre outside New York. The plus is that Water Tower Place is where one finds most of the tourists in the city, so it might do better with people just walking by.
Because Chicago is the largest city for theatre outside New York. The plus is that Water Tower Place is where one finds most of the tourists in the city, so it might do better with people just walking by.
#5
Posted: 10/8/05 at 12:33am
Oh, the Sun-Times didn't specifically call it a sit down. But I can't imagine why they would book the Drury Lane if it weren't. If they put another sitdown production in one the palaces (the Shubert), then they would have only one theatre available for other bookings. I don't count the Auditorium, which they don't own and could ultimately decline a booking due to scheduling conflicts. Clear Channel is too greedy to lease another house if they don't think it will run long. Thanks to Drury Lane's more tourist-friendly location, Spelling Bee should run a good long time.
#6
Posted: 10/8/05 at 3:20am
well doesn't seem BEE would fit in any other theater. I wish it would open by Christmas, so I could see it - but I guess not. Is it still going to tour? I would imagine so, right? Although, if this show is so intimate, I'm not sure how it would do in a huge concert hall.
#7
Posted: 10/8/05 at 11:38am
Wow, Stone likes Chicago.
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird
#8
Posted: 10/8/05 at 3:34pm
Someone make sure to post if they hear anything about auditions. 
#9
Posted: 10/8/05 at 3:48pm
From what I heard it is not a sitdown... just the location for the touring productin... they are picking a smaller venues for the tour than a normal tour show would... just like Circle in the Square on Broadway...
kc
kc
Jesus saves. I spend.
#10
Posted: 10/8/05 at 5:45pm
Correct - the Drury Lane is 550 seats. The regualr "Broadway in Chicago" touring venues - the Oriental, the Palace, and the LaSalle Bank Theatre (formerly thre Shubert) are all over 1500 seats - much too big for Spelling Bee.
It's better to book the tour into the smaller venue for 8 weeks than to try to do three or four weeks in a huge theatre.
It's better to book the tour into the smaller venue for 8 weeks than to try to do three or four weeks in a huge theatre.
#11
Posted: 10/8/05 at 11:30pm
While that may be true, Clear Channel/Nederlander would never go out and lease another venue simply because it would look better in a particular theatre. The Producers looked hideous at the Auditorium Theatre, and the only reason they book shows there was to prevent Theatre Dreams (the owners of the Chicago Theatre) from booking Broadway shows there (The Chicago Theatre's stage is too small, and only days after saying they would rent other venues to book b'way shows, Broadway in Chicago announced an exclusive deal with The Auditorium that prevents ANY other entity from presenting a B'way show there).
#12
Posted: 10/10/05 at 12:59pm
Bumping because of the latest BWW article, which has more details. This is awesome!
Anyone heard anything about auditions?
Anyone heard anything about auditions?
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
#13
Posted: 10/10/05 at 1:19pm
They JUST announced. Give them a break about auditions. It's good to know that someone besides Garth Drabinski believes in Chicago enough to present Broadway shows in open runs.
#14
Posted: 10/10/05 at 1:55pm
The new Drury Lane theatre is fantastic, and perfect for this show. So excited. Chicago rocks. Im so glad I live here. This more than makes up for the cancellation of The Woman in White:)
There's always room for pathos - and jazz hands.
#15
Posted: 10/10/05 at 1:56pm
stupid question, but...is the Drury Lane theatre located inside the water tower place mall?
"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D
#16
Posted: 10/10/05 at 2:02pm
Magic---I have a question for you since you seem familiar with The Drury Lane theatre. Is it's configuration anything like Circle in the Square or it it more like Second stage? The size will create the intimacy factor which is perfect for Spelling Bee. I am so glad that James Lapine is on board to direct because his staging is brilliant for this production. I am just wondering how certain scenes will be staged in this new space.
#17
Posted: 10/10/05 at 2:07pm
Hi there. Im not familiar with the spaces at Circle on the Square, but the Drury Lane theatre is a fairly small house (especially for some of Chicago's big-a$$ venues.) It has 549 seats... The site I've linked to has some pics and stuff:)
Drury Lane Water Tower
Drury Lane Water Tower
There's always room for pathos - and jazz hands.
#18
Posted: 10/10/05 at 2:18pm
Magic--Thanks so much for that link. My sense is that the staging may revert back to what it looked like during its Off-broadway run which offered less challenges than staging it in a Circle in the Square--but some of the interaction in the audience may have to be rethought.
This looks like a fabulous venue.I predict it will be a great. production.... I'm sure James Lapine will maximize the benefits of The Drury Lane.
This looks like a fabulous venue.I predict it will be a great. production.... I'm sure James Lapine will maximize the benefits of The Drury Lane.
#19
Posted: 10/10/05 at 2:26pm
what made it so challenging for Circle in the Square?
#20
Posted: 10/10/05 at 2:30pm
Since the audience is on three sides--the actors had to play to all sides so audience didn't just see the backs of their heads.
I think Lapine did a brilliant job---and I've heard minimal complaints about audience feeling that they missed any of the action or dialogue.
I think Lapine did a brilliant job---and I've heard minimal complaints about audience feeling that they missed any of the action or dialogue.
#21
Posted: 10/10/05 at 2:30pm
At Second Stage it was a simple proscenium staging, which then had to be completely rethought for Circle in the Square which is a thrust space (the audience is on three sides).
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#22
Posted: 10/10/05 at 2:36pm
Thank you Margo for providing the proper terminology for the difference in the stages.
Did you go on the link to see The Drury Lane theatre? It looks as if should provide a very welcoming home for The Chicago production.
Did you go on the link to see The Drury Lane theatre? It looks as if should provide a very welcoming home for The Chicago production.
#23
Posted: 10/10/05 at 2:48pm
Yeah, the Drury Lane looks like a larger version of the Second Stage space. It should be ideal for the show. I suppose Lapine will probably just revert to the earlier staging for this production (perhaps incorporating a few of the elements from the Broadway version).
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#24
Posted: 10/10/05 at 2:55pm
I don't want to include any spoilers butI think the Jose Llana secondary character's exchange with Marcy will be most affected. That will have to go back to original concept.
It worked during off-broadway run so it should it will be fine on a procenium stage.
It worked during off-broadway run so it should it will be fine on a procenium stage.
#25
Posted: 10/10/05 at 3:05pm
Even if it is the tour that will play at Water Tower, if it sells well outside of subscriptions, then a sit-down production could be quite feasible, given the success that Wicked has had so far. Drury Lane WT is a PERFECT space for the show and is a gorgeous rehab of a recent movie house. I'm going to see Grand Hotel there in a couple of weeks and then Holiday in Plaid (yay!) in December.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
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