Chicago the Musical Appreciation Thread- Page 83

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 8/25/21 at 6:03pm

It was lovely to see "Chicago" in Times Square.  Bianca Marroquin was amazing.  She'll sound even better with a live orchestra.  I thought that the presenter didn't do her homework and mention that Bianca was switching from being a longtime Roxie to a new Velma.  Also, the Lillias White rehearsal video is awesome too!

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/25/21 at 7:40pm

BroadwayNYC2 said: "I do like Ana, but I was hoping for some heavy hitters to breathe some new life into a tired production. Looks like it will be a bit before I return to the Ambassador (most likely a new production, but won’t turn down oa Housewife Is a stunt cast)"

You rather a Housewife than Ana Villafañe? Ok

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/25/21 at 8:09pm

IAMREADING said: "The GMA crowd....?! Was that open to the public and only like 20 people stopped to watch? lol

Obsessed w the cast hyping upLillias White... as they should!"

Times Square around that building looks like a hot mess of construction, and with less tourists than usual to attract, looks like they did the best they could.

[Elle89]

Posted: 8/25/21 at 8:19pm

Would've loved to see some sort of medley featuring the cast + Lillas 

[Elle89]

Posted: 8/25/21 at 8:20pm

Lillias**** 

#winewednesday

[DAME]

Posted: 8/25/21 at 8:32pm

blaxx said: "DAME said: "Jordan Levinson said: "And suddenly, “All That Jazz” bursts again with new life. Great job Bianca!

Can’t wait for initial reports on her Velma on a future 9/14 reopening nights thread."

Meh."

Really? Thought she was great."

Blaxx; I thought Bianca was fine. But the whole presentation was a non event. I am also kind of shocked at the positive comments the Lillias White rehearsal clip is getting. To me she she is a little heavy on the pandering and the shtick. I also thought her voice sounded grating. But maybe my expectations are out of whack. Glad you liked it.

Updated On: 8/25/21 at 08:32 PM

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/25/21 at 11:58pm

I thought Bianca did a great job, she has the right Velma energy. Did anyone else notice that the stage was comically small?

Also, they've REALLY got to update the backing track. It always makes me laugh to hear the same, very distinctive "and all that jazz" come out of now 25 years of ensembles.

 

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 2:12am

DAME said: "blaxx said: "DAME said: "Jordan Levinson said: "And suddenly, “All That Jazz” bursts again with new life. Great job Bianca!

Can’t wait for initial reports on her Velma on a future 9/14 reopening nights thread."

Meh."

Really? Thought she was great."

Blaxx; I thought Bianca was fine. But the whole presentation was a non event. I am also kind of shocked at the positive comments the Lillias White rehearsal clip is getting. To me she she is a little heavy on the pandering and the shtick. I also thought her voice sounded grating. But maybe my expectations are out of whack. Glad you liked it."

Oh, I agree with you. It's been so long that it isn't easy to make this overly exciting anymore. The peformers are incredibly talented but the show itself would need an A+ star to shine again.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 9:41am

DAME said: "blaxx said: "DAME said: "Jordan Levinson said: "And suddenly, “All That Jazz” bursts again with new life. Great job Bianca!

Can’t wait for initial reports on her Velma on a future 9/14 reopening nights thread."

Meh."

Really? Thought she was great."

Blaxx; I thought Bianca was fine. But the whole presentation was a non event. I am also kind of shocked at the positive comments the Lillias White rehearsal clip is getting. To me she she is a little heavy on the pandering and the shtick. I also thought her voice sounded grating. But maybe my expectations are out of whack. Glad you liked it."

I feel like its blasphemy to criticize Lillias White (and probably should be) but I also winced through this performance. I assume the shtick was played up for the intimate photog/PR audience, but i thought she sounded not the best. 

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 10:41am

Paulo Szot will be the Billy Flynn who reopens CHICAGO:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Paulo-Szot-Will-Return-to-CHICAGO-as-Billy-Flynn-20210826

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 11:20am

Just wondering why he wasn't announced with the rest of the cast the other day?

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 11:23am

That's too bad. I was waiting for this casting before making my decision. I was really hoping for Jaime Camil, since I've always enjoyed him on TV, but this cast isn't the one to get me back to Chicago for the first time in almost 20 years (I saw Bebe twice, and Caroline O'Connor was my last Velma). I wasn't over the moon about the Bianca and Lillias performances, and that didn't help, either. Dang!

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 11:34am

Let’s see if this casting pays off. I think “Chicago” will be just fine.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 12:18pm

blaxx said: "Oh, I agree with you. It's been so long that it isn't easy to make this overly exciting anymore. The peformers are incredibly talented but the show itself would need an A+ star to shine again."

Agreed. This casting is very... safe, bland, and unexciting. The show is not going to have it's built in foreign tourist ticket buyers in the numbers they did pre-pandemic, and that group made up a large percentage of their ticket sales. They really needed to and could have done more with this casting to bring in locals who have seen the show already. However, this casting is not going to do that. They needed big stars really come back with a bang. They had the perfect opportunity with the reopening of Broadway and their 25th Anniversary to really come back big, but for some reason, they are not.

 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 12:28pm

ACL2006 said: "Just wondering why he wasn't announced with the rest of the cast the other day?"

Either his deal wasn't done, or they wanted to have 2 press releases.

 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 12:43pm

This is not going to sell enough tickets to fill the jury box. I don't see how Chicago has a path forward. I think they will run out the grant money (transferring as much as legally possible to their own coffers) and close. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 12:49pm

HogansHero said: "This is not going to sell enough tickets to fill the jury box. I don't see how Chicago has a path forward. I think they will run out the grant money (transferring as much as legally possible to their own coffers) and close."

Or (more likely) they use the SVOG money to cover losses thru the holidays and then get some star/stunt casting in place in time for the holidays.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 12:54pm

What Hogan said –– to have a chance of succeeding in this COVID world, Chicago needed a cast that would bring back the New York ticketbuyers en masse. Krakowski and some other top-tier talent could have helped with that, but obviously that's not the case.

The end is finally near for Chicago...I don't really see it running past January. And it's been a hell of a run.

[Lunalaaaaaaaa]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 12:59pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "What Hogan said –– to have a chance of succeeding in this COVID world,Chicagoneeded a cast that would bring back the New York ticketbuyers en masse. Krakowski and some other top-tier talent could have helped with that, but obviously that's not the case.

The end is finally near forChicago...Idon't really see it running past January. And it's been a hell of a run."

I feel like if the casting rumors were true, Ariana De Bose and Jane Krakowski would've been so much better. Or even: Ana Villafane and Jane Krakowski. Chicago casting was way too over hyped especially with the 25th Anniversary so close. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 1:03pm

At least they’ll be able to celebrate their 25th anniversary should it close in January.

When’s the last time the Ambassador was renovated?

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 1:16pm

The costs to keep this show open seem to be roughly two nickels and a smile. As I’ve said before they’re in a theater no one particularly wants, the entire company’s wardrobe fits on a single rack, and the Weisslers seem hell bent on beating Phantom if they can. Plus think of all the money they saved by keeping Amra for half of the run so far as Velma.

I doubt this casting will hurt their numbers, tourism might, but since there will be no published grosses this year, we’ll never know. In spite of having moved halfway across the country, seeing Lillias White live with a brand new Velma has made this show be on my shortlist for the holidays again.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 2:14pm

Good Lord, can we stop talking about Krakowski? Ain't never gonna happen. And the show ain't going anywhere.

Is this the exciting opening we were hoping for? Most definitely not. I'm sure delta ruined all their best laid plans for a grand reopening. It will certainly be unique to have the three main leads be Latin, but otherwise, it's more of the same, but I'm happy to be going back to support it. 

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 2:56pm

Paulo Szot will be Billy Flynn.  (from Chicago the Musical Twitter this morning.)

Updated On: 8/26/21 at 02:56 PM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 3:29pm

“I’ll take Overqualified Singers for $500, Alex.”

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 8/26/21 at 9:45pm

Paulo Szot will play the role of Billy Flynn from Sept. 14--Nov. 21, 2021.  https://www.pauloszot.com   He will be out Oct. 13-14 for a concert engagement.  

Updated On: 8/26/21 at 09:45 PM