City Center Encores! 2023-24 season: PAL JOEY • ONCE UPON A MATTRESS • JELLY'S LAST JAM • TITANIC- Page 11

[OhHiii]

Posted: 1/26/24 at 10:35am

IdinaBellFoster said: "I’m also shocked by the lack of true belting on “Shy”. It feels a role tailor-made for Sutton. I did see her with a mask on during some of the rehearsal footage, so I do wonder if she’s not 100%. She’s also working on the SWEENEY score simultaneously."

The Sweeney score as far as Lovett goes isn't very vocally demanding. 

But as long as critics eat her up, even when it's obvious her vocals aren't hitting the mark, she will continue to get roles not meant for her (Winnifred seems to be right for her in all other ways than the fact she isn't interpreting her big number properly, to be fair). That she ever stepped foot into Queenie in Wild Party is still one of the more egregious examples I can think of.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 1/26/24 at 10:41am

On what planet is Lovett not vocally demanding?

 

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 1/26/24 at 10:55am

Even just based on “The Worst Pies in London,” Lovett is a vocally demanding role. The navigating between belt and legit in that song is wild.

[UWS10023]

Posted: 1/26/24 at 9:41pm

Someone told me tonight that Mary Rogers wrote a juicy autobiography. Has anyone read it?

[ChihuahuaDad]

Posted: 1/26/24 at 10:45pm

Christine Baranski narrates the audio book version. Highly recommend!

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 1/26/24 at 11:20pm

OhHiii said: "IdinaBellFoster said: "I’m also shocked by the lack of true belting on “Shy”. It feels a role tailor-made for Sutton. I did see her with a mask on during some of the rehearsal footage, so I do wonder if she’s not 100%. She’s also working on the SWEENEY score simultaneously."

The Sweeney score as far as Lovett goes isn't very vocally demanding.

But as long as critics eat her up, even when it's obvious her vocals aren't hitting the mark, she will continue to get roles not meant for her (Winnifred seems to be right for her in all other ways than the fact she isn't interpreting her big number properly, to be fair). That she ever stepped foot into Queenie in Wild Party is still one of the more egregious examples I can think of."

While it’s definitely a different style, there are plenty of ways in which Lovett is an demanding vocal role. Just because we’ve heard some people (Imelda Staunton, IMO) scream their way through doesn’t mean it isn’t.

[Skip23]

Posted: 1/27/24 at 1:29am

Thanks again, Encores!, for such an entertaining evening.

So nice just to watch a fun, silly, skillful show.  No axes to grind or points to torture us with.

Musings:

1.  Sutton didn't mine all the comedy or singing for it's potential, but her spirit and energy was fun to watch.
2.  Harriet Harris is a treasure.

3.  So nice to see Cheyenne again.  And his and Nikki Daniels' "In A Little While" almost stopped the show.

4.  Daniels was perfection.  Wish I'd seen her Bobbie.

5.  Is Michael Urie winding down?  His wattage is a bit dimmed compared to the earlier Urie.  I felt the same for him in SPAMALOT.  Just not working to his full "capacity".  

6.  Ghee didn't work for me as the Jester.  Not "jestie" enough and I really missed the Old Vaudeville style for "Very Soft Shoes".

Thanks again, Encores!  Who'd thought I'd go Mental for MATTRESS?

 

 

[SamVas]

Posted: 1/27/24 at 2:24am

I have to admit that I’ve listened  … CB is the crown . 

[inception]

Posted: 1/27/24 at 9:31am

I know it is such a common comment for almost everything... but I wish they could partner with PBS & film for Great Performances or something similar.   So not every show is a success, but still would be nice for the rest of the world to get to see.  When or where else might there be a chance to see a decent production of this show?  Maybe some high-school might do an OK version.  But otherwise???

[Jarethan]

Posted: 1/27/24 at 11:41am

IdinaBellFoster said: "I’m also shocked by the lack of true belting on “Shy”. It feels a role tailor-made for Sutton. I did see her with a mask on during some of the rehearsal footage, so I do wonder if she’s not 100%. She’s also working on the SWEENEY score simultaneously."

I have loved Sutton in everything I have seen her perform.  Maybe her singing isn't as unique and strong as -- (icons) Lupone and Peters.  Lupone and Peters don't dance, do they? 

 As I read these posts, I was wondering whether she simply held  back a little, due to presumed ST rehearsals.  I could imagine her saying to herself 'I am not going to stress my voice over a 10 performance run of a mediocre musical (albeit one with a good role for me) when I am going to be appearing in ST imminently.  I need to rest my voice as much as possible, and prove the naysayers wrong.'

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 1/27/24 at 2:54pm

Sutton isn’t 25 anymore and she’s doing a staged concert right before taking over a beast of a role on Broadway. Anyone expecting her to be belting her face off like she did in Millie is being unrealistic. That was over twenty years ago. Voices change.
 

When I saw her Thursday night she was just as charming and goofy as I expected. She was wonderful. She did use her mix a lot but she’s been using her mix for years and years. There’s a reason she can do show after show and not blow her voice out. I’m sure she’s utterly exhausted but I was grinning ear to ear watching her and this cast.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 5:08pm

Any and all trepidation I felt regarding Sutton based on that video was immediately put to rest before she even started to sing her first song today. As I said to my friend afterwards, it feels like every so often Sutton Foster does something just to remind everyone of how damn funny she really is and this is, I honestly feel, some of the funniest work she’s ever done. 
 

Now, I love this show - let’s get that out of the way. I have a true soft spot in my heart for and since well done productions are so few and far between, I’ve been anxiously waiting for this since the day it was announced. News of book rewrites scared me but every added line/bit was all hilarious and made me love this show even more. 
 

The rest of the cast was absolute perfection, with Urie matching Foster in her silliness and never being overshadowed which would have been easy to be done with a less skilled comedic actor in the role. I was so adamant that the only person I wanted as the Queen (as if I had any say in it) was Donna Murphy but I’ll be damned if now I can’t imagine anyone other than Harriet Harris in the role. Nikki and Cheyenne made the absolute most out of Harry and Larkin and made me laugh and smile the whole time they were onstage. 
 

This was such a delight from start to finish. I’m counting the hours down already until I see it again. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 6:59pm

Totally agree with Jordan here. I thought Sutton was great and the whole supporting cast was stellar. It was just such a fun afternoon! 

[UWS10023]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 5:49am

My friend who works at City Center says that the show has tightened considerably since the invited dress which she says is usually the case due to the short rehearsal process. She said it is selling very well. She said that some people have commented on Sutton’s age and the age difference between her and Michael. That did not particularly bother me. 
 

Ghee didn’t work for me either. He was tripping over lines the night I saw it.

It will be interesting to see how the next Encore show sells. Especially since it is running two weeks.

 

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 8:02am

Ghee had zero problems with lines yesterday. 

[Huss417]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 8:35am

UWS10023 said: "It will be interesting to see how the next Encore show sells. Especially since it is running two weeks.



"

I need to buy another pair of tkts for Jelly's Last Jam for the second week and the sales look really bad. To the point I am going to hold off and see if they offer another discount other than the 20% off.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 9:42am

UWS10023 said: "She said that some people have commented on Sutton’s age and the age difference between her and Michael. That did not particularly bother me."

I mean, the whole "young" cast is probably 20 years older than they should be. They're all in their 40s playing characters who are supposed to be in their 20s. Sutton herself is only 5 years older than Urie though. 

[Kad]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 9:43am

Foster and Urie are only five years apart in age and both read incredibly youthful. Who could be bothered by their age difference?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 9:45am

I went last night and had a wonderful time. Just so silly with a cast that understood the assignment. I have minor quibbles (I don’t get why they combined the Minstrel and the Jester into one character, many trumpet cracks on the fanfares, they shouldn’t have played with the musical structure of The Spanish Panic, they could have edited some of the new bits), but these did not take away from my enjoyment.

I think no one will be able to do what Carol Burnett did vocally in this show, and not a lot of people give her credit as being a great vocalist. I didn’t think Sutton was marking or mixing to save her voice for Sweeney, I just don’t think “Shy” is in her sweet spot or her preferred brassy vowel to sing on. I missed Carol’s melodrama-infused goofiness in the songs, but Sutton did Sutton. The physical comedy was unreal.

My big takeaway was how much I loved Michael Urie. I thought he mastered this role. It’s a hard part to pull off, especially with Sutton chewing the scenery around him, and he was truly wonderful. He was the standout for me. 

I don’t know the next time we’ll see a professional production in NYC, but I was absolutely delighted by last night’s performance.

[round2]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 9:48am

UWS10023 said: "My friend who works at City Center says that the show has tightened considerably since the invited dress which she says is usually the case due to the short rehearsal process. She said it is selling very well. She said that some people have commented on Sutton’s age and the age difference between her and Michael. That did not particularly bother me.

The five year age difference between 40-somethings Michael Urie and Sutton Foster didn't register for me yesterday. Thought they were both charming in this sweet, thin vehicle, a snack turned awfully close to a meal by a cast of top-notch hams and pros. A treat to also see Harriet Harris sparkling furiously, and J. Harrison Ghee just simply sparking, including in his non-plot-advancing soft shoe with a lovely duet partner whose name I'd like to know. Great to see and hear Cheyenne Jackson and Nikki Renée Daniels - and David Patrick Kelly, who I knew first from the 70's flick The Warriors, now a master of the twinkling older codger roles.


"

 

Updated On: 1/29/24 at 09:48 AM

[LuckyDipster]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 10:14am

Jordan Catalano said: "Ghee had zero problems with lines yesterday."

Ghee was line perfect when I saw it too.  It was a performance I really enjoyed.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 8:25pm

City Center is teasing a Titanic casting announcement tomorrow.

[UWS10023]

Posted: 1/30/24 at 6:12am

LuckyDipster said: "Jordan Catalano said: "Ghee had zero problems with lines yesterday."

Ghee was line perfect when I saw it too. It was a performance I really enjoyed."

I saw it at the beginning of the week. Many of his line readings were done in a quick manner and it was like his mouth was getting ahead of his memorization. I am going to go back and see it with his understudy just out of curiosity.

 

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 1/30/24 at 10:22am

Mary Rogers recounts in her memoir how Once Upon a Mattress was originally written for a theater camp. Thus the emphasis on a large ensemble. It's great to have extraneous roles when you're directing a school play. But their material is dull in a professional production. Winnifred's the only character I'm interested in. 

Sutton's always struck me as a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. I've yet to be truly wowed by her work.

[halfhourcheckwithmerman]

Posted: 1/30/24 at 1:03pm

Titanic cast announcement -- holy COW!

https://www.theatrely.com/post/new-york-city-center-announces-additional-casting-for-encores-titanic