City Center's 24-25 Season: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life- Page 13
City Center's 24-25 Season: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#300
Posted: 11/10/24 at 10:15pm
Skip23 said: "
You can't beat that original cast. They brought such conviction to the roles and their voices were all stellar. Not so in this cast. And the Encores!bug-a-boo showed its ugly head again...that sound designer/tech should be shot.
"
Let’s maybe not use this rhetoric?
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/30/17
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#301
Posted: 11/10/24 at 10:58pm
TheatreMonkey said: "CoffeeBreak said: "...
It wasn't on par with the original Broadway cast, direction or production by any means - but a basic serviceable staged concert with a (mostly) strong cast."
You do realize that"staged concerts" are what Encores! does, right? Of course it won't have the same production values as a full-fledged show -- and the cast hasn't had the same amount of time to truly dig into their roles (yet). Though not surprised you didn't like deBessonet's direction..."
Yes, I know that Encores does concerts / staged concerts. We've been going for over 15 years. (eye roll) The cast and orchestra were the best parts of Ragtime. It would be great to see a lot of this cast in a full production with better direction. That would elevate it to a necessary, and unforgettable revival.
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#302
Posted: 11/10/24 at 11:05pm
I saw the 1997 original (though in the pre-Broadway LA run with LaChanze and John Rubinstein instead of Audra and Peter Friedman) and the 2009 Broadway revival, and Ragtime is one of my personal all-time top 5 musicals. Came from LA to see the closing performance tonight and am very glad I did. Sure, there are things that can’t be fully realized in a concert staging, and there were moments when I missed some of the choices from the prior productions, but just hearing that score performed by a full orchestra and some magnificent voices is enough of a treat…and there’s no denying the timeliness of the material. Three mid-show standing ovations tonight (Wheels of a Dream, Back to Before, and Make Them Hear You). Hoping for a transfer!
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#303
Posted: 11/10/24 at 11:11pm
Dan6 said: "I saw the 1997 original (though in the pre-Broadway LA run with LaChanze and John Rubinstein instead of Audra and Peter Friedman) and the 2009 Broadway revival, and Ragtime is one of my personal all-time top 5 musicals. Came from LA to see the closing performance tonight and am very glad I did. Sure, there are things that can’t be fully realizedin a concert staging, and there were moments when I missed some of the choices from the prior productions, but just hearing that score performed by a full orchestra and some magnificent voices is enough of a treat…and there’s no denying the timeliness of the material. Three mid-show standing ovations tonight (Wheels of a Dream, Back to Before, and Make Them Hear You). Hoping for a transfer!"
Saw the same production as you in LA (miss the Schubert in Century City!) and came to NY to see this production as well. 3 mid show ovations last night as well in the same places - loved it!! I could’ve basically cut and copied your thoughts and hoping for a transfer too.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#304
Posted: 11/11/24 at 12:33am
Tonight was a great night. The one thing I noticed tonight was the license plate numbers on the car was the date of the show opening on Broadway 011898NY
Broadway Star Joined: 11/1/23
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#305
Posted: 11/11/24 at 12:40am
Can confirm fundraising is happening for a potential transfer. They want the Palace.
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#306
Posted: 11/11/24 at 6:29am
Hope it happens. I know a couple of people who didn’t make it to City Center but would love to see it. And I’d go again.
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#307
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:11pm
Just got an email saying “Wild Party” cancelled and “Wonderful Town” is taking its place. Seats are being automatically switched over which is nice, at least.
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#308
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:12pm
Fingers crossed they get Donna back.
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#309
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:17pm
Wonderful Town? Talk about a downgrade.
I’m never going to get to see LaChiusa’s Wild Party live, am I?
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#310
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:17pm
Damn it! I've never had a chance to see EITHER Wild Party! Grr.
Jordan - I haven't rec'd an email yet - are they also offering refunds? (I don't know that I care to see WT. (I've never bgeen exposed to it.)
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#311
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:18pm
The director of Cats: The Jellicle Ball is at the helm of this one, so I have no idea what it's going to look like. Love the music to begin with, but we'll see what he does with it. Color me intrigued.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/9/23
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#312
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:18pm
I've never heard of a show having a scheduling conflict...? Stars, yes. But shows?
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#313
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:19pm
Wonderful Town is solidly a "I guess?" choice for me, particularly as a replacement for an extremely rarely seen show.
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#314
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:22pm
dramamama611 said: "Jordan - I haven't rec'd an email yet - are they also offering refunds? (I don't know that I care to see WT. (I've never bgeen exposed to it.)"
Yeah there’s a link in there to request a refund
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#315
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:23pm
Again? Meanwhile, I've been waiting too long to see another show from that same year, ME & JULIET. Ugh!
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#316
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:25pm
Tenor8674 said: "Again? Meanwhile,I've been waiting too long to see another show from that same year, ME & JULIET. Ugh!"
That’s my number one request for Encores fo FINALLY do. I’ve been asking for it for so many years.
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#317
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:25pm
GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "I've never heard of a show having a scheduling conflict...? Stars, yes. But shows?"
The show didn't have a scheduling conflict- the creatives involved with the show did.
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#318
Posted: 11/13/24 at 12:29pm
FWIW they did say they're still planning on doing Wild Party in 2026.
From what I've heard it sounded like Jack Viertel had a personal vendetta against Me and Juliet?
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#319
Posted: 11/13/24 at 1:18pm
Seems like it was a director conflict, and they elected to reschedule the show rather than replace the director. A shame, but Wonderful town is a lovely score.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/22/03
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#320
Posted: 11/13/24 at 1:27pm
Will Linda Mugleston take over the role of Ruth again?
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#321
Posted: 11/13/24 at 2:33pm
chrishuyen said: "FWIW they did say they're still planning on doing Wild Party in 2026.
From what I've heard it sounded like Jack Viertel had a personal vendetta against Me and Juliet?"
When I asked him, he didn't seem that enthusiastic. Ted Chapin from R&H would just say "We'll see."
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#322
Posted: 11/13/24 at 3:31pm
Tenor8674 said: "chrishuyen said: "FWIW they did say they're still planning on doing Wild Party in 2026.
From what I've heard it sounded like Jack Viertel had a personal vendetta against Me and Juliet?"
When I asked him, he didn't seem that enthusiastic. Ted Chapin from R&H would just say "We'll see.""
I was at a Zoom discussion with Chapin where he full out said that it was because Viertel was against doing Me and Juliet (he did point out that the original reviews felt the star of the show was Jo Mielziner's complex, mechanized scenery--groundbreaking in many ways--which of course couldn't be replicated for Encores. But that score needs a better recording.)
So considering the director do we imagine this Wonderful Town will be... not traditional? I mean we already have the crazy Toulon opera version on DVD. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU7dOTbi5aU&t=1s
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#323
Posted: 11/13/24 at 4:18pm
They have already done Wonderful Town. They couldn’t come up with something else?
City Centers 24-25: Ragtime, Urinetown, LaChiusa's Wild Party, Love Life#324
Posted: 11/13/24 at 4:23pm
EricMontreal22 said: "Tenor8674 said: "chrishuyen said: "FWIW they did say they're still planning on doing Wild Party in 2026.
From what I've heard it sounded like Jack Viertel had a personal vendetta against Me and Juliet?"
When I asked him, he didn't seem that enthusiastic. Ted Chapin from R&H would just say "We'll see.""
I was at a Zoom discussion with Chapin where he full out said that it was because Viertel was against doing Me and Juliet (he did point out that the original reviews felt the star of the show was Jo Mielziner's complex, mechanized scenery--groundbreaking in many ways--which of course couldn't be replicated for Encores. But that score needs a better recording.)
So considering the director do we imagine this Wonderful Town will be... not traditional? I mean we already have the crazy Toulon opera version on DVD. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU7dOTbi5aU&t=1s
And yet didn't the Mufti just use a ladder and very little else? I didn't get to see it.
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