Come Fly Away Question

[Rentfan931]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 3:25am

I recently saw on the website for Come Fly Away that the lead parts have an alternate. I was wondering what performances the alternates go on? Thanks a lot.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 6:20am

If the website doesn't mention it, it may not yet be public knowledge. Try the ticketing source (ticketmaster, etc) as sometimes they list it.

OFTEN the alternate takes the matinees, but it could be anything really.

[stagewright]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 7:02am

The alternate cast is scheduled to perform on Wednesday and Saturday matinees.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 7:46am

I thought the Broadway Board would be buzzing about Come Fly Away, so really shocked no one is talking about this show on here. Why?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 7:54am

Because it's a show for adults.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 8:00am

Thanks for the tip-off re: Wednesday and Saturday matinee alternative casting. My major reason for seeing this is John Selya, so I will be SURE that I'm seeing it on a Saturday night. Thanks again.

[dramadude]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 10:37am

"I thought the Broadway Board would be buzzing about Come Fly Away, so really shocked no one is talking about this show on here. Why?"

The show is blah. I got free tickets through my work and it practically was Twyla Tharp's wet dream all over the stage to the recorded voice of Sinatra. There is no book and literally only a minute or two of dialogue, spoken in French, drowned out by music. To add to this, the female vocalist sings a few songs as well as duets with Sinatra, which is awkward.

The band is great, the dancing is well... TWYLA. Very erratic, lots of arms, and a lot of the female dancers had bigger guns and testosterone levels than some of the males.

This made me wish I was sitting through Lestat. At least there was a plot, good acting, and it could actually be called a MUSICAL. The theatre was half-empty and not very many people seemed into it. This show is more AGMA than it is AEA. It's a dance show. And a boring one at that.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 10:57am

That may just prove my point.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 11:08am

"I thought the Broadway Board would be buzzing about Come Fly Away, so really shocked no one is talking about this show on here. Why?"

Because my mother always said, "If you can't say anything nice about anyone, don't say anything at all."

First Broadway show I ever left at intermission.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 11:32am

PalJoey, I agree with most of the points you make and you genuinely seem to know what you're talking about (far more than most of the people on this board). But a show that's two full acts of plotless dancing to Sinatra standards is too "adult" for this crowd? Come on! Maybe too "elderly," or too "blue-haired," but taking adult to mean sophisticated or mature...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 11:35am

This made me wish I was sitting through Lestat. At least there was a plot, good acting, and it could actually be called a MUSICAL.

Did you see Movin Out or did you simply not know what to expect?

[dramadude]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 12:12pm

I saw "Times They Are A Changin'" and that was better, but it actually incorporated acting, singing, and dance. If I wanted to see dance, I would go to Lincoln Center.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/8/10 at 1:06pm

So, you don't think dance-based shows should be produced on Broadway? That's a shame. I sort of prefer Broadway not to impose restrictions on styles of shows and open up to more diversity. A modern production of Coppelia I saw by the Kirov Ballet (later released on DVD) should have played in a Broadway house. It was wonderful. I also loved Contact and Movin Out, but I knew they weren't "musicals". I expected the same of this show. The one thing keeping me away from it is that I'm not a big Sinatra fan.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/9/10 at 11:44pm

Can't believe I'm going to say this, but I saw it and liked it. Maybe because I was first row center and I was mesmerized by the movement and lights?

Not going to lie, the music was probably the most frustrating. It takes until almost the end of Act One to get used to the Frank Sinatra on tape with the live band, and when the live female singer pops in a couple of times, it does nothing but take you out of the moment. Also, while the lighting was effective, the set looked pretty cheap and cheesy.

That said, I was blown away by the cast. Across the board stellar dancers, most notable John Selya and Holly Farmer. In an ideal world the fiery Karine Plantadit will be recognized come Tony time as she was a powerhouse; and Charlie Neshyba-Hodges, short and stocky but the most graceful, agile performer you'll ever see, will be remembered as well. His powerful legs are nicely on display in Act Two, when for some reason all the guys tear their shirts and he removes his pants. Awkward, but a nice added element.

As to the dancing? I'm not a huge Twyla fan, but for most of the show, it's not as "Tharpie" as you might expect. It's surprisingly accessible and romantic. In Act Two, the Tharpiness takes more prominence, and in those moments, you really come out of the "storyline" of the show.

But in all, not an amazing work, but enjoyable and sweet.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/10/10 at 3:29am

Is COME FLY AWAY honestly worse than THE TIMES THEY ARE A'CHANGIN?

I find that VERY hard to believe, since THE TIMES.... is one of the most painful things I ever endured.

[winston89]

Posted: 3/10/10 at 7:22am

I never saw Come Fly Away ( although it does semi spark my interest) and the only Tharp show I did see was Movin Out, which is something that I ended up seeing twice.

The thing with Movin Out, was that it was more of a ballet then just a dance show. There were characters, there was a story etc. I do love Tharp's work so this is something that I might want to check out.

Speaking of Sinatra, wasn't there a show commemorating him at Radio City a while back? One that had video of Frank singing that was backed by a band? If that is the case then could't they learn a thing or two about how to do the vocals with live music from that particular show?

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/10/10 at 9:40am

Apparently Cody Green is the alternate for Jon Selya’s role.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/10/10 at 1:02pm

The thing with Movin Out, was that it was more of a ballet then just a dance show.

Technically, it was a ballet, just as Contact was three short ballets. But call anything a "ballet" on Broadway and the audiences will stay away in DROVES, which is why ballets are usually lumped into the Musical categories in the Tonys. It took a huge conceptual overhaul, two years of positive buzz, a PBS broadcast and a DVD release to get audiences to even consider attending Swan Lake in 1998. There was plenty of time for people to get used to the idea and build up interest in seeing a "ballet".