Company Previews Thread — Page 3

Thanks for all the thoughts, guys!

My issues with it in London were that the gender swapping worked about 70% of the time and the parts that didn't work came off as kind of half-baked. I can’t remember specifics but aspects of the rewrites just didn’t work. They do now. I wish I could be more scene specific but at this minute i can’t.

Updated On: 3/3/20 at 12:04 AM

barcelona20 said: "I know Sondheim prefers actors but it's going to be really hard to erase the power of Raul when it comes to Being Alive."

have friends in this cast, look fwd to seeing it, hopeful Lenk and LuPone do more than I predict them to, think Marianne Elliott is a genius, etc. etc. but i, too, will have a hard time hearing Being Alive and not thinking of Raul He tore open the earth with that song back in the day.

Surprised people here seem to think its going to be impossible to get tickets. I predict it wins a bunch of awards and accolades, the NY theater crowd will eat it up--and then, alot like Once On This Island and Oklahoma!, it will fade.

I was there tonight and I'm happy to report that it is a brilliant production (though I do have one major critique that I'll get to).

Standouts were Patti LuPone (of course) and she deserved that Standing Ovation. Jen Simard was also absolutely hilarious and stole her scene. Perhaps we'll see two Supporting Actress nominations from this show if shes lucky. Matt Doyle nailed "Not Getting Married" and his scene. He was really incredible. Claybourne Elder also did really well with his scenes. Really the cast is very solid.

The direction is brilliant. These scenes and songs are staged so well with clear ideas and reasons to tell Company again in 2020. She's done a really remarkable job with the show. I really loved how they did Another Hundred People and Not Getting Married. Marianne has outdone herself.

The design is also superb. There were times that I found the lighting on actors to be odd and maybe that'll be fixed during previews. The set design is really great and enhances the story telling that Marianne has gone for.

Orchestrations were lovely. It was so nice to hear that music live.

I must say that I am surprised to hear so many people loved Katrina Lenk tonight. I was very excited about her and I was unfortunately very disappointed with her performance tonight. I felt like her acting left a lot to be desired (act two was better). I had a great orchestra seat and still didn't think she was connecting well with the show. However, this could all improve during previews. Her vocals also need a lot of work. She really didn't sound great. The songs seem too high for her and I found myself wishing they'd lower the keys. Her break between her chest voice and her higher notes is very abrupt and often took me out of the moment. I found myself worried during Being Alive instead of actually listening to her and connecting with her story. Lower the keys. I don't need her to sing high - I need her to sing well.

Everything else about this production is absolutely phenomenal, but I found myself wishing Katrina Lenk had not been cast.

Jordan Catalano said: "And I don’t know why anyone surprised people got to their feet for Patti - its a theatre full of musical theatre lovers who adore Queen Patti and she told them to rise. I could have told you before walking in that she’d get a standing ovation after the song. It probably won’t happen after every show but you’d have to be crazy not to know it would happen tonight.
. "


I expected her to get a standing ovation no matter what, But I just felt that “not getting married” was more of a showstopper than her performance personally.

Updated On: 3/3/20 at 12:40 AM

"For those who saw it in London, were smart phones also a major part of that production? They’re basically another character here."

I don't remember them being a major part of the production. There were some references to swiping in Apps but I don't remember a physical phone just the swiping motion.

"“Marry Me A Little”/act one ends with Bobbie watching her party with a Bobbie double. I’m assuming this wasn’t in the London production? Chris Harper said there was a new moment at the end of act one, and I’m thinking this is it."

It was definitely in the London production, it's not new.

"Also, was Tock Tock the same in London with all of the women playing various versions of Married Bobbie? Patti was particularly hilarious in this number. "

In London, yes all the women played versions of Bobbie with wigs on - showing them suffering either baby or domestic abuse. It actually wasn't particularly funny in London and I don't think Patti was part of the scene - so it sounds like something has changed.