Contact National Tour

[Guffman Fan]

Posted: 8/29/04 at 1:22pm

We are interested in seeing the national tour of Contact when it comes to our town in the spring, but didn't know what exactly to expect. Saw Movin'Out on Broadway this summer (what phenomenal dancing!) and didn't know if Contact was similar in that there was no dialogue in that one either? How about the dancing? Is there much plot? Should we see this? Somehow we missed both the BUZZ and the DETAILS about this show. Someone want to help??

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/29/04 at 1:23pm

With Movin' Out, the songs are Billy Joel songs performed live. In Contact, the songs aren't performed live, but just as they were released.

[zoran912]

Posted: 8/29/04 at 1:29pm

I saw the Nat. Tour of Contact about a year and a half ago. I loved it. It is composed of three different "vignettes." All are about finding "contact" with another person, be it sexual, emotional, whatever. I found it to be amazing. The dancing was great. I loved it. Go see it.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 8/29/04 at 2:11pm

Depends on the dancers. I hear they are trying to develop the 3 rd sequance into a film.
1st sequance is based on the famous picture of a 18th century woman in a swing w her "swain" on the ground (basically looking up her skirt.) Lots of acrobatics on the swing most w a sexual inference.
2nd Did You Move? ( actually my fav) takes place in 50's Italian restauraunt. A wife is trapped in an emotionally ( & physically) abusive marriage. She uses fantasy dance sequances to remove herself from the situation she is in. There are wonderful ballet & jazz choreography as Stroman mostly uses classical music, but also comedic elements as well including the spoken "real time" episodes. The whole thing resolves in a bittersweet tragic moment.
3rd The Girl in the Yellow Dress- most famous sequance. An adman is stewing in the juices of his own unhappiness with his life, on the occasion of his professional success. He attempts suicide unsuccessfully ,instead "going out" to a billiards/dance bar where he sees The Girl in the Yellow Dress. Lots of incredibly good dancing here. She is very aloof but is also the best dancer. The adman keeps getting pulled back to his apt where there are a lot of phone messages including some from an annoyed neighbour who needs to sleep but can't due to the noise. Back to the bar where under the tutelage of a Rev Jim style bartender our hero gradually comes to interact w TGITYD. It all gets very "Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge" here. It resolves w our adman making "contact"- w love & life!


Updated On: 8/29/04 at 02:11 PM

[Guffman Fan]

Posted: 8/29/04 at 6:06pm

Thanks, all of you, for your input!! Sounds like it would be definitely something to see. We'll make plans to do so.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/29/04 at 6:16pm

I hated the first act and the first two sequences. They were fun at first, but I started to get bored. Then the second act and the third story with the girl in the yellow dress made it all worth it. I loved every second of it. It was an awesome thing to see. I was so glad I went. I have it on tape too from when it was on PBS. Love it. I made my Mom watch it. lol.

[Jon]

Posted: 8/29/04 at 7:06pm

If you hated "Did You Move?", you probably didn't see Karen Ziemba,who won the Tony Award for her performance. The piece was creeated especially for her.

Charlotte D'Amboise, who did it on the video, is a fine dancer, but cannot touch Ziemba when it comes to acting. Ziemba's final moments were absolutely heartbreaking. D"Amboise's handling of the same moment came across insincere and mechanical.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 8/29/04 at 7:18pm

I LOVE contact, but i dont think it shoulda won best musical IMHO. I really like how they fit in all the songs into the show (I personally like the part with "Simply Irresitable" plays" I wish i had taped it when it was on pbs because Lincoln Center wont release their "Live From Lincoln Center" collection. :-P

[sabrelady]

Posted: 8/29/04 at 7:47pm

I agree Jon -Karen was In cred ible! Charlotte made me think too much of the doll in Coppelia @ the end.