DEATH BECOMES HER Previews- Page 6

[Owen22]

Posted: 11/1/24 at 3:52pm

bes888 said: "The show probably won’t be for those “high brow” theatre folks that can’t allow themselves to buy into a show of this style/tone — but not every show aligns with everyone’s tastes. I hope those audience members can at least have fun and feel entertained for 2.5 hours, because there’s a lot to appreciate when you don’t walk into a theatre and leave behind the mentality that you’re only there to rip a piece of art to shreds"

Yeah, see. This here stupid comment makes me think you know the show if very flawed and you are trying to shame the "high brow" theatre-goers into keeping mum, so they are now so embarrassed that they "can't buy into a show of this style/tone". 

 

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 11/1/24 at 4:39pm

How has the stage door been? 

[jpbran]

Posted: 11/1/24 at 4:48pm

Re: the spoiler mentioned by quizking101, it seemed to be intentional and -- IMHO -- pretty funny. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/1/24 at 5:40pm

Re: Stage Door

Sieber, Everett, and two others from the ensemble signed. Simard came out and waved as she was escorted away, but stopped for someone who asked. Michelle Williams did the same - didn’t sign unless you asked (I didn’t think to ask) and thanked everyone for coming. Hilty did not come out. 

Re: My Spoiler

The fact that I can’t tell if it’s intentional or not means they either need to fix the flaw or fully commit to the bit

[hayden6]

Posted: 11/3/24 at 9:30am

quizking101 said: "The fact that I can’t tell if it’s intentional or not means they either need to fix the flaw or fully commit to the bit"

They do this gag 3 times throughout the show (during For the Gaze, the stairs, & the fight), and each instance elicited laughter from the audience when I saw it -- I think it's plenty clear that it's intentional.

[OffOnBwayHi]

Posted: 11/3/24 at 10:43am

I didn’t like this as much as I wanted—theme park fare, tbh.

I look forward to the day Jennifer Simard gets a role that truly showcases the depth of her brilliance. She’s one of a kind and never disappoints in whatever she’s in. I went for her and wasn’t disappointed on that front.

[Jumpin_J]

Posted: 11/3/24 at 10:52am

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/3/24 at 11:00am

Jumpin_J said: "One very annoying TikTok “influencer” at the stage door kept raving about how this is the show that’s going to be Best Musical and also workshopping catchy lines (“NOW…a BeSt MuSiCaL?!)for his eventual review.

Oh thank goodness for that. An influencer (who very likely could've been paid) is declaring Best Musical for '25... 7 months before the nominations come out. Must be clairvoyant. I wonder if they have stock tips too. "

Yeah… This is why, despite people asking, I don’t do any theatre blogging/reviewing beyond here and word of mouth. God forbid I ever become an insufferable theatregoer for clout.

[Observation]

Posted: 11/3/24 at 4:37pm

hayden6 said: "quizking101 said: "The fact that I can’t tell if it’s intentional or not means they either need to fix the flaw or fully commit to the bit"

They do this gag 3 times throughout the show (during For the Gaze, the stairs, & the fight), and each instance elicited laughter from the audience when I saw it -- I think it's plenty clear that it's intentional."

This is how I interpret it as well... each time they use the gag it gets more and more absurd until that third time it's CLEARLY not the same actresses and they are not by any means trying to sell it otherwise. It works for me. 

They updated the bit where Helen interrupts the wedding, and I really wished they'd do something different for the visual gag of Helen getting shot. Other than that, I love that all of the bits seem intentional and everyone goes all in. 

[Jvj24605]

Posted: 11/4/24 at 10:24am

Very much anticipating seeing this show before years' end, but have heard mixed things about the score?  Does it all work in context?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 11/4/24 at 10:56am

I had a really fun time seeing this the other night.

The good: Megan Hilty is absolutely hysterical and a joy to see back on Broadway. She gets the best material, by far, and seems to be having a blast. Jennifer Simard is reliably funny and at her deadpan best. Act one, in particular, works like gangbusters: the score is better and the laughs come fast and furious. Seriously, I was laughing nearly the entire time; to the point I missed several in-between jokes I’ll need to return to catch. The energy is a hybrid of Death Becomes Her and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, both campy and utterly absurd. Also, Michelle Williams’s voice is A++ and I thought the few moments she’s allowed to be comical, she nailed.

The less good: Jennifer Simard may be on stage nearly the same amount as Megan Hilty, but she also gets weaker material. That brings me to the score, which is never bad, but is frequently forgettable and often feels shoehorned into otherwise short scenes (do we really need the feature ensemble assistant character to have a 1-minute song that isn’t even very funny?). The most memorable song is Viola’s opener “If You Want Perfection”. Seriously, this could have been a straight-up farce a la Clue and it would have worked much better.

It’s a fun evening at the theater, but it’s also a divided one: the book scenes and performances are wonderful, but the musical numbers often slow it down rather than heighten it. This sounds like a more negative statement than it is, and if the score was worse, it would have been. As it is, the score is serviceable and unoffensive.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 11/4/24 at 11:28am

ColorTheHours048 said: "I had a really fun time seeing this the other night.

The good: Megan Hilty is absolutely hysterical and a joy to see back on Broadway. She gets the best material, by far, and seems to be having a blast. Jennifer Simard is reliably funny and at her deadpan best. Act one, in particular, works like gangbusters: the score is better and the laughs come fast and furious. Seriously,I was laughing nearly the entire time; to the point I missed several in-between jokes I’ll need to return to catch. The energy is a hybrid of Death Becomes Her and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, both campy and utterly absurd. Also, Michelle Williams’s voice is A++ and I thought the few moments she’s allowed to be comical, she nailed.

The less good: Jennifer Simard may be on stage nearly the same amount as Megan Hilty,but she also gets weaker material. That brings me to the score, which is never bad, but is frequently forgettable and often feels shoehorned into otherwise short scenes (do we really need the feature ensemble assistant character to have a 1-minute song that isn’t even very funny?). The most memorable song is Viola’s opener “If You Want Perfection”. Seriously, this could have been a straight-up farce a la Clueand it would have worked much better.

It’s a fun evening at the theater, but it’s also a divided one: the book scenes and performances are wonderful, but the musical numbers often slow it down rather than heighten it. This sounds like a more negative statement than it is, and if the score was worse, it would have been. As it is, the score is serviceable and unoffensive."

Your last section reminded me of Tootsie.  I loved the book scenes and actually came to dread the musical numbers.  Walking out of the theater, I thought it was okay; a week later, as I described it to people, and realizing that it was a musical, I found myself criticizing it more and more.  Ultimately, I concluded there was no reason for it to exist.

[GoodFight035]

Posted: 11/4/24 at 2:48pm

ColorTheHours048 said: "I had a really fun time seeing this the other night.

The good: Megan Hilty is absolutely hysterical and a joy to see back on Broadway. She gets the best material, by far, and seems to be having a blast. Jennifer Simard is reliably funny and at her deadpan best. Act one, in particular, works like gangbusters: the score is better and the laughs come fast and furious. Seriously,I was laughing nearly the entire time; to the point I missed several in-between jokes I’ll need to return to catch. The energy is a hybrid of Death Becomes Her and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, both campy and utterly absurd. Also, Michelle Williams’s voice is A++ and I thought the few moments she’s allowed to be comical, she nailed.

The less good: Jennifer Simard may be on stage nearly the same amount as Megan Hilty,but she also gets weaker material. That brings me to the score, which is never bad, but is frequently forgettable and often feels shoehorned into otherwise short scenes (do we really need the feature ensemble assistant character to have a 1-minute song that isn’t even very funny?). The most memorable song is Viola’s opener “If You Want Perfection”. Seriously, this could have been a straight-up farce a la Clueand it would have worked much better.

It’s a fun evening at the theater, but it’s also a divided one: the book scenes and performances are wonderful, but the musical numbers often slow it down rather than heighten it. This sounds like a more negative statement than it is, and if the score was worse, it would have been. As it is, the score is serviceable and unoffensive."


Giving the assistant a 1 minute song in the second act is better than how it was in Chicago where he didn’t appear at all in Act 2. And the audience reaction on Saturday made it seem like they appreciated that bit as he was a likable character.

 While I agree that the material for Megan is stronger overall, Jennifer’s character really has much more of an arc to work with. And Jennifer also got the loudest reactions of the entire show for the following, so I think what she’s got is pretty strong:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

1. “Come”

2. “Fingering my hole”

3. Her time in the ‘health spa’

4. Her reveal in THAT red dress

The sponsor for the Saturday afternoon show was Applebees - eatin good in the neighborhood. 

[the.hard.part]

Posted: 11/4/24 at 2:50pm

Saturday night was sponsored by AutoZone, get in the zone - AutoZone.

[CukorLover]

Posted: 11/4/24 at 6:20pm

ColorTheHours048 said: "I had a really fun time seeing this the other night.

The good: Megan Hilty is absolutely hysterical and a joy to see back on Broadway. She gets the best material, by far, and seems to be having a blast. Jennifer Simard is reliably funny and at her deadpan best. Act one, in particular, works like gangbusters: the score is better and the laughs come fast and furious. Seriously,I was laughing nearly the entire time; to the point I missed several in-between jokes I’ll need to return to catch. The energy is a hybrid of Death Becomes Her and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, both campy and utterly absurd. Also, Michelle Williams’s voice is A++ and I thought the few moments she’s allowed to be comical, she nailed.

The less good: Jennifer Simard may be on stage nearly the same amount as Megan Hilty,but she also gets weaker material. That brings me to the score, which is never bad, but is frequently forgettable and often feels shoehorned into otherwise short scenes (do we really need the feature ensemble assistant character to have a 1-minute song that isn’t even very funny?). The most memorable song is Viola’s opener “If You Want Perfection”. Seriously, this could have been a straight-up farce a la Clueand it would have worked much better.

It’s a fun evening at the theater, but it’s also a divided one: the book scenes and performances are wonderful, but the musical numbers often slow it down rather than heighten it. This sounds like a more negative statement than it is, and if the score was worse, it would have been. As it is, the score is serviceable and unoffensive."

Thank you for this succinct and specific review. I WILL WAIT.

 

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 11/4/24 at 6:26pm

Unless I missed it, I haven’t seen any comments regarding the special effects. The film had plenty. Are there any in the musical? 

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 11/5/24 at 6:38am

I absolutely loved this last night! I had no expectations going in based on the banter on the music here, and I totally agree. But the book and stunts and performances make it worth the ticket. The trio, including Sieber, was fantastic. Why is Josh Lamon considered ensemble when his character is named?

I wonder if the gag in the red dress could have been done through a projection instead of the way they do it with the costume. The rest of the stunts were really well done and the jacket covers it up so fast, I feel like there was a better way.

My only real nit and probably because I was sitting in the 7th row. 

Would probably rather see Michelle's understudy. 

 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 11/5/24 at 11:15am

GoodFight035 said: "Giving the assistant a 1 minute song in the second act is better than how it was in Chicago where he didn’t appear at all in Act 2. And the audience reaction on Saturday made it seem like they appreciated that bit as he was a likable character."

Honestly, him not appearing in act two would be better. It seems like the writers just really enjoy Josh Lamon - he’s friends with the writers, for what it’s worth - or needed to cover a costume change, which is great for him, but feels like material that better writers would cut rather than add on. I have no problem with his performance, but when the second act is already bogged down with plot, the extra bits stick out.

[onesongglory2]

Posted: 11/5/24 at 11:18am

Has anyone tried rush lately? If so, where were your seats?

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 11/5/24 at 1:20pm

GoodFight035 said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "I had a really fun time seeing this the other night.


The less good: Jennifer Simard may be on stage nearly the same amount as Megan Hilty,but she also gets weaker material. That brings me to the score, which is never bad, but is frequently forgettable and often feels shoehorned into otherwise short scenes (do we really need the feature ensemble assistant character to have a 1-minute song that isn’t even very funny?). The most memorable song is Viola’s opener “If You Want Perfection”. Seriously, this could have been a straight-up farce a la Clueand it would have worked much better.


Giving the assistant a 1 minute song in the second act is better than how it was in Chicago where he didn’t appear at all in Act 2.And the audience reaction on Saturday made it seem like they appreciated that bit as he was a likable character.

Agreed. I didn't see it in Chicago, but the character was a highlight of Act I so I don't know how it would be better not to see him in Act II. (And it's 60 seconds...) But while my overall impression wasn't much different from ColortheHours' we seemed to differ greatly parts of it (I thought the opening number was one of the worst--screechy, unintelligible, and completely unflattering to Williams' voice--certainly not the best), so different strokes.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 11/5/24 at 3:52pm

Who have the wedding sponsors been lately?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/5/24 at 4:08pm

jacobsnchz14 said: "Who have the wedding sponsors been lately?"

Scroll up as several are mentioned. 

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 11/5/24 at 5:18pm

It was Advance Auto Parts Saturday night.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 11/5/24 at 5:21pm

n2nbaby said: "It was Advance Auto Parts Saturday night."

Auto Zone. "Get in the zone."

[Shubert Alley Cat]

Posted: 11/5/24 at 6:49pm

Friday night was Pringles - once you pop, you can’t stop!