Posted: 9/9/15 at 9:25am
I sat in the rear mezz and thought it was a perfect view.
Posted: 9/9/15 at 9:28am
Posted: 9/9/15 at 10:20am
It's up TDF right now for this Thursday & Friday.
Posted: 9/9/15 at 10:22am
Thanks guys, I really appreciate that.
And thanks for the info on Matlin at the stage door. Part of me wishes she wouldn't have come out since while it's a dream of mine to meet her and hopefully get to talk with her, she's one of the few people on earth who I know I'll completely lose my cool with and not be able to speak/sign.
Posted: 9/9/15 at 10:27am
I am planning on buying orchestra tickets for Dec since I prefer being close to the stage, any better view from the right or left orch?
Updated On: 9/9/15 at 10:27 AM
Posted: 9/9/15 at 12:40pm
I understand your point WhizzerMarvinetc. And like you I was not a great fan of the original, but I believe this version is taking a harsher, colder look at the subject. When a play has two of the three major characters dead (basically by their parent's own hands) I do not expect a reprieve from the tragedy of the story.
I think the point of doing a revival (or in this case, a "revisal", for the lack of a better word) is to find new elements and ways to express the themes of the play. This production does that in spades, thanks to Arden's beautiful direction. If you try to capture the elements of say, Gallagher's performance you are doomed to fail. Since in this production the character Gallagher played has even more to deal with than previously, and the Actor does find some humor in the first act with his situation and discovery, it seems right that he is portrayed darker than before.
But your opinion is certainly valid, as always.
Posted: 9/9/15 at 3:00pm
You make good points, and I guess trying to recreate the tone of Gallagher's performance would be an exercise in futility (or mimicry).
I think a trade off this revival makes with the original is that Arden's vision plays like a Greek tragedy from the start. Every character on that stage is a goner from the opening lines we get to watch their descent to their fated doom. Because the performances in the original were a little brighter and more triumphant in the first half you could almost believe that Moritz, Melchior and Wendla might actually get their happy endings. It made the tragedies of the second act all that more painful because their hopes felt so close to being realized. I agree with you that Arden keeps the intensity level at a higher pitch from the start and never lets go, but I think it also holds the characters back a little from going a more complete journey.
Maybe I'm trying to say the overall atmosphere/mood/tone of the piece has improved, but the characters and their journeys got lost for me as a result.
Posted: 9/9/15 at 5:41pm
I would suggest sitting house left if you are deciding in orchestra seats. The house left aisle is used several times, as well as the front box seat on house right,
Posted: 9/10/15 at 12:08am
Just returned, and have to agree --- ( should preface by saying that I liked the original, but didn't love it --)
This production, however, is astounding !! It's something that will stay with me for quite some time -
Didn't read the entire thread. So I apologize if this was already mentioned -- was there for lottery---
( I had an excellent tdf seat). As mentioned , 28 seats for lottery, but for those that entered, and didn't win, a discounted ticked was offered - I believe it was $55 ( or something very close to that price)
Many took that deal-- house was pretty full, and a great crowd !!
Posted: 9/10/15 at 12:30am
Am I the only one wondering if there's nudity in this production? How are they staging the act one finale compared to the original?
Posted: 9/10/15 at 12:37am
CATSNYrevival said: "Am I the only one wondering if there's nudity in this production? How are they staging the act one finale compared to the original?
It's got the same amount of nudity as the original production had. It's similarly staged.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 1:00am
Still have this show on my brain !!! Loved the end staging --- beautiful --- and started to tear up a bit watching Krysta Rodriguez at the end --- love her, and thought she sounded amazing !!
Posted: 9/10/15 at 2:17am
The is equal nudity, thought not necessarily in the same spots...
Purple Summer was a tear jerker.. When "things" happened... Mess... I cried.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 8:40am
"How are they staging the act one finale compared to the original?
It's got the same amount of nudity as the original production had. It's similarly staged. "
If I recall, in the original production, wasn't the sex scene at the end of Act I staged on a square platform that was suspended in air? That motion of the platform was more hypnotic for me than anything the leads may have been singing frankly (plus seeing Jonathon Groff's butt, of course).
I was a huge fan of this new staging when I saw it in LA, but the sex scene that ends Act I remains sadly earthbound. I would say MUCH less is made of the characters' partial nudity this time around.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 9:25am
You still see Melchior's butt in the act 1 finale, I'm not sure if Wendla's breast is exposed (my view was obstructed).
You also see Andy Mientus's butt a bit during "My Junk" and he moons the audience during "Totally F*cked." He is rather...gifted there.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 11:55am
^ I don't know if it's still the same, but I believe both of Wendla's breasts were exposed in the LA production.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 8:12pm
*Spoiler, kinda*
I saw the production in L.A. (loved it), and was wondering if Krysta still takes her wig off when leaving Mortiz alone onstage. I enjoyed that, but people I was with thought it wasn't necessary. Would love to hear other's take on this moment.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 8:22pm
@LesWickedly that specific moment when Krysta does that gave me goosebumps and I instantly started to cry lol I thought of the character but more Krysta as a person. I couldn't help it.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 8:47pm
Unless it was different at the first and second preview, it was played different at the dress rehearsal.
At the dress, she wore a wig during act one, but when she entered for that scene in act two, the wig was already gone...
Posted: 9/10/15 at 8:56pm
I was at the first preview.
She did not have her wig on when she came out for Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind, and it did not appear for the rest of the show after that.
The sex scene actually happens on several stacked hay bales. I was worried for the actors during this because the hay did not look very steady from my POV (I was right orchestra). There is also no repeat of the sex scene at the beginning of Act 2, as there is in the original.
I was blown away by this show. Michael Arden did something amazing here, and I hope he is rewarded for it come awards season.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 9:06pm
^^ I agree. Saw it last night and was too focused on the fact that the actors were on such a small stack of hay that I couldn't focus on that scene. That was the only thing that I didn't enjoy about the production. Excellent.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 9:44pm
Saw the original at The Atlantic and then when it toured. I had no desire to see this production until I realized Krysta is in this. I really like her and now I may have to go.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 9:52pm
Does anyone know what time the opening night performance is? I have FUN HOME tickets for 3pm, and if the show is later than 5pm, I'll try to get tickets.
Posted: 9/10/15 at 11:28pm
I saw the show last night in the front row, and WOW. I was absolutely blown away, it was a truly beautiful production and highlighted so many things I hadn't caught from just listening to the cast recording and reading the script. The two biggest things it highlighted for me was how important it is to communicate and talk with your children, and that silencing them (both physically, emotionally, and educationally) will only lead to more damage. I also felt that the relationships shown in both Wendla and Moritz between their outer self, and their inner thoughts/voice was so powerful, especially some of the exchanges where they interacted, or in the case of Moritz, when he was left without that inner voice in his final moments on stage. The ASL is such a brilliant addition to the show, and I can't imagine seeing the show without it now. The projections are also very clever, to help truly make the show accessible for all.
To answer the earlier question, I believe the opening night is at 7:30? All they have on the website is the matinee at 3 right now.
Also, does anybody know this production choose to use the loud noise at the start of act one? It seemed like an interesting choice.
Updated On: 9/11/15 at 11:28 PM
Posted: 9/11/15 at 12:08am
I believe the loud noise is used to signal to the non-hearing actors that the show is about to start. Since everyone is onstage at the start of the show, there needs to be some sort of signal the actors can feel to tell them to get to their places for the top of the show. The sound is a loud bass noise so the actors can probably feel the vibration.
Updated On: 9/11/15 at 12:08 AM
