Diana Previews Thread- Page 4

[ArtMan]

Posted: 11/1/21 at 8:42pm

As someone who has been paying attention very closely to the number of tickets sold for the first preview, since yesterday,  they have either sold alot (which I doubt) or heavily papered.  Very heavily. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 12:27am

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 11:28am

Anyone plan on attending tonight?

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 3:09pm

Tonight’s first preview is up on TKTS; prices range from $73 to $88.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 4:37pm

Jordan Levinson said: "Tonight’s first preview is up on TKTS; prices range from $73 to $88."

Looking at sales, there's plenty of seats available for tonight's restart.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 7:14pm

ACL2006 said: "Jordan Levinson said: "Tonight’s first preview is up on TKTS; prices range from $73 to $88."

Looking at sales, there's plenty of seats available for tonight's restart."

They gave a lot of freebies-papered the house for tonight's performance- we had no desire to see it after watching it on Netflix!

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 11:17pm

Was anyone at the show tonight?

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 11:19pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Was anyone at the show tonight?"

I spoke with Ted a few weeks ago, and he said the conclusion has been changed. Gone is "The people who will change the world / Are not the ones you think will change the world".

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 11:20pm

I must have missed the papering offer despite checking the papering services that I subscribe to all day! Anything on Broadway goes fast.

I bought a ticket through TDF for tomorrow. After seeing it on Netflix I couldn't wait to see it live.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/2/21 at 11:27pm

Definitely want to hear how they changed the ending if the above statement is accurate. It’s unfortunate that they already filmed it and recorded an album and are now changing the ending but it needed to change.

[52889j]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 12:03am

Saw the show tonight. Had no experience with the show before tonight and hopefully don’t have any in the future.

Jeanna de Waal gave a curtain call speech in which she listed things that had changed in the 600 days that the show was dark. Most interestingly among them, she said “some of us are gay now” as though it referred to something specific and it got a laugh from the audience. Anyone know what that could’ve meant?

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 12:44am

Pre-show speech was delivered by Christopher Ashley, and as 52889j noted above, post-show speech by Jeanna de Waal (in true Diana fashion; flowers in hand courtesy of ensemblist Tomás Matos).

Yes, there were fans waiting by the stage door, as shown above: Holly Ann Butler, Matos, Gareth Keegan (yes, he's back as James Hewitt!), Anthony Murphy (who made his Broadway debut tonight as Paul Burrell, replacing Bruce Dow), Laura Stracko, André Jordan, Erin Davie, Kristen Faith Oei, Libby Lloyd, Shaye Hopkins, Judy Kaye, and de Waal all came out. de Waal even shook hands with some people - her fearlessness here amidst an ongoing pandemic reminded me of the real Princess Di shaking hands with patients in AIDS wards. 

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 1:02am

52889j said: "Saw the show tonight. Had no experience with the show before tonight and hopefully don’t have any in the future.

Jeanna de Waal gave a curtain call speech in which she listed things that had changed in the 600 days that the show was dark. Most interestingly among them, she said “some of us are gay now” as though it referred to something specific and it got a laugh from the audience. Anyone know what that could’ve meant?"

Thought she was referring to herself. 

[Dolly80]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 3:35am

I’m very intrigued as to what the audiences reaction is to this show in the theatre? Are people laughing at how awful it is? There must be lots of sn*ing at the lyrics and general dreadfulness of it all

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 3:53am

CATSNYrevival said: "Definitely want to hear how they changed the ending if the above statement is accurate. It’s unfortunate that they already filmed it and recorded an album and are now changing the ending but it needed to change."

This. I am dying to know what they fixed. In a way the Netflix recording is a curse and an odd blessing. Rather than finding out what works and doesn't work through preview audiences... they found out through one of the most laughed Netflix premieres of the year. But they got to re-enter rehearsals with a VERY clear view of what people think of the show from it. So dying to know if they took the harsh reviews to heart and fixed some things or if they ended up planting their feet in the dirt and not budging on what is already frozen in time in the recorded version.

[soulmistin]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 4:11am

Jordan Levinson said: "

 

Pre-show speech was delivered by Christopher Ashley, and as 52889j noted above, post-show speech by Jeanna de Waal (in true Diana fashion; flowers in hand courtesy of ensemblist Tomás Matos).

Yes, there were fans waiting by the stage door, as shown above: Holly Ann Butler, Matos, Gareth Keegan (yes, he's back as James Hewitt!), Anthony Murphy (who made his Broadway debut tonight as Paul Burrell, replacing Bruce Dow), Laura Stracko, André Jordan, Erin Davie, Kristen Faith Oei, Libby Lloyd, Shaye Hopkins, Judy Kaye, and de Waal all came out. de Waal even shook hands with some people - her fearlessness here amidst an ongoing pandemic reminded me of the real Princess Di shaking hands with patients in AIDS wards."

I’m sorry, I really hate to be aggressive on these boards, but I think this is one of of the most asinine things I’ve read here tonight. There could literally not be anything less similar between those two situations.

[soulmistin]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 4:14am

Here’s the closest thing to an unbiased summary of this show that you are going to get: the show is very watchable, mostly bad, but entirely unmemorable. It is a failed attempt at a cult hit for Gen Z.

Everyone involved in the production is aware of this and are cutting their losses as we speak.

Updated On: 11/3/21 at 04:14 AM

[Jakeevan942]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 8:35am

It's always interesting to be at a first preview where the biggest applause goes not to the content of the show, but to a series of costumes, a shirtless man with a series of innuendos, and a song which uses a certain 4-letter word quite a few times. Other than a bit of applause when Jeanne, Erin, and Judy first came on stage, the crowd was largely muted for the duration of the first act, until the Act 1 closer, which features perhaps the best quick change ever done on a Broadway stage. Most of the people who actually bought tickets seem to have not seen it on Netflix, and just seemed bewildered at what they were watching. And yes, they heavily papered the house last night-it seemed like every other person in the building was wearing an AMDA mask. It is worth noting that the Diana track, musically, technically, and just from the 35 costume changes in a show that is less than 2 hours of content is quite the run, and Jeanna is a fantastic talent who has been working toward a starring role like this for a decade-I just wish it were in a stronger piece. 

As a friend put it, the show doesn't know what it wants to be. They are using a new regal photo as their key art, and making it seem like a high-class show, but they really should be billing it as "From the Guys Who Wrote the Toxic Avenger Musical," to acknowledge that it's a Campy Romp piece.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 8:54am

I sure hope Jenna soaked her hands in alcohol when she got home. Shouldn't the lead of a show know better? Maybe she just got caught up in the moment, but I'm glad at least the other actors acknowledged the audience, and kept walking. 

[Hamilfan2]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 11:32am

I was at the first preview last night, having not seen the Netflix recording but having heard all the negative word of mouth and seen the memes. I had incredibly low expectation and maybe for that reason alone… I sort of enjoyed this show? Don’t get me wrong, it’s not really a good show. But it is a fun one, and it’s certainly watchable if not enjoyable. I suspect is enhanced seeing it live with an audience as opposed to on Netflix where it was filmed without one.

The costumes were gorgeous, William Ivey Long clearly had a field day recreating all of these iconic looks. I also thought the set was very effective. The performances were strong across the board and Jeanna really is a star. The “shame on me for marrying a Scorpio” got acknowledgement applause and Jeanna gave a knowing look out to the audience. They all know what this show is and what the perception of it is, and if anything seem to be leaning into it.

Once again, it’s not a good show. The lyrics are cringey and the music is bland and forgettable. But to the show’s credit, the music works much better in context than it does out of context. I’m baffled by the decision to release “This Is How Your People Dance” as their preview clip for the Netflix special, because I don’t think that song did the show any favors. I’m curious to go back and watch (or more likely skim) the Netflix version now to see what’s changed. I know people mentioned the ending was changed and I actually thought the ending was done very well and tastefully.

All this to say, I don’t think this show is the disaster or train wreck a lot of people are making it out to be (or want it to be). Is it a masterpiece? Absolutely not. Am I itching to go back or listen to the cast recording? Not particularly. But am I glad I saw it? Honestly yea I am.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 11:41am

To those who were there, how has the ending been adjusted? Based on what was capture on the album and on Netflix?

[dave1606]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 3:11pm

I saw this show tonight. not too much to add on actual show itself, besides echoing how bad those lyrics are. Costuming was amazing and I loved Jeanna. 

In the balcony the couple next us were doing something I've never seen at a theater before. English was not their first language and I believe they had Netflix filmed version on and were following along with the live production and using subtitles to translate the action onstage. They were called out several times by the ushers and talked throughout the entire show. 

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 3:56pm

Looks like Bruce Dow has left the show in the COVID interum; any word on who is now singing the praises of the "FU Dress?"

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 3:58pm

ChairinMain said: "Looks like Bruce Dow has left the show in the COVID interum; any word on who is now singing the praises of the "FU Dress?""

I mentioned this with the video above. Anthony Murphy is now playing Paul Burrell in his Broadway debut. He previously played the Genie in the first national tour of Aladdin.

Updated On: 11/3/21 at 03:58 PM

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 11/3/21 at 7:46pm

This whole show is like the episode of AbFab when Saffy writes a play about her life at home and then produces it at a small theatre.

The actors just need to camp it up.  'GO FOR IT KIDS'

Perhaps they can encourage shoutbacks and prop bags, ala Rocky Horror.