#26
Posted: 5/3/08 at 11:50pm
They also have the blue lights from Spring Awakening suspended from the ceiling which they keep refer to as electric stars (over and over and over).
Emcee on Glory Days — Page 2
#27
Posted: 5/3/08 at 11:51pm
Um, I'm pretty sure they mean "electric" as a metaphor. Not that their stars are literally, because they are lights in a theater, electric. This show is so not that meta.
A work of art is an invitation to love.
#28
Posted: 5/3/08 at 11:55pm
I'm supposed to see it next Sunday, but will wait on Tuesday's reviews to see if I want to change my mind. Not sure yet what I would replace it with...
"I'm a whirling mass of contradictions." - Douglas Carter Beane, The Little Dog Laughed
Equus (11/8), Billy Elliot (11/8)
Equus (11/8), Billy Elliot (11/8)
#29
Posted: 5/4/08 at 12:47am
Emcee, great review! I couldn't agree more with what you had to say!!
#30
Posted: 5/4/08 at 2:09am
Thanks wizard. That's so crazy to me that that is considered a Broadway theatre, when compared to like the Eugene O'Neil or something. It just seems so...spare? And listening to some of the new songs on the Myspace, I really like them (call me a sucker for some good pop tunes, but I'd totally see this).
#31
Posted: 5/4/08 at 3:37am
I saw the show on Thursday night, and while I agree with Emcee about the fact that this show does not belong on Broadway, I'm a little more optimistic about the piece itself. I hadn't read any of the threads with spoilers before seeing the show, so I was honestly surprised by the touching song in which Will comes out. The actors are working hard with what they have up there, and I would say I found three-quarters of what is going on in the show to be engaging. The score I found to fit quite well with the storytelling, and I left the theatre singing the tunes to myself. It's a small, little, enjoyable show -- at least it was for me -- and I think it was completely negligent on these producers' parts to just throw these kids (the librettist and composer) on Broadway to fend for themselves, in a sense throwing them to the wolves at such an underdeveloped point in their careers. I truly hope the critics are constructive, as these guys have a future. This was just a very not smart move to toss them onto Broadway when they really should have started somewhere like New World Stages and stayed there, with the hope of developing an ALTAR BOYZ-like fan base.
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
#32
Posted: 5/4/08 at 3:40am
RentBoy, the Circle in the Square is actually a really unique space, and works really well if a show is constructed properly. I think it works best for plays, as opposed to musicals, but SPELLING BEE really was a perfect fit in its inclusion of the audience and and the essential turning of the theatre into a school gymnasium.
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
#33
Posted: 5/4/08 at 12:38pm
This was just a very not smart move to toss them onto Broadway when they really should have started somewhere like New World Stages and stayed there, with the hope of developing an ALTAR BOYZ-like fan base.
Yes, exactly. It seems careless in the sense of, "oh, well, maybe we could make some money," with little regard for what's right for the show.
A work of art is an invitation to love.
Yes, exactly. It seems careless in the sense of, "oh, well, maybe we could make some money," with little regard for what's right for the show.
#34
Posted: 5/4/08 at 7:00pm
Saw it today and, sadly, none of it was Glory-ous and most of it left me in a Daze. There was very little plot nor any real conflict to hang on to.
SPOILER ALERT
Among many story telling holes, if the point of the reunion is to play the prank on the alumni team and drench them with sprinklers, WHY DIDN'T HE TRY THE KEY sooner than when they were all there, as gaining access to the sprinklers was "key" (pardon the pun) to the whole prank. The characters were a bit stereotypical and some of the 'generation specific' humor didn't work--Goonies? Moonwalking? Did I miss the part where someone mentioned it was set in the 80's? As for the music, the band was quite good, but the generic RENT wanna-be tunes didn't really hit and I for one couldn't hum a single note. What was really distracting, besides the aforementioned running up and down the bleachers, was the constant high-fiving, touching, grabbing, slapping 'buddy' nonsense that was so forced. I know of no group of friends who continually touch and grab like that. If you want the audience to get it that they were/are close friends, then write to that better. I wasn't really sure until they had to constantly remind us/themselves how tight they were/are. And with facebook, myspace, AIM, texting, how could they NOT know about certain plot points about their buddies. Very weak story telling which lead me to not really care about any of them. And a coming out? Ugggh there has to be fresher ideas out there.
A noble effort that just doesn't work.
SPOILER ALERT
Among many story telling holes, if the point of the reunion is to play the prank on the alumni team and drench them with sprinklers, WHY DIDN'T HE TRY THE KEY sooner than when they were all there, as gaining access to the sprinklers was "key" (pardon the pun) to the whole prank. The characters were a bit stereotypical and some of the 'generation specific' humor didn't work--Goonies? Moonwalking? Did I miss the part where someone mentioned it was set in the 80's? As for the music, the band was quite good, but the generic RENT wanna-be tunes didn't really hit and I for one couldn't hum a single note. What was really distracting, besides the aforementioned running up and down the bleachers, was the constant high-fiving, touching, grabbing, slapping 'buddy' nonsense that was so forced. I know of no group of friends who continually touch and grab like that. If you want the audience to get it that they were/are close friends, then write to that better. I wasn't really sure until they had to constantly remind us/themselves how tight they were/are. And with facebook, myspace, AIM, texting, how could they NOT know about certain plot points about their buddies. Very weak story telling which lead me to not really care about any of them. And a coming out? Ugggh there has to be fresher ideas out there.
A noble effort that just doesn't work.
Updated On: 5/4/08 at 07:00 PM
#35
Posted: 5/4/08 at 7:03pm
I'm glad that I decided to stay home this weekend instead and see IRON MAN!
btw- I love the movie!
J*
btw- I love the movie!
J*
#36
Posted: 5/4/08 at 7:13pm
They use "The Goonies" as topical humor? That movie came out in 1985, these "19 year olds" weren't even born!!!!
#37
Posted: 5/4/08 at 11:27pm
Love the theatre (Spelling Bee was great) didn't really care for the show. I purchased my ticket Tuesday night at TKTS and think I was the only one who paid to see the show. Someone came up to me and asked if I had an extra ticket. I told him he still had time to go to TKTS to get one. "I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR A TICKET" was his reply, they're giving them out to "theatre people" for tonights performance. Even with the free tickets the audience was about 3/4 full.
I found the plot (what little of it there was) pointless and really didn't give a damn about any of the characters. Will, I thought, was the weakest of the four and was puzzled why he had the lead. When he kept waffling about how many girls he had slept with first semester I figured he was going to come out later in the show. It was very predictable when he did get kissed, and the scene was so awkward. Everyone sang well and some of the songs were even catchy but this show needs a lot of work. At best, it belongs off broadway.
I found the plot (what little of it there was) pointless and really didn't give a damn about any of the characters. Will, I thought, was the weakest of the four and was puzzled why he had the lead. When he kept waffling about how many girls he had slept with first semester I figured he was going to come out later in the show. It was very predictable when he did get kissed, and the scene was so awkward. Everyone sang well and some of the songs were even catchy but this show needs a lot of work. At best, it belongs off broadway.
#38
Posted: 5/5/08 at 2:51pm
For what it's worth, I took my middle school-aged old son to GD and am very pleased with how nicely the coming out issues are dealt with. This may be a tired issue for adults, but there is always a new generation that needs to learn empathy. We enjoyed the show and had a wonderful evening. Nice job guys!
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