Esparza out of Company this weekend -- thoughts on his standby?- Page 3

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 11:19am

Is Raul out for just the weekend? I was planning on seeing the show next week, and would like to see him in it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 11:27am

I believe it's just for the weekend; the post on ATC says that according to the box office, he wouldn't be in any of the weekend performances, so he should be back on Tuesday. Obviously, it depends why he's out. If he's sick, he could very well still be sick on Tuesday, but between the two big message boards, you should be able to find out when he returns.

ATC thread: http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat/d.php?id=357698

Updated On: 1/28/07 at 11:27 AM

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 7:47pm

So I just got back from the show tonight. I went specifically to see Bradley Dean since I had read here that Raul was out. (Managed to get the same exact seat I did last time too, front row center! Really intense to see "Being Alive" being sung directly above you no more than 2 feet away!) I was very pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed Dean's portrayal & I think he has a wonderful voice. Dean's Bobby was a much warmer character than Raul. He seemed to interact with & react more to everyone else while Raul was more of an observer. I liked the way he did the butterfly scene btw. It seemed more humorous than with Raul. (My favorite version of that scene though is how Hugh Panaro did it in Seattle. He played that scene as extremely seductive & sexual.) On the whole I preferred Dean's performance to Raul's. (This is not to slight Raul in any way. Both of them are valid interpretations of the role and I will still certainly buy the CD with Raul and I love him in other things. Dean just seemed more personable, you can understand why everyone wants Bobby as their friend.)
I am very glad that I decided to go. This makes 6 times I've seen a production of Company, with this being my third Bobby.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 7:57pm

Re: the butterfly scene -- how so? What was different or made it funnier? I adore Raúl's reading of that scene (fairly seductive, yet removed) and his blunt sarcasm, so I'm really interested in the differences. (Sorry for like, playing 20 Questions with everybody!)

I was so tempted to go today. Next time, though. I think it'll do me well to see a different take on Bobby.

I totally agree with you about Being Alive from the tip of the diamond, btw. Seeing it from there goes down as one of my absolute most intense theater experiences. The power just makes me want to fold into my chair and hide, in the most paradoxically wonderful way.

Updated On: 1/28/07 at 07:57 PM

[Runner1B]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 8:05pm

I thought Fred Rose was the standby for Bobby.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 8:07pm

Re: the butterfly scene -- how so? What was different or made it funnier? I adore Raúl's reading of that scene (fairly seductive, yet removed) and his blunt sarcasm, so I'm really interested in the differences.

I think it was his phrasing. When he got to the punchline, he gave this pause like, "I finally started back to that motel... and I couldn't find it!" while when I saw it with Raul he just kinda read it as one quick line. (Perhaps he changed how he does that part. I only saw him once.) I like how both of them fondle that trumpet (?) when starting the story though, lol.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 8:10pm

When I've seen Raúl do it he reads it like:

And I. Could not. FIND it.

It is maybe brilliant. I laugh so much.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 8:14pm

Thanks, Cape Twirl! I actually really miss Raúl's old reading of that line, which is literally as it's written in the libretto. He went "and I. could not. find it." It's hard to explain in type, but it was hysterical -- problem being that people don't really talk that way, and that seems against Doyle's aim to make the whole thing less sitcom-ish that it could potentially be. Anyway, IMO, it was much funnier than the way he speeds through it now. And yes, love the tuba stroking.

Runner -- Fred was, but Dean was cast to exclusively cover Bobby. Putting Fred in would create a ripple effect since he has a regular part in the show, which having a separate standy-by for the role wouldn't do.

Updated On: 1/28/07 at 08:14 PM

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 8:32pm

Oh forgot to mention, David Garry was on for Larry tonight as well.

(I think that was his name. Between Larry, Harry & Garry I got a bit confused. heh.)

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 10:58pm

*scratches head* When did Bradley Dean join the company? And does he play the piano? A month in Europe can cause you to get terribly behind in the news.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 11:14pm

A month or so ago, I think. Maybe more. And yes... or, at least as much as Raúl does. I'm not sure about his level of proficiency, though.

Lucky you, away in Europe!

Updated On: 1/28/07 at 11:14 PM

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 11:14pm

*scratches head* When did Bradley Dean join the company? And does he play the piano? A month in Europe can cause you to get terribly behind in the news.

There was an insert in the Playbill w/ his headshot & info so he must have joined pretty recently as there is no mention of him in the Playbill itself. Yeah he played the piano as well. He looked like he was really getting into it too, lots of moving around with the music while he was singing/playing.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 1/28/07 at 11:45pm

Wow, I adore Bradley Dean. I saw him a couple of summers ago in Atlanta on the Evita tour. He was very, very good. And I couldn't help comparing the two. Very exciting news, this is. Not that I would ever want Raul to be sick or out, but I would sure love to see Bradley Dean play Bobby. Good for him.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 7:19pm

For any interested parties (again, according to a post on ATC), Raúl is indeed back tonight.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 1/30/07 at 7:23pm

I have no clue how Raul is in Company (i know he is an excellent performer) so i have little to compare Bradley to but I thought he was more than a capable understduy/stand-by. I was impressed.