Posted: 4/5/15 at 4:31pm
They spent big bucks on this production and it shows in much of the stagecraft and the size of the cast. However the musical score is a grab bag of insipid cliches with lyrics in tow. If your taste runs to the musically uninventive and "haven't I heard that before" then this will work for you.
Posted: 4/5/15 at 8:12pm
I've been refraining from opening this thread before I saw the show, and now I don't feel like going back and reading all of it, so pardon me if I'm saying things that many others have already said. I saw the show this weekend, and really enjoyed it overall. Yes, it was VERY far from perfect. The first half of act 1 was kind of weird and boring to me (which some exceptions), but as soon as LMK started singing her first solo number, I liked the show from that point on (though there were still lots of iffy parts). The book is kinda spotty, but it seemed like they really tried to make it their own, without doing too much copying and pasting dialogue from the movie. The score worked well, and had some incredible moments. The penultimate scene had to be my favorite. I won't spoil anything, but for me it was a real coup de teatre, and had me in tears.
Apparently they've been changing a lot. I was speaking with one of the cast members after the show, and apparently the opening number has been completely re-done, and Friday night was their first night doing it. She also told me about lot of other changes that have been made.
I thought Morrison's performance was easily the worst part about the show. His vocals were fine, but nothing else was, in my book. Definitely would have preferred Jeremy Jordan.
In my opinion, the show is far from perfect, but there is a lot of magic and beauty happening on that stage, and I'm very glad I saw it. If I ever here about an understudy going on for Morrison, I might give this show another visit.
Posted: 4/5/15 at 8:15pm
To echo something JBroadway said: I saw the show Wednesday the 1st. That night there was a talkback for Audience Rewards members with many cast members. They said they had a 9 a.m. call for the next morning (and it was nearly 11 when the talkback finished) to rehearse a new opening with the hopes of putting it in Thursday (though it seems from JBroadway's post that they did not get to put it in until Friday).
Posted: 4/5/15 at 10:50pm
Despite the negative critiques on these boards about Neverland, my friends and I saw the show this afternoon and we all loved it.
And I have to reiterate what a number of other people have said about their experience. The audience went wild over this.
A very good show, and so glad I saw it!
Posted: 4/9/15 at 8:55pm
Wait, so apparently the concept album includes songs not in the show? I think I'm missing something.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Bon-Jovi-Featured-on-FINDING-NEVERLAND-Concept-Album-20150409
Posted: 4/9/15 at 9:07pm
Nothing screams Edwardian England quite like Jon Bon Jovi.
Posted: 4/9/15 at 9:10pm
"Wait, so apparently the concept album includes songs not in the show? I think I'm missing something.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Bon-Jovi-Featured-on-FINDING-NEVERLAND-Concept-Album-20150409"
...yes. I saw the list of songs and the artists singing them, and I say "No thanks!'
Posted: 4/9/15 at 10:34pm
Oy vey. Please tell me they're also releasing a cast album? I loved that score and I'd love to hear a full recording of it with the actual cast.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 12:26am
Back in February, Billboard released this article about the concept album that mentions there'll still be a cast album:
http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6487315/john-legend-rita-ora-nick-jonas-lead-finding-neverland-compilation
Trust me, I'm as eager as you for the real thing.
Posted: 4/10/15 at 6:38am
Seating question: would Mid Mezzanine Row A provide a good view of the stage? From there, will I be able to see everything and not feel too far back?
Posted: 4/10/15 at 4:40pm
"Seating question: would Mid Mezzanine Row A provide a good view of the stage? From there, will I be able to see everything and not feel too far back?"
I've sat in the orchestra, but two friends of mine sat in row A center mezz and said they had a great view.
Posted: 4/11/15 at 1:06am
It was better than Wonderland. I liked Frasier and the dog.
Posted: 4/11/15 at 8:03am
""Seating question: would Mid Mezzanine Row A provide a good view of the stage? From there, will I be able to see everything and not feel too far back?"
I've sat in the orchestra, but two friends of mine sat in row A center mezz and said they had a great view. "
Thank you for the response, but were they in front mezzanine or mid mezzanine row A?
Posted: 4/11/15 at 9:03am
After all this gleeful bashing of every new musical to open this season, it looks like The Last Ship was the best of the bunch so far.
Posted: 4/11/15 at 10:10am
Another bloggers review
http://dougmarino.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/finding-neverland.html
This is such a polarizing show lol.
Posted: 4/11/15 at 1:53pm
Question, how do the boys rotate in the show? I believe there are 7 boys rotating through 4 roles and, according to Playbill Vault, some only have one track while others have to or three, yet none of them are listed as swings or understudies. Is this like Matilda where the child ensemble rotates frequently or are there 4 primary actors and 3 understudies/swings? Any ideas?
Posted: 4/11/15 at 1:57pm
Question, how do the boys rotate in the show?
I'm dying to know this too. When the full cast was first announced, it was put like this (sorry, I forget the source, but I pasted and saved it because it was so confusing):
Michael Llewelyn Davies will be portrayed by Alex Dreier, Hayden Signoretti, and Noah Hinsdale.
Jack Llewelyn Davies will be played by Alex Dreier, Hayden Signoretti, and Chris Richards.
Updated On: 4/11/15 at 01:57 PM
Posted: 4/11/15 at 8:16pm
"Another bloggers review
http://dougmarino.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/finding-neverland.html
This is such a polarizing show lol. "
Yeah, as much as I enjoyed it in Boston, I knew there was the possibility that it would divide people here in New York.
Posted: 4/11/15 at 9:07pm
I was actually referring to the negative posts here, that particular blogger liked the show
Also.. A UK tourist rating site
Updated On: 4/11/15 at 09:07 PM
Posted: 4/11/15 at 10:28pm
Oh I know.
Also, if anyone's interested, I saw a reply to someone's comment on the FB page saying to "stay tuned" for news of the cast album.
Posted: 4/11/15 at 10:43pm
"After all this gleeful bashing of every new musical to open this season, it looks like The Last Ship was the best of the bunch so far."
Didn't see The Last Ship, but FUN HOME and SOMETHING ROTTEN are getting as unanimous a bunch of raves on these boards as is possible to get from the looney tunes that congregate here. I personally adored FUN HOME and AN AMERICAN IN PARIS most, in different measure and for different reasons.
Posted: 4/11/15 at 11:53pm
The boys haven't been rotating at all during previews. Sawyer Nunes has been playing George, Christopher Paul Richards has been playing Jack, Aidan Gemme has been playing Peter, and Alex Dreier has been playing Michael.
Posted: 4/12/15 at 12:53am
The boys haven't been rotating at all during previews. Sawyer Nunes has been playing George, Christopher Paul Richards has been playing Jack, Aidan Gemme has been playing Peter, and Alex Dreier has been playing Michael
Huh! This is so interesting. That's the ART setup except for the new boy, Christopher Paul Richards. I wonder what's happening with Hayden Signoretti and the role of Jack.
Updated On: 4/12/15 at 12:53 AM
Posted: 4/12/15 at 10:07am
So Hayden's been demoted to an understudy....I was afraid of this.
Posted: 4/12/15 at 10:21am
"Oh I know.
Also, if anyone's interested, I saw a reply to someone's comment on the FB page saying to "stay tuned" for news of the cast album."
An actor doing the show right now confirmed to me there'll be a cast album, 100%. I can just wait. Can't take these songs out of my head.
