Posted: 8/22/17 at 2:23am
But, like has been stated, this is their biggest property in YEARS. It's going to be on Broadway for at least 5 years regardless. Just from the hype and then Frozen 2 coming out, etc. It won't fail.
Posted: 8/22/17 at 10:10am
Delete
Updated On: 2/14/18 at 10:10 AM
Posted: 8/22/17 at 11:18am
coolboi952 said: "How is seating at this theater from pictures it looks pretty big. Have a chance to fly to Denver to see the show at the end of sept and am curious how the balcony is. Will i seem like miles away from the stage? Most of the orchestra is sold out except some Partial Views. Just trying to get an idea of the space and where i should sit.
You're right, the Buell is cavernous! But the balcony doesn't seem to sit as far back as a lot of other larger theaters. But I personally don't like the balcony because if you are not in the first couple rows of the balcony every time someone moves their head or leans forward it is right in the middle of the stage. I know there aren't many choices left, but I would personally look for a seat in the rear orchestra (rows Y-XX), which are some of the cheaper seats, are on a pretty nice incline, and isn't blocked by the overhang of the mezzanine. If the balcony is the only option, I definitely try to get as close as you can to the front of it.
Posted: 8/22/17 at 12:36pm
Well, I guess I'm in the minority in that I like what I have seen and heard quite a bit. I love that they aren't going for a huge over the top spectacle.
Posted: 8/22/17 at 1:55pm
The rear box seats at the Buell aren't bad. I sat there twice for URINETOWN and had a great view.
Posted: 8/22/17 at 2:02pm
Those definitely look like screencaps from a bootleg.
Posted: 8/22/17 at 2:12pm
^Yup. How the hell is there already a bootleg??? It's been barely a week
Posted: 8/22/17 at 2:22pm
EvanK said: "All I wanted was to see the castle created on stage. That was the moment, the big moment. It was Disneys defying gravity. If they can't find a way to do it they've failed.
"ABSOLUTELY THIS!!! Why would anyone want t is Frozen dumbed down & NOT a spectacle?? And I ADORE Disney. What a missed opportunity if there are no changes made ASAP!
Posted: 8/22/17 at 2:28pm
Somebody earlier said that Wicked's "Defying Gravity" cherry picker would be a lame idea to translate or replicate for Frozen. They are sorely incorrect. Each and every time I see Wicked, Elphaba's flight is thrilling and exhilarating. It will be a true shame if they can't replicate that level of euphoria for Elsa's transformation. Spectacle and marvel should be the words used to describe "Let It Go;" not "dumbed-down" and "minimal."
Posted: 8/22/17 at 3:07pm
BroadwayConcierge said: "Somebody earlier said that Wicked's "Defying Gravity" cherry picker would be a lame idea to translate or replicate for Frozen. They are sorely incorrect. Each and every time I see Wicked, Elphaba's flight is thrilling and exhilarating. It will be a true shame if they can't replicate that level of euphoria for Elsa's transformation. Spectacle and marvel should be the words used to describe "Let It Go;" not "dumbed-down" and "minimal."
"
Precisely. Go minimal for the rest, I don't give a fig, but gosh darn give me spectacle for Let it Go. When we all saw it on screen we all imagined what it could be like on stage.
Posted: 8/22/17 at 3:37pm
Sounds like the original Company had a lot more going on in its set and stage direction than this show does. I wonder if anyone would accuse Company of having over-the-top spectacle the way some people are trying to characterize those who are calling for SOME theatricality.
Updated On: 8/22/17 at 03:37 PM
Posted: 8/22/17 at 3:43pm
When I was young everyone had tacky beaded plastic/glass curtains, why am I seeing that here on stage?
Posted: 8/22/17 at 3:45pm
disneybroadwayfan22 said: "^I'm mixed on the topic.
Anyway, pics of the show (illegal, but it's something):
http://west-end-wonderer.tumblr.com/post/164487430810/frozen-the-broadway-bound-musical-buell-theatre
Elsa's dress is incredible!
I am suddenly worried about the replacement for the "trolls." Can anyone report back on the relative cultural sensitivity of these characters?
Also, separate point... Is there any reason you can't do the dress change and have a big set and/or coordination with projections or hydraulics? Can't you just let the first costume drop to the ground? Genuine question. I don't understand how a costume change would get in the way of this.
Posted: 8/22/17 at 4:07pm
it sounds like a cop out but for that costume change, what they did in spamalot with the wedding dress comes to mind
Posted: 8/22/17 at 7:00pm
When I was young everyone had tacky beaded plastic/glass curtains, why am I seeing that here on stage?
Please, it's a Swarovski curtain, not plastic or glass.
Updated On: 8/22/17 at 07:00 PM
Posted: 8/22/17 at 8:29pm
VintageSnarker said: "
I am suddenly worried about the replacement for the "trolls." Can anyone report back on the relative cultural sensitivity of these characters
"
I didn't really find anything culturally insensitive about the mountain folk or whatever they were called. For one, they have tails, glowing eyes and magical powers so I don't think we're supposed to believe they're human. Their costumes basically look like they're covered in tree moss and branches so they're not mocking any sort of actual tribal outfits. They also don't have accents or anything like that. I still think they're a strange replacement for the trolls, but they're not offensive.
Posted: 8/22/17 at 9:27pm
And plus the lead troll is a white man
Posted: 8/22/17 at 9:38pm
Everything else I feel has been said, but I did see that tumblr with the pics before it was (like everything else) taken down...WHAT...that dress looks like every normal formal dress worn at super high end events that we see everywhere in Macy's and the like...did I miss something?? And I still never got a clear view of the other, but it almost looks even more strange (not that a "second look" is necessary), it's looks like a angled cut baby doll dress. Her coronation costume I can handle, at least she looks as regal and majestic as she should be in that one, but those other two...I don't even know what to say about them. Not doing "movie" in terms of costuming is one thing, but Elsa.is.a.QUEEN. and needs to treated/costumes as such. Good grief, I'm glad I wasn't that tempted to but any presale date or even post sale tickets...I'll still see it, merely because it's something I've been waiting for, but I'm fully prepared for this to be on the disappointing side.
There was another picture of what looked like the curtain call. Are we sure it was that show? That "Elsa" looked way too young to be Caissie plus the costume in that pic looked like the sequined, corseted dress with a cape we all know, which doesn't seem to be in use in this show.
Updated On: 8/22/17 at 09:38 PM
Posted: 8/22/17 at 10:33pm
basketcase said: "VintageSnarker said: "
I am suddenly worried about the replacement for the "trolls." Can anyone report back on the relative cultural sensitivity of these characters
"
I didn't really find anything culturally insensitive about the mountain folk or whatever they were called. For one, they have tails, glowing eyes and magical powers so I don't think we're supposed to believe they're human. Their costumes basically look like they're covered in tree moss and branches so they're not mocking any sort of actual tribal outfits. They also don't have accents or anything like that. I still think they're a strange replacement for the trolls, but they're not offensive.
Whew. Thanks @basketcase
Posted: 8/23/17 at 12:12am
Am I the only one that dislikes olafs costume? Not the puppet but the costume the actor wears. The hat just looks off. My friend pointed out that it looks like a cupcake with a cherry on top and honestly it does. I am glad though that sven looks realistic. Also I have a question about the show itself. The curtain is of the northern lights, and one of the posters was almost based on the northern lights, but what does it have to do with the show itself? I don't remember seeing reference to the lights in the movie unless I'm not remembering correctly
Posted: 8/23/17 at 12:13am
The Elsa dress looks a little better, but still this whole production just feels tacky. Even Sven, I liked before, just looks super weird now.
Posted: 8/23/17 at 1:01am
Why do the hidden folk or whatever they're calling them look like they came right out of Tarzan?
Posted: 8/23/17 at 8:24am
Guess I'm the only one who likes the costumes (minus the Olaf puppeteer, which is way too much like the DCA one.) Why do you guys not like it?
Updated On: 8/23/17 at 08:24 AM
Posted: 8/23/17 at 9:19am
This all reminds me of Aida. When Disney first took that project on, they assembled a creative team and a cast, and then they developed and mounted a full production out of town in preparation for a Broadway run (I think it was in Atlanta?). The early incarnation featured a hydraulic pyramid that repeatedly broke down mid-show. Audiences didn't like the production. The story didn't flow well, the sets were a mess...it wasn't working. Instead of pushing ahead, Schumacher & Co. let go of the majority of the creative team, built up a new team, and started over. The new creative team fleshed out the story - including adding in the museum prologue and epilogue - created new sets, costumes, choreography, etc. and then took the new version - Aida 2.0 - out of town again. Audiences and critics were much more receptive to this new version and that's what eventually came to Broadway.
I'm saying all of this because if this show is as basic as it looks in all of these pics, they may want to go back to the drawing board like they did for Aida.
Also something to keep in mind: the reported $25mil cost includes all development. This thing has been in dev for years. The original creative team had several workshops both in NYC and in London. They also all went to Norway for several weeks for R&D. In addition to the publicized workshops, there were FX workshops, dance workshops, scene workshops, etc. All of that work was then scrapped when a new team came on board. However, those are all hard costs that need to be accounted for. So we're not looking at a $25mil production that's going up in Denver. We're looking at something more along the lines of $15mil plus the cost of dev from inception to present day.
This is somewhat similar to the issue with Spiderman in that everyone showed up expecting a $70mil production on stage when they really saw a $20mil production with $50mil of behind-the-scenes dev and mismanagement fees tacked on.
On a side note, I'm surprised they returned to Denver. Disney had a big misstep on their hands with Mermaid. It's strange they decided to return to the scene of that crime.
Posted: 8/23/17 at 9:38am
I was in row WW, which while the second to last row of the theater, was actually a pretty good view. I'm terribly near-sighted, so obviously couldn't see expressions well, but the view was a lot better than I'd been anticipating.
To me, in my far-away seats, the lead hidden folk guy looked like Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones, with a tail stuck on. With the big Let It Go costume change, the crowd went wild. My daughter informed me that she bet Elsa just had her slinky dress on underneath 
I did think it was cool how they visualized Anna turning to ice, but the colors looked more representative of stone/rock rather than ice. Even from all the way in the back, I could see Elsa whip off Anna's platinum wig to reveal the brown one after she thaws.
Overall, it was an enjoyable show, but I don't feel the need to see it on Broadway again. My husband liked it, and ranked it above Anastasia but well below Comet. I liked Anastasia better. My 7 and 9 year olds gave it mixed reviews- my 9 year old daughter loved it, while my 7 year old son said he liked it a little, but not that much. They both really love Comet, so maybe they just have odder theater tastes.
Btw, there were plenty of booster seats for the kids, if needed. And bathroom lines were LONG. It's bad enough in a normal women's restroom line, but add a ton of kids and you can basically forget it!
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