Finally! Jkor korenglish's review & day at South Pacific 7/12/08

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 11:32pm

Okay, so this is my review of SOUTH PACIFIC!! Finally I saw it today - Saturday matinee. And it's just a mini-info about how I spent my day today as well. Most of the beginning is my day starting till the show :) sorry

So I actually didn't go to sleep last night at all. I took the 4:45 a.m. bus to NYC from Philly , so I wanted to make sure I didn't miss the bus so I opted not to sleep. I arrived in NYC and headed to Lincoln Center. I waited downstairs next to the cancellation line towards the Vivian stage door. So... after 3 hours of waiting there, finishing reading a book and a half haha, someone from box office comes by and tells me that they open the other doors first. Although I had already asked a THOUSAND people if I could sit here and wait for the cancellation line, literally minutes before 10 someone tells me there is supposed to be a sign on the door. I was about to cry... waiting there and the chances of me getting tickets almost nothing now.
Anyway, I ended up getting a decent place in the cancellation line. Even though they opened the other doors first, but for that like 4 and 1/2 hours I thought I was going to either pee my pants or have a heart attack haha.

I stayed around Lincoln Center area. I actually saw most of the cast members entering through the stage door as well, but I wasn't sure if it would be weird to wish them luck? I walked to BN to get a permanent marker to get my poster signed, then had to walk to DR because BN didn't sell perm markers. read more, waited for the show to start...

REVIEW of the show:
Before anything else, I LOVE LOVE the references to PHILADELPHIA! haha it makes me smile & I even a tiny woot when mentioned

I absolutely loved the show. I was really excited to see this show. Last time I was in the Vivian, it was for Piazza! I was interested to see the Sher-O'Hara-Morrison-Sperling combination again! I wasn't sure how my expectations were going to pan out. I loved the set, I thought it was beautiful. I loved every piece of set, from the sand hill to the map of the SP to Emile's house. I thought the helicopter wing was amazing and sweet because ensemble members were standing on it. The moving stage! amazing. The floor was beautiful too. I loved the costumes as well, mainly the female ones just because they had such a vibrancy of color and some of the guys didn't change much costume-wise.

I loved the way it featured the orchestra. I heard about it, but seeing it is completely different. It was great :) I love it when the pit gets a little bit of its due.

Some of the things on the recording I didn't like as much were great to see and hear in person. Does anyone else hear the person that is whistling in "Nothing Like a Dame" that is out of tune? Not exactly what I'm talking about, but that always bothers me and it was covered up/not apparent when watching it today.

Kelli O'Hara (Nellie) - I really enjoyed her performance as Nellie. The only thing that I didn't like as much was "Wonderful Guy" singing wise wasn't as good as I expected. I only heard it n the recording & on Letterman, but I thought it was better there? Obviously live is different. But even still, Her movement was really great though, consistently throughout the show. I loved that.

Paulo Szot (Emile) - I could tell the audience enjoyed him, especially his singing. I liked him. He suits the role really well and I think he is getting more comfortable. Love opera baritones typically, so no complaints there. There were some moments when he got really angry & really got into character, which disproved the "he needs to act more" thing. I thought his acting was appropriate for the role.

Matthew Morrison (Lt. Cable) - ... honestly, the main reason I saw the show, which I'm sure some of you know. I loved him in this role. I thought he matched the Lt. persona really well. I loved his singing, and I was afraid I was going to expect too much because I knew what I expected from him. I loved his singing, amazing to see him onstage again. It was weird to see him smoke, though haha. I loved Kelli & Matt singing together, I'm glad they re-inserted that song

Loretta Ables Sayre (Bloody Mary) - I thought her character acting was hilarious. The audience really responded to her comedy. Her singing was more alive in the theater as well. I just really liked her as this role, she was great.

Danny Burstein (Billis) - I just really like this role in general, so it was easy to like Danny in this role. He was great in this role... funny but sweet, just like I expected Luther to be. I really started rooting for his character, just because he was such a likable character.

Ensemble - the kids were cute. I wish the role of Liat was bigger/better. I feel like it would be hard to play the role of Liat in such a show that is filled with beautiful R&H songs. I understand why she isn't though. I actually wanted more of Noah Weisberg, I thought as the role of professor he was going to have a bigger part but unfortunately it was not the case (just because the way the playbill planned it out I anticipated more featured than he was). There was actually one dancer in the ensemble who was clearly not as comfortable with the dancing in comparison to the other ensemble members. I thought it was interesting that the ensemble members wore the party dresses literally to walk off the stage haha. I always love when they utilize the Vivian as well!

side notes: I thought I was interesting from a racial standpoint as well. During the majority of "Nothing like a Dame" the black/African American actors stayed on the airplane and the rest of the actors moved about the stage.. then at moments they would intermix and then go back to being separated. And Bloody Mary's assistants don't do much singing-wise, which is interesting as well. From an Asian standpoint, the Asian characters (excluding Bloody Mary) dont' really sing in the show at all.
And I think its interesting an anglo- American is u/s the role of Liat.

After the show... stage dooring So I saw Danny and Noah walk by, and at first I thought... man how rude, he's just walking by but I could have just stopped him. He probably assumed we were waiting for like Kelli, Matt, Paulo. I feel stupid for not. I actually went over and talked to Noah for a while. He was really nice & we talked about Legally Blonde too haha.
Li Jun Li, Loretta, and Matt all came out together. I said hi to Matt, and he was looking at me, but I dont' think he knew who I was just kinda ... it's been a while since I've seen him anyway. So I just was like... ""hi I'm" and so he was said "I thought so but I didn't recognize you w/o Piazza paraphernalia" haha last time I saw him I was in a Piazza shirt & Link pin. I talked to him for a little bit, about smoking in the show and just what I was up to... I also got to talk to Loretta briefly, and she was so sweet. She was so humble and sweet. haha she told me I was too beautiful to play Bloody Mary, and I just said how I wanted to play the role someday hahaa. I didn't get to meet Kelli or Paulo, which stunk but I'm going back I swear!

so afterwards, I headed over to Shubert alley for Broadway barks. I couldn't stay for long, and I wanted to see Matt but I had to catch my bus home, so I missed him. It was annoying because people were walking and pushing in the alley, it got old after a while. I didn't even realize Broadway Barks was today either. My internet has been spotty with bww.

Overall, .... LOVED South Pacific. I hope to see it again soon. The entire show complemented each other very well, the entire cast, pit, costumes, set. It's doing really well, which is great to hear. I am extremely exhausted right now, but it was all worth it. No sleeping, waiting outside, literally going up to NY to see South Pacific and come back. I am poor now though haha. I have never paid full price for a ticket on my own before, and I would only for shows like this

So, I have a feeling no one is going to read this because it's mad long. But I had a feeling it was going to be... It was a long day hahaha
~Jkor
Updated On: 7/16/08 at 11:32 PM

[carderic]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 11:44pm

glad you enjoyed.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 11:52pm

Where did you end up sitting and how long was the cancellation line around 10? Thanks!

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 11:55pm

I love your review - so youthful and enthusiastic! Get some sleep!

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 11:59pm

So glad you got to see South Pacific and Matt again, Jkor

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 9:17pm

haha thanks I would really recommend seeing this show if you can get a ticket, especially with the original leads in-tact!!

Cancellation was probably 11 deep by the time 10 rolled around. Some people left though after they got in the official cancellation line because they thought they weren't going to get tickets till 5 minutes before curtain. By 7:30 there were about 6 people in line. I know for a fact that at least 15-18 people got cancellation line tickets for the matinee show, some of which were pairs as well.

I actually went to NY with a bad ankle too haha I had gone to the doctors the day before & she actually recommended to stay off of it if possible, but instead I went to NY! I can't help it though, walking is part of being in a city, including the one I currently live in. It wasn't too bad though. I'm sure I looked weird in a dress and sneakers though

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 9:36pm

Where were the cancellation line tix?

[carderic]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 9:59pm

when i did it for a wednesday mat, the seats were center-left lodge row A

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 10:27pm

Glad you enjoyed the show!

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 7/13/08 at 10:40pm

That was a GREAT review koren !!! I'm really happy you loved the show and saw our boy again and I was sure he would remember you !

[AntonEgo]

Posted: 7/14/08 at 3:11pm

Were the tickets $120? Are all the tickets that price now or do they have anything cheaper? I've never paid so much to see a show, but I really want to see this.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/14/08 at 3:39pm

PUT A SPOILER ALERT! PLEASE!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 12:39am

haha GMF I figured you would pop up

If you go before 10 o'clock, then the cancellation line just starts outside the Vivan, literally under the sign that says "Vivan Beaumont: South Pacific" so the main entrance. The actual line itself with the rope is next to the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. If you want to get in through the doors directly, then you just go where the stagedoor is for the Vivian and enter through there. But the doors open first up at the main entrance, just an FYI!

My seat was center loge row A. There were people in the orchestra as well, of course. Its kind of luck of the draw with the cancellation... someone after you could have better seats than you, but I actually really loved the seat I had. It was perfect, IMO to see everything and there really are no bad seats in the Vivan because it is more intimate.

Tickets are: $125 for orchestra and loge a-c
$75 for loge d-e
Trust me, as a student I know it is really expensive to pay full price for a ticket. But I think it was worth it. Like I said, it was the first time I personally paid full price for a ticket, and it was a hit in the bank, but I loved it and I don't regret it at all.

Sorry, where for the spoiler alert?
I'm really sorry if I did spoil something for you. I tried not to be too specific or talked about stuff that I thought was common knowledge.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 9:40am

Great review and thanks for sharing! I am glad you liked the show!

J*
Updated On: 7/15/08 at 09:40 AM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 9:43pm

Thanks!

avatar now changed

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:14pm

~edited~ hopefully I got the part(s) where it was a spoiler!

[kangaroo]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 11:11pm

seems like a long but worthwhile day.

glad you liked the show & finally got a chance to see it!

[Bwayfan4]

Posted: 7/20/08 at 8:08am

I got a chance to see this yesterday! My seat was A107 of the loge. It was a great seat! I love having a bird's eye view of the stage.

Overall I thought it was a really good show. The cast (understudy for Nellie) as a whole was fantastic! Can I just say how much I enjoy Danny Burstein? He was so wonderful in the role of Billis. (I still enjoy hm singing "I am Aldolpho" from DC better, but this is a close second, with him running around in a grass skirt and wig at one point)

I agree with korenglish...it was nice to see the orchestra get more recognition for all of their hard work. At the end of Act I when Paulo is singing and the stage moves, to reveal the orchestra, I had chills.

Not sure how I felt about the ending though. It was just kind of....I don't know...there. I thought it would have been a little more drawn out rather than being abrupt (I knew nothing about the show going into yesterday's prformance).

Prior to seeing the show, I was very concerned that I would not like it (not sure why), and would feel very irritated about paying $130 (with processing fees) for a ticket. Having seen the show, I can say that I have few regrets about spending the money to see the show.

So, to those of you out there who are reading this, but don't want to spend the money to see this show...buy a ticket! You won't be disappointed!

Overall...a fun day at Lincoln Center. :)

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/20/08 at 11:20pm

Thanks for reporting~! I'm glad you liked the show, as well as the u/s for Nellie.

I also loved the choreography, btw. The simplicity & yet difficulty in "Nothin' Like a Dame" was great.

Yeah the ending is abrupt but that's how it was created & ended. I think if it went on too much past that it wouldn't end happily, because then they would eventually start talking about Lt. Cable & Emilie's experience out there.