Flying Over Sunset - Previews Thread- Page 11

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/11/21 at 11:45pm

It's suppose to be an innovative set design. I'm excited. Now I have to plan a trip and do this and Caroline or Change in one day. A full day of adult musicals. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 12:31am

So, wow. That was really something special, I thought. The first preview of a world premiere of a brand new ORIGINAL musical - you don't get that too often anymore. 

As I said before, it is an adult show meant for adults. And just like LSD, everyone's experience with the show is going to be different based on their own life's experiences. For me, someone who has experienced a lot of loss, it hit me more than someone who maybe has never experienced that before. But once you get to a certain age it's bound something most people can relate to. But yes, this is a story about a group of (mostly new) friends who bond through this new drug they've heard about. Up until today, "The LSD musical" as everyone I know has been referring to it as, has been kind of funny - a musical about LSD - that's hilarious. But I had this thought tonight that (and stay with me here) it's almost like The Breakfast Club. This group of people who bonds over, in their case detention, and it lets them explore all the feelings and pain that's inside them. Kind of the same here. The LSD is just what lets all the grief and hidden pain from the past rise to the surface for their stories to be told. And I thought it was a fascinating way to do it. 

The cast, as I said, is perfect. Harry Hadden-Patton is better here than I've ever seen him. Tony Yazbeck is perfect, I can't imagine anyone else in that role. His Cary Grant gets the shows liveliest numbers and the tapping is just as good as you know it'll be with him. Cusack is the star here and she'll break your heart. Her numbers were my favorite of the evening and both had me crying. And then there's Robert Sella. I've been a fan of Sella's since 1998 (Side Man is my favorite play) and he is what I've been most excited about here. And he's every bit as brilliant as the other three and what DID bother me a bit is that even though he's an equal to the 3 "main" cast members - he's in every scene pretty much sharing the stage with them, he's one of the shows stars - he's not credited as such. He doesn't get that last bow with them at the end, and damnit, I just think that's wrong.

I was talking to my friend who liked Act Two much less than I did and he did agree with me that it definitely needs cutting but what to cut is the issue. I feel like it all adds to their individual stories and is pretty much all important to the show (at least right now in my brain that hasn't fully processed the show yet) but what to cut I think will be a challenge. 

The score is stunning. It really is. Part of me thinks if you took me to this show completely blind knowing nothing about anyone involved and said "who wrote the music" I might say "Sondheim..."? But it's so lush and beautiful an the kind of score we don't get that much of anymore that it's such a treat for real musical theater lovers. Even if there's a song about Cary Grant being a penis rocket ship, with a makeshift condom on his head.

I can't wait to go back in a couple weeks and see what they've done to tighten it up. I hope this finds an audience and I'm really excited for that cast recording WHICH WE BETTER GET. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 12:31am

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 12:46am

Agreed that Sella always hits a home run. Loved him in Side Man, one of my all time favorites. Thanks for the comments Jordan……

[Wick3]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 12:47am

Wow! Just got home and about to sleep but just wanted to share some quick thoughts.

First off, my friend and I were surprised that the bar was closed at Vivian Beaumont. Next time we see this, we plan on grabbing a drink someplace nearby before watching the show.

Also, the ticket scanners were not working tonight.  There was also a patron who had front row center orch seat only to find a man sitting there already. Both had the same seat on their tickets until usher noticed the man's ticket was for Saturday evening! I guess this stuff used to happen back in the day before ticket scanners.

As for the show, I agree with the others that it's a different kind of Broadway show and how it is about connection, love/loneliness, and dealing with traumatic experiences in our past.  All three leads were amazing! I particularly enjoyed Harry Hadden Patton's performance! I hope to see it again sometime after it opens. 

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 12:54am

Lots of good - lots of bad - we'll see how they fix it.

No one is mentioning one of the biggest stars of the show is Michele Dorrance's choreography..  It's amazing.  Tony's tap dance is a show stopper.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 12:54am

LOVING all of these initial reactions!

[laurensambrose]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 12:57am

Okay, I'm dying to know—is the penis rocket stuff in reference to Cary Grant being not straight? 

[MidnightRadio]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 1:14am

This was my first 1st preview so that was kind of exciting to say the least! So, that being said, my thoughts probably don't bare as much weight as anyone else weighing in before me.

 

I'm going to echo most of the thoughts here and say that there is a really wonderful show in there, and its going to hit people in different ways depending on their own experiences. I came out very indifferent but as I thought about it more and more on the train home, I really do love what they're trying to do here. It's a brand new adult musical that really isn't tailor made for the masses/families like most of the musicals on Broadway of late. The only really big problem I would say right now is the length, especially the 2nd act, but this is the first preview after all. Performance wise, Cusack and Yazbeck really walk away with the show here, the parts are tailor made for them. That being said, there is not a weak link in the cast!  As someone said before me, the choreography is really astounding. The use of movement pieces and tap to fill in the scene changes were just gorgeous.I thought the set design was incredible mostly, very different for this kind of musical and they really use that deep Beaumont stage well. 

 

All in all, I think in a couple of weeks once they've narrowed in on where to trim the fat from the 3 hour runtime; this is really going to be quite something. Like Jordan has said before me, this is one thats gonna divide people big time but it's gonna really hit home with who it's meant to.

[Dan6]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 1:28am

Can anyone who was there tonight comment on sightlines? I have tix in Orch Right (500s) Row H, but am debating whether I should switch for Center Loge. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 1:36am

Jordan Catalano said: "So, wow. That was really something special, I thought. The first preview of a world premiere of a brand new ORIGINAL musical - you don't get that too often anymore.

As I said before, it is an adult show meant for adults. And just like LSD, everyone's experience with the show is going to be different based on their own life's experiences. For me, someone who has experienced a lot of loss, it hit me more than someone who maybe has never experienced that before. But once you get to a certain age it's bound something most people can relate to. But yes, this is a story about a group of (mostly new) friends who bond through this new drug they've heard about. Up until today, "The LSD musical" as everyone I know has been referring to it as, has been kind of funny - a musical about LSD - that's hilarious. But I had this thought tonight that (and stay with me here) it's almost like The Breakfast Club. This group of people who bonds over, in their case detention, and it lets them explore all the feelings and pain that's inside them. Kind of the same here. The LSD is just what lets all the grief and hidden pain from the past rise to the surface for their stories to be told. And I thought it was a fascinating way to do it.

The cast, as I said, is perfect. Harry Hadden-Patton is better here than I've ever seen him. Tony Yazbeck is perfect, I can't imagine anyone else in that role. His Cary Grant gets the shows liveliest numbers and the tapping is just as good as you know it'll be with him. Cusack is the star here and she'll break your heart. Her numbers were my favorite of the evening and both had me crying. And then there's Robert Sella. I've been a fan of Sella's since 1998 (Side Man is my favorite play) and he is what I've been most excited about here. And he's every bit as brilliant as the other three and what DID bother me a bit is that even though he's an equal to the 3 "main" cast members - he's in every scene pretty much sharing the stage with them, he's one of the shows stars - he's not credited as such. He doesn't get that last bow with them at the end, and damnit, I just think that's wrong.

I was talking to my friend who liked Act Two much less than I did and he did agree with me that it definitely needs cutting but what to cut is the issue. I feel like it all adds to their individual stories and is pretty much all important to the show (at least right now in my brain that hasn't fully processed the show yet) but what to cut I think will be a challenge.

The score is stunning. It really is. Part of me thinks if you took me to this show completely blind knowing nothing about anyone involved and said "who wrote the music" I might say "Sondheim..."? But it's so lush and beautiful an the kind of score we don't get that much of anymore that it's such a treat for real musical theater lovers. Even if there's a song about Cary Grant being a penis rocket ship, with a makeshift condom on his head.

I can't wait to go back in a couple weeks and see what they've done to tighten it up. I hope this finds an audience and I'm really excited for that cast recording WHICH WE BETTER GET."

Jordan Catalano, your reviews are so thorough that you are making me miss Whizzer a little less with every (re)opening. You have become my go-to recommendation source on these boards.

I'm so glad you liked this one; I am a Kitt fan and this cast looks / sounds incredible. How were Feliciano and Joshi? Could you imagine how Henningsen and Kushnier would have played their roles?

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 1:36am

Add me to the list of people that really enjoyed this!  The word that comes to mind to describe this show would just be "lovely".  The music is lush, the actors are in top form, and the whole show has a sense of quiet contemplation.  But I also described it to a friend as "a quirky show that doesn't feel quirky".  It reminds me a bit of Band's Visit and Follies with maybe a touch of A Little Night Music.  It was just a wonderful time to spend with these characters (I agree that Robert Sella as Gerald Heard really should've had top billing with the other three leads).

The set kept surprising me, there would be something new in almost every scene that I wasn't expecting, and they had some really interesting stage effects with lighting, as well as some playing around with sound that I found really fascinating.  I was sitting in house right in Linctix seats, and while sometimes one of the actors would block another, the set pieces keep the visible stage fairly open so a side view isn't an issue at all (unlike My Fair Lady where some parts of the house were hard to see from the extreme sides).

The book kept things moving along, and I think the fact that these were based on real people helped draw me in more than if they had just been original characters (I think this is a show where it's worth it to grab a copy of the Lincoln Center Theater Review just to read up a bit more on these figures).  It's profound, funny, and ridiculous in different measures, and I didn't really think anything in particular needed to be trimmed (I didn't even notice that it was almost 3 hours). 

I really enjoyed Tony Yazbeck's performance in particular (having not had a chance to see him in anything prior to this, I knew he could dance, but I was surprised at how great his singing was too), he has 2 (and a half) major dance numbers and he's quite wonderful in both. But like others have said, the entire cast is fantastic and everything comes together quite well.

And yes, Cary Grant definitely seemed a bit queer-coded to me.

Song list, for anyone that's interested!

[Dan6]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 1:53am

I was sitting in house right in Linctix seats, and while sometimes one of the actors would block another, the set pieces keep the visible stage fairly open so a side view isn't an issue at all (unlike My Fair Lady where some parts of the house were hard to see from the extreme sides).

Chrishuyen, did you feel you missed any of the projections or other effects? Debating whether to keep my H501-504 or try for center loge. Thanks!

[MidnightRadio]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 2:10am

I don't know if it helps but I sat on the opposite side seats (100s) and honestly felt like nothing was missed at all and I can't see it being any different from the 500s. Definitely better to be sitting closer for this one!

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 2:13am

I didn't feel like I missed anything, they do a pretty good job of spreading out the staging so each side gets its due, but even when actors are on the other side of the stage, it's not like there was anything obstructing the view.  None of the large set pieces go past the proscenium and most of the action happens on the thrust.  Center loge might be nice for a more holistic view, but I like being up close to the stage (I was row E), and I really don't think you'd be getting that much more to the show unless you're someone that's bothered by a side view (you do see a little bit into the wings and the orchestra pit, but nothing distracting or anything).

There's one set in Claire Boothe Luce's beach house where there's windows and I could see the reflection of some characters standing off to the side behind another set piece.  It's pretty obvious that those characters are just supposed to be part of the subconscious and they don't actually do anything but stand there, but I wasn't sure if those sitting on the other side could actually see them or not.

[JaredBway]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 4:22am

I have to be annoying and ask, was there any gunfire or anything overly loud?  A few in my theatre-going group are sensitive to noises.

Also,  for a few performances I looked at, besides the loge, the best seats available where down front in the 200, 300, 400 sections.  Any reason not to sit close for this production? 
 

Thanks!

[Wick3]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 6:17am

JaredBway said: "I have to be annoying and ask, was there any gunfire or anything overly loud? A few in my theatre-going group are sensitive to noises.

Also, for a few performances I looked at, besides the loge, the best seats available where down front in the 200, 300, 400 sections. Any reason not to sit close for this production?


Thanks!"

No gunshots. The only part that could be surprising in terms of noise is a car crash.

During the swim scene, there’s a lot of mist/dry ice and I noticed those who sat in extreme house right were affected in terms of their viewing. It’s only for 3-4 mins but may be annoying for some people.

Saw Tom Kitt and his wife sit in orch row J 300s.

[Wick3]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 6:17am

JaredBway said: "I have to be annoying and ask, was there any gunfire or anything overly loud? A few in my theatre-going group are sensitive to noises.

Also, for a few performances I looked at, besides the loge, the best seats available where down front in the 200, 300, 400 sections. Any reason not to sit close for this production?


Thanks!"

No gunshots. The only part that could be surprising in terms of noise is a car crash.

During the swim scene, there’s a lot of mist/dry ice and I noticed those who sat in extreme house right were affected in terms of their viewing. It’s only for 3-4 mins but may be annoying for some people.

Saw Tom Kitt and his wife sit in orch row J 300s.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 8:09am

Love the praise for this show as it's been on my must see list since Yazbeck did a preview last March. I have to say, there's zero buzz or marketing for this show right now. Hoping LCT starts getting this show out there even though it's just a limited run.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 8:31am

These reports have me so excited for next Sunday!

[steven22]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 8:33am

I can hardly wait for tonight! These reports have me so excited 

[gleek4114]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 8:48am

I was at the first preview last night along with some of you, and overall I really loved it. I almost needed the night to sleep on it first, there’s a lot to unpack here. If anyone wants a good seating suggestion, my friend and I were in B 501/502 on the right side and it was an amazing experience. The two seats are the own row, and it’s right up against one of the entrances. If you like being absolutely as close as possible these seats are for you, Carmen Cusack locked eyes with me at one point and sang the shows title song about 3 feet from my face, it was magical.

 

As for the show itself, I’ll echo how exciting it was to walk into a completely original musical, knowing only the premise, the cast, and who’s involved in its creation. Having it wash over you and discovering it along with a room of people who are presumably in the same boat was really cool.
 

The performances here are just phenomenal. Carmen Cusack is truly brilliant, her “11 o’clock” number in Act 2 (if you wanna call it that) absolutely blew me away, she’s honestly one of the most captivating and entrancing actresses working in theatre today. Tony Yazbeck as many have said was a perfect Carry Grant, and he dances the house down to boot. I found Patten to be good here, but his character serves (at least in my eyes) as the show’s beating heart, and is less compelling than the personalities his character is surrounded by. 

I hadn’t really thought about this being a musical for adults until it was brought up in this thread, but I think that’s absolutely true. This show deals with the deepest parts of our subjects psych, and puts it on the stage, the good parts and the bad parts, using trauma and joy as two of the biggest things that bind us all. 

The set was unique in the best possible way, full of surprises around every corner, and I agree with a cast album this show will become a quick favorite. The reprise of “Flying Over Sunset” at the end of Act 1 sent chills through my body, it culminated in a beautiful and stunning stage picture. As for cuts, I could see the book scenes getting trimmed, the writing is great, there’s just A LOT of it. I 100% believe with this cast and creative team the show will just get tighter and tighter as previews progress. I’m so glad I tacked this show on to the beginning of my trip, it was truly an unexpected delight. 

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 8:54am

I'm sorry to be the dissenting view in a sea of raves, but last night was one of the biggest disappointments of my theatergoing career. I pride myself in being able to appreciate "adult theater," as my top four theatrical experiences ever are the original productions of Ragtime, Parade, Caroline or Change and The Light in the Piazza.

I had a ticket for Flying Over Sunset for March 12, 2020 and we all know how that turned out, so I was excited to finally see this after 20 months and was hoping to get some Grey Gardens, Far From Heaven or even a little Piazza in there, but alas this was an incomprehensible mess.

Let me state that I love all of the actors and do not fault them at all. They are giving 100% with the material they were given.

The less said about the plot, the better. If the creators wanted the audience to feel like we were high on drugs the whole time, I guess they succeeded. The score is extremely bland and just sounded like incidental music. Yes, Tony Yazbeck has a couple of extended dance numbers, and while he danced well, they felt out of place and went on for too long. Carmen Cusack has the only good number in the show in Act 2 called "How?" which she sang beautifully. Every time Harry Hadden-Paton spoke, I wished I were seeing My Fair Lady again. He was essentially wasted in this. And it was great to see Robert Sella as a lead, and I completely agree that he deserves the same billing (and final bow) with the other three.

While Act 1 was mostly a bore, Act 2 suddenly took a turn and became a camp fest. When Tony Yazbeck put a makeshift condom on his head and spun around like a top singing "I'm a penis rocket ship," it elicited uncontrollable laughter amongst everyone in my section of the loge. I was in complete shock, couldn't believe what I was witnessing and felt awful for Mr. Yazbeck, who deserves better than this. This number should be cut immediately (although as a fan of flops, I also kind of want this number to make the cast recording). This scene seemed reminiscent of the tap dancing morgue number in Thou Shalt Not, which was excised after one preview. Embarrassingly bad. Then, shortly after, we have poor Carmen Cusack talking to her dead mum while looking in a flower bush for her mother's missing leg. She finally finds it, takes the leg upstage and hands it to her mother saying "Here's your leg, Ma." Another eruption of uncontrollable laughter in my section of the loge.

There were a few people near me who were making out loud comments during the show like "We'd be better off seeing this show while on an acid trip" and one guy at the end said "This was the worst show I have ever seen!" I certainly wouldn't go that far (I've seen MUCH worse than this), but it reminded me of the out loud comments from Me Jack, You Jill when Lisa Kirk said "If you don't turn these lights on, I'm going to close the show," and then the audience applauded! (Me Jack, You Jill ended up closing in previews in March 1976)

When I see a show at the Vivian Beaumont, I expect it to be of high class and caliper. I went into last night expecting to be wowed and instead was severely disappointed. Sadly cannot recommend this at all and hope the cast can survive this unscathed.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 9:25am

I actually think the Penis Rocket Ship song and the bit about Claire looking for her mother’s leg were great for a couple reasons. There needs to be moments of levity and fun in the midst of their tips, and the show is about LSD, so some light absurdism was to be expected, at least to me. I respect that the show wasn’t for you but there was definitely a point to both of those moments being included.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/12/21 at 9:43am

^ I absolutely agree with that