GROUNDHOG DAY APPRECIATION THREAD- Page 3

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/18/17 at 3:18pm

And that's not even the most. Travis has 29! The choreography going on backstage at GHD must be a show unto itself. Wish I could watch from there sometime. 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/25/17 at 11:57pm

A friend who was at GHD tonight said the show was halted due to another injury but didn't give specifics ... Can anyone give more details?

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 1:36am

poisonivy2 said: "A friend who was at GHD tonight said the show was halted due to another injury but didn't give specifics ... Can anyone give more details?"

I also heard from a friend that it was stopped for about 10 minutes during "Hope," but there was no elaboration beyond two ensemble roles being switched for the remainder of the show "due to illness." Also curious what happened and hope everybody's alright. 

[Kitsune]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 1:54am

BroadwayConcierge said: "poisonivy2 said: "A friend who was at GHD tonight said the show was halted due to another injury but didn't give specifics ... Can anyone give more details?"

I also heard from a friend that it was stopped for about 10 minutes during "Hope," but there was no elaboration beyond two ensemble roles being switched for the remainder of the show "due to illness." Also curious what happened and hope everybody's alright. 

 

"

Apparently it's been an eventful week for Hope - I heard they recently had an issue with the turntables (apparently the first since previews).

Much more importantly, I hope everyone is alright!  

Seeing the show again next weekend, and really excited to get to visit Punxsutawney again.

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 2:01am

Not an injury per the people I spoke with after--stomach problem. Stopped right as Hope was starting

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 2:21am

JustAnotherNewYorker said: "Not an injury per the people I spoke with after--stomach problem. Stopped right as Hope was starting"

I heard the same.

Kitsune - I'll be there next weekend as well.  Can't wait to be back in August Wilson. Wish I could cram in even more visits before 9/17.

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 8/29/17 at 11:22pm

Saw the show for the 6th time tonight. Had a smile on my face and tears in my eyes the entire time.

Made sure to pay attention to Andy's face in the tilt-a-whirl scene since I didn't realize what I was missing there. Wow.

I love it so much and I'm so heartbroken for the cast that not enough people are going to keep it afloat. So sad that I will be out of town on 9/17.

Updated On: 8/29/17 at 11:22 PM

[mufish]

Posted: 8/29/17 at 11:44pm

I know there are a few GHD threads but this seems appropriate to include here. Saw the show tonight (lottery loser - front row!) and very much enjoyed it, but can't help thinking there were a number of things I missed with all that's going on. 

At the stage door, one of the actors mentioned to the couple standing next to me that they are not recording the show for the archive. I realize that costs money, but it seems insane they wouldn't want to capture this production!

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 12:10am

mufish said: "I know there are a few GHD threads but this seems appropriate to include here. Saw the show tonight (lottery loser - front row!) and very much enjoyed it, but can't help thinking there were a number of things I missed with all that's going on. 

At the stage door, one of the actors mentioned to the couple standing next to me that they are not recording the show for the archive. I realize that costs money, but it seems insane they wouldn't want to capture this production!

 

"

You miss a ton being in the front row at this show - most importantly the intricacy and choreography of the set. Keep entering the lottery - I recommend row F in the center mezz.

 

[marcor]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 12:21am

I wasn't initially too keen on watching GHD, but since I won the lottery early last week I then went. The show was such a surprise gem. The staging is so much better than the Tonys presentation. I ended up watching the show two more times last week - one time at the front row (great to see their facial expressions) and at the center mezzanine (great spot for the stage design and choreography). Andy Karl and the cast are so good. It's so sad this show is closing soon as it definitely deserves much longer run. I hope it starts touring asap so that my friends who can't catch it in NY will get a chance to see this show.

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 1:08am

Very disappointing to hear that GHD isn't being officially archived, it deserves to be.

marcor - So glad you enjoyed it and returned again. And again!

It kills me though how many people also didn't expect much from the show and, unlike you, didn't even bother to go. I'm not sure if any marketing could have changed enough people's minds about it. Short of the Best Musical award, it's starting to feel like no awards would have gotten people in either. 

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 01:08 AM

[Kitsune]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 2:42am

10086Sundays said: "Very disappointing to hear that GHD isn't being officially archived, it deserves to be.

marcor - So glad you enjoyed it and returned again. And again!

It kills me though how many people also didn't expect much from the show and, unlike you, didn't even bother to go. I'm not sure if any marketing could have changed enough people's minds about it. Short of the Best Musical award, it starting to feel like no awards would have gotten people in either. 

 

"

I'll admit I don't totally understand the resistance to the idea of Groundhog Day as a musical.  But yes, I've also heard a lot of "I was surprised it was so good!"  I'm glad people enjoyed it, but if the audience is surprised at the quality, something's not going right. 

Then again, Groundhog Day is among my all-time favorite movies AND I'm a fan of musicals, so I'm probably the target audience and not a good judge on this one 

[ChristyAndersen]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 8:42am

On my last visit to New York, I couldn't see as many shows as I would have liked and I chose this one just because of how much I loved the film.  So, so glad I did.  I haven't felt such outright, overwhelming joy in a show for quite some time.  Andy Karl was incredible, and although I'd heard about his knee injury there was no hint of it, so when I saw the brace I was shocked that he'd been doing all that with his knee still bad enough to need one.  Massive praise to those members of the ensemble wearing snow suits and the like during the stinking hot summer - especially Michael Fatica who I'm almost certain was also in a fat suit!

A little extra added to my enjoyment of the show by being within eye and earshot of Lin Manuel Miranda who was also seeing the show that night - and doing his best to be incognito for obvious reasons. He was loving it too. :)

The part I repeatedly describe to people who haven't seen the show, is with the miniature van having a shovel of snow dumped on it by the giant groundhog.  It's so silly, and yet it worked so well that there was actually applause for that bit.  Also loved the car chase - inventive way to do it.  

I'd have gone back again the next day if I could.  Now that it's closing, I really wish I'd found a way to do just that.

[Andy Bates]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 8:01pm

Kitsune said: "I'll admit I don't totally understand the resistance to the idea of Groundhog Day as a musical. But yes, I've also heard a lot of "I was surprised it was so good!" I'm glad people enjoyed it, but if the audience is surprised at the quality, something's not going right."

This makes no sense to me. A show exceeding expectations doesn't mean there's a problem with that show. It means that it over-delivered on what people were expecting. How is that ever a bad thing?

 

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 8:10pm

Because the initial exceptions of the show have kept a large number of people from seeing it at all, unfortunately, hence why it's closing. Despite the good word of mouth from those who see it anyway and walk out impressed. Exceeding expectations isn't bad, the low expectations are.

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 08:10 PM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 2:14pm

For what it's worth, I just got off the phone with Patrick Hoffman, the director of the Theater on Film and Tape archive, and he tells me that they got the official OK to tape ''Groundhog Day.'' Yay!

And here's Raymond J. Lee doing the Slime Challenge ... 

http://www.playbill.com/article/groundhog-days-raymond-j-lee-reveals-his-biggest-stage-mishap

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 3:43pm

Thanks for the info Wayman! I hope it happens. 

Josh Lamon posted a sad, but beautiful, blog about how he found about GHD closing. When people say it's just show biz about a show closing, it isn't. It's personal too.  At least in so far as the family that has been formed being torn apart, who may, or may not, see each other again. 

[Andy Bates]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 5:04pm

10086Sundays said: "Because the initial exceptions of the show havekept a large number of people from seeing it at all, unfortunately, hence why it's closing. Despite the good word of mouth from those who see it anyway and walk out impressed. Exceeding expectations isn't bad, the low expectations are."

I was responding to the statement, "I'm glad people enjoyed it, but if the audience is surprised at the quality, something's not going right." That was specifically saying the problem was that the show exceeded expectations, not that people had low expectations to begin with.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 7:46pm

''I realize that costs money [to record 'Groundhog Day' for Lincoln Center's Theater on Film and Tape archive], but it seems insane they wouldn't want to capture this production!''

Money is indeed a factor. What many people don't know is that TOFT usually has to raise the money to tape each show it shoots. It has a limited budget, so they have to pick and choose. Patrick Hoffman, the director of TOFT, says most everyone WANTS to get their show filmed for the archives, but it's rare that a producer ever coughs up or contributes to the cost of it. Earlier today, Hoffman told me that TOFT would've LOVED to have filmed Josh Groban in ''The Great Comet,'' but the money wasn't there for it. Recently, funding became available that allowed them to film the show with Dave Malloy, and they're thrilled they have ''The Great Comet'' with the 3-time Tony nominee who created the very show. Hoffman said the logistics of the staging made it very tricky to shoot, but TOFT had an amazing crew and five cameras and did their best. 

So many factors go into what the archive can or can't tape. Often it's funding, but the creatives and producers have to sign off on it. There's always a matter of scheduling. And sometimes the show itself has other plans to do its own taping, like ''Hamilton.'' (P.S., I've heard that ''Bandstand'' might go the ''Allegiance'' route.)

Updated On: 8/31/17 at 07:46 PM

[AntV]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 9:53pm

Tim Minchin was at curtain call tonight!

[Kara Lee Sweeny]

Posted: 9/1/17 at 10:37am

Wayman_Wong said: "Speaking of Raymond J. Lee, do you know he has 25 costume changes in ''Groundhog Day''? TheaterMania followed him as he made 3 of his quickest ones, including the Groundhog.

http://www.theatermania.com/video/watch-three-lightning-fast-groundhog-day-costume-c_1310.html?cid=hp_topstory

And thanks to Kara Lee Sweeny for starting this terrific thread!"

Aww thanks! I've never felt so connected to a show.    I want to see the show one more time but I'm afraid I'll be crying the whole time. I tear up every time I listen to the recording 

[springwillcome]

Posted: 9/1/17 at 8:44pm

swing Jordan grubb is on for Jeff for the first time tonight! Was very tempted to go but I have work and am going to the mat tomorrow anyway. If anyone sees it tonight please share how he is!

[mufish]

Posted: 9/1/17 at 10:06pm

Wayman_Wong said: "Money is indeed a factor. What many people don't know is that TOFT usually has to raise the money to tape each show it shoots. It has a limited budget, so they have to pick and choose. Patrick Hoffman, the director of TOFT, says most everyone WANTS to get their show filmed for the archives, but it's rare that a producer ever coughs up or contributes to the cost of it. Earlier today, Hoffman told me that TOFT would've LOVED to have filmed Josh Groban in ''The Great Comet,'' but the money wasn't there for it. Recently, funding became available that allowed them to film the show with Dave Malloy, and they're thrilled they have ''The Great Comet'' with the 3-time Tony nominee who created the very show. Hoffman said the logistics of the staging made it very tricky to shoot, but TOFT had an amazing crew and five cameras and did their best.

So many factors go into what the archive can or can't tape. Often it's funding, but the creatives and producers have to sign off on it. There's always a matter of scheduling. And sometimes the show itself has other plans to do its own taping, like ''Hamilton.'' (P.S., I've heard that ''Bandstand'' might go the ''Allegiance'' route.)"

Thanks for the additional insight Wayman!  That makes a lot of sense.  As an aside, I was in the audience for TGC when it was recorded the other day.  It would be interesting to some day come up with a reason to view it just to see how it gets put together.  What would be really neat is if they did two versions, one from the orchestra and one from the mezz - there's just so much going on at any given point.

Also very glad to hear things are looking better for GHD to get recorded before the curtain falls for the last time.  Listened to the cast recording today, which made me wish I could go back to relive some of those great moments in the show.  I think "If I Had My Time Again" might be my favorite song, but "Playing Nancy" and "Night Will Come" were more impactful on the second listen. 

I'll be very interested to see whether they're able to tour the show, and if so, what modifications end up getting made.

[AntV]

Posted: 9/1/17 at 10:57pm

Here's a question about the ensemble. Why is Taylor Iman Jones' character "Lady Storm Chaser"? Her and Jenna Rubaii as the jogger are the only townspeople without lines, though Rubaii is credited as just Joelle, from Phil's past. Were some lines cut where she was a storm chaser?

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 9/1/17 at 11:04pm

AntV said: "Here's a question about the ensemble. Why is Taylor Iman Jones' character "Lady Storm Chaser"? Her and Jenna Rubaii as the jogger are the only townspeople without lines, though Rubaii is credited as just Joelle, from Phil's past. Were some lines cut where she was a storm chaser?"

Is "It was too much pate" not a line (although its sung)?