GROUNDHOG DAY Previews- Page 11

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 7:38am

"Think I'd rather spend my money on GHD. Then again, I didn't get a meat pie."

The best path would be to avoid both. But yes, as bad as Groundhog Day was ---- and was it ever bad --- it was better (but then, what isn't?) than that odious, grotesque, appallingly ugly horror show called Sweeney Todd.

[cb2addict2]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 8:52am

I heard they had to stop the show again last night. anybody there?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 9:18am

I caught this yesterday and really enjoyed it. It's nothing groundbreaking, but I found plenty to like. I thought the score was quite catchy, but it never reached the level of brilliance that Matilda's score did. The set design was great, and they made excellent use of the turntables. The true highlight of the show is Andy Karl who is turning in a truly stellar performance. The show ran two hours and 45 minutes, and I think they need to cut off at least 15 minutes. Overall, though, this was quite fun.

[Ortensiah]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 11:15am

Yes - they stopped during the drinking/car chase scene, for about 5-10 minutes. I thought the song was really entertaining, so I was actually a little happy to get to see (the first half) of it again. It was also fun because audience clapped and cheered a lot the second time around. 

Overall I enjoyed the show, though I agree with some previous posters that it was a bit too long and some parts were unnecessary or didn't seem to fit into the show (such as the Doctor song, Nancy song). The character development also fell a little short to me. I thought Andy Karl was absolutely fantastic, but the way his arc went, I got the feeling that the writers were sheepish about having to present such a...character...as Phil Collins. They kind of tried to paper over his personality with tentative-but-not-really feminism from Rita (and a little bit Nancy), which would have been interesting and added some complexity to Rita and Phil's relationship and characters, but the writers didn't fully commit to it. A lot of Rita's songs were just repetitive and followed the "I'm strong, but I'm vulnerable" type. Phil's redemption didn't really happen until a sudden change halfway through the second act. (I can't remember how it was done in the movie, as I only watched it once, in high school, so maybe they were just staying true to the movie?) I actually think if they just tightened the focus on Phil, the redemption theme would have been much more satisfying. 

Edit: I promise, despite that paragraph of criticism, that I did like the show. There are some neat stage tricks, and I think the repetitive scenes were really well done and interesting, even though there were a lot of them. 

Updated On: 3/26/17 at 11:15 AM

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 11:30am

NickMorrison25 said: "...I love a happy ending but it feels so unearned here. Despite Andy Karl's best efforts, and he is very good, the writing doesn't support the character development required for him to become the Phil of the final 20 minutes. His ending with Rita should be a really glorious moment of resolution and triumph, but to me it just sort of happened without any satisfaction..."

I finally got my second viewing in last night. I don't agree
(**** Spoilers Below ****)
 

 




 

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Part of why you feel might feel that way is the non-linear way time works in the show.  His break comes when he spends one day with a concerned Rita, and with her observation that he's the lucky one since he gets to change--everyone else is stuck being the same. From that point, until the final iteration it must have been thousands of days, even though we only see a few as he becomes more selfless. How do we know--the piano teacher tells us "it takes people thousands of hours to master this", which he does an hour or two in a day by the end.

I also really like the way they use secondary characters. Here Ned Ryerson is no longer just a comic foil as in the movie. He has his own related story (his song - Night will come). In the movie you feel that any rapprochement between Ned and Phil is just an expediency to get Ned to stop bothering him. Here, Ned is a more fully realized sympathetic character

Nancy, and her song, looks like a throwaway, but joins in with the story of Larry who, wearing a shirt that Phil helped him pick out, and that is a perfect reflection of him, picks up Nancy and they seemingly end up dancing for hours (unlike in the movie).

 

Oh, and as I told Tim at last nights show. Loved the allusion/paraphrase to Resume by Dorothy Parker that Phil recites when listing off his suicide attempts. 

 

Updated On: 3/27/17 at 11:30 AM

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 12:29pm

cb2addict2 said: "I heard they had to stop the show again last night. anybody there?"

 

The problem they are having, as I understand it, is a sensor threshold issue. They have a sensor which feeds into a controller that cuts power if the turntable is stuck to avoid damage/injury. During the truck scene, they have three people, a banquette, and the truck frame on a turntable. The threshold for the shutdown because its stuck is apparently too close to the normal moment of inertia at that point, so sometimes instead of rotating the system shuts down. Not sure how wide the difference is between the "sticky" case where all is OK but they are on the edge of OK and the case where something is stuck. If it's too close, they may continue to have this problem.

[10086sunset]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 12:42pm

Anyone recall the running time?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 12:44pm

10086sunset said: "Anyone recall the running time?"

 

Yesterday afternoon it was 2 hours and 45 minutes exactly.

 

[Markecib]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 12:47pm

Yes the show had about a 15 minute technical stop 3/4 of the way thru Act 1. It was during the truck driving scene (which was really fun to watch). 

Though I want to ride their Tilt-a-Whirl set. 

There was an extended intermission also last night and started about 10 minutes late. We got out right at 11

[macnyc]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 1:15pm

I was there last night too. When the scene started up again, Andy Karl is in the driver's seat of the pickup truck. As soon as he sat down, he hurriedly blessed himself with the sign of the cross, and my friend and I burst out laughing! No doubt that is why the show went well from then on.  LOL

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 8:59pm

I saw the show yesterday afternoon and, while I went in excited to see it for its creative team and Andy Karl, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. It's not groundbreaking theatre, but it's a solid musical comedy with a beautiful score and heart at the center of it.

Karl is fantastic, as usual. This was my first introduction to Barrett Doss and she won me over - beautiful voice with a charming and strong presence. I'm excited to see what else she does.

They can definitley tighten the show up, but the core of the show is there. Lots of laughs and an audience that is truly rooting for the characters.

I would never have thought I would feel emotional at this musical, but I actually shed a tear at the end. Walking out of the theatre, "Groundhog Day" gave me  the "good theatre" feels (which is the only way I can describe that feeling), which was a such a plesant surprise.

I wish the show much success and would love to go back to see the show again.

[slumdogdelaware]

Posted: 3/26/17 at 9:36pm

GilmoreGirlO2 said: "I saw the show yesterday afternoon and, while I went in excited to see it for its creative team and Andy Karl, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. It's not groundbreaking theatre, but it's a solid musical comedy with a beautiful score and heart at the center of it.

Karl is fantastic, as usual. This was my first introduction to Barrett Doss and she won me over - beautiful voice with a charming and strong presence. I'm excited to see what else she does.

They can definitley tighten the show up, but the core of the show is there. Lots of laughs and an audience that is truly rooting for the characters.

I would never have thought I would feel emotional at this musical, but I actually shed a tear at the end. Walking out of the theatre, "Groundhog Day" gave me  the "good theatre" feels (which is the only way I can describe that feeling), which was a such a plesant surprise.

I wish the show much success and would love to go back to see the show again.

 

I was also there yesterday afternoon and no longer feel the need to write my own review because these are my feelings exactly. I was discouraged by some of the comments here and went into it not expecting to like it, but left excited to see it again after it opens. 

 

[newintown]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 12:06pm

Reading these comments, it sounds as though, as usual, the book is to blame. This shouldn't be a surprise, because producers have again made the fatal (potentially, in this case) mistake of hiring the source's screenwriter (who has no musical theatre experience at all) to adapt their movie into a stage musical. To whom does this maneuver make sense? it sank Nine To Five, Honeymoon in Vegas, Big Fish, Ghost, Leap of Faith, etc.

Danny Rubin has one successful movie credit to his name (Groundhog Day) and that credit was twenty-four years ago. He has no theatre credits at all. Why would one expect him to create a hit multi-million dollar show? That kind of thinking isn't optimistic, it's just foolish.

Producers, a suggestion - try to hire book writers who know theatre. Movies (need it be said?) aren't the same thing.

Of course, if Groundhog Day winds up a hit, you can disregard this post (until the next movie to stage transfer flops).

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 12:32pm

Agreed, newintown.

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 3:23pm

Anyone think JESSE GREEN will review this for the TIMES...??

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 3:27pm

He doesn't start at the NYT until May 1. 

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 3:28pm

Oh cool... thanks!

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 5:38pm

GilmoreGirl you posted a review of On Your Feet in Chicago right?  I seem to recall it was your review I pretty much 100% agree with. You're making me lean toward seeing this during my trip this week. I think I need to add a show that gives me the good feels. I am realizing my lineup is currently slightly depressing...  :-/

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 3/27/17 at 7:18pm

ChiTheaterFan said: "GilmoreGirl you posted a review of On Your Feet in Chicago right?  I seem to recall it was your review I pretty much 100% agree with. You're making me lean toward seeing this during my trip this week. I think I need to add a show that gives me the good feels. I am realizing my lineup is currently slightly depressing...  :-/"

Far be if from me to discourage seeing GHD (I'll see it a third time this week), but are you seeing "Come From Away" this trip? I found that to be a good feels musical, despite the context.

newintown: I think you are right, but hope that you have to eat your words. I wonder if this was part of the reason that Scott Rudin dropped out--because he thought they needed another workover on the book by a known quantity. 

 

 

Updated On: 3/27/17 at 07:18 PM

[cb2addict2]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 7:59am

I find it really odd that they recorded an OBCR before officially opening. Wouldn't it make sense to record the show in tact after all changes during previews were made? Just my thinking.

Updated On: 3/28/17 at 07:59 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 8:46am

cb2addict2 said: "I find it really odd that they recorded an OBCR before officially opening. Wouldn't it make sense to record the show in tact after all changes during previews were made? "

Sadly, this show has no tact.

(I didn't really see it yet, heh)

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 8:49am

haterobics said: "cb2addict2 said: "I find it really odd that they recorded an OBCR before officially opening. Wouldn't it make sense to record the show in tact after all changes during previews were made? "

Sadly, this show has no tact.

(I didn't really see it yet, heh)

 

"

So then you've clearly got no say in the matter. 

They were "putting the finishing touches" on the album just a few days ago, so it is very possible that they're keeping the score as is in tact. 

If not, though, there have been plenty of dicussions on here about cast recordings that are different than the frozen show due to recording before opening. It happens. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 8:51am

GreasedLightning said: "So then you've clearly got no say in the matter. "

I just popped in for the intact/in tact joke.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 8:54am

haterobics said: "GreasedLightning said: "So then you've clearly got no say in the matter. "

I just popped in for the intact/in tact joke.

 

"

Got it

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 3/28/17 at 12:23pm

I caught this show last night.  It appears to need a lot of work.  They have spent a lot of money on the sets and technical aspects of the show but the music leaves a lot to be desired.  The music in the second act is very different from the first act and not in a good way.  It seems like a different team wrote the second act music.  A number of songs should be cut since they don't expand upon the story (like Nancy and the Insurance salesman and the Dr's visit).  Additionally, while the truck scene was fun, it went on way too long and again, didn't further the plot or the Phil's arc.  I was also disappointed that there was no chemistry between the two leads.

The stage craft was great especially the scene where he's everywhere and the turntable is special.  It doesn't just turn round but moves off center (it's hard to describe). 

They also did a great job of repeating the scenes so that you didn't dread seeing it all over again.

I think the show will play well with out of towners who are looking for something familiar but don't see it as having a long run.  In some ways it reminded me of BIG: The Musical.

Vocally the cast is great but the sound engineer needs to work on the balance between the recorded radio sounds and the performer's voices.  both were competing with being heard.