GROUNDHOG DAY Previews — Page 7

In short, horrible.

But since this musical is horribly long, it's extra horrible.

The protagonist is upset at being trapped in the town. He should know how it feels to be trapped at this musical for nearly three hours!

Note to the creators: "Oxen" is the plural of "ox." One does not add an "s" to "oxen."

After Eight said: "BOM said,

"I assume you're a fan of the cookie cutter musical."

Three cheers for cookie-cutter musicals like My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music and Hello, Dolly! In fact, three thousand and thirty-three cheers for those! What a difference from this miserable exercise!

"I feel bad for people who can't appreciate shows that's challenge the status quo."

Don't cry for me, Argentina.



After Eight, I have a question for you, from a genuine place of curiosity rather than spite:

I know you're known for not liking a lot of theatre, though I did agree with your praising of "King and I" and "Hello, Dolly".

But when your opinion doesn't match with another's (especially on something as liked as, say, "Fun Home", or as divisive as "Groundhog Day" is shaping up to be), do you think less of said person? Granted, I know not everyone's going to like everything (and there are some reviewers who needlessly praise/ hate shows), but if the reviewer examines the show critically and finds happiness/ joy/ wonder within, do you think less of said reviewer?

Because I know that I just attended the same performance you did, and that I greatly enjoyed it. But to see you not enjoy it, well, it kind of makes me feel sad. Not that you didn't agree with me or that you are in any way lesser (if anything I have great respect for your years of theatre going and critical eye), but that something that brought me such happiness didn't do the same for you. I can't really explain it beyond that, it's just an inherent sadness.

So yeah, do you think lesser of me and others who enjoy what you don't like?

"

VotePeron, I'd say the first act is basically a completely different show than the second.

They didn't make any changes after London. I don't see them making any now. They are obviously unaware of the problems.

PThespian said:

Unfortunately actors rarely get to "pick" what shows will cast them and pay their bills. So glad to hear the show got even better last night. I can't wait to see this again. It is just sooooo close to being really brilliant.



"

I don't think Andy Karl and Orfeh would've had their electricity cutoff if he had turned this show down.

The man is a Tony nominee with multiple leading roles on Broadway under his belt.

I'm not his agent, but I'm pretty sure he would've had other offers come along if he had passed on this.

I'm not his accountant, but I'm guessing both he and Orfeh are beyond the "starving artist" points of their careers.


"

Other offers?? How many offers do actors get to originate roles in original musicals? Hell, how many original musicals open on Broadway in a year? 10 maybe? That's a maximum of 10 roles (and that's assuming they all have leading men). Andy Karl is excellent and a star, but is by no means a "headliner" star. I'm sure he did and will continue to jump at the chance to originate any leading male role that has any sort of substance to it. He is a down to earth guy so I'm sure he recognizes how lucky and privileged he is.

I'll repeat myself, since this is the Groundhog Day thread. They didn't make any changes after London, they're not going to make them now.

I mean it got raves essentially in London, no? So they probably thought they tinker with something that is 'slightly' working? I'm excited to see it.

Oy. Here tonight. This is just not good. It starts off poorly and - with the exception of some very brief moments - it doesn't get better.

I overheard the creatives - Tim Minchin and I would assume the director and book writer - and they were discussing minor staging issues as they related to the mics. So they're clearly focused on tweaking whereas this is in need of an overhaul.

Reeve Carney was in the lobby. I was reminded of Spider-Man's preview period. The creative team for that show kept saying that they couldn't make any major changes due to the time it took to reprogram the automation. While this show has fewer moving pieces, that stage floor with all of its revolves must take a lot of time to program and choreograph.

All this to say that I don't think we'll see this show evolving any further beyond what was seen last Friday.

On a side note, the back few rows of the balcony are entirely empty. At the start of intermission everyone around me started talking about how much they hated the show.

The positive? The August Wilson Theater is a gem! It was my first time in it and the unique lobby layout was so great!

songanddanceman2 said: "So strange to read some negatives, this show got raves here in the U.K and picked up countless awards and nominations. If they haven't changed much it confuses me as to how it could be 'bad'? Maybe it's just very different tastes (UK/US) "

It's simple. Broadway gets new musicals of this calibre or better all the time. New musicals in London are usually mediocre or bad. So when Londoners get a musical like Groundhog Day which is new, inventive and not outright awful (like Bend It Like Beckham for example) and they get it before New York, they get excited. New Yorkers are used to the Fun Homes and Hamiltons and Great Comets. Groundhog Day is just another movie adaptation for most people.

I say this as a British person that lives in England so I'm not being some snobby, patronizing Broadway person. I said as soon as I saw Groundhog Day that New Yorkers wouldn't take to this the way Londoners did. Broadway gets much, much better musicals on a regular basis and therefore they have much higher standards.

Updated On: 3/21/17 at 11:18 PM

theatregoer3 said: "Oy. Here tonight. This is just not good. It starts off poorly and - with the exception of some very brief moments - it doesn't get better.

I overheard the creatives - Tim Minchin and I would assume the director and book writer - and they were discussing minor staging issues as they related to the mics. So they're clearly focused on tweaking whereas this is in need of an overhaul.

Reeve Carney was in the lobby. I was reminded of Spider-Man's preview period. The creative team for that show kept saying that they couldn't make any major changes due to the time it took to reprogram the automation. While this show has fewer moving pieces, that stage floor with all of its revolves must take a lot of time to program and choreograph.

All this to say that I don't think we'll see this show evolving any further beyond what was seen last Friday.

On a side note, the back few rows of the balcony are entirely empty. At the start of intermission everyone around me started talking about how much they hated the show.

The positive? The August Wilson Theater is a gem! It was my first time in it and the unique lobby layout was so great!



"

I was at the last two previews, and it sounds like everyone is loving the show. The entire house is on its feet for lights up at the call. I find it to be a solid piece of contemporary theater. The story is well delivered in a non traditional way and supported by a very enjoyable score. Andy Karl is brilliant, and in my opinion, blows Ben Platt away... If you don't like a show, it does not automatically mean that it has no future on broadway or constitutes any re-writes. It's different but totally enjoyable. It will appeal to plenty of people.. maybe less so of the hardcore theatre fanatics.. but luckily there are plenty of people willing to pay for a ticket on broadway that just want to be entertained and aren't criticizing every frame. And broadway is just about making money in the end! I bet the reviews are positive come April. I thought American in Paris would be a total flop and it did well for itself, and made all of its money back.



ALSO: the fact that anyone could compare this to American Psycho is Hilarious!!!!! Just because its a British import??? makes no sense whatsoever.

Updated On: 3/21/17 at 11:43 PM

Yes it did. The show cost about 12M and Made about 12m back.

neonlightsxo said: "I'll repeat myself, since this is the Groundhog Day thread. They didn't make any changes after London, they're not going to make them now.



"

Thank you for being the voice of the creative team! I am sure (no, positive) that only after 4 days of previews they are happy with their product as is.