GUYS & DOLLS, SPIDER WOMAN & Block in SUNSET BLVD at the Kennedy Center- Page 6
GUYS & DOLLS, SPIDER WOMAN & Block in SUNSET BLVD at the Kennedy Center
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/30/22
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#125
Posted: 1/24/23 at 5:40pm
I have pretty much opposite feelings about it. Overdone, arch and not a nice vocal sound to my ears. And that spin back to the piano?
Enjoy it if you go, and I’m glad some folks love what they’ve seen, but this clip has made the decision for me to skip it.
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#126
Posted: 1/24/23 at 6:16pm
Derek Klena sings “Sunset Boulevard":
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRpKj7Wo/
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#127
Posted: 1/24/23 at 6:41pm
TaffyDavenport said: "Derek Klena sings “Sunset Boulevard":
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRpKj7Wo/"
All the cynism that makes the song is wasted on his one note interpretation. Shame.
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#128
Posted: 1/24/23 at 7:01pm
kdogg36 said: "She's definitely putting a whole lot of "character touches" into her singing. For some roles this would be distracting, but I think it'll work for this kind of melodrama (not intended as a derogatory term).
I see it on 2/5 and will be sure to report back."
That late in the run hopefully they'll be firing on all cylinders. Will look forward to hearing your take
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#129
Posted: 1/24/23 at 7:03pm
Sunset was my first Broadway show.
I don’t know, when they first announced this I felt Stephanie was wrong for the role. I feel like she’s conducting a loud seance in that clip. I’m rooting for her though
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/21
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#130
Posted: 1/24/23 at 7:04pm
Good heavens these clips are not very encouraging.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/30/22
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#131
Posted: 1/24/23 at 7:50pm
TaffyDavenport said: "Derek Klena sings “Sunset Boulevard":
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRpKj7Wo/"
Did he totally butcher the last note or did the clip time run out on TikTok?
Another case of contemporary physicality and random gestures in a period piece. A guy in the late 1940s wouldn’t do half the stuff Derek did. If he hasn’t watched any movies from that time, he maybe should.
Edit to add: Found the full song on his tagged Instagram. Last note was flat as a pancake with a weird bottoming-out yelp at the end, followed by an “aw shucks” kick of the leg. How is this a leading man of musical theatre. Alfred Drake is spinning in his grave.
Understudy Joined: 4/26/05
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#132
Posted: 1/24/23 at 8:36pm
BorisTomashevsky said: "I have pretty much opposite feelings about it. Overdone, arch and not a nice vocal sound to my ears. And that spin back to the piano?
Enjoy it if you go, and I’m glad some folks love what they’ve seen, but this clip has made the decision for me to skip it."
Same... and those aren't the notes. Wow. Love Sunset. Like SJB (and Klena), but...
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#133
Posted: 1/25/23 at 6:23am
blaxx said: "TaffyDavenport said: "Derek Klena sings “Sunset Boulevard":
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRpKj7Wo/"
All the cynism that makes the song is wasted on his one note interpretation. Shame."
Frankly, I always thought that the song itself was a comically blunt, witless, one-note idea of cynicism.
Leading Actor Joined: 5/9/05
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#134
Posted: 1/25/23 at 6:43am
I love me some SB, but OMG this clip is very bad on so many different levels.
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#135
Posted: 1/25/23 at 10:17am
I have an extra ticket for the 2/4 8pm performance. Looking to get face value back ($109) Row O seat 6. It's a physical ticket so we'd have to meet to do that handoff.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#136
Posted: 1/25/23 at 11:27am
The song is fantastic, the issue is they always just plug in some pretty guy to the part of Joe instead of giving us an actor. The character is brilliant and the relationships are so interesting and I think it's ALW's best score. The probably is with the casting. Give me a Josh Henry in the part.
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#137
Posted: 1/25/23 at 12:13pm
I wish they had waited a bit to record/release these. These are clearly early rehearsal videos where they're just focusing on learning the music, and here everyone is judging the entire performance based on it.
(Knowing that these are early rehearsal videos, I'm still quite excited for this cast.)
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/18
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#138
Posted: 1/25/23 at 12:16pm
They sound competent and may be marvelous by showtime, but this is reinforcing my decision to skip the trip to DC.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/9/11
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#139
Posted: 1/25/23 at 12:35pm
Damn! They are both chewing a lot of scenery in an empty room!
They're gonna be out of control when they get a set to chew on!
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#140
Posted: 1/25/23 at 5:20pm
All due respect to Ms. Block--who is surely talented and seems like an incredibly lovely person!--I have never been the biggest fan of her over-stylized pronunciations, almost like an SNL caricature of a Bway stahhhh. And this clip was ROUGH on that score. Yikes.
Ironically, while I didnt see the Cher Show, I thought that role was perfect for her because its so exaggerated/over the top. (And I did think she was lovely in the clips I saw from Into the Woods). But this seems irredeemably off the rails.
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#141
Posted: 1/25/23 at 5:32pm
PipingHotPiccolo said: "All due respect to Ms. Block--who is surely talented and seems like an incredibly lovely person!--I have never been the biggest fan of her over-stylized pronunciations, almost like an SNL caricature of a Bway stahhhh. And this clip was ROUGH on that score. Yikes.
Ironically, while I didnt see the Cher Show, I thought that role was perfect for her because its so exaggerated/over the top. (And I did think she was lovely in the clips I saw from Into the Woods). But this seems irredeemably off the rails."
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#142
Posted: 1/25/23 at 7:08pm
SouthernCakes said: "I’m so over these bland leading men. Snooze. I’m sure he’ll be… fine. He’s always just… fine."
Exactly, he's always just ok... bland, one note and wooden. Not a fan.
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#143
Posted: 1/25/23 at 7:14pm
jacobsnchz14 said: "SJB sings “As If We Never Said Goodbye”
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cnz6MB_Jrvi/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y="
Love Stephanie but hated her interpretation and how she sounds. We shall see ...as we have tickets for Feb 4.
Nathan I bet will be amazing Max as for Derek as Joe - eh!
Betty Buckley is my favorite Norma and was lucky to see her at the Minskoff. She's my one and only Norma. Just WOW! Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c5Xovcjp00
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#144
Posted: 1/25/23 at 8:20pm
@JanMaxwell- haha, bingo. And I'm not trying to beat up on Block here! But there is a Dahling, Watch Me Peform! element to the way she sings, and always has been since her Elphaba-- and that is predictably and apparently a very toxic mix with Norma Desmond!
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#145
Posted: 1/25/23 at 9:46pm
I’m glad I had waited on getting tickets. Derek’s casting already gave me pause, but these videos did nothing to sweeten the pot, IMO - and I’m a massive fan of SJB.
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#146
Posted: 1/26/23 at 1:05pm
It’s such a misstep to broadcast these rehearsals and press events. Especially on these short runs where the actors are just getting started.
I adore SJB but that was not good. She’s clipping money notes and gesticulating wildly. It’s like a parody. Silent film actors were economical in movement. She’s a great comedian and Cher was in her wheelhouse due to it being larger than life. Norma is a different animal.
And Derek, well. Not a fan of his choices at all. No idea what he’s going for. I also hope he changes that hair. He never does regardless of period.
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#147
Posted: 1/26/23 at 1:27pm
Block is honestly kind of hit and miss for me. I feel like she’s often trying to do too much, and that’s the case in this video. But at least it feels like she’s doing something, unlike Klena. He’s got the look, he’s got the voice, but I just don’t find him interesting at all as an actor.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/30/05
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#148
Posted: 1/28/23 at 9:29am
Just relistening to the London cast recording and it strikes me that Kevin Anderson is still the most compelling Joe Gillis, at least on record. I saw Alan Campbell live with Close and was very underwhelmed. A waste of a truly great character.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
SUNSET BOULEVARD at the Kennedy Center#149
Posted: 1/28/23 at 10:49am
Glenn Close sang AS IF WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE at the Royal Albert Hall for a celebration of ALWebber's birthday.
What a magnificent performance! This is Norma Desmond!
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