GUYS & DOLLS, SPIDER WOMAN & Block in SUNSET BLVD at the Kennedy Center- Page 6

[BorisTomashevsky]

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. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 1/24/23 at 6:16pm

Derek Klena sings “Sunset Boulevard":

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRpKj7Wo/

[blaxx]

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.

[chernjam]

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

[WldKingdomHM]

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 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 1/24/23 at 7:04pm

Good heavens these clips are not very encouraging.

[BorisTomashevsky]

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. 

Updated On: 1/25/23 at 07:50 PM

[dwirth]

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...

[Scarywarhol]

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. 

[tomwsjr]

Posted: 1/25/23 at 6:43am

I love me some SB, but OMG this clip is very bad on so many different levels.  

[Det95]

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. 

[RippedMan]

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. 

[R. GreenFinch]

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.)

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

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.

[RUkiddingme]

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!

[PipingHotPiccolo]

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.

[JanMaxwellsBag]

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."

 

 

[Robbie2]

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.

Updated On: 1/25/23 at 07:08 PM

[Robbie2]

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

 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

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!

[GiantsInTheSky2]

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. 

[Bettyboy72]

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. 

[Jeff Tupolski]

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.

[thirtythirtyninety]

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. 

[jo]

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!