Grand Hotel The Musical

Browsing MTI's website I see that NYU/Tisch School of the Arts is presenting GRAND HOTEL through this coming weekend. Has anyone seen it or have any info on the production?

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Updated On: 3/30/10 at 07:28 AM

Seeing it tonight. A good friend of mine is the Doctor. I'll report back.

Sorry for not posting my thoughts last night! It totally slipped my mind.

I should preface by saying I had never listened to or seen GRAND HOTEL before I saw the show last night other than the Tony performance. The show is in a black box theatre and the set is supposed to be the remains of the hotel the Grand is based on after it burned down. The story is a flashback that the Doctor has after he shoots up with morphine at the beginning of the show. He is onstage almost the entire show, watching the action. It's all got a very Sam Mendes CABARET feel to it.

I really didn't know how to feel about this production. The material itself is all over the place with WAY too much going on. And there are only a couple songs I left the theatre remembering at all. None of this is any fault of this specific production, however.

This was the first show I've ever seen at NYU and I have to say I was disappointed. It seemed like a really great high school production instead of a university supposedly known for excellence. The messy choreography felt cramped in the group numbers (even though the ensemble is drastically reduced to be able to fit in the tiny space) and just plain boring in the smaller bits, save for the wonderful "Bolero" at the end of the show. The costumes are fine and the lighting is fine. The concept is a bit too much and forces the opinion of just how unhappy this show actually is on the audience without letting them feel any sense that it could be happy. There were many moments I would feel quite happy about the goings-on on the stage, but quickly lost it when I glanced over at the Doctor, sneering and shaking his head at his memory of the event. The director made a bold choice in his reimagining of the show, but he also pre-judged it and lost my investment in the show entirely.

The cast does a fine job with what they are given to do. They sing well and seem to be very invested in the world they created. Standouts in the cast are Tripp Fountain as the Doctor and the girl who played Flaemchenn (or however you spell it; don't have my program in front of me). Both are exceptional singers, particularly the latter. Her big song (can't remember the title) was easily the highlight of the evening, for me.

Thanks for posting this! I've always wanted to see a production of this, so I think I'll go tonight!

Jane Krakowski was the original Flaemmchen, and her recording of the song on the OBC is pretty solid. However, I think Sutton Foster's recording on the Maury Yeston album kicks butt!!!

What, Patti as Grushinskaya, the ballerina? The score was tailored for the... unusual talents of Liliane Montevecchi, so how would Patti shine in this? She doesn't particularly have the physique of a still-working ballerina, either... (I do love this show and its composite score, by the way.)

Oh, no, I wouldn't say that no one else could do the role well - what I meant was that Grushinskaya's music wouldn't show off Patti's voice, having been tailored to a lesser singer's abilities.

And just imagine the audience response when the poor old thing had to come on stage in tights and a tutu...

Thank you from me, too, for your review. I like your comment about the director pre-judging the show, a classic mistake that can sink a show before opening night. I really love to see new productions of my favorite shows.

The original production of 'Grand Hotel' was unbelievably exhilarating to watch. Funny that the piece at NYU was so depressing, because I always think of the show as being so hopeful and dark at the same time. I remember every number topping the one before it, which is odd considering that listening to the cast recording wouldn't necessarily suggest that to be the case. Tommy Tune really is an extraordinary talent. 'Grand Hotel' is one of my favorite nights in musical theatre ever.

I agree - the original staging was breathtaking. But that was 20 years ago. A lot of the kids on here weren't even born yet!

It's one show from that era deserving of a revival.

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The score of GRAND HOTEL is a marvel and credit Wally Harper with weaving together the Yeston songs with the Wright/Forrest songs and making it all sound of one piece.

When it is done well it a representative of Broadway at its best.

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