Grrr....I'm torn

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Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 10:27am

These are the Tony nominated shows I still haven't seen that I actually WANT to see:

All the Way
Act One
Casa Valentina
Violet

I need to choose one more (budget and time wise) to see next weekend and I'm so torn. I'm already seeing Beautiful (thanks to a FREE ticket from Audience Rewards!) that weekend, so a show to balance that is always a consideration.

Convince me which I'll regret the most by not seeing!

I had when my indecisiveness rears its ugly head!

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 10:34am

I didn't see Violet of those four yet, so I can't add that to the mix.

I couldn't connect with Act One for some reason, just didn't understand why I was meant to care, despite it being seemingly well-written and having its impressive, twirling set and agreeable cast. I even looked up Moss Hart online when I came home afterward, to try and sort out whether I was seeing the origin story of someone I knew from later works not covered in the piece, and I didn't. Heh. (I did think Shalhoub sounds exactly like Rylance's Olivia in one of his roles, but that was amusement for the wrong reason)

Emotionally, I would steer toward Casa Valentina, since there is something aching about people who can't feel comfortable with themselves, and what we have to do sometimes to try and achieve that comfort.

All The Way I didn't care for as much as a story, but Cranston did such a tour de force job, it was certainly impressive. And for its rather longish length, it did sail by, so it was less that the book was flawed, just that I didn't care for the history they were exploring more than the history Casa was exploring.

So, I guess I'd vote Casa (with the Violet caveat).

Updated On: 5/31/14 at 10:34 AM

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 10:37am

Definitely Casa Valentina! It was such an interesting show and the performances are top notch. Act One was boring and Violet I enjoyed but it's like a perfect production of a b-level show.

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 10:49am

I have seen all but All The Way. From the other three I would say Casa Valentina is my recommendation. It was very fresh and full of great performance. Act One was great but a bit slow and Violet was good but not a must see. Have fun at whichever you pick!

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 11:12am

To me, all four are worth seeing, but they all have their flaws and quirks.

Violet has kind of an odd story, but I liked the score, and the performances were all solid. I found the plot of Casa Valentina hard to follow, and I think the playwright is telling us stuff when he should instead be showing us, which makes the play veer on the talky side. Still, it's interesting to get a glimpse of that particular subculture, and I enjoyed the ’60s setting.

And talking about telling us stuff rather than showing us, Act One does a lot of that, mainly in the form of narration. But again, the performances were great, and the play did hold my interest up until the last half hour or so.

If I had to pick one for you to see, it would probably be All the Way, especially if you're a history buff. The back room dealings are fun to see. Cranston is turning in a marvelous performance and will probably take home a Tony for his trouble.

Isn't there any way you can squeeze in a second one?

Updated On: 5/31/14 at 11:12 AM

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 11:27am

Only if there is an 11 am matinee somewhere! I'm only in the city for the day on Saturday....so one more it is.

Thanks to all that have chimed in so far!

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 11:50am

We really liked Casa.

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 12:12pm

Another vote for CASA VALENTINA! Harvey Fierstein is a God and his writing is life changing. Don't miss the opportunity to see one of his shows in its amazing first incarnation. Amazing play, amazing cast.

<-- Tevye, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, March 2018

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 12:25pm

Now I have that song "Torn" in my head.

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

#10

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 4:06pm

I personally loved Violet! It had a great score and superb performances. I was not that interested by All The Way, but Cranston was fantastic! Act One was good but a bit slow. Have not seen Casa Valentina yet. If I was you, I would see Violet, but go with what show that sounds the best to you because of the ones I've seen, they were all pretty good

#11

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 4:08pm

It would be a shame to miss the lovely Violet. The music and the cast are top notch, and the singing is incredible.

#12

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 4:18pm

I've seen all four and my favorite was Act One. But I think you really can't go wrong no matter which one you choose.

#13

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 5:50pm

I've seen all but Act One, so I can't comment on that show. Out of the other three, Violet was my favorite; I absolutely love the score. All the Way is a good choice for Bryan Cranston's performance, and Casa Valentina also features strong performances and great writing. I enjoyed all three, so whatever you choose, I think you can't go wrong.

#14

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 11:00pm

Casa Valentina was, to me, the best new play on Broadway this season. Violet felt unmissable at City Center, but
it lost something in translation. It's still very good, but not GREAT. Act One is a pleasant diversion but not a great play. And All the Way is a tour de force performance in a meh play. Casa for the win!!

#15

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 5/31/14 at 11:23pm

I haven't seen CASA, but you can cross ALL THE WAY off the list. If you didn't rush to see it when up at ART (and I know you're up in the Boston area) then you don't need to see it now. It's not must-see material.

VIOLET is a great opportunity to see an amazing cast put on an ideal production of a hidden gem of a musical. ACT ONE is a great chance to see some great lead performances in a lovely production of material that's probably read at home but these actors and the set design make it worth seeing. I'd probably lean towards VIOLET as being the richer emotional experience and also, that incredible music. But ACT ONE has it's virtues.

Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.

#16

Grrr....I'm torn

Posted: 6/1/14 at 12:51am

A big thanks to everyone that took the time to answer. You've given me a lot of info to think about to help me decide!

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