HADESTOWN Previews- Page 3

[treblemakerz]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 2:05am

Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "jawjuhh said: "They do walk on the turntables quite a bit in the second act but I wouldn't say 'entire'. I felt like it was an appropriate usage"

Any stage elevators installed and employed? Thanks."

Yes. It's very much the same setup as London in terms of the turntables and stage elevator.

[thecometbringsnofear]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 2:08am

The show was in fantastic shape. I have not seen any of the previous productions but I loved the recording from NYTW and it exceeded all expectations I could have had for it. You could feel the love in the room for the show, and the audience was very excited about the show! The standouts for me were Amber Gray, who was an absolute delight as Persephone, Patrick Page as Hades (How does his voice DO that? It really is the stuff of wonders), and Andre De Shields as Hermes. Reeve Carney was good as Orpheus, I was impressed by his voice after being so used to the cast recording, and his acting was pretty good. Eva Noblezada sings beautifully, I loved her in Miss Saigon and I loved her here. Staging wise I thought it was incredible, the set is beautiful and the lighting is used to brilliant effect. They do use stage elevators, it seems similar to the way it was done in London from what I have heard about that production.  

Updated On: 3/23/19 at 02:08 AM

[natashalost]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 8:46am

Can anyone post a photo of the cast and song list?

[oh-bwayhereicome]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 10:56am

Any reports on merchandise?

[jawjuhh]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 11:17am

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/6bClNLb

^ the Merch menu

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 11:49am

Just got a last-minute Orchestra ticket for tonight. If anyone else is going tonight let me know, and let's link up at intermission!

[labellaragazza1]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 12:32pm

treblemakerz said: "Also forgot to mention--if for no other reason, go see this show for "Wait For Me" alone. The way they have staged this brought me to tears."

I went into this show basically blind, knowing the premise and about 2 songs. “Wait for Me” was so brilliantly staged I was moved to tears as well. I honestly felt like it should have been the act 1 closer. 

 I know some people weren’t impressed with Reeve Carney but I thought he and the whole cast were brilliant. 

Overall, I was blown away by the production. Even knowing the ending I was stunned. I can’t wait to see it again. 

Updated On: 3/23/19 at 12:32 PM

[oh-bwayhereicome]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 12:52pm

jawjuhh said: "https://m.imgur.com/gallery/6bClNLb

^ the Merch menu"

Link doesn’t work

[StardustsChild]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 1:12pm

Andre was, to me, the weakest link. His performance felt a bit wooden, a bit too rehearsed; which I fully believe is the case since about five minutes in he forgot his lines and a stagehand had to yell them to him from the wings. Yikes.
"

Not quite sure what you mean by a stagehand yelling him lines - I was at the show last night, fairly close to the stage, and I didn't hear anything of the sort. Could you be mistaking the moments when the ensemble speaks in unison with Hermes?

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 1:13pm

oh-bwayhereicome said: "jawjuhh said: "https://m.imgur.com/gallery/6bClNLb

^ the Merch menu"

Link doesn’t work "

I thought so too, but they just put it in wrong, https://imgur.com/6bClNLb

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 1:15pm

DoTheDood said: "https://imgur.com/6bClNLb"

Ooo I'm totally getting that rose pin once I see this show. A bit pricey (what on Broadway isn't?) but it looks gorgeous 

[treblemakerz]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 3:16pm

StardustsChild said: "
Andre was, to me, the weakest link. His performance felt a bit wooden, a bit too rehearsed; which I fully believe is the case since about five minutes in he forgot his lines and a stagehand had to yell them to him from the wings. Yikes.
"

Not quite sure what you mean by a stagehand yelling him lines - I was at the show last night, fairly close to the stage, and I didn't hear anything of the sort. Could you be mistaking the moments when the ensemble speaks in unison with Hermes?"

No, I'm certain of what happened; it was very early on, when Orpheus is front and center tearing the paper to form a flower. Hermes's line was something about taking him under his wing, I do not remember exactly. From where I was sitting, you could very clearly see someone in plainclothes in the right wing giving Andre the line, which he then repeated.

[starcatchers]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 3:48pm

StardustsChild said: "
Andre was, to me, the weakest link. His performance felt a bit wooden, a bit too rehearsed; which I fully believe is the case since about five minutes in he forgot his lines and a stagehand had to yell them to him from the wings. Yikes.
"

Not quite sure what you mean by a stagehand yelling him lines - I was at the show last night, fairly close to the stage, and I didn't hear anything of the sort. Could you be mistaking the moments when the ensemble speaks in unison with Hermes?"

It definitely happened. I was up in the balcony and heard someone call his line. 

I’d have to agree with the person who said de Shields was the weak link. I hope as he settles in more that changes. 

The show as a whole was spectacular. I never actually got to see it at NYTW, but I’ve been listening to the recording pretty regularly since it was released. I love the changes they made to the music. It’s also so stunning, visually. 

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 5:42pm

I hate to be that person but after seeing the set, I’m nervous my seats will be pretty partial view. I’m in the orchestra all the way over on the right side, but in row Q. Anyone think I’ll have any issues?

[passing strange]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 11:15pm

n2nbaby said: "I hate to be that person but after seeing the set, I’m nervous my seats will be pretty partial view. I’m in the orchestra all the way over on the right side, but in row Q. Anyone think I’ll have any issues?"

Lol!  I'm the same way.  https://aviewfrommyseat.com/venue/Walter+Kerr+Theatre/?page=4&

Hope this helps.

[treblemakerz]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 11:34pm

Finally read the rest of this thread, and wanted to clarify that the man who helped teach the folk song at stage door with Anaïs and Rachel was Liam Robinson, who plays the piano in the onstage band (and did so in the NYTW production, as well)!

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 3/23/19 at 11:38pm

Wow, that merch is so beautiful.  

[Kad]

Posted: 3/24/19 at 12:26am

I was there this evening. The show is beautiful and by and large exquisitely performed... but ultimately not particularly engaging, which is not how I felt at NYTW, where I found the show very moving.

I was also shocked by how many obvious fans of the show were there- I saw at least two girls dressed as Persephone in the audience, and overheard quite a few conversations parsing the differences between incarnations of the show.

The changes to the score seem to me to have padded it out... and this is already an extremely thin story. The second act drags far too much for how little ground needs to be covered. This could have been a slamdunk 90 minute one-act.

There is also the issue of the reconception of Orpheus here, as some kind of savant. But Orpheus just becomes the least compelling character, and one that it is very hard to see anyone falling madly in love with- or putting up with at all. He is easily the least developed of the four principal roles. Hades wants power, Persephone wants freedom, Eurydice wants to survive, and Orpheus... wants to write a song? That’s all we know until he loses Eurydice. And part of this is Carney’s performance; Damon Duanno and the NYTW take on Orpheus was to make him a charismatic rebel, complete with a James Dean red jacket. But this take on the character is far different- the show on multiple occasions hints he is “touched,” and Reeve Carney loads up the character with tics that scream “I am an actor playing a autistic character!” But ultimately he ends up a blank. Which is a problem.

The show takes it for granted that we know Eurydice and Orpheus will fall in love, and lets that do the heavy lifting. Which COULD work... but then the show’s attention shifts from Eurydice in the first half to Orpheus in the sedond, and it is a much shakier foundation. They feel like the B couple to the far more interesting Hades and Persephone, who Patrick Page and Amber Grey make vivid and rich with unspoken history and character.

The singing and music is spectacular, and Chavkin comes up with so many gorgeous, haunting moments of staging, so I can’t say it’s not worthwhile, or that the journey isn’t worth it. But ultimately, I feel like the show wouldn’t be there when If you turned around.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 3/24/19 at 12:45am

Kad said: "I was there this evening. The show is beautiful and by and large exquisitely performed... but ultimately not particularly engaging, which is not how I felt at NYTW, where I found the show very moving.

I was also shocked by how many obvious fans of the show were there- I saw at least two girls dressed as Persephone in the audience, and overheard quite a few conversations parsing the differences between incarnations of the show.

The changes to the score seem to me to have padded it out... and this is already an extremely thin story. The second act drags far too much for how little ground needs to be covered. This could have been a slamdunk 90 minute one-act.

There is also the issue of the reconception of Orpheus here, as some kind of savant. But Orpheus just becomes the least compelling character, and one that it is very hard to see anyone falling madly in love with- or putting up with at all. He is easily the least developed of the four principal roles. Hades wants power, Persephone wants freedom, Eurydice wants to survive, and Orpheus... wants to write a song? That’s all we know until he loses Eurydice. And part of this is Carney’s performance; Damon Duanno and the NYTW take on Orpheus was to make him a charismatic rebel, complete with a James Dean red jacket. But this take on the character is far different- the show on multiple occasions hints he is “touched,” and Reeve Carney loads up the character with tics that scream “I am an actor playing a autistic character!” But ultimately he ends up a blank. Which is a problem.

The show takes it for granted that we know Eurydice and Orpheus will fall in love, and lets that do the heavy lifting. Which COULD work... but then the show’s attention shifts from Eurydice in the first half to Orpheus in the sedond, and it is a much shakier foundation. They feel like the B couple to the far more interesting Hades and Persephone, who Patrick Page and Amber Grey make vivid and rich with unspoken history and character.

The singing and music is spectacular, and Chavkin comes up with so many gorgeous, haunting moments of staging, so I can’t say it’s not worthwhile, or that the journey isn’t worth it. But ultimately, I feel like the show wouldn’t be there when If you turned around."

Those were my exact feelings when I saw it.

The staging seems much more effective in a much smaller space. It literally looked like a model plonked on a massive sound stage in London, which was very off putting and took you out of the show if you were too far back.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 3/24/19 at 12:59am

This show is so beautiful. Believe all the hype.

I cried during "Wait for me" and "Why we build the wall" it was such an engaging experience to see so many people in tears well. Yall. I don't mean cute, beautiful crying. We were ugly crying like someone kicked our puppy.

When the show first started, I couldn't understand Andre. I guess some of the songs sound kinda similar, but other than that...it's perfect.

Updated On: 3/24/19 at 12:59 AM

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 3/24/19 at 4:31am

treblemakerz said: "Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "jawjuhh said: "They do walk on the turntables quite a bit in the second act but I wouldn't say 'entire'. I felt like it was an appropriate usage"

Any stage elevators installed and employed? Thanks."

Yes. It's very much the same setup as London in terms of the turntables and stage elevator."

Thank you.  Cannot wait until June 21.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 3/24/19 at 7:58am

Ok having blown my budget on tickets for Kiss Me Kate (which was wonderful) and To Kill A Mockingbird (seeing it in June) I've decided I have $$$ for one more musical/play. For those who have seen both musicals would you recommend this one or Tootsie?

As a reference, the B'way shows from the last few seasons I've liked have been: DEH, Hamilton, Fun Home, Groundhog Day, The Great Comet, Come From Away, The Prom, Waitress.

The ones I've disliked: The Band's Visit, Mean Girls, Bandstand, An American in Paris

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/24/19 at 8:09am

Agree 100% with Kad’s sentiments. It’s a lovely show, but its best moments - score and staging - are frontloaded in act one and spends the rest of the show sort of spinning its wheels.

The performances, with the exception of Reeve Carney who I just don’t understand, are uniformly fantastic and everyone sounds killer. The production is in fantastic shape as well. Rachel Chavkin is a master of intimate spectacle and Anaïs Mitchell’s score has more moments of breathtaking beauty than not.

It is to the Broadway mounting’s detriment that a previous recording exists. In listening to how the score has evolved since NYTW, it sounds like they’ve kept everything in tact and just padded it out with more words, not necessarily more intention or drive. As it is, it just feels like there’s a lot of fat to be trimmed. Not an unequivocal success in my book, but definitely still worth seeing.

Updated On: 3/24/19 at 08:09 AM

[BdwyFan]

Posted: 3/24/19 at 8:15am

Tootsie for sure !

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/24/19 at 9:59am

I was wondering how much someone might like the show if they get really annoyed with all of the portrayals of Hades as the villain in many modern adaptations of Greek myths. I listened to the cast recording and really liked it, but that's always been an issue for me. It's one of the reasons I can barely watch Disney's Hercules.