HELLO, DOLLY! Previews — Page 24

How has Jerry Herman been doing lately? Has he been able to attend any of the previews?

Just saw it. OMG!!!!!!!! This is one of the performances I'll still remember vividly come decades. Just can't believe how magical Ms. Midler's every move is. And my only quibble is that she is not on stage the whole time! I've never smiled this much in a theater, and to think I had my doubts given my quite unhappy history with old-school musicals...

Her Tony is a lock just like Hamilton's last year.

MsDesmond, you have amazing seats! My view from Row N all the way to the left on the most outer aisle was still a great seat and I only missed a little, nothing important. I could still see their faces perfectly. Your seat is in Row N, like mine, but will be an even better seat!

Well I was in row S far right (S26) and had no trouble with the expressions and details of the production. Bette projects her expressions so well it's not an issue. And the production is designed to be fairly shallow with most of the action occurring near the lip of the stage.

To answer the question about Jerry Herman's health: he's fine. No, he hasn't been to any of the previews but is delighted by the reports he's receiving about this production. At the present time he doesn't plan to be there for opening night, but he may fly up to catch a performance at some future point.

She didn't do any of the "it's live" stuff on Wednesday night. In fact, I don't think she made any flubs that evening.

This was my first time seeing anything other than the movie, so when she coughed and said, "It's live" I worried that she was having a legitimate issue. She said a couple of lines right after that and then exited stage left and from my seat I heard prolonged coughing. (I don't know the usual blocking, and the coughing I heard could have just as easily come from the back of the house for all I know.) I spent all of It Only Takes a Moment worrying that something was wrong with Bette and then she entered in the next scene wearing a different costume (and finished the show in full, grand voice) so I guess she usually exits there and I spent all of Gavin Creel's excellent work in that scene distracted and worried over nothing.



Still, this was a glorious night of theater, Bette was radiant and every other aspect of the stage production was pitch perfect. Any complaints I might have about my experience tonight (and they are few, but kinda glaring) involve audience members behaving badly and ushers behaving aggressively in return. I was in the house right mezzanine and it seemed like some people were suddenly unable to figure out their cell phones when the house lights went down AND the ushers in that section were particularly quick to shine their flashlights on perceived offenders (and all of the seats around them) during the key moments of the show. Yes, the light of someone's cell phone will distract me and pull me out of the moment and I appreciate the show taking steps to address this, BUT . . . the random flashes of light from the usher (especially when no one in our row or area was holding a phone or camera) was every bit as distracting as an unruly audience member. This is my first time seeing a truly high-profile show during previews. Is this behavior common?

I managed to get tickets the day they went on sale. the only problem was, when I logged into Ticketmaster, I unfortunately did not get a choice of seats. That's of course the way I would have preferred: the choose-from-map option.
Instead, everytime I tried, Ticketmaster made the section for me (of course, within the section I had chosen) and I could either accept or decline. I wanted seats within the first five-or-so rows (Orchestra) but never even came close. I finally had to opt for Orchestra left, row N. Plus my seats (2) are all the way at the end of the row (as far left as you can go) but LesW. was in exactly the same row and seat and he was definitely not complaining, so I guess I shouldn't either.
Still......To have sat a bit closer, a bit more central.....

sk

Hey Miz Mamie-- how much did you miss in that box seat? I have tickets for a future performance in seats D1 and D3. Someone on another board had mentioned the box seats on the other side of the house (left) were worse, because of missing parts of the courtroom scene.

Updated On: 4/8/17 at 11:45 AM

bdboston said: "Hey Mia Mamie-- how much did you miss in that box seat? I have tickets for a future performance in seats D1 and D3. Someone on another board had mentioned the box seats on the other side of the house (left) were worse, because of missing parts of the courtroom scene."

Just to confirm, the general consensus is that house right (ie stage left) is the better side to be on for a full view, correct?

Updated On: 4/8/17 at 01:08 PM

I'm trying to decide between e13 and e14 (house left and right respectively). e13 could be fun to be close for the courtroom scene, but less fun if it is cut off. Any experiences?

Updated On: 4/8/17 at 01:53 PM

I went on April 5,2017 at the evening performance. I thought Bette"s voice was a bit weak but I smiled through the whole show. never clapped until the curtain call.

Yep. Just smiled.