HERE LIES LOVE - Broadway Previews- Page 10

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 7/5/23 at 11:53pm

Was on the floor during the evening show today after having been in rear mezz during the first week.  In my opinion, the floor is DEFINITELY worth it, though if you don't want to stand, I think floorside/front mezz would probably offer a decent experience (rear mezz just felt a little too removed, though I was surprised at how well I could see everything).  Lea Salonga was indeed in today, not sure if it's a one off before she joins officially or if she's just starting earlier, but it was a big surprise seeing the call board in the lobby.

There have been a few blocking changes since I saw it last.  I'm pretty sure Fabulous one was done in the regular stage area before, but this time it was in the mezz, and I think more things were brought further up into the mezz as well.  They got rid of the second line dance, I can't remember where it was before but there were a couple of "just get up a dance" moments so I assume one of those was it.  Now that I know the music more, I think they might have cut a couple verses from Please Don't (though not sure if this is a new development) but they also have some spoken lines in between the verses so it could be to make time for that.

I really loved seeing Arielle especially up close.  People on this board have mentioned the transformation she undergoes over the course of the show but I didn't quite get that from the mezz (though I still enjoyed her singing a lot), but wow she was really great as Imelda when you could see all her expressions clearly.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 12:10am

Also forgot to add, I was pretty impressed at how clear the sound was on the floor after hearing other reports (part of this might have been because I know the songs a lot better now, but the other people that came with me didn't seem to have an issue following the songs either.  I'm pretty sure all the gunshots/bombs are pre-recorded. 

General experience of the floor just feels like you're more in the midst of the experience.  It is a little chaotic at times but I think you can really embrace that as part of the show.  There were maybe only two movements when you needed to move out of the way quickly, while the rest of the time you could kind of slowly shuffle around.  Though if you prefer to move as little as possible while on the floor I'd say try standing as far away from the center as possible.  There are times when you can't see the actors completely due to tall people in front, or when you need to look back and forth between actors on opposite sides, but I think that's just part of the experience.  You definitely get a more traditional point of view from sitting in the mezz, with a better vantage point of the video screens as well, so I think they had everything laid out pretty smartly to give that experience.

[seeseveryshow2]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 2:33am

Agree that the view from rear mezzanine (I was in 5th row center of rear mezz) is awful. So far from the stage. Sound is not great all the time either - missed plenty of lyrics.  
 

Lea Salonga was in tonight, but the floor standees didn’t get a playbill until after the show and may not have realized it was Lea. There was entrance applause for her, but it was scattered and brief. 
 

Someone above wrote they thought the gunshots and bombs were prerecorded. 
Yes, indeed they were. There were no bombs set off in the Broadway Theater tonight. Only a lot of ear-shattering noise. 



 

Updated On: 7/6/23 at 02:33 AM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 8:10am

Speaking of Lea Salonga, here's a recent interview this Tony winner did about why she felt it was so important to be part of ''Here Lies Love's'' historic, all-Filipino cast on Broadway. (She's also one of the show's Filipino producers.) And though the show is written by David Byrne, Salonga addresses why it's still a Filipino story and milestone. (I wish she were in ''Here Lies Love'' longer than Aug. 13, but I'm assuming she was already committed to doing ''Old Friends,'' the Sondheim salute, in London this fall.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93PlmW-50sU&t=302s

Updated On: 7/6/23 at 08:10 AM

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 12:15pm

chrishuyen said: "...They got rid of the second line dance..."

That's good. It was a pain to get up in the seats and there was little room to move. The second one seemed to be time filler to get the show to last 90 minutes-we got the point with the first one.

 

If I'm going to do the time warp, I'd rather be at a midnight show.

[James2]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 12:35pm

If Lea's role continues to have guest actresses, I dearly hope DeeDee Magno Hall plays it, too.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 2:14pm

Just a few months ago, When in Manila did this feature story: Filipino or Half-Filipino Actors Who Have Made It to Broadway or the West End:

https://www.wheninmanila.com/filipino-and-half-filipino-actors-who-made-it-to-broadway-or-the-west-end/

Updated On: 7/6/23 at 02:14 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 4:01pm

Lea is on again tonight. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 4:21pm

I wonder if they got nervous about having Lea debut during press week and wanted to give her a couple performances before she officially starts her run. 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 7/6/23 at 4:41pm

It felt like it was a bit of a sudden decision yesterday.  In our party, only about half the playbills didn't have the understudy slip, and at stagedoor one of the cast members was asking if there was a slip for Lea inside the playbill, so it didn't feel like it was preplanned.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 12:01am

Just heard that they have CUT the reprise of Here Lies Love because they're worried about the optics. 

This is making me irrationally upset, lol.

Hoping it's a one-and-done they realize is dumb. 

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 12:09am

If they’re worried about optics, maybe they shouldn’t have mounted the show in the first place. I’d be disappointed if they cut the HLL reprise. I mean, it’s the title of the show!

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 12:55am

bwaylyric said: "If they’re worried about optics, maybe they shouldn’t have mounted the show in the first place. I’d be disappointed if they cut the HLL reprise. I mean, it’s the title of the show!"

Apparently they wanted to change it to a non-Imelda song, but couldn't come up with a good one. You can't have a bunch of white people singing "I am a child of the Philippines" 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 8:31am

Two New York Times articles about the show (gift links).  The second addresses the issues the first only touches on briefly.

For Filipino Audiences, ‘Here Lies Love’ Offers Emotional Rip Currents

‘Here Lies Love’ Pairs Disco With a Dictator. It’s a Controversial Choice

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 9:54am

My thing is … the reprise of HLL reads as the players singing // dancing with the audience as themselves. Hence the very non Imelda style dress worn by jacobs for the finale. It’s not like the character of Imelda is asking us to get on our feet and dance with her before we leave the theatre. I hope they reinstate the finale. 

 

[twbrqr]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 10:53am

I was thinking how strange it was that there wasn't a reprise seeing it last night. The ending as is feels meh.

[Voter]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 11:06am

Even with the promo code, these prices are ridiculous! (or maybe it's just the recession like era we're currently in...) but I'll be waiting for a TDF offer or lottery win for this one

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 12:24pm

Voter said: "Even with the promo code, these prices are ridiculous! (or maybe it's just the recession like era we're currently in...) but I'll be waiting for a TDF offer or lottery win for this one"

Interestingly, TDF now has "standing" tickets up for Wednesday Matinee, although there's a disclaimer that it's possible they become seated tickets...

"While it is highly likely these seats will be standing (floor) tickets, as seating is assigned based on box office availability, there is a possibility these tickets may end up seated. TDF does not assign seating locations."

Updated On: 7/7/23 at 12:24 PM

[Voter]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 1:21pm

JustAnotherNewYorker said: "Voter said: "Even with the promo code, these prices are ridiculous! (or maybe it's just the recession like era we're currently in...) but I'll be waiting for a TDF offer or lottery win for this one"

Interestingly, TDF now has "standing" tickets up for Wednesday Matinee, although there's a disclaimer that it's possible they become seated tickets...

"While it is highly likely these seats will be standing (floor) tickets, as seating is assigned based on box office availability, there is a possibility these tickets may end up seated. TDF does not assign seating locations.""

Good to know!

[JBM84]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 5:11pm

jkcohen626 said: "Just heard that they have CUT the reprise of Here Lies Love because they're worried about the optics.

This is making me irrationally upset, lol.

Hoping it's a one-and-done they realize is dumb."

They've been tweaking it, I noticed one from July 3 where they changed the visuals to have more revolutionary figures in it/make the song about the revolution/Aquino and not Immelda. Also seems like they've been trying to figure out that staging, so I could see it being cut till they finalize it.

But yes, I agree, dumb decision.

[yyys]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 7:59pm

Are the rush floor tickets still $99?

[arcolley]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 8:06pm

Floor rush is also $39 - I rushed yesterday and was given a choice between floor or rear mezz. Rush for this one also seems super easy - got there at 9 am and was the first in line, no one else showed up until 9:50.

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 7/7/23 at 10:16pm

Anyone able to report if the reprise of HLL was back in tonight? 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/8/23 at 12:16am

starlightlocamotion said: "Anyone able to report if the reprise of HLL was back in tonight?"

I need to know!

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 7/8/23 at 1:30am

No reprise tonight. After the three leads did their bows, I got excited when Arielle got hold of a mic, but all she ended up saying was “Come on, everybody!”  End of music. Cue the confetti. In this club setting, this show needs a better send-off. I’d suggest some sort of remix a la Six.