HEY, LOOK ME OVER! - Encores- Page 2

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 2/8/18 at 10:47pm

And the Times review is in:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/08/theater/review-hey-look-me-over-encores-city-center.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Ftheater&action=click&contentCollection=theater&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

[bk]

Posted: 2/8/18 at 11:45pm

The fact that Mr. Viertel, a truly untalented fool, won't even consider Drat! The Cat! for an evening such as this tells me all I need to know about him and his taste.  And he has no idea how to assemble anything, be it show or revue.  This is a man who for much of his earlier life told writers how they should "fix" their work - but when he attempted to be a book writer on Time and Again let me tell you how many people he listened to when smart people were telling him how to fix his wretched, wrong-headed book: 0

[Melissa25]

Posted: 2/9/18 at 1:32pm

I am never able to get good orchestra seats for Encores! but was just able to score $79 seats for tonight in center orchestra on Stubhub.  Great deal! This should be a lot of fun. Woo Hoo!

[j.garcia]

Posted: 2/9/18 at 3:07pm

Saw it last night, I found it overall dull with moments of brightness. The highlight for me was the beautiful "Once Upon a Time." My other favorite parts were the bits from Wildcat, Push de Button, Why do the Wrong People Travel, and both songs from Mack and Mabel. I confess I was most excited to see and hear Douglass Sills, as Scarlet Pimpernel was my first TKTS show and I still fondly remember the cast and the music.  The second act dragged so much, too many book scenes that didn't really tell me a whole lot and I found Greenwillow especially boring. Hearing these songs, you begin to realize why these shows flopped. They really nailed the ending though, special guest and all.  

That said, even though I didn't love every part I did appreciate the opportunity to hear these songs sung with a full orchestra, as well as some rarely played overtures. That alone was worth the TDF buy, and I'm glad I went.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/9/18 at 3:19pm

I have the most horrible memories of seeing television segments of Anthony Perkins singing "Never Will I Marry" from GREENWILLOW. He couldn't hit the higher notes and made the most excruciating faces while trying to do so. I shudder just thinking about it.

[wonkit]

Posted: 2/9/18 at 4:41pm

I might have gone to this if Douglas Sills were singing "I Won't Send Roses."

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 2/9/18 at 10:39pm

I just heard from a friend, who heard from a friend, who heard from a friend's friend, that the show was supposed to be ALLEGRO to commemorate the 25th anniversary but it was nixed by certain producers due to a certain revival??

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 2:37am

So for those of us on the other side of the country who have no chance to see this...who was this special guest who shows up in "Give My Regards to Broadway"? (I have a guess, but I'd love confirmation)

[yknot]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 4:36am

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Joel Grey, and it is a wonderful, completely unexpected moment.

 

[Cesare2]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 6:54am

I have my doubts about the ALLEGRO story above.  The show was already done by Encores.  It was the second show in its first season.  Back then these were strictly concert form, using a narrator between numbers.  The night I saw it James Hammerstein was the narrator.  Another night Sondheim was the narrator.  I think it was maybe Celeste Holm's last stage appearance. John Doyle did a reduced version in his first season at CSC. IIRC, Doyle's production wasn't that well received.

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 9:41am

yknot said: "

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

 

"

Thanks for not doing the spoiler content box correctly.  I’m seeing the show tonight and won’t be surprised.

[elmore3003]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 10:22am

While there is some veracity in Mr Nowack's post, the show was not ALLEGRO.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 11:08am

Bruce Winston, you wanted a song list, so here you go:

 

Wildcat: Oveture, Oil, Hey, Look Me Over

All American: Melt Us, What a Country, Once Upon a Time 

Jamaica: Ain’t It the Truth, Push De Button

Milk and Honey; Shalom, Independence Day Hora, Milk and Honey

Mack & Mabel: Movies Were Movies, Look What Happened to Mabel

Subways are for Sleeping: Overture

Greenwillow: A Day Borrowed from Heaven, Gideon’s Charm, The Music of Home, Never Will I Marry

Sail Away: Come to Me, Sail Away, Why Do the Wring People Travel?

George M!: Give My Regards to Broadway 

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 1:33pm

To me the ALLEGRO story made sense to me because for the 20th anniversary they also did a repeat from the first season, FIORELLO. 

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 2:27pm

There was no surprise guest last night. Regardless, I thought the show was delightful. The book scenes were fine, and the singing was glorious.

[fredric47]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 4:31pm

Whizzer Marvin, you are a dear man to fulfill my wish for having the list of songs performed from the shows represented in "Hey, Look Me Over" at Encores City Center. If I had known earlier, I would have enjoyed hearing this list performed; but there are still other songs from some of these shows that I would have preferred being selected.

From "Wildcat," I would have chosen "What Takes My Fancy," "One Day We Dance," and if there was a more comedic minded performer playing the Lucille Ball role, "Tippy, Tippy Toes."

From "All American," I would have chosen "If I Were You."

From "Greenwillow," "Could Have Been A Ring," Summertime Love, " "What A Blessing"

From "Milk and Honey," "I Will Follow You," "Hymn to Hymie"

From "Sail Away," "Something Very Strange," "Go Slow Johnny"

Since I haven't seen "Subways are for Sleeping" since its pre-Broadway Philadelphia tryout in 1961, if the weather cooperates, I hope to come up to see on a Saturday matinee at Musicals in Mufti at the York Theatre Company.

All the Best,

Bruce Winston, avid musical theatregoer since "Gypsy" in 1959.

 

[JayG 2]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 5:41pm

No surprise guest at the matinee.

[phan24]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 6:05pm

According to a member in the cast, the surprise guest had been sick and unable to join.

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 6:52pm

I saw the matinee and had a great time.   The Mack and Mabel section was completely thrilling and the rest was all somewhere between entertaining and exceptional.    Everyone around me was loving it. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 8:47pm

This thread inspired me to give some of these albums a listen. So far I had fun with Wildcat. Maybe Mack and Mabel next. Any other suggestions?

[msmp]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 9:06pm

CATSNYrevival said: "This thread inspired me to give some of these albums a listen. So far I had fun with Wildcat. Maybe Mack and Mabel next. Any other suggestions?"

I've always enjoyed listening to Milk and Honey; Molly Picon is a treat on the cast album. And Charlotte Rae did a version of "Chin Up, Ladies" for a tribute to Jerry Herman many years ago.

[BuddyStarr]

Posted: 2/11/18 at 12:05am

Saw the show tonight and it was, as StageStruckLad said, delightful.  It was a wonderful evening.  All the show presented with interesting and fun.  You could see how some of the shows in totality were not very good but had some wonderful numbers in them.  I was blown away by Clifton Duncan’s voice in  “Never Will I Marry” especially.  I’m always amazed at how much charm and grace Bebe Neuwirth exudes.  

After a number of negative posts here I was expecting a drab show so I was pleasantly surprised.  I reallly enjoyed the book parts too and Bob Martin really tied everything in very well.  

Finally, the orchestration was great and there was no surprise guest.  Oh, and I liked the political undertones throughout the show too.

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 2/11/18 at 8:00am

I forgot to mention one other pleasant surprise. There was an Encores tote bag waiting on my theatre seat with a note thanking me for being an Encores subscriber for 25 years. Nice touch!