HIGH is one of THE most audience and Tony worthy shows on Broadway now!!

[billyboyA]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 1:12am

I was blown away by the truthfulness and the simplicity and the honesty of this play. It wasn't flowery well crafted language that reminds us we're watching theater. You felt as if Kathleen Turner's character was taking you into her confidence and into her world, where you saw a raw and real world event unfold.

I love writers like Kushner and Stoppard, but in their plays, i think you are always aware on some level of your conscienceness that you're hearing language that is SO well and carefully crafted that no real human being could actually say those things quite THAT well and cleverly unless they had written their thoughts prior to speaking them. In HIGH, I was never aware of the craft of writing. I was only aware of human beings.

I will say that I felt the priest made some weak choices and could have been played a bit more powerfully. But as for Kathleen and Evan: wow... I saw brilliance tonight. I hope this show finds and keeps an audience. It deserves to be seen. It's very very special. And very very real.

[April Saul]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 1:14am

I'm not quite as enthusiastic as you, but I'm glad someone besides me liked it!
I'm afraid this show isn't going to do well, but I really did enjoy it.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 1:21am

I haven't read one bad thing about the show. Everyone I know who saw it had good things to say. And I loved it!

Sadly, the marketing for the show isn't strong enough. Having Kathleen Turner isn't strong enough. If it lasts til the Tony nominations, then it definitely needs some nods if it's going to have any kind of a life.

[Broadway_Boy]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 1:30am

Thank You!!! I was scared to comment on another thread because of how much people were saying they hated it. But I LOVED it and thought it was a fantastic piece of theatre. The people around me also were saying positive things. My boyfriend, who doesn't like theatre at all, also thought it was great. I also think the young boy should win the tony.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 1:34am

I feel bad that folks are afraid to say they like the show on the other thread. Positive opinions are valid. Just because we disagree doesn't mean anything. I agree that there needs to be plays that are not languaged like a Kushner play. However, I actually feel the opposite with HIGH-that the language is so contrived that no one would say it either.

I also feel Evan is giving the best performance in the show and deserves recognition.

[Feedthebirds2]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 2:18am

Glad you liked it. I did not. It just felt contrived and the language stilted. while I appreciate the daringness of the kid to get naked and go to emotional places, its just not always supported or credible. It's the big showy role in the play...I just wished he showed a little less.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 8:50am

We see it next Saturday .

I told my wife we should see it now as we are going away in about 3 1/2 weeks on vacation and it might not be there when we get back . It is a sad commentary on theater when quality shows especially drama have no shot at succeeding.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 12:58pm

I'm glad you're seeing it, Roxy, but I don't think this qualifies as quality theater. I saw an excellent cast doing the best they could in a subpar play poorly directed. I said much more in other threads, but here I'll just say I agree with Bettyboy and Feedthebirds2.

"I will say that I felt the priest made some weak choices and could have been played a bit more powerfully."

I completely understand you're saying, billyboyA, but my impression was that those choices were the director's (Ruggiero), not the actor's (Kunken). Kunken is additionally hampered by having the least realized and sketchiest of roles. Father Michael is written to be weak.

Broadway_Boy, don't ever be afraid to comment. I'm actually sorry billyboyA opted to start a new thread, as the old one had lots of interesting differing opinions on the show, and for the most part, the discussion has been very civil. It's easier to keep the posts in one place. Now there's three or four threads.

"I haven't read one bad thing about the show."

I guess you haven't revisited this thread since you posted in it, capnhook :

HIGH tonight thread

[Luscious]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 2:50pm

Looking forward to seeing this more and more with each passing day! I usually end up disliking shows that are universally praised by theatre critics and audiences alike; especially critics. The ones that ignite mixed emotions, opinions and debate are usually the ones I enjoy the most. Hope it finds its audience!

[vegas2]

Posted: 4/10/11 at 4:09pm

I have a ticket for the end of April. I hope the show lasts that long, but I fear it may not.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 3:49pm

Attendance last week is down 9% from its first full week. The good news is that they grossed 5k more, and average ticket price went up from $25 to $31. The bad news is, while that's an improvement, it isn't much of one. They are making less than 20% of their potential. Best of luck to you, vegas2 and Luscious. I don't think that even stellar reviews can save this one - and no way are they getting stellar reviews.

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 4:10pm

suggestions for cheap ticket options? The student rush is 17-21 only!

I checked broadway box, but if anyone else can suggest where to access really cheap tickets to the show, that would be great!

[April Saul]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 4:15pm

I guess if you didn't belong to TDF or a paper organization and weren't a kid, that might be a bit tough. Maybe you could get some help from someone? Obviously, once you're in the theater, it'd be easy enough to change your seat.

I am one of the ones who DID like this play, by the way.

[rougeduck]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 5:31pm

Ditto. Does this show have rush?

[Luscious]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 9:21pm

ghostlight2... you appear to have a h@rdon for this show... and not in a good way. We get it. You didn't like it. But the way you keep popping in to remind everyone how much you didn't like it, how it's not doing good business, how it won't survive the opening night reviews, etc., etc., I can't help but believe that you have some ulterior motive. Were you perhaps involved with the show in some capacity at some point? I mean it's one thing not to like a show and say so, but you seem to be rooting for its failure and intent on spreading the negative word. You're becoming quite the buzz kill.

Updated On: 4/11/11 at 09:21 PM

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 9:37pm

No, I did not work for the show in any capacity, and I am not rooting for its failure. Quite the opposite. In fact, I've seen it several times, hoping it would improve. I think I'm mostly disappointed that a project with such potential turned out the way it has, and am amazed at their numbers. I hate to see any show fail.

It's true that I didn't care for the show, but I have had many positive things to say about the cast and creatives, and thought I was having civil and an even-handed discussion regarding it. Sorry that my analyzing the show translates to you as having an ulterior motive.

I don't want to harsh your buzz, though, so I'll bow out. Hope you enjoy the show and that it finds an audience.



Updated On: 4/11/11 at 09:37 PM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 10:21pm

Luscious, if you look at any of the threads on new shows, there are usually people who keep close tabs on a show. Ghostlight has kept the HIGH threads alive and actually is quite fair in praising many aspects of the show. This show has had the luxury of a lot of time to work on itself and much like Spiderman, very little has changed. I think that is some of the disappointment. So much potential and not much movement.

The performers are giving 110%. I too hope that people connect to the material, even thought the dialogue is rough IMO.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 4/11/11 at 11:30pm

I don't think ghostlight has been unfair in his criticism of the show. I know I always appreciate hearing an honest opinion, and the details of its progress interests me.