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#176

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 7:44am

Saw it last night. I agree with most of the comments on here, the book is weak, but my biggest problem is the sound design. The show was loud - WAAAAAY over amplified. I had great seats (front center mezz) and I found myself trying to cover my ears at moments in the show. The music was pretty good and I enjoyed the staging/movements, but the sound design killed it for me. Also, where is the orchestra located? Pit? It almost feels as though most of the music is pre-recorded.
#177

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 11:16am

There is no prerecorded orchestra. They are in a room below the stage. Regarding the poster's opinion of the sound design... I thought that it sounded great and I too sat in the front Mezzanine. Everything was super-clear with the exception of bad diction and the design was totally right for the piece. It is presented with impact in places as a Tupac concert would be and in many spots the levels are way more moderate. Certainly no louder than Mamma Mia or Rock Of Ages or Motown... it's a hip-hop/rap version of a 'rock opera'! The band sounded righteous maybe that's why you thought it sounded pre-recorded? Also... Consider that the choice of the level that a show will be is not made solely by the sound designer...
#178

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 11:36am

"The band sounded righteous maybe that's why you thought it sounded pre-recorded?"

I think I'll be trying to figure out what that means for the rest of the day...
#179

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 12:11pm

broadfan327, you deserve an award for seeing it more than once.
#180

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 1:05pm

"The band sounded righteous maybe that's why you thought it sounded pre-recorded?"

Maybe this type of thinking is why they eliminated the sound design category?
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
#181

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 1:12pm

I had a comp to the first preview. I had bought the ticket through Audience Rewards (they had a big bonus promotion). I enjoy the music...And it made more sense to me being in the center orchestra than the side balcony like I was the first time.
#182

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 5:52pm

My comment doesn't require a whole day of thought. Obviously a record, recorded over days and days with attention to every minute detail and with every imperfection ironed-out is a presentation of the music which represents the truest intent of the composers/performers - theoretically. A band playing live, when coupled with a great mix and a good sound design may achieve close to that sound. Many Broadway shows do not achieve that in my opinion. Not surprising given the many challenges involved...
#184

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 7:48pm

I think that the point of roadmixer's comments are that Tupac likely would have approved of the vibe of the mix on HOLLER. Whether or not it is to your taste or that of other Broadway theatergoers is a totally different question.
#185

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 10:53pm

Broadway Grosses is reporting that the average ticket price this past week went down from $25.10 to $24.35......

Holler is set to perform in Bryant Park on July 31st. I can't imagine how it will make it for another month and a half with numbers like that....unless they've got producers willing to pour money into the production to keep it open.
#186

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 11:45pm

Just got home from Tupac's birthday show. Paid $43 for center mezz, row A. I had been reading this thread a bit beforehand, and I was kinda dreading going to the show tonight, but walked out (at the end) pleasantly surprised.

Sure, the book is weak, but there were some tremendous performances up there. Saul and Chris were great. Saycon sounded amazing. I caught myself zeroing in on watching some of the choreo and getting lost in the moment.

The show and the band sounded great, often have trouble discerning the lyrics in hip-hop; this show was one of the best sounding "rap" shows I've seen. Granted, I didn't get 100% of the lyrics, but I won't blame that on the sound. And it was definitely not too loud in my opinion -- just right for this material. I did, however, have trouble tracking who was singing which lines when solos bounced around the stage from actor to actor - but maybe that's more of a direction/followspot solution.
#187

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/16/14 at 11:52pm

"Broadway Grosses is reporting that the average ticket price this past week went down from $25.10 to $24.35......"

You have this all wrong. They went up from $24.10 to $24.35. Their box office is on the rise!
#188

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/17/14 at 1:03am

i too am still trying to find comps for this!
you'd think they'd be easier to find!
#190

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/17/14 at 3:16am

I went back for the second time tonight after initially seeing the first preview and the show of course still has major book problems, though the book scenes did seem to go by slightly quicker after whatever it was they cut. I think I recall more wandering around and rambling from the old man the first time I saw it. One revision of something that has been discussed in this thread is there is now a button (there actually are a lot of buttons now, something else mentioned here) after California Love, followed by the gunshots mid-applause and no longer do the two guys cower in the back of the car so the laughter from the audience at that moment is now gone. I guess that's better, but they really needed to fix a lot more to save this show, but with the short preview period I'm sure they never intended to.

Damnit, I didn't see Madonna, though I was all the way up in the balcony. I did however see Kenny Leon hanging out in the walkway to the orchestra.

But I have to say the musical numbers are still very strong, which is what got me to come back for a second visit, besides the tickets being free. So for anyone who likes Tupac I'd say it's still worth seeing just to watch these songs performed.

And BTW, does anyone know who the actor is that plays the ensemble member with the stutter? I ask this as a stutterer myself and am always glad to see characters who stutter in any form of entertainment. As long as they don't reveal it was fake a few episodes in. *cough*Glee*cough*

Updated On: 6/17/14 at 03:16 AM

#191

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/18/14 at 7:08pm

Well from the preview on here I didn't hate the music. Though it is pretty "RENTy." I'm not digging the costumes or set design. It looks worse than the set for Bring it It On. It's hard to see the proscenium but I bet that is all but swallowed up by the size of the stage. The lighting looks tacky as hell.
#192

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/18/14 at 8:22pm

I didn't mean to offend anyone who's a sound designer, I recognize that it is not just their choice as far as leveling goes. Maybe it was just me, but I think it was loud. I didn't expect a 'concert' vibe since this "story is now".
#193

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/18/14 at 9:10pm

So, are they just hoping this gets rave reviews and gets an audience? What are the chances they close soon?
#194

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/18/14 at 10:47pm

Well, they open tomorrow/Thursday, so all will be revealed soon...
#195

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/18/14 at 11:00pm

I caught Holler this past weekend and the show has a few strong points, but unfortunately, the weak points out-weighed those.

Strong points:
--The cast is a very strong cast of singers and dancers. They move very well and the voices sounded good to me.
--Christopher Jackson, Saycon Sengbloh, and Tonya Pinkins are marvelous, as usual.
--I found the songs sticking with me as I left.

Low Pointd:
--The book is a hot mess. Apparently they've worked on it, but it feels uneven. The plot is paper thin and predictable. There were a few points where things felt muddy and weren't easy to follow, but you get the idea of what is gong to happen and how it's going to happen within 15 minutes of the show starting. There's practically zero character development and much of what is there feels so cliched. It's rough. It needs to be reviewed with a critical eye and rethought. Give us something more to care about and make it genuine.
--Tonya Pinkins is tragically under used.
--The sound design needs work. Parts were deafeningly loud and at other times, I was straining to hear. A few times I lost track of who was singing.
--Saul Williams is a great spoken word artist, but for me, his style didn't work at all in the show.

It's been said so many times in this thread, but this show just needs more development and refining. This is a case where a timeline and out of town tryouts would have benefitted. They could cleaned up the book, added more of what was working, and make something that didn't come off as cheesy or missing the mark. I would have rather seen thus year start some kind of road toward opening on broadway instead of going out cold. Aiming for Tupac's 45th birthday or the 20th anniversary of his death would have given them time to make this work better.

It could have been, but right now the show falls flat. It'll be interesting to see what comes of a show like this when substantial time has passed, say 15 or 20 years from now. Maybe someone will have done a major book overhaul and present a new Holler. I think Tupac's lyrics and poetry are important and do need to be shared, but this just didn't work for me.
#196

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/18/14 at 11:08pm

"Tonya Pinkins is tragically under used."

1000% this! I wanted to see more of her, she was fantastic.
#197

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/18/14 at 11:59pm

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Paul Wontorek was at the show tonight. Looks like there are very few people paying for orchestra seats.

#199

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/19/14 at 12:14am

You do know they don't use these seats don't you? The stadium seating is on the other side of that wall.
#200

HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME Previews

Posted: 6/19/14 at 12:40am

This show was so bad, I don't think even ONE New York critic will be giving it a positive review. It should just close on Sunday and go away.

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