HOW TO SUCCEED Begins Previews Tonight!- Page 5

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 1:44am

Now that we have the entire understudies list... How about the orchestra?

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 2:26am

Could you also post a list of the ushers and front of house staff? Who's working the bar and the souvenir stands?

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 2:26am

Could you also post a list of the ushers and front of house staff? Who's working the bar and the souvenir stands?

[goldenstate5]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 4:25am

I'm a little curious about the orchestrations. With Cinderella Darling back in, I'm assuming it's the slower, less maddening 1961 version and not the zany-at-11 1995 revival one.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 8:09am

The production has new orchestrations by Doug Besterman and dance arrangements by David Chase (a very good team). How to Succeed has a fantastic set of original orchestrations by Robert Ginzler, but I'd imagine the new orchestrations are more true to the show with Besterman and Chase's work than the souped up '95 orchestrations were.

[MimiJudith]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 9:32am

I bought tickets for this yesterday (for April). I was a bit hesitant to buy them because I didn't know how Radcliffe would do, but I'm glad to see that people here seem to love him. This is one of my favorite shows.

I saw it with Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker several years ago...didn't like Broderick at all in it. I guess nobody will ever beat Robert Morse in this role. By the way, wouldn't it have been great if they'd cast Robert Morse as J.B. Biggley? WOW, that would have been something.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 10:24am

Well, because Besterman also did "ELF" at that very same theatre before that, I'm not sure that the orchestra for "ELF" would remain the same, because, for one thing, David Chase, not Phil Reno, is conducting the show.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 10:42am

Has anyone had a successful rush experience for one of the two performances?

[mrbreggar]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 11:30am

Speaking of orchestrations, did they go back to the original version of the Overture? Or is it the much modified (and less exciting) '95 version?

[willep]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 12:18pm

I, too, am curious about rush...

[Eris0303]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 1:01pm

The score is quite forgettable

If the score is so forgettable how come so many people can sing several lines from pretty much any of the songs?

Oh god, I needed to pee immediately after that 1st act. LOL!

I'm so glad


It seems strange to me that that many people would stage door this show, when Equus was pretty much just limping along. Maybe because this is like a big, splashy musical, but it just seems odd. I mean, I remember seeing Equus and the theater was like half full, and not that many people at the stage door.

Part of it is that a lot of kids in the Harry Potter demographic couldn't see Equus. This show is decidedly more family friendly.

People have posted about Radcliffe's American accent and I was wondering do any of the characters truly need to be American? The company is Worldwide Widgets which suggests to me that they have offices all over the world. Wouldn't it stand to reason that there could be all sorts of accents in the office?

[madbrian]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 1:15pm

"...I was wondering do any of the characters truly need to be American? The company is Worldwide Widgets which suggests to me that they have offices all over the world. Wouldn't it stand to reason that there could be all sorts of accents in the office?"

For the period in which the piece is set, the NY office of an international company would have been VERY American. The career path of a non-American would probably have been substantially different from the advice given by the narrator.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 1:28pm

If the score is so forgettable how come so many people can sing several lines from pretty much any of the songs?

And add to that, a brilliant parody on FAMILY GUY which hits the nail right on the nose!

[mak136]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 2:19pm

I rushed Sat morning.

Got there at about 7:20..there were 4 folks in line. I really thought there'd be nobody and I could go get something to eat and check back again. So I rushed for coffee and bagels, came back and there were another 2 people in line...so by 730ish, I was 7th in line. Next person didn't show til a little after 8. Right at 10 they moved us in, and was out of there in minutes.

The seats I got were row J, far left, partial view. For the price, it was good. Yeah I missed a couple things on the top far left, but it wasn't integral, could hear fine.

Radcliffe did a fine job...pulled off the singing and choreography...and was having a good old time.

I'm not a Potter stalker. Just thought I'd go for the rush.

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 2:51pm

How many rush seats were available? How far into the line of people did it go until the tickets ran out? Just curious...

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 2:54pm

Thanks, mak! I figured it was a get there by 7:30 kind of deal.

[willep]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 4:18pm

Yes, thanks mak!

Did John Larroquette come out the stage door and sign afterwards, anybody?

[cabaretman24]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 4:33pm

I hear the show is running over 3 hours long. I hope not

[amn]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 10:24pm

For those of you who rushed, what was the rush price? I read the thread and didn't see it mentioned...:)

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 10:34pm

amn, rush tickets are $30.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 10:35pm

I have never seen a production of "How to Succeed" that didn't run VERY close to 3 hours long. I hope people realize that the show is just written this way. It's a long show. Great, but long.

[amn]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 10:54pm

Thanks givesmevoice :)

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 11:12pm

Glad to hear the show is going so well! Can anyone tell me what the show curtain is?

[gcontini2]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 11:37pm

Delightful. Saw Monday night's preview and have to say I was very pleasantly surprised how well they've nailed this show from the sets, lighting, and costumes to the casting and staging. At first I thought the opening choreography looked a little uncomfortably close in style to the opener of last season's Promises, Promises, but then the show breaks into its own uniqueness shortly thereafter.
Truth be told, the most surprising of all to me was Daniel Radcliffe himself! Who knew he would actually be so darn legitimately stage-talented? I guess the Harry Potter seriousness and the bleakness of Equus never really let him show his playful side, but he certainly is a big charmer here. His singing is great but his Michael J. Fox-like command of the stage and his flawless dancing are remarkable.
All in all, this production is as about as solid and lovingly-crafted of a revival you could hope for with this classic and I wish them the best.
Updated On: 2/28/11 at 11:37 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/28/11 at 11:41pm

The show got out tonight at 10:55. I heard people talking as I was walking home who came out of the stage door that things will need to be cut because it's running way too long. He said this was actually only the second performance to be run completely though which I found odd since it's in terrific shape and didn't drag at all for me.

I was very surprised that the mezz was only maybe 70% full. For some reason I thought this was selling like hot cakes. I'm sure once word gets out just how good Radcliffe is, business will pick up.