Hairspray on the Plaza
Hairspray on the Plaza
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
Hairspray on the Plaza#0
Posted: 8/9/03 at 9:46am
It can be put simply :: cast - good. Today show - bad. The cast was in fine shape. Marissa particularly was in strong voice. The camera and audio work, however, was awful for the most part. There were a few good camera shots, but for the most part, they were horrible.
Jenn Gambatese was a strong Penny, that is the few times she could be heard over the mic issues. She lacks Kerry's 'cupie doll' quality, but I don't think it really matters. The same with Chester. You couldn't get a good feel for him because of the tech issues.I see Michelle Kittrell is the new Brenda. I am not feeling the new wig she wears. I like the old Brenda wig better. Picky.. yes. Oh well. Alli mauzey will be missed, however those who catch the tour will be lucky to see her. Hopefully she willr eturn to the Broadway company in the future. Note to Margo Lion :: when Jenn leaves, bring in Alli to play Penny.
I wish they would have done You Can't Stop The Beat. The only real reason I wanted them to do that number was to show off Tracy Jai Edwards as Amber and to see a bit more of Aja Maria's adorable Inez. That girl is soo tiny!
However, for those Adam Fleming fans out there, the camera did get a few good shots of him during 'Baltimore'.
And what was up with the camera on Jenn and Chester during Without Love?? On the funniest line Jenn has (you know the one), the camera is practially behind her while Ches cuts her loose, you can hardly see her face, and then when she sat up, you could practically see up her dress!
Updated On: 8/9/03 at 09:46 AM
re: Hairspray on the Plaza#1
Posted: 8/9/03 at 10:39am
And did Matthew forget his lyrics?? There were several bars of backing vocals only during Without Love.
I agree with the criticism of the Today Show audio/video. And also agree with the nice shots of Adam!
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#2
Posted: 8/9/03 at 10:49amNo, Matthew didn't go up on the lyrics. that was the audio again. I taped it and went back and it was in fact audio issues. His voice is JUST audible .
re: re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#3
Posted: 8/9/03 at 10:58amya, it was a mic issue. Matt was like, uhhahhh (or whatever, you could tell he was pissed at the sound board ops.) And yes, very good shots of Adam in Good Morning Baltimore! I really didn't like Chester as Seaweed, but he really didn't get to show off. Why was Mary there in Costume but, didn't perform. Was she ready for a matinee?
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
re: re: re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#4
Posted: 8/9/03 at 11:00am
Mary sang I Know Where I've Been. It wasn't broadcast though. At the very end, when Lester Holt is closing the show, you can see several cast members behind them getting into position and on the wide shot you can see Judine Richard jogging back to the stage after her second costune change of the morning!
And yes, I am sure several of them were not happy about the audio issues. They CAN hear the audience feed while they are performing out there.
Updated On: 8/9/03 at 11:00 AM
re: re: re: re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#5
Posted: 8/9/03 at 11:04amYa I taped it. That sucks! I want to see her perform that. I guess that's what you get special when you are there.
re: re: re: re: re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#6
Posted: 8/9/03 at 12:51pmI thought the audio was horrible. I don't know, but I really didn't care for Chester. I didn't like his voice.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#7
Posted: 8/9/03 at 4:30pmThe lovely part of the whole Today Show experience is that the cast has to arrive at 5:30 AM on site to work out the camera work and mic issues. And then, three hours later, you get out there and everything goes wrong. It happens with almost every live Broadway show appearance. You would think that with the Today Show airing seven days a week for years now in Rockefeller Center with outdoor concerts and appearances, they would work out all of the kinks... but, something ALWAYS happens. And with talent payments, hair, make-up, wardrobe departments for costumed appearances and either live bands or tracks, an appearance can cost a show $10,000 to $25,000 for a failed appearance. Broadway deserves better and the Today Show really needs to get their act together.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#8
Posted: 8/9/03 at 4:37pmOne of the camera shots that I did not mention above, but REALLYgo "What the F*^%?" was of Marissa during "Without Love. When she sings "Once I was a simple girl.. then stardom came to me", the camera is shotting her through the bars, and one of the jail cell bars is going right through her face! And it wasn't like the bars were close together at all, if teh camera man would have moved 1 foot, you could have seen all of her through the bars and still have room to spare!
Understudy Joined: 6/23/03
re: Hairspray on the Plaza#9
Posted: 8/9/03 at 9:24pm
Here's the HAIRSPRAY ON TODAY report from the west coast.
When they annouced that the cast from HAIRSPRAY was coming up, we saw a logo for the TODAY show while GOOD MORNING BALITMORE played....just the logo for the entire song.
Then they did the song "live". WITHOUT LOVE followed. My 3 year old nephew could have done better camera work.
After a little chatter with Marissa, Mary comes out to do her song......we think. Lester thanks the cast and for all we know that's it. After a break...surprise...Mary IS still there and does I KNOW.....
Have to agree with the consensus....the cast looked great....the audio and video was shabby...to say the least.
LINK: Tracy, you look beautiful behind bars!
TRACY: It must be the low-watt institutional lighting!
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#10
Posted: 8/9/03 at 10:50pm
Alrighty, after hearing some reports, I went back and rewatched Without Love. Mr. Matt Morrison manages to slip in teh dreaded "F" word during the song. If you have it tape, watch the this section ::
Link :: If you're locked up in this prison Trace, I don't know what I'll do.
Tracy :: Link, I've got to break out so that I can get my hands on you.
Seaweed :: And girl, if I can't touch you now, I'm gtonna lose control.
Penny :: Seweed, you're my black white knight. I found my blue eyed soul!
Well, at the end of Tracy's line, the camera obviously should have gone to Ches and Jenn since they were singing, but it staed on Marissa and Matt. matt is fiddling with the bars to get Marissa out and as he reaches up, you can cearly, though quietly hear him say the "F" word. You can read his lips too if you can't really hear it, bu it is there. :)
re: re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#11
Posted: 8/10/03 at 12:01pmI heard that! It was hilarious.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
re: re: re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#12
Posted: 8/10/03 at 12:08pm
Finally will get to see it 9/6 (Harvey will still be in it). My friend in The Producers came thru & we got us house seats in the middle of the orchestra > It will be our 5 th wedding anniversary.
Went to Jekyll & Hyde. It is fun but more costly than I thought. It costs you $ 2 just to walk in. 2 martinis for the Mrs & a beer for me, a salad for her & ravioli for me & large dessert cost $ 67 not including tip. Friends of ours come in from Pittsburgh once a year with their 9 year old daughter so we will take them there. It is fun in a kitschy sort of way. No line going in but large waiting line when we exited
In conclusion, me & the Mrs are taking her mother to see The Boy From Oz on December 7 Orchestra seats
re: re: re: re: re: Hairspray on the Plaza#13
Posted: 8/10/03 at 4:26pmI just noticed that they did show most of "I know Where I've Been" on TV!. I taped it. Why would they end the show and then still have more? They did cut off some of the song.
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