Hands on a Hardbody previews thread — Page 7

I'd be really suprised if they re-recorded Matilda.

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this is the most obnoxious message board! for all of you hating on this show, and Amanda Green's lyrics, and Doug Wright's book- when is your musical coming out? would love to see it!

this show obviously isn't a phantom, or les mis, and it doesn't try to be. that's what's great about it. it's a deeply moving story about a middle class suburban dream. and for my group of friends that went to see the show, some of who happen to be from texas, it was just that. it's authentic, it's real. it's not glitz and glamour that a lot of the high production value shows are, and it would be a farce if it was that.

i left the theatre with happy tears, and have had the songs stuck in my head, with a smile on my face, so what does that say?

i say hands on a hardbody rock on, and i hope it does really well. broadway has enough cookie cutter razzle dazzle show's out there. i commend and appreciate a different approach.

"At this afternoon's performance, applause was tepid for most of the musical numbers, JOY TO THE LORD being the biggest exception."

I was at the same matinee and I couldn't disagree with you more! I think the audience was on board the entire time and the response was more than "tepid", and yes "Joy..." was the standout. There's a lot of great work going on at The Brooks Atkinson. It won't be everyone's cup of tea for sure, but there is merit to the experimentation and subject matter of the show. Just because it's not wrapped in a neat little bow, doesn't mean it won't be successful- some said the same for "Starcatcher" and the debate continues about "Once" boring vs. innovative. I think, as a review suggested, it is fresh and new. The music is good, not great, but there are real moments and strong performances from the fully committed ensemble. The choreography is limited, but very innovative, and that truck almost becomes another character. It touches on many social and economic issues. For those who think Foster gives the same stock performances, see this show, it's a very different Hunter Foster up there! I found myself rooting for the characters, and it's a shame someone spoiled the ending on here. Time will tell what will become of it, but I think it has a shot at being a sleeper hit of the season. I also disagree with the mention that Foster is introduced as the narrator in the opening, he led the song much like Settle did "Joy..." nothing more. Standouts, Foster, Carradine, Settle, and Soules.

this is the most obnoxious message board! for all of you hating on this show, and Amanda Green's lyrics, and Doug Wright's book- when is your musical coming out? would love to see it!

So...nobody can have an opinion on a musical they've seen unless they've written one? Or are they supposed to love every musical they've seen because they haven't written one? I haven't seen it, so I don't have an opinion about this show either way, but can you tell me how I'm supposed to feel about the shows I have seen? I haven't written a musical either.

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and making their own ridiculous suggestions-- like setting it in the french riviera, or austrian alps!

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm pretty sure they were being facetious. I think you might have been taking them too seriously and too literally. Especially those who make comments like that regarding everything they see, not just this show.

this musical is based off of a REAL contest, with REAL people that took part of it- and guess what, that happened in a dusty old parking lot. the show is about depicting that truth.

Well, it took the idea from the documentary and then wrote in fictional characters and plot into their own musical. But it doesn't mean that people have to like it or enjoy it.

my guess, based off of these comments are that 99% of people on here haven't seen the hands on a hardbody documentary. to which my advice would be, watch it, educate yourself, expand your mind beyond your current understanding of 'broadway.'

I love the movie and I'd love to see the musical (though I may end up hating it, which has nothing to do with how you feel about the show). It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea and it doesn't have to be. Honestly, the musical should not have to rely so much on the audience's prior knowledge of the film.

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mister matt and dramamama, totally get and appreciate your points. wasn't trying to say people aren't entitled to opinions. just that i was shocked with the criticisms and suggestions that counter what this show is actually about. anyway, would love to hear what you guys think of the show when you see it!

Keala Settle's performance is near brilliant. She does and gives SO MUCH to a part that could so easily be forgettable and unnecessary. While I was not a fan of the show, her dedication and talent is stuck in my head, and I would love to see Joy Of The Lord again.

Saw it Friday, now back at home base in San Diego. Also saw it at La Jolla Playhouse in the warm up run. In La Jolla, I liked the show, didn't love it. In fact, I thought Limelight (which became Chaplin on Broadway) was much closer to being Broadway ready when I would compare my reaction to the two. I will say the creative team has brought this show a long way...much, much further than Team Chaplin did with their show.

Maybe I was in a weird mood one of the two nights, or maybe they've changed things enough that this happened, but the one character who struck me less on Broadway than in LJ was Keith Carradine's. I thought he stole the show in LJ, on Broadway I liked him but he didn't completely suck me in as before. Although I like Hunter Foster in this better than in "Little Mary Sunshine" (then again, I despised him in that and wanted to have him banned from the stage for that one) he still just does not do it for me in this production.

The rest of the show is tightened up and smoothed out a lot, choreography (such as it is) is significantly improved, and the set actually adds to the show. But I, too, feel like the undercurrent of the dealership's struggles (save the cheating storyline) could be cut and no one would miss it.

Me smells another B&C

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SupportiveMom... It sounds like your son was uneducated and went in expecting a PHISH concert. Are we supposed to feel soory for him for not getting it?

The amount of b*tching about this show when many posters have admitted not to seeing it is dispicable. Even those who have seen it would have been armchair critics and highlighted stuff they did not like about it.

It wouldn't have made it from LaJolla if it wasn't good, so quit your b*tching and let a show stand for once without tearing it down.

As a thread said recently - or the gist of it was - you posters are spiteful, mean-spirited people who can't wait to tear something down.

From the number of posts you make you clearly need an outside hobby and time away from your computer. And, just to add, a few therapy sessions on how to check your bullsh*t at the door and make an attempt to be positive.

For god's sake stay away from the theatre for a while because, when it come to it, you are 100% completely full of sh*it!!!

Mercades, ran about 2:30 on Friday night.

Wow .. KylePKJP really has some anger management issues. Insulting and downright nasty.

I saw Hardbody, and with the exception of the "Joy" number, it was a bore from start to finish. That friggin' truck spinning around made me dizzy. Agree, it should have been off-bway, and a one-act 90 minute show, with half the number of songs. Two acts and two and a half hours (that felt like just as long as the competition lasted) was pretty hard to sit through. One of the dullest shows I've ever seen, and I'm not talking about lack of "glitz", I'm talking about lack of interesting characters, interesting story, interesting music. Better than Nyquil for a good snooze.