"Holler If Ya Hear Me"- Page 2
"Holler If Ya Hear Me"
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#25Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/4/14 at 5:03pm
First Date should have opened off Broadway or New World and paid the price. It was enjoyable but too slight for Broadway
If it plays the Palace, it will have Max Bialystock Productions written all over it.
DeNada
Broadway Star Joined: 7/7/07
#26Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/4/14 at 5:09pm
First Date, however, will benefit from its Broadway run, particularly if, say, Zachary Levi picks up a Tony nomination, as that will definitely help sell it to regional theatres and other countries around the world - which will have been the point of the Broadway engagement in the first place.
It's difficult to know ANYTHING about Holler If Ya Hear Me (although I like the billboard ads - moody artwork!) so who knows whether it'll be a work of genius or otherwise. I suspect, however, that there is more to be said about it while we know nothing than there would be if the rehearsal process had the endless documentation of everything else in the world.
#27Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/4/14 at 5:14pmMr Roxy, my first thought was "we can make more money with a flop than with a hit"!
#28Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/4/14 at 5:47pm
It really seems like we have to wait and see. Yes the Palace is huge but PRISCILLA played there and that was a mess of a show - granted it didn't recoup but it did run a while.
As far as this show - how do we know at this point that there isn't some major scenic or staging element that is going to set this apart from a cheap Jersey Boys type jukebox musical? Not to mention, Tupac wrote very profound poetry that is still relevant to how our cities treat black and Hispanic men.
Also - what no one else has pointed out is that Tupac's mother is one of the lead producers --- undoubtedly this will play a role in financial decisions and such.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#29Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/4/14 at 7:09pmI just wonder how much money they have invested into it. Reidel needs to get on this.
100nineteen
Swing Joined: 11/18/13
#30Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/4/14 at 9:22pm
"...how do we know at this point that there isn't some major scenic or staging element that is going to set this apart from a cheap Jersey Boys type jukebox musical?"
The design for the show can be seen on the workshop videos the producers were sending around to raise funding and secure a theater over the past several years. The designer left the show recently. I think that may be a clue to the answer to your question. We will have to see I guess.
#31Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/4/14 at 11:09pm
Here's a new video with the creatives
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ULye1C3Puao
Updated On: 4/4/14 at 11:09 PM
#32Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/4/14 at 11:18pmThey must have a really stellar cast for this. They keep talking about how great they are in the video but we have yet to see them. Here's to hoping.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#35Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 11:28am
Previews begin May 28.
They did update the website, as well, with a full list of the creative team.
They also noted the following: "The seating in the orchestra level of the Palace Theatre has been reconfigured to create a more intimate experience for the audience. The stage has been brought closer to the audience and the seating will now be stadium seating, making every seat prime viewing."
#36Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 11:34am
Whoa, they majorly reconfigured the Palace for this show... The last row of the orchestra is now J?! And all stadium seating?
So, forget that need to sell 1800 seats, since the orchestra seems cut by more than half?
#37Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 12:21pmso maybe the theater will only seat 1,400 now. It really looks like they took out half the orchestra.
#38Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 12:22pm
here's the old seating chart.
#39Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 12:24pmand remember, nobody knew anything about The Book of Mormon before it arrived. Maybe we have the next Book of Mormon here??
#40Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 12:27pm
I wish ALL theaters had stadium seating. Nothing worse than paying $100+ for an orchestra seat and then have your view blocked by someone in front of you.
This is why the Mezz at the Minskoff are my favorite seats! Now if only Lion King would exit.... Lol.
#41Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 12:28pm
Wait. So the orchestra doesn't continue under the mezz? That new seating chart says the mezz begins above row J but that's the last row shown. My mind is truly boggled.
and remember, nobody knew anything about The Book of Mormon before it arrived. Maybe we have the next Book of Mormon here??
HAHAHAHAHA! No.
theatreguy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/31/03
#42Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 12:49pmClyde - the orchestra seating slopes up so that Row AA of the mezzanine is now just a step or two above Row J of the orchestra.
Broadwaystar2
Broadway Star Joined: 9/4/13
#43Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 2:40pmThat's so NOT true that no one knew about Book Of Mormon before it came. The fact that it was based off of South Park was enough to draw a crowd. What's the draw here???
#44Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 2:41pm
The fact that it was based off of South Park was enough to draw a crowd.
Was it?
NOB88
Stand-by Joined: 10/21/06
#45Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 2:51pmI agree that the art work is beautiful and I love the sound of the premise. If I lived in NYC I would be there fast.
#46Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 3:08pm
I saw a video of the workshop of Holler. It is incredible. Poetic, emotional and beautiful. It's edgy but very accessible. Think contemporary West aside Story. It's not what I imagined at all.
I think this will be the surprise of the season. Too bad they're not opening in time for the Tonys.
NOB88
Stand-by Joined: 10/21/06
#47Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 3:20pmThanks TimesSquared. Actually it is exactly what I imagined it might be. And I think you might be right that it will be the surprise of the season. Can the video of the workshop you saw be seen anywhere?
#48Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 3:32pmNo, NOBB. I saw it while staying with a friend whose roommate was connected with the show.
#49Holler If Ya Hear Me
Posted: 4/5/14 at 3:39pm
"That's so NOT true that no one knew about Book Of Mormon before it came. The fact that it was based off of South Park was enough to draw a crowd."
I'm not confident enough in my own expertise to compare the marketing strategies of "Holler" vs. "Book of Mormon", but I suspect there are nearly as many people who respect and follow the work of Tupac Shakur as there are that of Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
The two groups may not have a lot of overlap, and it might be that members of one group have a hard time imagining that the other group exists--but they do.
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