I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
DrTheatre
Broadway Star Joined: 9/23/05
#1I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/13/09 at 4:59pm
Funny, cause I was told it was not going to happen or it was postponed...guess it is still happening...awesome!
https://sanfrancisco.broadwayworld.com/article/SF_Production_BARE_Makes_Invite_Only_NY_Presentation_224_20090213
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---Stephen Sondheim
mandapower
Swing Joined: 2/3/09
tourboi
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/15/05
#2re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/13/09 at 5:05pmIt was announced for March of 09 a long time ago, and is now announcing late fall of 09. So yeah, it was postponed.
TheCharleston
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/18/08
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#5re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 12:51am
Alright I know this doesn't even make a little amount of sense, but keep in mind I'm almost never in New York as I live on the other side of the US Coast and Bare is one of my favorite shows. So since I first saw the news bulletin this morning, every time I look over and see that there is a presentation here in New York WHILE I'm here (the 24th), but it's Invite Only - I seriously get so angry.
I mean, there have been countless shows that I've missed by just a bit (SITPWG by a month, Equus by five days, Hair by the same amount, etc.) but this one really irks me. On the plus side, I will definitely be dragging all of my friends to see this in San Fran.
I've still never seen Bare, but I can honestly say based on the two audio recordings and one...other...recording, that it is the show that I relate to and that just effects me the most. I still get tears in my eyes every time "Absolution" plays on my iPhone (which is actually a lot, since that's alphabetically the first song that comes on when I forget to hit shuffle). Hmmm that could explain the mood swings. :) But yes - fury.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#6re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 1:07amWell I think it will all depend on the casting. I thought the studio recording of the show sucked any life out of the show. All the performances are just so flat.
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#7re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 1:12amit's a representation of the SCORE not the SHOW..
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#8re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 1:15amIt's still a dramatic score and they're actors. It should have some life into it instead of just worrying about hitting on the right notes.
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#9re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 1:38amUm.. that was the point of the CD. Hit the notes. They didn't do scene work. they worked with a musical director.. not a show director.. and most of the time they were isolated from the other singers.. at most, they were in pairs.. You saw the rare occasions where they were in the same space on the DVD.
fromthecity
Chorus Member Joined: 10/22/08
#10re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 4:24am
Dear broadwayguy, you are a f*cking idiot. The whole point of being a Broadway actor is to portray emotion through your singing, and unfortunately in this recording, most of the performances failed.
In fact, most of my OBC recordings or movie musical soundtracks well portray emotion. Especially better than Doyle and others in BARE. It's kind of what's required of the job...
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#11re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 4:51am
Well aren't you friendly.
And every instance you names was recorded after weeks of rehearsals and scene work with the DIRECTOR and working toward that goal.
If you paid attention to the DVD that came with the bare CDs, you would have seen that about half the people on there were not actors.. granted, they were in the smaller roles, but still.. you will notice that for the most part, each person recorded predominately on their own without anyone there.. You can actual tell when people recorded together and when they didn't. Bare was ALSO recorded on a shoe string budget that didn't afford them the luxury of group rehearsals and weeks to develop it.. as you would have behind a broadway cast recording or soundtrack. Additionally, who comes off best on the recording? The ones who are vets of the show and had worked with the director.. SO!
YOU try giving a finely tuned performance having never worked with a director, and recording scenes one sided more often than not. You know what we call it when you play a scene one sided with someone behind a table who is feeding you lines after having had minimal chance to work on it? An AUDITION. NOT a performance. For that matter, try singing appropriate to a group.. that DOES NOT exist where you are and you have no way of knowing what the sound will be.
Now, go back to your corner and play with your blocks. Mommy wants the computer back.
TheCharleston
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/18/08
#12re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 12:28pm
Wait. What?
In all honesty, Broadwayguy, you make absolutely no sense.
It doesn't matter if they are alone or in a huge group.
The MAJORITY of them actually were professional actors (someone pull up the "cast list"), therefore they are expected to emotionally convey the various dynamics of setting, tone, mood, etc. through their vocalization.
It's a rather simple task any professional actor... and even singer... can and should do.
I don't understand what you're getting all fussy about? You're not understanding what they're saying.
God help you.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#13re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 12:37pm
I think he's trying to defend the actors/singers that were hired strictly to record the cd. Those actors....both male leads, I believe, never played the roles. They were hired to be vocalists. They weren't given any time to develop characters or motivation. They didn't work with a director. MANY of the singers had been involved with one of the productions and therefore had the work to back up the singing.
In all honesty, I think the Bare CD is Matt Doyle's best work. I think he acts better when singing then he does with lines. I did not care for either his Melchior or his Hanschen on bway. But he can sing in my ear any day he'd like to.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
TheCharleston
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/18/08
#14re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 12:40pm
" think he's trying to defend the actors/singers that were hired strictly to record the cd. Those actors....both male leads, I believe, never played the roles. They were hired to be vocalists. They weren't given any time to develop characters or motivation. They didn't work with a director."
Doesn't matter.
Whether you have 2 weeks or 1 day to research. As professional vocalists and actors, it is their job to be able to do this.
Being a teacher you should know... DO the homework. There's no excuses.
It was a professional recording and therefore the expectations are rather standard. You don't have to know the show inside-out. Make it real for you. The actor.
Find some parrallel stories. Connect it to your life. Image something beyond the text. It's really not that hard.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#15re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 1:13pmI'm not saying they need to give a finely tuned performance or the definitive version of the song, I'm just asking for a little emotion. And a little "understanding" of what they're singing.
fromthecity
Chorus Member Joined: 10/22/08
#16re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/14/09 at 2:08pm
Right, it doesn't matter if you've had rehearsals with the Directors - the songs itself are emotional. And it's not like the story is new. Hell, I'm sure more than one of the newbies studied old recordings of the LA and NYC shows.
The budget was what was likely the hardest thing on them, because they probably didn't have the time in the recording studio to go over many of the vocal tracks more than one or two times (with the more climactic songs probably getting a third take...)
But nonetheless, these people are actors and they should have been able to do their job regardless of the circumstances. Some did and some didn't.
TheaterBoy7777
Broadway Star Joined: 1/28/06
#17re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/16/09 at 5:16pmIm curious which actors everyone thinks were flat on the studio Cd or just all of the...I am very fond of Jenna Leigh Green's work on the studio CD, she does a wonderful job. I also think there are nice moments from many of the performers in several songs on the CD.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#18re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/16/09 at 5:29pm
In all honesty, I rather like the cd. It's far from perfect, but it gets the job done. It was meant to memorialize the show and appease the fans, not to sell it...and it does that quite well.
There are plenty of recordings that USE an original cast that fall quite short as well.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
fellfromthesun
Swing Joined: 10/9/08
#19re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/16/09 at 8:50pm
i have to agree with the fact that the majority of the studio recording is laughably bad as far as acting. The only two that didn't really bother me were Jenna Leigh and Matt Doyle (although he does have a few EEK moments).
Snyder was atrocious and the "Promise-Once Upon A Time-Cross" segment fails miserably on the recording whereas it should be one of the most powerful.
And to those that say they didn't have a director and other things as an excuse, it is a POP OPERA, therefore the majority of it is sung through. Emotion should be found within the context of the songs.
It's nice to hear a complete recording, but i listen to the N.Y live recordings and the N.J live recording far more than the studio one.
Updated On: 2/16/09 at 08:50 PM
tourboi
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/15/05
#20re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/16/09 at 8:59pmEeek. I did not enjoy the NJ production at all. I'd take the album cast any day.
fellfromthesun
Swing Joined: 10/9/08
#21re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/16/09 at 9:09pmthere are parts of the NJ bootleg that are not so great. But compared to every other regional/community/college production that has audios or videos, i think the NJ cast did the best job at capturing the passion and emotion of the show.
jake6970
Broadway Star Joined: 9/21/07
#22re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/16/09 at 9:11pmThe New Jersey Ivy has an incredible voice.
#23re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/16/09 at 9:23pmDoes anyone else think of Spring Awakening and BARE as sort of similar style of shows?
I'm a professional. Whenever something goes wrong on stage, I know how to handle it so no one ever remembers. I flash my %#$&.
"Jayne just sat there while Gina flailed around the stage like an idiot."
Updated On: 2/16/09 at 09:23 PM
jake6970
Broadway Star Joined: 9/21/07
#24re: I guess BARE is still happening in SF!
Posted: 2/16/09 at 9:29pmEh, I think the styles of their music and plot are very different. The only thing really similar is that they have teenagers.
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