I have a feeling that Lestat will bomb...- Page 2

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 8:44am

Scrolling back up.
Did someone say AIDA wsn't a good Love story?????

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 2:54pm

I wasn't too fond of it, love story wise. It's a love triangle, but when one of the 3 is a vapid, selfish, material girl, then guess who I'm gonna root for?

[musicaldude57]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 3:37pm

Sorry if this confuses you guys, but I'm going back a page :)
Roninjoey, it's musicaldude, not Broadwaydude. Sorry, little pet peeves of mine.
Sir Elton's music the weakest part (same goes for The Lion King. I like the songs he DIDN'T write
How can you not like "Circle of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"? Even if you might not like them, they're some of the best songs in the show. I agree that "Endless Night" is great, but you just can't compete with Elton's songs.
As for Billy Elliot, the song "Electricity" is amazing! I admit I haven't heard the entire thing yet, though (Amazon shipped me my copy of the soundtrack today).

[Barihunk]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 3:55pm

Yes Curtain, you heard right - apparently "Aida", which audiences have been flocking to see/listen to since ol' G. Verdi set it to music in 1871, is not a good love story because it has nothing new to say. Just out of curiosity, since I think love is fairly dated in and of itself, what IS new to say about love?

[Becky2]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 6:15pm

There are a lot of high expectations about it, so it is possible that it might be a dissapointment.

Personally, I can't wait to see Hugh Panaro again.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 6:16pm

Oh man, this post totally got away from me. Sorry if this is long, but I have a lot to respond to. Orangeskittles, iluvtheatertrash, and unmasked05, I shall quote my original comment for you:

Elton John is a very big name, and he has written some great music, but it doesn't mean he's doing much of that for the stage : Not going to lie, I think he's lazy. Do you think Sondheim craps great scores? No, he puts in tons of work on it. I don't know if Sir Elton thinks he's THAT amazing, but maybe he should put some more imagination into his scores.

As you can clearly see, I do not compare Elton John and Stephen Sondheim's music, I compare their work ethic. I do not know much about Elton John's work ethic aside from hearsay, but I qualified my statement with the words "I think". I proceed to criticize Elton John in no relation to Stephen Sondheim. Once again, for the sake of us who don't know how to read, I only compared their work ethic. So save your hell nos for your next big overblown outrage.

For the most part I like most teams/writers. I can be randomly critical of people I actually like a lot (I may talk smack about Andrew Lloyd Webber but I'll be damned if I'm not very familiar with most of his music) but that's just because I think they randomly do great work and at other times can be kind of lazy. I'm a big fan of Hairspray (it's one of the only shows I've seen more than once). I think it's one of the best crafted shows going right now. So I'm just saying that for me not everything has to be Sondheim. That is extremely far from the truth. One of my biggest passions in life is animation, which is a genre innundated by stupidity. But I like a little bit of originality and creativity, which Lion King and Billy Elliot provide in spades but not in the music.

So in other words, it's often not that I dislike a composer/team's music as a whole. Any have great songs and less than great songs. I even point out in my post that Elton John writes great music, I just wish he'd put more effort into his musical scores since they are different animals from pop singles. Yes, we should have variety in the music theater, nobody's saying that louder than I am (trust me), but not lazy music written solely on strength of a name.

Musicaldude, sorry about messing up your name :P You're right, I do like "The Circle of Life" but not so much "Can You Feel the Love Tonight". That song makes me want to kill myself when the weird sounding chicks join in... Except for the little bits where they're like "I can see what's happening..."

I liked them better when I was 12 or however old I was when the movie came out, I guess. And I'm sorry, I don't really like the song Electricity :

By not like, by the way, I don't mean that I erect shrines in my room to hating these songs, it just means if they came up on my music player I'd skip them, or I'd just not buy the CD :P Also, I'm no expert on music I don't like, so don't ask me about it. Hence opinions. I'll try to use less extreme words.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 6:17pm

Barihunk, I'm pretty sure it has been obvious that the show in question is not G. Verdi's 1871 rendition of "Aida" but rather the 200/whatever anachronistic popschlock update written by Sir Elton John which is unfortunately does not entertain me.

As for what there is new to say about love, I suppose taking into account the times we live in (or the times your story is set in), current popular philosophical and psychological thinking, and uncommon notions and ideas about the world, and your personal life experiences, you can always find new things to say about love at the very least for yourself. There's gotta be somebody out there in the whole wide world who can relate to what you have to say. I guess you, personally, Barihunk, have been there and done that enough times to know all there is about love so that Sir Elton John's Aida(TM)'s overly simple pseudo Disney style version of it works just fine for you.

IN FACT, one could argue that if you're going to take a classic love story and update it, maybe you should at least try to find a reason to do so--a reason it speaks to you. Maybe a theme that still has resonance over the years? (West Side Story) A twist? (Myths and Hymns). A spin? (Kiss Me Kate). A contemporization using modern issues (RENT)? Just sayin'.

Most stories go back to a pretty common theme. Even Romeo and Juliet has its origins. And how old is Romeo and Juliet? How many billion versions of it have we seen? Romeo and Juliet still offers me food for thought. And is it not the premiere love story?

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 6:21pm

Oh and on the topic of lazy writers, just to preempt any more flaming, yes, I realize some composers work faster than others (Richard Rodgers). Sometimes Richard Rodgers songs have a tendency to sound the same. Or maybe some people just work fast, or work in a certain style. Or maybe Richard Rodgers was one of the best at doing what he did, which was write music for the theater :P

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 7:21pm

just a question, how many people have actually heard of the lestat books before the musical? maybe its just me, but if dracula, one of the most popular "monster/villains", couldn't attract audiences, im not sure how lestat will, being a lesser known sort of title.
just my opinion as always...

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 7:41pm

I can't believe you said that. I bet you think The Color Purple was just a little book on the shelf before Oprah funded a musical of it or Hollywood made a movie out of it.

[dancinfan]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 7:44pm

The cast has been told that there will be an additional week of rehearsal before the Broadway opening, one can only assume, to make bigger changes than originally planned. (They were going to have two weeks off between the San Francisco closing and NY rehearsals, and now they will only have one week off.)

[emo_geek]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 8:32pm

I also get the feeling it will bomb but who knows.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 8:40pm

Barring a miracle, it probably will not make it. What a shame

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 9:40pm

personally i liked the score (some of the songs) more than half, I felt the enesmble really added to the show and made it work. I'll admit, IT IS FLAWED

[Barihunk]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 9:49pm

Ron

I realize that the music for Verdi's Aida is not in question here, what was in question that the basic story line was not a good love story. I never professed to be a fan of Sir Elton's version of Aida. I am however a fan of the STORY of Aida - which - some anochronistic updatings not withstanding - the Elton John version maintains.

My point is that Aida is the classic love story. You mentioned Romeo and Juliet. Obviously you fail to see the parallels Aida itself draws to Romeo and Juliet. All of grand operas work around this theme of doomed love. This theme has in and of itself qualified many a "great love story". Clearly you have issues with Sir Elton's handling of the musical score and I am not going to argue with you. It is dismal. But the underlying story - in my opinion - is in tact - and, unarguably - a great love story.

[musicaldude57]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 10:52pm

Maybe I'm just in love with "Electricity" cuz I'm a dancer, Roninjoey. I guess that would make sense.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 11:03pm

Well an extra week should be time enough to right all the wrongs of the San Francisco Reviews (I Don't Think So).
And in the case of Aida a New Director and many changes were made over a Longer stretch of time.
The Producers in this case simply don't have the time, the advertising and Theatre are in place so they must go forward,
they also have a lot of Moolah so if it the critcs don't really rip it they will most likely try to get a run out of it on Rice and John's names.
Disney did that with AIDA, but i'm not sure these producers have the following or Knowledge to do that.
It will be Interesting!
Updated On: 1/17/06 at 11:03 PM

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 11:13pm

Yeah, it's quite possible. I think you just happen to like the song, and I don't get into it as much, and in the end it doesn't matter because I'm sure we share a mutual fondness for quite a few songs and just one won't cost us anything in our relationship. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it's a bad song (I don't think it's a bad song, actually).

As long as we don't have to sing it. Because then I shall fail, mon.

Barihunk, obviously I do fail--actually, enough sarcasm. Please take care to actually read posts and not see things to criticize that aren't there. I have never criticized the ancient elements of the story of "Aida", and as I pointed out with my parallel to "Romeo and Juliet" (in fact referencing that both stories have roots, as all stories do), it is a story that goes back a long time and has had resonance for many years. There is no question that tragic love affairs are not intriguing and timeless. At this point, they are all well known to us and we are moved by them. It's what you do with the material that counts. I have been and continue to criticize only Sir Elton John's "AIDA" unless otherwise specified or assumed. I don't feel equipped to say anything about Verdi's "AIDA" (opera is a budding interest for me) and I wouldn't dare to say something as banal as that tragic love stories are worthless. I think all of these things were assumed by most people and did not have to be said, but now that I've cleared my name, we can all breathe more freely. It will save us all a lot of unnecessary irrelevance to keep the snarking for an i hart wiked thread.

Updated On: 1/17/06 at 11:13 PM

[LilBwayLady]

Posted: 1/18/06 at 6:57pm

I hate to say it but, your a little to late to save us from having to read something compleatly off topic...

by the way....there is a reason he is SIR Elton John

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 1/18/06 at 7:20pm

Hey, Lizzie, have you heard Billy Elliot?
And, btw, Lion King has been running for, what is it, 9 years?
And Aida ran for...4 years, was it?
And Billy Elliot is becoming a huge success, right?
Hmm...I think those are all right.
(end of sarcasm)
Whether or not you like him really doesn't determine whether or not he writes crap.

Well, saying he's written scores for these shows doesn't determine it either. For the record, where Billy Elliot and Aida are concerned, their songs are the weakest things about them. I didn't enjoy Aida one little bit and the only reason I enjoyed Billy Elliot so much is I love the movie so much. A lot of the BE reviews commented on how bland the score was.

That said, whether you worship the ground he walks on or want to kick him until he's dead, Elton John has a LOT of fans. His name alone ensures some box office. Anne Rice has a whole hell of a lot of fans, especially for her Vampire books. The crux of the issue, that I can see, is if they can get the twain to meet.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 1/18/06 at 7:28pm

===========================================
On E! today there was an SNL Weekend Update of Lestat (from 2003 I think, when Adrian Brody was hosting). Keep in mind they couldn't keep a straight face during the whole thing...

Elton John announced this week that he would be bringing a musical production of the Anne Rice's "Vampire Lestat" to Broadway this year. Here with an exclusive sneak preview of the work in progress, Elton John.

Elton John [Horatio Sanz]: Hello, Jimmy. You look good enough to eat.

Jimmy Fallon: Keep it cool, buddy. You got some songs you want to preview for us?

Elton John: Yes I do, Jimmy. This first one is a portion of the opening number entitled "Dawn's Lament." You can hear the pain and eroticism of vampires' existence.

Don't let the sun come up on me
'Cause I'm a Dracula
My reflection I can't see
I'm just a dude who likes sucking blood
So let me be, ohhhhhhhh
'Cause I look like an open-face tuna melt if you let the sun come up on me!

Jimmy Fallon: All right, that was a little clunky at the ending. Also, that song's just like "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me."

Elton John: What do you want to do to me?

Jimmy Fallon: Stop it, dude.

Elton John: Fine, Jimmy. Wink. The next number comes late in the second act. It's called "Night Song, A Conversation."

Hey Frankenstein, how's it been going?
Heard you and your lady kinda went Splitsville
Sorry guy, relationships are pretty hard
Especially when you're made out of fourteen other dudes!
Come on man, let's have some brews
Catch up on the good old times!
F-f-f-f-f-f-f-Frankie and Lestat!

Jimmy Fallon: Frankie and Lestat?

Elton John: Yeah.

Jimmy Fallon: So the Frankenstein monster's in your musical?

Elton John: Of course, Jimmy. And Mummy, Wolfman, Chewbacca, Oscar the Grouch. It's a musical about monsters, Jimmy.

Jimmy Fallon: Wolfman's in there, too?

Elton John: Yes, Wolfman's in there.

Jimmy Fallon: You haven't read the book, have you?

Elton John: Jimmy, it may surprise you to hear that I have not.

[start laughing]

Elton John: All righty! This is part of the final number - [He begins to wave his hands around the piano as he's talking.]

Jimmy Fallon: You're not playing right now. You're not playing the piano.

Elton John: I put it on pause while I speak, pause. Okay, on again, okay! All right, this is part of the final number. I'm curtly calling it "Midnight Fantasia."

Jimmy Fallon: I can't imagine that this won't be good.

Elton John: [To the tune of "Tiny Dancer"]
Here comes Dracula
Suck your blood out
There's nowhere you can run
Even if you could now
It wouldn't matter
'Cause he can turn into a bat
Crazy Dracula
He loves his buddies
Wolfman and Zombie
Run like hell, you stupid bastards?
Run into a shed and lock it
Wolfman's gonna kick the door in
Zombie's gonna eat your brains!

Jimmy Fallon: This sucks hard.

Elton John: I'll tell you who sucks hard.

Jimmy Fallon: Get out of here!

Elton John: It's Dracula, Jimmy!

Jimmy Fallon: Get out of here!

Elton John: Dracula sucks hard!

Jimmy Fallon: Get out of here! Weekend Update, I'm Jimmy Fallon!

Tina Fey: I'm Tina Fey, good night!

Thanks to Leadcrow90 for this transcript!
===========================================

Interesting, I think, some comments made in jest that are being repeated now!

Updated On: 1/18/06 at 07:28 PM

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 1/18/06 at 7:29pm

well, im sure the score will be good, but Im not sure the story will work out as well, I mean, i know its a vampire story, but what actually happens? im not accusing the story, i was just wondering how it all unfolds.
so, i will prob have no problem with the music, and im sure audiences wont either, its just the story might throw people off a bit.
AND THIS IS JUST MY OPINION!!!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/18/06 at 7:38pm

OMG! Wow.

Thanks for that, everythingtaboo. :)

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 1/18/06 at 9:12pm

Everythingtaboo, that gets a nice LOL. I wish I had seen that.

Lilbwaylady, "[I'm] a little to late to save us from having to read something compleatly off topic..."? Huh? What does that MEAN!? Emphasis on mean here, say it out loud. Seriously. I'm not saying "What does THAT mean?" I'm saying "What does that MEAN?!" As in I actually want to know what that means, because I'm not sure.

Is there a reason he's SIR Elton John? Do tell. Like, there's a book about this somewhere? Do tell.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 1/18/06 at 9:29pm

As usual SingingBackUp is right, Lestat needs serious work before it hits Broadway...If the producers do not postpone the Broadway debut of the show, they should not be surprised if this show ends up being a big flop.

I feel sorry for the hard working cast if this show fails but having seen it in SF I can tell you that in its current form, it's a real turkey.