I saw the latest Aida tour last night and- Page 2

[musicman_17082]

Posted: 3/22/07 at 1:43pm

Anyone know where this tour goes next?

[ChecksintheMayo]

Posted: 3/22/07 at 3:39pm

It's in Eugene, OR this weekend.

[RunswithScissors]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 11:51am

Did you go in Eugene

[ozone20]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 3:53pm

Eugene? the Hult Center? awsome venue.
anyway.. is this a non equity tour?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 4:04pm

Yup. Completely Non-Equity and aside from the score, it has no semblance to the Broadway production. It's a completely different production in every way, from sets, costumes, staging, et al.

[Spacedog78]

Posted: 3/30/07 at 1:01pm

Ok I had to come back to my old thread and speak up.

I can't believe that ANYONE would defend this production and say it was great in any way. I agree Radames and Aida were GOOD not GREAT but Anmeris???? Oh my God, she was horrible she completely ruined the character, and by act two i wished that they threw her in the cave too! Zoser & Merab..........c'mon people, they disgusted me.

When they are charging the prices they charge for these tickets I expect to see a broadway calber performance, not a cheap community theatre production. In fact I have been in better community theatre productions then this one and have seen better productions performed at high schools!

Did you see the sets and costumes? Did you see the horrible staging? Did you see the choreography?

I am utterly disgusted that anyone could say that this performance was good in anyway. For anyone to come on here and say this was an "incredible night of theatre" obviously haven't really seen any truely INCREDIBLE shows. And I am not just speaking of the shows based on spectacle (i.e. Wicked) I am talking about shows that are truly amazing and that leave you wanting more! After this show I left wanting a drink and a refund!!!

I am sorry, but when Heather and Rene performed these roles, they COMANDED the stage, but these leads got lost in the horrible set, the tacky costumes and the distracting jam packed staging.

The ONLY person I think that was too good for this tacky tour was Casey Elliot. He stood out, and not just cause he is half naked through the show. I think he will do well in the future.

I truly think that this tour ruins the show. I hope it fails and flops, beacuse they do not deserve to make money with crap like this.

[Joeyrj23]

Posted: 3/30/07 at 3:06pm

Well thank God for well worded reviews and critiques.
As I told someone else on this board, wishing failure on others is bad for the karma. It is one thing for people to get on these boards and give their reviews and/or critiques. Well worded opinions have no choice but to be respected, whether one agrees or not. Trashing performers and shows is simply disrespectful and childish and I think that everyone who works professionaly is sick of the negativity. Have some respect for performers who are making their living whether you liked or disliked their performance. You stated your hatred the for tour before, and it was tasteless the first time around. The second time around is simply making you look bad, not the tour.
Thanks.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 3/30/07 at 3:18pm

Agreed. It's one thing to offer constructive criticisim which includes stating why or why not you like/dislike a show or performers....but to wish ill or trash a show is uncalled for.

Yep, I saw the Bd'w production with Headley,Scott, Pascal as well as the Bd'w Tour in Philly with Ivory, Fournier, Kushner...and the current non-equity AIDA tour back in Oct.

There is no comparision with the two. The Broadway productions were excellent! Disney staging and sets at its best...AND the financing to afford it all.
The Non-Eq. tour is community theater level, which is not an insult, it is just a much inferior production from the sets, to the direction, to the quality of performers. You can't expect all boxed touring shows to be of high caliber.

But, do not discredit the people involved. Everyone needs to work. Just don't expect regional/community level to be great. That's all I'm saying. Thanks!

Updated On: 3/30/07 at 03:18 PM

[Spacedog78]

Posted: 3/30/07 at 9:07pm

Joeyrj23

First off, I don't think that expressing my views in any way makes me look bad. I am being truly honest and I am truly bothered that such a production is out there being performed and wasting people's money. Second, there are people on here stating there many different views some negative, some positive, either way this is a discussion board for people to speak feely and express how they feel, I was not aware that if I were to say anything on here it had to be only positive.

PB ENT

"The Non-Eq. tour is community theater level, which is not an insult, it is just a much inferior production from the sets, to the direction, to the quality of performers. You can't expect all boxed touring shows to be of high caliber. "

It is an insult when they are charging over $100 at certain venues. This show is a rip off.
Updated On: 3/31/07 at 09:07 PM

Posted: 3/30/07 at 10:00pm

The tour clips on their website look decent if pretty basic. Isn't this just the original production stripped down though? Or was it re-directed/choreographed?

[antonijan]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 4:29am

I finally saw it last week when it stopped in WA and I totally enjoyed it!

It worked very well even though the costumes were changed and the set/choreo was also altered a bit but maybe because I didn't get biased from seeing the original Broadway version.

Casey Elliott didn't disappoint as Radames and I agree about the powerful combination of the 3 lead characters with Aida and Amneris.

Mereb and Zoser could improve more but the "Like Father, Like Son" part was not so bad.

I sat in Row 11 and got a pretty good view except I was at the very side and the stage "frame" covered some of the scenes...probably because of the "wide" arrangement of the Spokane INB seating.

I brought a friend and it was her very first Broadway/Musical experience and I treated her to some champagne, souvenir programs and orchestra seat :P

She was pretty amazed and enjoyed it well.

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 10:39am

this is so much more than a "cheap community theatre" production. you cannot go expecting the Broadway version, that is so ignorant and close-minded. the jeans & guns were "artsy" because they reflect modern times and show that this story is universal, not necassarily just stuck in Egypt/Nubia in the BC times.

have an open mind, people! this show was amazing and the cast is sooo talented, I'd like to see you TRY to do better. these people will be leading in shows on broadway and winning Tonys soon and then let's see who's complaining...

and to those of you who have already bought tickets, DON'T WORRY! don't listen to these other people with no taste. you did NOT make a mistake, this will absolutely be a defining theatre experience in your life, you will not regret it. I was sobbing throughout the entire show just because it was so incredible.

[darkmist115]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 11:15am

They keep moving around Egyptian statuary to trick us into thinking, "See, now we have a different set."

adam chris, you're my new favorite.

yeah, was not a huge fan of this tour. i'm probably biased because i saw the broadway show in its final weeks, with one of its strongest casts, but still. the costumes, lights, dances (too much hot and heavy going down with the pharaoh, eh?)... aida and radames were definitely the redeeming qualities. amneris had a gorgeous voice, but definitely needs to learn how to breathe before she stars in a tour of a major show. mereb? boy could sing. acting was ok. as for zoser? lots and lots of no comment.

as for the people trying to defend the 'artsy' nature of this piece, i get where you are coming from, but if you're going to modernize a piece, modernize it, don't half ass. you had jeans, mop buckets, and AK47s in one scene, and then ancient egyptian garb in the next. it didn't make sense.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 11:54am

Any theater charging $100 should be struck with frogs and locusts! Anyone willing to pay $100 or over $50 to see this should jump in the tomb with the fated lovers.

Sorry, folks, imo, this is a "let's mix traditional Egypt and Gap jeans and lap dancing". While there are a few moments of glory (very few) and the 3 leads are "sufficient"...it's not even in the same ball park with the Broadway production.

It's clearly a directional choice to bring in automatic weapons, yellow industrial buckets and mall clothed performers and expect the audience to believe this is ancient Egypt. I can't fault the sets, because this is likely a budget and traveling logistic limitation. But the director could have stuck with a more traditional offering making this more consistant with the entire theme.

Gayle Edwards did the same thing with her JCS version on Broadway. It lasted 6 mos. despite the popluar Glenn Carter (go figure), Tony Vincent, Maya Days and Kevin Gray.

Clearly you need to make a choice of "modern" or " classic/traditional" and be consistant. This AIDA is a poor mix . Just my view.

Updated On: 4/6/07 at 11:54 AM

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 12:12pm

"Any theater charging $100 should be struck with frogs and locusts! Anyone willing to pay $100 or over $50 to see this should jump in the tomb with the fated lovers."

Fortunately, when I went, I paid about $40 for a rear balcony seat...but, without asking, I got bumped to fourth row orchestra thanks to an usher who knew there was an unsold seat and sort of owed me for something months earlier.

And that raises an issue I noticed when the tour came here. Most people up where I live don't really know the whole Equity/non-Equity difference. They don't get down to NYC to see a lot of shows and haven't much to compare by.

The theatre here does a lot of big tours like "The Phantom of the Opera." So, when everyone gets the mailers for the season and they see "Aida" listed, they think, "Oh, that was on Broadway...that sounds cool...let's go see it!"

They don't realize they're paying for filet mignon and getting a Happy Meal.

I still enjoyed it...for the most part. But I've seen regional shows done on a stage in the park with better production values.

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 4/6/07 at 1:23pm

Yes, I beleive this AIDA tour is being presented as part of a non-equity "Broadway Series". This is the worst of the worst "bait and switch" shows I've seen. I didn't know some theaters were charging up to $100!

Yes, the "Broadway label" these tours tote around from city to city are an "issue" among many, including myself. I've covered my share over the years. I admit that some such as the Miss Saigon, Music Man,Oliver and TOMMY I've seen were top notch. But this AIDA tour is not any where up to par even with these. I will cover the non-eq. JCS with Ted Neeley next month as well.

There should be a standard, even to be included as a "Broadway hit show label" and AIDA is definetly community theater quality at best, in my eyes. This doesn't change the fact that theaters continue to charge outrageous prices and hoodwink their audiences into thinking these shows were presented "as such" in New York. The only similarity some of them have is the score and script that are licensed to them. Really Sad.