IN TRANSIT Previews — Page 3

I loved the show! I had a much more positive reaction than the esteemed Whizzer and other posters. I thought the singing was absolutely wonderful. There are some powerhouses up there on the stage, and yet they're able to blend their voices beautifully when required. I had no problems with the sound design and heard everything perfectly.

First off, I would reassure anyone who is not a super fan of a cappella singing. Yes, the opening number is typical for the style, but the rest of the score is very different. Most of the songs are solos or duets, with the others providing backing vocals and harmonies. The effect is quite beautiful and theatric.

I am chuckling to myself that posters are critical of the set. It's supposed to be a subway station and platform. It looks like a subway station and platform! What did you expect? It's not the beauty spot of NYC, but the set does the job. The two levels are used very effectively, and there is a conveyer belt that acts as the subway tracks. It glides set pieces and cast members back and forth and creates a sense of motion.

The plot focuses on a few of the cast members, and others act as the ensemble. Margo Seibert is excellent as Jane, a struggling actress. Justin Guraini and Telly Leung are very convincing as the gay couple, and they also play other roles. Nicholas Ward has an amazing voice, and so does Moya Angela. I could listen to them for hours.

The book has some laughs, including a Frozen gag, and some poignant moments. Other posters have complained about the score being on the generic side. Although I enjoyed all the songs, I can see where that criticism comes from. Yes, this score is no Hadestown or Dear Even Hansen, as far as originality is concerned. I would put this score more on a level with Waitress's. It's professionally done but doesn't reach the brilliant level. I was happy to have seen the show, and the audience seemed to enjoy it too. I hope the show finds an audience!

Updated On: 11/14/16 at 08:44 PM

Whizzer, I completely agree with your assessment. Was at the first preview and while all of the performers are giving it their best shot, it just feels kind of pointless. It needs to be restructured to have a point (maybe they will find that in previews????)

Erin Mackey is a charming performer, but her character could be gone and I'd be fine. Hers and James Snyder's characters, being brother and sister, they could have played that relationship more and perhaps mined something out of that.

And you're right -- the wedding was what I was waiting for. With Justin's character's mom coming and accepting everything, the Margo and James characters re-connecting. And maybe Erin's character meeting someone new.

I doubt it will last much passed the New Year.

The same could have been asked about Glory Days, which played that same theater. And we all saw how that turned out.

Glory Days at least had the excuse that it received a fawning review from that DC idiot, Peter Marks, leading producers to think they might make money off of it (have they learned yet not to listen to Marks?).

This little baby had a 5-week run at 59E50 six years ago, and received a brief, dismissive, mixed review from the Times.

Of course, Chaplin had several productions, all totally panned, before flopping on Broadway.

Yes, if they haven't found a point in the six years since the previous production, it does seem unlikely that one will be found in the next three weeks, particularly with Kathleen "I'm OK With Revivals But Inexperienced Creating A New Show With A New Score" Marshall at the helm.

vampire musical said: "Not trying to be insulting to this production since I do really want to see it and love a capella. But...should I buy my tickets sooner rather than later?"

How much later is later?

two ladies tickets said: "Are they listening to a click track or each other or some sort of off stage accompaniment?"

Would be interesting if there was an offstage band that the audience didn't hear... Since they are singing backstage even while doing costume changes, I think the in-ear is the only way they can hear what is happening at all times.

I've heard the same response to the gay storyline elsewhere. I actually questioned whether it was a period piece, as it sounds very early 90s, don't-ask-don't-tell-y era. To return to earlier posts: this is the type of show that used to routinely end up off-b'way. It just has that vibe, that sort of Minetta Lane or Westside Arts feel to it. We all know that off-b'way is hardly what it once was, but it seems these go-for-broke B'way or nuthin' productions aren't fair to material that's inherently more low key and scaled back. Other questions come up: was "Fun Home's" modest success at Circle interpreted as a model for other shows? Because a 750- 800 seat house might hold anything? It's worth noting that "Fun Home" ceased selling out about eight-nine months into its run, and though it earned a profit, its last 6 months were modest, many weeks throughout the winter and spring of 2016 it dipped severely. And it was a Best Musical with two B'way names if not stars (Cerveris and Kuhn). I don't think "Fun Home" proved anything new, except challenging material can work, mainstreamed, if it's brilliant has well marketed (it was, despite talk about its ad campaign). This piece seems so much less likely to fill that house, whereas again, it has that Westside Arts-y vibe. "I Love You, You're Perfect Now Change" esque. If I'm pigeonholing it unfairly, the reports at least back up the take.

Wait- am I understanding correctly that the "resolution" to the gay storyline is "let's all keep lying to ourselves and we'll maybe figure it out someday"?

Kad said: "Wait- am I understanding correctly that the "resolution" to the gay storyline is "let's all keep lying to ourselves and we'll maybe figure it out someday"?



Well, they aren't necessarily lying to themselves, but they're staying in the closet in the presence of Justin's mother and anyone else from Texas who still believes he's waiting for the right girl to come around. (In the scene where they visit the mother in Texas they attend a church service where the preacher is all fire and brimstone about the sinful homosexual lifestyle. This is played for a laugh as Telly and Justin have to sit there and smile and "Amen!" along with the rest. To think Telly would EVER in a million years degrade himself like this is ridiculous; to think we are supposed to find this funny in 2016 is perhaps the only bigger joke.)

Of course, Justin is a big shot casting agent in New York and they have mailed out wedding invitations to all their friends (and Telly's accepting family). To think this wouldn't be spread all over social media and wouldn't get back to at least one person in Texas is absurd.

You are correct though that the ultimate resolution is to stay in the closet and deal with the problem as it arises at future dates.

Oops, I'm not one of their 1100 followers.

but I long for the day when a gay couple is portrayed in entertainment and it's not a struggle

There's always Falsettos. I mean sure, the AIDS crisis wasn't exactly a walk in the park but they do skip way past all the coming out cliches that it looks like this show is steeped in.

It sounds as unbearable as the entire braindead storyline of that unbearable It Shoulda Been You atrocity.