Jagged Little Pill preview thread — Page 9

Cody makes the case that the very flaws many of us are responding to -- an overload of topicality -- is the singular artistic aesthetic here: an intentional pile-on to create a kind of issue-driven mosaic. To her thinking the chaos in the world justifies the chaos in her art. Now that I've read an actual creative MO, I feel more justified, not less, in saying it didn't work for me. This is part of the show's ambition, baked in, and I say: bravo for the ambition, and thumbs down for the ham-fisted execution. She's entitled to aim high,broad and expansive; I'm entitled to say: as a musical theater aficionado, I find the excesses dilute rather than enhance her cause(s).

I agree with her: the world is tormented by our ADHD-like focus on the intersection problems in various arenas. But we still need our storytelling to take us on a ride that's crafted to illuminate only what it can accomplish in 2.5 - 3 hours (the musical's general playing time). Time is precious in the theater; the clock ticks, our attention span is tested, and so is our patience.

More simply: when you have more issues than actual developed story, and you overload your characters without adequately dramatizing their crises, you end up with "Jagged Little Pill."

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JDonaghy4 said: "I am shocked to hear you didnt think Celia Gooding was singing well. When I saw it, her vocals were one of few highlights."

We both thought she was easily the weakest link in the cast. On more than one occasion, she tried to run up from chest to head and her voice cracked loudly.

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Yikes.

The whole show was basically multiple after-school specials with the boom box cranked all the way up to 15 (when it only should go up to 11).

There are some very honest performances and sequences to be found throughout the show, like diamonds in the rough. But they get lost in A LOT of rough. Think about every hot button issue or discussion you’ve had with your family, or friends in the last 5 years and try to remix it to a Alanis Morrisette soundtrack (some hits, some misses) and make most of the characters half-assed tropes. Add in an over-choreographed ensemble that does WAY too much and doesn’t let the main characters breathe AT ALL, and you have a herky-jerky mess trying to pose as something “edgy”.

It’s somewhat entertaining- but overall it’s a social justice warrior’s dream show and a dramatist’s nightmare.

I was entertained, but I was left scratching my head and cringing in equal measure.

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quizking101 said: "Some additional thoughts, I thought the only honest performance on the stage was Kathryn Gallagher. It never felt like she was trying to show off or be melodramatic and that solidified her with me.”

Very interesting - I actually found her to be overacting the most out of anyone. Really fascinating how divisive this show is.

Updated On: 11/27/19 at 07:00 PM

My parents are in town for thanksgiving. This is the show I brought them to. They had a blast. Some complaints about the music overpowering the vocals.

Otherwise, they went on the ride and enjoyed it on its own terms. And they’re pretty conservative, my parents. Not in an unreasonable way at all, but it was interesting listening to them discuss the meaning they found in, for example, all the picket signs.

They thought the set looked great, they enjoyed the chorus’s dancing. Mom’s favorite part was MJ’s shadow dance. Their favorite show ever is right next door (Phantom [although a close second for my mom would be Kiss of the Spider Woman]).

So....I guess my parents are cooler than me. What I saw was a very intimate story about a family that was being bombarded constantly but all this STUFF. Is this family a little too familiar to Next to Normal? I guess, but I’m not nuts about that one. I actually liked these people. There are some priceless moments too. That backwards song. Talk about cool as hell.

Derek Klena is hot af and I was perfectly fine with him being there. As well as the guy playing Phoenix. Hello.

The way the misuse of irony was being opposed during “Ironic” was pretty adorable.

Just.....significantly cut the chorus appearances, focus the damn story on SOMETHING, and stop showing me the band. There’s more but they’ve been covered here ad nauseam. After hearing my opinions on it, my parents called me a grumpy old man.

I love my parents.

Updated On: 11/27/19 at 09:52 PM

Theatrefanboy1 said: "Was Sherie Rene Scott ever attached to this show. The other night I was watching it think what a perfect role for her. And at intermission I heard two people talking with the same thought and this was followed by a handful more comments by others while waiting."

No, Idina Menzel did the workshops. Rumor is she was offered the role for Broadway but turned it down, and then they approached Nicole Sherzinger, who also turned it down.

JDonaghy4 said: "I loved Elizabeth Stanley, but I would give all the money to see/hear Menzel perform the Forgiven and Uninvited scenes."

Love Idina but now I can't get Sherie Rene Scott out of my head. The last time Sherie replaced another actress was in Rent. I wonder if she'd ever replace in this. If it runs long enough.

Not a fan of the show, but I am a fan of Menzel, and I don;t think she would've helped the cause. Her celebrity might've made the focus more subconscious for the audience -- she'd be over the title, after all, so we'd effortlessly feel she's the spoke in this many-spoked wheel -- but the material would feel more disjointed around her.

None of the overthinking here touches Stanley, who gives a heroic, disciplined, fully integrated performance in a show that doesn't entirely work around her. I don't think the Menzel persona would add, and would likely detract. If this show makes Stanley A List, good news. She earns it.

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Jordan Catalano said: "Stanley is excellent in this show. If you just focus on her character and her storyline, there’s a very good musical here. It’s when we shift focus from her, that the musical tends to go downhill."

Excellently put. I think her and Patten give the most grounded and realized performances.

CATSNYrevival said: "What’s the scenery like? Are there any pictures yet? I’ve seen a few on view from my seat and the stage looks pretty bare."

The set is dirt cheap and LOUD. The sliding panels that look like they are made out of corrugated plastic loudly grind in and out of place, and are splattered with some of the ugliest projections I have ever seen.

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So I just left the show.

Honestly, I disagree with almost everything negative that has been said. I don’t think the set is loud, I don’t think it feels “cheap” to where it brings don’t the show, and I don’t think the songs feel shoehorned in.

I don’t mind all the social issues being in one show. Yes, it’s heavy but I think it works for THIS show because her music itself is heavy.

Growing up I knew Ironic and You Oughta know. On occasion, I get high to “Hand In My Pocket”. That being said, if I had not known this was a jukebox musical i wouldn’t have guessed because the songs fit the story.

I think some of the jokes are cheesy and can be cut, but overall they’re witty.

At the start of the show, I thought “why the **** are there so many people on stage” but I actually got used to it and enjoyed all the movement. The staging is so unique and a lot of it gave me chills.

I don’t like Frankie as a character, but not everyone in a show has to be likable.

one negative I will say about the show is that I wish there was more Jo. I feel like she was added in the show JUST to sing you oughta know.

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I was midway in the orchestra and could hear the set being moved on and off. And I felt bad for the actors in the quieter moments when the set was being pushed off the stage. It was distracting. I don't know if it is budget constraints or bad design, but it doesn't work for the show. There's zero time/place with the design. For a show that is suppose to be so current so NOW, the design gives zero specifics.