Posted: 7/17/16 at 12:36am
Question: did anyone get the "I wrote a song and every egg shattered" or whatever piece at all? Was I missing out on something massively? I was beyond confused.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 12:44am
BroadwayConcierge said: "Question: did anyone get the "I wrote a song and every egg shattered" or whatever piece at all? Was I missing out on something massively? I was beyond confused."
I didn't get it either. And I don't think many others did. I definitely could have done without the new work. I was just there for Groff really.
And I was super surprised that they didn't do any songs from A New Brain and Wild Party.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 12:44am
The egg song reminded me of a lesser version of a song Tim Minchin might perform in his solo act. I think it was supposed to be a metaphor and not really about exploding eggs, but rather minds exploding after hearing his awesome song. Or maybe it was just about eggs exploding. It was weird and dumb.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 12:45am
I enjoyed it a lot. The opening with A Chorus Line was an unexpected, absolute riot. I went in with the expectation that it was a concert (in the popular sense--not a concert presentation nor a revue), so color me surprised they actually performed choreographed numbers.
I thought it was great they were showcasing new artists, many of whom were also the gifted backup singers. I was disappointed they didn't have real special guests, but I got over it. I get that it's a head-scratcher, since NYCC didn't provide any context to the show before or during tonight. It's no wonder you all had different expectations from each other.
After reading the playbill, I was mentally prepared for a "showcase". I did feel explanations between songs were missing though.
Can't say I understood the song selection; I just figured they were songs that meant something to somebody... either to Jonathan, Sutton, Jean, or other people involved with tonight's performance. Like "Left Behind" because of Jonathan and "Ring of Keys" because of Jean.
I didn't recognize most of the songs anyway, both musical and pop, so I guess the randomness was all the same to me. People laughed or cheered when songs came on like, "Forget About the Boy", Beyonce's "Love on Top"... but they were the first time I've heard these songs.
Maybe I'm more forgiving because I love Groff, had zero expectations, and sat in the cheap seats, anyway! And knowing how much Groff idolizes Sutton, I just thought how fantastic it must be for him to be working with her! So his amateur tapping/dancing made total sense to me because of that. *shrug* Things sort of just worked itself out in my head, so none of it bothered me and I enjoyed myself.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 12:53am
wow I certainly dodged a bullet by passing on this, funny,
Updated On: 7/17/16 at 12:53 AM
Posted: 7/17/16 at 12:56am
BroadwayConcierge said: "Question: did anyone get the "I wrote a song and every egg shattered" or whatever piece at all? Was I missing out on something massively? I was beyond confused. "
I don't think there was anything to get. Just thought it was a shallow, comedic piece. Wasn't very funny.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 1:04am
Interesting, when I saw it advertised I assumed it was going to be like the old "Encores Bash" events they used to do.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 1:53am
My guess is that Tesori had the heavier hand in the evenings concept or perhaps lack there of . To me it seemed like a hit or miss open mike. Tesori has a bit of screw em if we know what we are doing and they don't attitude and I kind of like that about her. I think she wanted to give a some focus to artists behind the scenes, up and coming raw talen and pay heed to some goings on in our current world. I think she knew it was a mish mash and she was OK with it.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 6:30am
"Tesori has a bit of screw em if we know what we are doing and they don't attitude and I kind of like that about her."
What do you like about that attitude?
What is there to like about that attitude?
The audience is paying money to see this crap, right? Or is it that they're obligated to spend their hard-earned cash just so that an "artist" can fulfill his/her "vision," and gratify his/her ego at the audience's expense?
Take their dough and spit in their face. What an admirable attitude!
Posted: 7/17/16 at 6:57am
Mr. Roxy,
Thank you. That stick-it-to-the-audience attitude has been going on for a long, long time now. But the elitist critics, award givers, powers-that-be and such just love it, and that's all that matters, right?
You made a very wise decision by leaving at intermission.
I wish I had done the same.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 7:05am
We were not the only ones heading for the exits. I am tired of being lectured to in theater and now with the award shows. I am done with the Oscars & SAG awards after this year. I will be away when the Emmys take place but it will probably be more of the same. If we were there when they started the gun song, we would have left than and there. To be lectured to is bad enough but when it is put in a song and billed as entertainment, I am out of there.
What I did not get was those who were wildly applauding at the drop of a hat. When we got out of the front door last night, I knew how a prisoner felt after breaking out of jail. We came home on the subway and talked about anything but what we had just witnessed. We were simply glad to be out of there. Call me old fashioned but give me theater as it used to be. Take care. I now fully expect to have **** thrown at me for this post but one good thing about getting old is that you no longer giver a flying you know what about crap that is thrown your way.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 7:36am
"I am tired of being lectured to in theater "
So am I. What's worse is when you have to endure it without even knowing it's coming your way. Catch 'em by surprise, and then laugh at the unsuspecting saps forced to take it. Real funny, right?
"and now with the award shows. I am done with the Oscars & SAG awards after this year."
Smart decision. I never watch ANY of them, and haven't for a long time. Better to read a good book.
" To be lectured to is bad enough but when it is put in a song and billed as entertainment, I am out of there."
Welcome to our newest genre: screedicals.
" When we got out of the front door last night, I knew how a prisoner felt after breaking out of jail."
Be thankful you escaped.
"Call me old fashioned but give me theater as it used to be."
Give it to me as well, please! The old shows were wonderful to experience back in the day. With the passage of time, their stature has only grown. Thank heavens that we still have memory. Like the song says, "They can't take that away from me." Mr. Roxy, let that be be both our solace and sustenance.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 7:40am
This show was a bore and if it was on television I would have changed stations. I sat there and thought I traveled in to see this hokey one night only show. Simply said a mediocre variety show.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 8:53am
After Eight said: ""Tesori has a bit of screw em if we know what we are doing and they don't attitude and I kind of like that about her."
What do you like about that attitude?
What is there to like about that attitude?
The audience is paying money to see this crap, right? Or is it that they're obligated to spend their hard-earned cash just so that an "artist" can fulfill his/her "vision," and gratify his/her ego at the audience's expense?
Take their dough and spit in their face. What an admirable attitude!
First of all I was just speculating. I cannot speak for Tesori. But I must have been on to something because it seems I have hit a nerve. She could have put together a very safe show (there again I have no idea if she was the one who put it together). They could have all sung songs from all of the hit musicals they were involved in, wheeled out Barbara Cook at the end and this thread would have been full of raves. But someone decided to roll the dice and try something different probably knowing fully well that some of the audience would resist it. I admire them for not making the safe choice and concerning themselves with what people would think. I am sure they didn't intend to put on crap (quoting After Eight.). It was probably put together without a lot of rehearsal (as Encores shows are)so the concept was not fully realized. What I like about Tesori is that she takes risks and does not stick to safe choices. She does not drown when criticised by media or the public at large. That is what I admire.
"
Updated On: 7/18/16 at 08:53 AM
Posted: 7/17/16 at 9:14am
I like that Tesori takes risks and doesn't play it safe too. I think her vision for the evening could have worked if there had just been a few judicious cuts or song replacements and a lot of connective tissue to help get across the theme(s) or the evening.
An evening billed as a jamboree needs dialogue and patter, and when you have such charismatic hosts it feels like a double waste not to use them effectively. This need for introductions is amplified when it was decided to debut new music by new artists 99% of the audience hadn't heard of. The only other option would have been extensive program notes, but I don't think I even saw a directors note from Tesori in there.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 9:46am
" But I must have been on to something because it seems I have hit a nerve."
You hit no nerve. The show hit a nerve - like a dentist's drill on a tooth without novocaine.
You made a statement saying you admired a "screw 'em" attitude on the part of an "artist." I admire neither it, nor your admiration of it.
"She could have put together a very safe show (there again I have no idea if she was the one who put it together). They could have all sung songs from all of the hit musicals they were involved in, wheeled out Barbara Cook at the end and this thread would have been full of raves"
And maybe it would have deserved them. I have a feeling it would have been a lot better than the stinker on stage last night. It couldn't have been any worse, that's for sure.
". But someone decided to roll the dice and try something different probably knowing fully well that some of the audience would resist it. I admire them for not making the safe choice and concerning themselves with what people would think."
People who ask you to pay money to see something they present before you had damn well better concern themselves with what you think. It's not the creators' private playground. At the very least, they could have clued people in as to what this thing would actually be. But then people might have actually stayed away. How brave of them! How up front! What admirable "risk"-takers! They weren't willing to take the "risk" that people would stay away if they knew what they were in for, now were they? Do you admire that too?
"She does not drown when criticised by media or the public at large. That is what I admire."
And if the criticism is merited, then you feel it should be disregarded? Refusing to learn from one's mistakes says a lot --- and none of it good.
Updated On: 7/17/16 at 09:46 AM
Posted: 7/17/16 at 10:39am
Almost went to see this last night. After reading everything on this post so glad I decided to pass.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 10:59am
Posted: 7/17/16 at 11:00am
I didn’t see Jamboree so it wouldn’t be fair for me to comment on whether/not the show was good or bad, but I’m enjoying the conversation about it.
After Eight said: "People who ask you to pay money to see something they present before you had damn well better concern themselves with what you think."
That's the only part of your response I completely disagree with. If that were true, artists would always be writing to appease the masses instead of expressing their own ideas.
After Eight also said: "At the very least, they could have clued people in as to what this thing would actually be. But then people might have actually stayed away. How brave of them! How up front! What admirable 'risk'-takers! They weren't willing to take the 'risk' that people would stay away if they knew what they were in for, now were they?"
Maybe that scenario is true, but maybe not. There’s no way of knowing, and hindsight is 20/20.
and ”[…] if the criticism is merited, then you feel it should be disregarded? "
I don't feel like SmoothLover is disregarding it, just offering the possibility for thinking about it from a different perspective.
After Eight, I don’t always agree with what you say, but I always admire the strength of conviction that stands behind your thoughts. Additionally, comments like, “You hit no nerve. The show hit a nerve - like a dentist's drill on a tooth without novocaine” (which was a bullet clearly meant to dodge the poster, but strike at the thing you really despised) are the kinds of comments that keep me looking forward to what you will write next.
Updated On: 7/17/16 at 11:00 AM
Posted: 7/17/16 at 11:25am
"That's the only part of your response I completely disagree with. If that were true, artists would always be writing to appease the masses instead of expressing their own ideas."
If you don't care about the public response to your work, then present it as a private theatrical, as the royalty and aristocracy did centuries ago. Don't present it for the consumption of the "masses" you look down on; don't expect the "masses" to shell out dough for your personal ego-satisfaction; and most of all, don't complain about the "masses" who complain about having wasted their time and money on the crap you wish them to come to and sit through. And further yet, don't then scorn/mock/berate them for not "getting" or "appreciating" your "genius," à la No Life in that lifeless, tuneless bore of a musical.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 11:36am
Roxy, if you don't mind, where were you sitting last night? I did see a couple in front of me leave at intermission and I was just curious.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 11:38am
Mr. Roxy,
The one the "masses" were all bored out of their gourd by, while the elitists squealed with delight.
There's no doubt as to which one that is.
Posted: 7/17/16 at 11:41am
We were row L seats 12 & 14 on the side mezzanine.
To A 8. You cannot be referring to the one that won all those Tonys. Surely you jest.
Updated On: 7/17/16 at 11:41 AM
