Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee, Heights)
Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee, Heights)
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee, Heights)#1
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:11pm
I was actually a bit disappointed. Mamma Mia did the same set as they did last year, and it was fine. Carolee sounded great singing "Winner Takes All." BatB was okay too...it was my third time seeing them in Bryant Park. Usually they do "If I Could Love Her" but didn't this year. Anneliese (sp?) did "A Change in Me." She has a great voice, but I am not sure if I like her as Belle...I'll see her July 21st if she is in. I was especially disappointed with Spelling Bee. Some of the bits were funny, but I wish they did a couple of more songs. I ended up leaving before In the Heights because I had to get back to work. Here is a song list:
Mamma Mia:
"Lay All Your Love on Me"
"The Winner Takes All"
"Mamma Mia"/"Dancing Queen" Medley
Beauty and the Beast:
"Me"
"A Change in Me"
"Beauty and the Beast"
Spelling Bee:
"I Speak Six Languages"
"Good-bye Song"
P.S. I saw someone sitting behind me had what looked like a DVD of the Hairspray movie...! I wasn't sure if it was a promo or (gasp!) an illegal copy of the movie. Does anyone know if they were giving out anything about the Hairspray movie.
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee, Heights)#2
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:14pm
Poor Spelling Bee. That show is wonderful and incredible, but it's just not one that can truly be appreciated either in a park setting OR out of context. They were just fine, but I think it's difficult for people to appreciate the Bee during concert events.
In The Heights was fantastic. And Carolee rocks.
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#2
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:14pmWait, what's "Winner Takes All"?
Broadway Star Joined: 3/3/04
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#3
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:15pm
Did they start on time?
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#4
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:17pm
I missed Mamma Mia's first song, if their first song was "Lay All Your Love on Me." I walked into the park just as they were singing it. And it was around 12:40. So they were probably about 5 minutes late.
EDIT: "Winner Takes it All" is a song from Mamma Mia. I might've accidently copied it below Spelling Bee's section on the post.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#5
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:22pm
I wasn't able to go today, but I've seen it all already....last year. In fact, after going to the Bryant Park shows for the past 5 years, there's one thing I have to say:
Pick some new damn songs! The shows do the same set every year, generally with half the same cast. It isn't very special anymore. By now, I feel it's pretty much a waste to sit there for 3 hours and burn in the heat, just to hear the same damn songs year after year.
If Chicago does the number with the huge fans again this year, it'll prove my point.
::steps off the soap-box::
The only people who like it are the throngs of odd autograph collectors. They're the same, too, year to year.
Updated On: 7/12/07 at 02:22 PM
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#6
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:24pm
"Pick some new damn songs! The shows do the same set every year, generally with half the same cast."
I agree! Didn't Beauty and the Beast do "Be Our Guest" one year? Of course that was the year I missed it.
Don't get me wrong, I love sitting outside and watching the performances, but it'd be nice if they varied some of the songs each year.
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#7
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:27pmI was there. It was kind of lame. "Lay All Your Love On Me" was in fact Mamma Mia's first song. In the Heights did the title song, Vannessa's song "Almost There" or whatever it's called, and "96,000".
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#8
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:27pm
Predictions:
Chicago will do Class, the number with the fans, and When You're Good To Momma.
Fantasticks will do Soon Its Gonna Rain, Try To Remember, and either Plant a Radish or Never Say No.
Hairspray will do You Can't Stop The Beat, Momma I'm A Big Girl, and (to show off the Beav), Timeless to Me.
We'll see I'm right.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#9
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:28pm
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#10
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:32pm
I must say, the #1 reason why I like going: the swag.
Aside from all the show fans and pamphlets, I've picked up some pretty good collectable freebies through the years:
Disney tattoos (that collect dust in my drawer)
Green Wicked sunblock and lip balm
lots of different pins (I know I used to have a bunch of Lennon ones)
and, on a rare occasion, sampler CDs.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#11
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:33pmWeird, I never got free stuff...the only thing I ever got was blue Mamma Mia lipstick and some Disney tattoos.
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#12
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:37pmDid they have free stuff today, other than fans?
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#13
Posted: 7/12/07 at 2:38pmWhat was that Hairspray DVD I mentioned in my original post?
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#14
Posted: 7/12/07 at 3:09pmI went today and it was good, but they needed to turn up the mics or something. It was hard to hear and I wasn't far away. I couldn't really hear the first song in Mamma Mia or the first song in BATB. "A Change in me" was ok, but I had to listen hard. And the I couldn't hear much of the talking in Spelling Bee. In the Heights was mostly ok, some parts were hard to hear, but I could hear most of it.
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#15
Posted: 7/12/07 at 4:12pm
Hey
If any of you guys are interested in help Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight postcard at Broadway in Bryant Park since I know so many of you go, send me a PM for details.
xox
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#16
Posted: 7/12/07 at 6:54pmI didn't think it was that bad. Spelling Bee was a bit disappointing, though. I took a lot of pictures and some video, which I'll post when I upload them. (WE're allowed to post video of this, correct?)
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#17
Posted: 7/12/07 at 7:34pm
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/559855251dtRQhB?vhost=good-times
Pictures
EDIT: Webshots ate the videos. I'm trying to upload them elsewhere.
EDIT again: http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/aleapofmoo/?action=view¤t=ddec84ea.flv
http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/aleapofmoo/?action=view¤t=8674ea92.flv
http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/aleapofmoo/?action=view¤t=e73272e2.flv
http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/aleapofmoo/?action=view¤t=561c1665.flv
http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/aleapofmoo/?action=view¤t=9a0dd902.flv
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
Joined: 12/31/69
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#18
Posted: 7/15/07 at 7:21pm
This was my first time seeing the series and I thought it was fun. It wasn't amazing, but a good experience. In the Heights definitely had the best set - this cast has a lot of talent. I wish I lived in New York so I could see all the shows' performances.
Oh, and Dancingthru I was with the group of girls around the In the Heights cast members who took your picture with Robin. Small world!
Featured Actor Joined: 3/18/07
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#19
Posted: 7/15/07 at 7:25pm
i went. i only enjoyed annelisa's performance in a change in me.
do they lip synced if its the full ensemble and cast singing. i kind of noticed a little bit because i was standing by the tent in the left side of the stage next to the speaker. and it really looked like they lip synced the mamma mia ensemble.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/7/05
re: Just Got Back From Broadway in Bryant Park Week 1 (Mamma Mia, BatB, Bee#20
Posted: 7/15/07 at 11:29pm
I found "Mamma Mia" and "Beauty & the Beast" the best of the 4 by far.
I (mostly) enjoyed seeing Spelling Bee at the Circle in the Square Theater, but as other people said, the concert version in the park just didn't do it justice.
And I'm sorry to say, the songs from In the Heights just didn't do it for me. I loved Rent and Spring Awakening, but hated the songs from In the Heights. Quite a few people were seen leaving the lawn during the songs from In the Heights - perhaps due to the extreme heat (no shade on the lawn) or perhaps they didn't particularly care for the songs either.
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