I adore this show but I feel like certain cast members elevate the material. Vicki, Bonnie, Justin and Allie are just sublime. They are all just marvelous. I walked into this knowing nothing and left completely smitten. I hope this show does well.
All I hope is that Bonnie Mulligan gets the Tony she deserves
I struggled with the parts about the aunt, the mailbox/show choir subplot, and whatever happened in the town they lived in before. I found the parents to be too broad and cartoony. They said and did things that were so cruel they were unforgivable. I wanted the show to focus more on Kimberly, who was so intriguing and heartbreaking to me. I was way more interested in her journey and her relationship with Seth. I felt all the other stuff was underdeveloped, farfetched, and ultimately uninteresting. Victoria Clark was fabulous…joyful, silly, awkward, intelligent, and very sweet. Her story left me leaving the theatre so sad inside. I really felt for her.
TotallyEffed said: "I struggled with the parts about the aunt, the mailbox/show choir subplot, and whatever happened in the town they lived in before. I found the parents to be too broad and cartoony. They said and did things that were so cruel they were unforgivable. I wanted the show to focus more on Kimberly, who was so intriguing and heartbreaking to me. I was way more interested in her journey and her relationship with Seth. I felt all the other stuff was underdeveloped, farfetched, and ultimately uninteresting. Victoria Clark was fabulous…joyful, silly, awkward, intelligent, and very sweet. Her story left me leaving the theatre so sad inside. I really felt for her."
I really appreciate your points. It is a sad story. Quite sad. I walked in thinking it was going to be some chirpy kids show but fell in love with its melancholy. I think the family and its past was painted in broad brush strokes, but it didn’t bother me. I think families and even friends can say some unforgivable things. Sometimes we forgive, sometimes we don’t.
You said it better than I did, Betty - the family was painted in broad strokes. I also found Kimberly and Seth to be so intelligent and such outsiders…I had a hard time believing they would go along with the aunt’s obviously amoral scheme. I’d love to see a HBO miniseries of this story to give everything a bit more time to breathe. The sexual confusion of the other students was like Smiles of a Summer Night crammed into such a little subplot. That was also “broad strokes.” The runtime simply wasn’t long enough to flesh everything out in a way that felt satisfying to me. But it’s the best new musical I’ve seen in a while and I was very touched by a lot of it.
I saw it a few weeks ago, and recommended it to others because it's an original musical, it's moving, and provokes discussion. I'm still thinking about it, and yes, give Victoria all the awards for this performance. But... I do have a few quibbles.
Spoilers, if you haven't seen it (and you should):
Why tell us all the details of Kimberly's disease (especially that she was now past her life expectancy) so early when it would have been much more effective if revealed in her public presentation? Which would explain why her parents didn't want to celebrate her birthday...
Why does the aunt still have the stolen tuba, but not its case? (Yes, for convenience so he can play it, but... ?)
But most of all, don't tell us that the show choir is doing this to be able to buy costumes WITH A REVEAL and then not have that reveal? I kept waiting for it and when it didn't happen I was pissed.
IronMan said: "I saw it a few weeks ago, and recommended it to others because it's an original musical, it's moving, and provokes discussion. I'm still thinking about it, and yes, give Victoria all the awards for this performance. But... I do have a few quibbles.
Spoilers, if you haven't seen it (and you should):
"
Regarding why Kimberly's life expectancy being revealed as only 16 years old early in the first act instead of the presentation on the disease in the second to give an emotional climactic punch, its because while Kimberly's disease is at the center of the show the show is not about her disease. The show about what it means to be alive and experiencing life, by revealing her life expectancy early in the first act it creates a sense of dread and melancholy for audiences as we learn its her 16th a likely final birthday halfway through the first act. In doing so the show puts audiences in the same position as her family, that dread knowing any minute Kimberly could drop dead is precisely what her family is parents have been feeling her entire life, but that is not how Kimberly sees the world because its all she's ever known. As such Kimberly sees each day as a treat and should be lived to its fullest, a sense of optimism that her family constantly living in dread of the fact that she might be gone the following day simply can't wrap their heads around. Thus we get to the central theme of the show, "when life hands you lemons, go steal some apples because who the **** wants lemons."
Victoria Clark, Justin Cooley, and the company performed “Anagram” on The Today Show this morning:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cmrelgbvm_b/?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE=
Thrilled to see April performances have been added to Telecharge. Grabbed an aisle seat for April 11.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/27/21
Definately would have liked to have seen an onsale through atleast June...next few weeks will be telling
I would also consider it very strange for them to go all the way to April 30th and then not be able to make that final push to the Tonys. It is a good sign and indicative of a decent amount of faith they put up April for sale.
Stand-by Joined: 6/18/22
Colleen Fitzpatrick was on tonight for Kimberly! I had already seen Clark the first time I went, so was a pleasant surprise to see a different take on it. Not quite as special as Clark's performance, but I thought she did a great job.
Ptero2 said: "Colleen Fitzpatrick was on tonight for Kimberly! I had already seen Clark the first time I went, so was a pleasant surprise to see a different take on it. Not quite as special as Clark's performance, but I thought she did a great job."
That was my impression when I saw her. It's a solid understudy performance. Not Victoria, but still holding the show together.
Stand-by Joined: 8/13/08
Is Clark out for a while? It seemed like on IG she was out for matinee today too? I got my brother tickets for Tuesday, and it's his first time.
Featured Actor Joined: 12/7/21
Does anyone know if they will refund if Victoria Clark is out?
Also, apologies if I've already commented on this or if the discussion has been had (my memory!) but I can't help but notice the kids are definitely growing up! Are there any thoughts about whether/when some of the cast are at risk for ageing out of their roles? Or maybe it doesn't even really matter because clearly the tone of the show is not always going for 100% realism.
Finally got to see this over the weekend after (stupidly) rejecting a comp ticket to opening cause I had other plans. I truly loved this quirky little show so much. I will forgive the slight storytelling problems because of how much I was smiling and choking up by the end of the show. I also love having a new musical that has plenty of emotion without me feeling depressed when I leave the theatre. What a breath of fresh air.
Updated On: 1/23/23 at 08:14 AMFeatured Actor Joined: 9/2/21
Caught this for a second time on Saturday afternoon. Colleen Fitzpatrick was in as Kimberly.
I still love this show so much and I'm happy it's finding its audience! The house looked to be almost sold out and they were loving it. I thought Colleen did a wonderful job - her take on Kimberly is definitely less youthful/naive than Clark's, but it made the darker moments of the show pretty powerful. She sang the score beautifully as well. Her only noticeable slip was misspelling "Lovaco" as "Lovoco" right as Anagram started - she made a cute, funny face when Justin Cooley repeated it back (correctly) and she realized her slip up!
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/21
Tuesday, January 24
From row mezzanine aisle seat, A-1.
Asking $75. Zelle or Paypal.
PDF ticket.
Email me directly for fastest response: jc-bww@mail.com
Chorus Member Joined: 11/10/14
Anyone know why the matinee on March 15 is COMPLETELY sold out? Not even a single ticket available. Is it a benefit performance?
I only had that performance and the Saturday matinee as available slots for my trip. Got a ticket for March 18 at 2:00. Hoping Victoria Clark does most matinees. Thanks.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/29/08
Unsure about March 15 but I saw the show on Saturday Jan 28 at 2pm (on a two show day) and Victoria was in. She (and the entire show) were absolutely delightful!
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/26/16
brodynky said: "Anyone know why the matinee on March 15 is COMPLETELY sold out? Not even a single ticket available. Is it a benefit performance?
I only had that performance and the Saturday matinee as available slots for my trip. Got a ticket for March 18 at 2:00. Hoping Victoria Clark does most matinees. Thanks."
Thanks. That's good to know. I had tentatively planned to see it Thursday evening (still plenty of seats available then) but was keeping my options open in case we decide on a two-show day on Wednesday. That's one less option.
Featured Actor Joined: 12/7/21
They've been selling out Friday/Saturday nights since the holidays, my guess is there are a few big groups going on 3/15 not sure if that's over spring break for colleges or if there's a big convention happening at that time
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/26/16
FWIW, I was glancing at Telecharge and noticed that tickets are now on sale through Saturday night, June 10, the night before the Tonys.
How are the first and second rows in terms of stage height? it's hard to tell from pictures online but it looks like the stage is somewhat high. Is row BB in center orchestra a decent view or would you go a few back?
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