KING KONG - Previews

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 11:03am

King Kong previews start this Friday, 10/5!  It looks like its pretty much sold out on 10/5. Anyone going? I can't wait to hear the reports on this one. 

Updated On: 10/2/18 at 11:03 AM

[HGorn]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 11:57am

My guess is that they will post a closing notice by March 1st.  Why would anyone want to see a Broadway musical with a HUGE inflatable puppet??

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 12:09pm

Though I never saw Spider-Man on Broadway, I've always liked many of the King Kong movies and comics.

The original black and white is hypnotic. The Jessica Lange version with the World Trade Center is campy fun. The recent Jack Black version is action packed.

Each Christmas, my tree is topped with King Kong. Bi-planes are hung from the ceiling, ready to attack.

I am heading in with LOW expectations Friday night.

[Bwayfan292]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 12:10pm

Im actually excited for this. It has the potential to be a smash hit, this is the third creative team though so many the material wont be as strong, but the puppet will be worth it!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 12:12pm

Pretty sure it isn't inflatable.  I am actually looking forward to seeing this - and it appears to be selling pretty well.   Shows don't typically close in March so close to the Tonys.

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 12:56pm

I hope its actually good and not just a spectacle. I don't know what to expect after watching that music video.... 

[Daddy Warbucks]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 2:07pm

I can't wait to hear the feedback from everyone.  I don't have tickets until after opening.  As I've said elsewhere, this show has spectacle in the bag.  The question is whether the music OR the story are good.  IF they have nailed one or the other, I see this running a long time.  First time tourists to New York generally want to come and see a spectacle on Broadway, not a low budget art play.  Hence why Lion King continues to run for so long.  

 

Updated On: 10/2/18 at 02:07 PM

[angoradebs]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 5:53pm

I'm going Friday! I'll be in town for NYCC, so I figured why not. I went with a mezz seat to hopefully get the full effect of the puppet.

[LuPita2]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 6:14pm

I'm going too! ^   Orchestra mid-center.  Looking forward to this even though it has not gotten much buzz.  They've made huge changes to it from the other productions according to a friend who works at the theater.  

[Dallas Theatre Fan]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 8:21pm

I've been talking with a few of my theatrically inclined friends and we've all came to the conclusion that the first few previews are going to be rough.  We think that the puppet will get stage fright and not work correctly for the first few performances.  

[Beedlebard]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 8:22pm

I’m not holding my breath on this one but I can’t wait to see the puppet!

[Robbie2]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 9:58pm

Warbucks2 said: "I can't wait to hear the feedback from everyone. I don't have tickets until after opening. As I've said elsewhere, this show has spectacle in the bag. The question is whether the music OR the story are good. IF they have nailed one or the other, I see this running a long time. First time tourists to New York generally want to come and see a spectacle on Broadway, not a low budget art play. Hence why Lion King continues to run for so long.

"

LK has DISNEY and all Disney shows on BWAY are pretty much sold out nightly!

 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 10:04pm

Famebroadway2 said: "King Kong previews start this Friday, 10/5! It looks like its pretty much sold out on 10/5. Anyone going? I can't wait to hear the reports on this one."

 

Heard that the house is papered for the first two performances this weekend!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 10:19pm

Can I get a comp? ???????

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 10/3/18 at 9:02am

Robbie2 said: "Famebroadway2 said: "King Kong previews start this Friday, 10/5! It looks like its pretty much sold out on 10/5. Anyone going? I can't wait to hear the reports on this one."



Heard that the house is papered for the first two performances this weekend!"

Damn! I wish I got a comp for this weekend. 

[Smeds2]

Posted: 10/3/18 at 11:01pm

In Melbourne 2013, the show was fascinatingly bad. The irony was the show was theoretically saying to us "how horrible that these characters want to keep King Kong locked up so people can gawk at him", and yet the show itself did nothing but ask us, the audience, to gawk at the big puppet. There was one scene that ran for 10 minutes with virtually no dialogue when Kong was revealed, which relied on nothing but the puppet's sheer being to be impressive, which may have worked for some but definitely not for me. The score was an uneven mish-mash of different styles, some worked, some didn't. The book equally fell flat in many places.

HOWEVER, that doesn't mean much now since the creative team has completely changed. Eddie Perfect is a terrific composer and I can't wait to hear what he's contributed to the show. I hope they've revised the book as well. King Kong, the puppet, is enjoyable to watch on stage. It could work as a show provided they don't ONLY focus on the puppet to the point of tedium. All the other supporting elements need to raise King Kong above the "spectacle" side of things, and then they may get a healthy Broadway run.

[theaterwiz414]

Posted: 10/4/18 at 7:52am

dramamama611 said: "Pretty sure it isn't inflatable. I am actually looking forward to seeing this - and it appears to be selling pretty well. Shows don't typically close in March so close to the Tonys."

Why do you think that is? I think Kinky Boots said it's closing in April. Are they an exception to this? Genuinely curious and not trying to start anything. 

 

EDIT: Just realized it's actually closing in February so forget that.... 

Updated On: 10/4/18 at 07:52 AM

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 10/4/18 at 9:07am

theaterwiz414 said: "dramamama611 said: "Pretty sure it isn't inflatable. I am actually looking forward to seeing this - and it appears to be selling pretty well. Shows don't typically close in March so close to the Tonys."

Why do you think that is? I think Kinky Boots said it's closing in April. Are they an exception to this? Genuinely curious and not trying to start anything.



EDIT: Just realized it's actually closing in February so forget that...."

What's closing in February? Kinky Boots is closing on April 7, 2019. New productions will usually stick around until after the Tonys, in the hopes of nominations/wins. Chances are that King Kong will be in the running for at least some technical awards, so a March closing is not happening. I think the show will do much better than the naysayers are predicting, especially with families/tourists.

Updated On: 10/4/18 at 09:07 AM

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/4/18 at 9:35am

I think this show will make it through next summer. I'll admit I was skeptical when I first heard of the new musical simply because I barely remember the movie (never saw it in its entirety) and just can't imagine why anyone would see it. 

Then... I saw this music video "Queen of New York" that the show released a month ago and I certainly got more excited. I can see non-broadway fans watching this show too. 

 

[denali.fire]

Posted: 10/4/18 at 9:47am

HGorn said: "My guess is that they will post a closing notice by March 1st. Why would anyone want to see a Broadway musical with a HUGE inflatable puppet??"

Folks continue to buy tickets to see potty mouth puppets in Avenue Q the Tony Winner for best musical in 2004. 

 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/4/18 at 10:07am

I think this show will make it through next summer. I'll admit I was skeptical when I first heard of the new musical simply because I barely remember the movie (never saw it in its entirety) and just can't imagine why anyone would see it.

Which movie are you referring to as KING KONG has been remade 3 times:  the original 1933; in 1976 (updated to 1976 and introduced Jessica Lange to films) and the most recent with Jack Black (kept in its original 1930s timeline).  

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/4/18 at 10:53am

The original. I remember watching it on VHS or betamax at my grandparent's house when I was a kid. 

[toph509]

Posted: 10/4/18 at 11:27am

Seeing the show on Saturday.

I'm expecting to see a 4-hour-long extravaganza.

I'm intrigued, excited, and a bit nervous as I've been following the show for quite some time.

 

[John Adams]

Posted: 10/4/18 at 11:27am

Pedantic comment: I think that technically, Kong is a marionette, rather than a puppet. #pedantic

[John Adams]

Posted: 10/4/18 at 11:53am

Wick3 said: "I think this show will make it through next summer. I'll admit I was skeptical when I first heard of the new musical simply because I barely remember the movie (never saw it in its entirety) and just can't imagine why anyone would see it.

Then... I saw this music video "Queen of New York" that the show released a month ago and I certainly got more excited. I can see non-broadway fans watching this show too.

I didn't really care for this song. My immediate, knee-jerk impression is that it's a cut-and-paste amalgamation of Linn-Manuel Miranda's musical style (to my ear, it sounds like a Hamilton early draft) and Disney's pop-y, non-specific, family oriented lyric (Queen of New York? Even after hearing the whole song, I don't know what it is she wants, or how she's going to do it; I just know that she's "never gonna stop" until she's... that)."

Updated On: 10/4/18 at 11:53 AM