Kelli O'Hara, Brian d'Arcy James to star in DAYS OF WINE & ROSES musical from LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA team — Page 7

bwayphreak234 said: "ColorTheHours048 said: "Oof. This was a chore and a half to sit through. Starting from the Very Special Episode book; to the hideous, atonal score; to the wooden performances of even Brian and Kelli; to the baffling use of the ensemble (if I saw one more person cross the stage looking at the lead couple in disgust, I swear to God). I’m just so perplexed by why anyone thought this needed to be a musical, let alone why we’re getting such a high profile production.

The best thing about the evening was the ad I got in the Playbill for Lucas Hnath and Steve Cuiffo’s A Simulacrum. Now, thatsounds interesting. This was just the longest, most pat commercial for AA I’ve ever seen."

I had a very different experience and reaction to the show, performances, and material. While I wasn't a huge fan of the episodic book and think it could use some work, I thought the score was great and fitting for the most part. As for why it needs to be a musical, we could ask that about any movie to musical adaptation these days... However, as someone who has battled alcoholism personally, and seen and experienced first hand the havoc is can wreak on one's life and one's family, I found this show to be extremely poignant and much more than a "commercial for AA"... I thought that the exploration of the themes and depictions surrounding alcoholism were extremely spot on.

"

Obviously those things are okay. However, one usually expects a musical to be a higher form of art than a commercial, and this really is not.

Very much to each their own. Not an alcoholic myself (not that it matters), but have had plenty of firsthand experience with alcoholism and the toll it takes on the people affected by it. There are plenty of works of art I’ve seen that understand how to convey that experience without coming off ham-fisted.

I very much didn’t intend to be flippant about alcoholism; just the way in which Guettel, Lucas, and Greif choose to convey it. Not having seen the movie or teleplay it’s based on, I can’t say how it does or doesn’t match the spirit of the source material, but it feels almost shockingly outdated.

I did notice the lyrics didn’t always match the characters’ intentions, but it seemed like a very deliberate choice by Guettel. It’s a very complex score, and I think will require a few listens to really appreciate it.

Several comments regarding this show and score make me think of how audiences reacted to Passion in 1994. I’m not saying the show is as good as Passion, but there’s several unusual elements that are devisive.

I enjoyed this, even though the first song sung by Kelli was a big cringy lyric-wise.

Saw this last night sat near Julianna Margulies, Carla Gugino & Samantha Mathis (who were all there together) so that was extra fun.



As for the show itself, I truly enjoyed this one. I found the score to be gorgeous and while it's going to take me a few repeat viewings/listenings to really get a grasp of it, there's some extraordinary stuff in there. I'm just thrilled to have a new Adam Guettel score to sink my teeth into. This is also, I think, hands down the best acting both Kelli and Brian have ever done on the stage. If this were a Broadway show, the Tony would be engraved most probably with both of their names already (her, especially).

Really hoping this swoops in next April and get some awards love on Broadway. I think these smaller artsy shows have a place on Broadway among the big splashy movie musicals.

ColorTheHours048 said: "Oof. This was a chore and a half to sit through. Starting from the Very Special Episode book; to the hideous, atonal score; to the wooden performances of even Brian and Kelli; to the baffling use of the ensemble (if I saw one more person cross the stage looking at the lead couple in disgust, I swear to God). I’m just so perplexed by why anyone thought this needed to be a musical, let alone why we’re getting such a high profile production.


A perfectly constructed paragraph and completely spot on. I found it more to be an after school special rather than an ad for AA (and if it were designed to be the latter…it had the opposite affect on me at least).


While it’s always a pleasure to see O’Hara live, especially in a small house, this was a major slog to get through.

I really don’t see who the audience is for this show.

Updated On: 6/3/23 at 04:42 PM