LEMPICKA Reviews — Page 22

MezzA101 said: "Behind the Scenes of a Short-Lived Broadway Musical



https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/06/03/behind-the-scenes-of-a-short-lived-broadway-musical"

What a great article. I loved Lempicka despite its flaws; reading of some of the struggles they had developing things makes it clear there were lots of things they were uncertain of. If they felt husband wasn’t working and the “heart of the show” was the love triangle maybe they should’ve waited to jump to broadway. I still think someone needs to tell them the show is about a woman who tried to capture women not a love triangle and then the show will open up 

bwayobsessed said: "I still think someone needs to tell them the show is about a woman who tried to capture women not a love triangle and then the show will open up"

The problem is, I think the show should have been about a woman portraying women in her art, BUT ALSO being torn between 3 different lovers: her husband, the Baron (which we stupidly hear about but never see), and Rafaela.

Or, all these people pine for Tamara when she pines for her art (the SUNDAY of it all).

I hear ya. There are many ways to focus a story. Unfortunately, this team didn't choose one 😔

The article may have been simplifying her trajectory to joining onto Lempicka. There's probably more nuance.

As for Gatsby, these things are in development for years and sometimes there's no control over timing (such as Michael Greif directing 3 shows this spring). She signed on to this sometime in 2022 (after Frecknall departed) and I think some people were expecting the current Broadway Gatsby to die at Paper Mill or have a Lempicka-length Broadway run.

Noooo...What I cannot wait to hear from the studio recording

* The "Overture" very nice electronic club sounds 
* "Unseen" when Lempicka makes her entrance as an older woman with a lower voice slay girl slay sounds so cool
* The end of "Our Time" when Lempicka going wild 
* "Plan and Design" when Lempicka talent powers are metaphorically singing out of her bodyyy and also priming us for "Woman Is" melodically
* "Don't Bet Your Heart" so high energy fun and charismatic 
* "I Will Paint Her" the only natural consequence of "Don't Bet Your Heart".....ultra modern and passionate 'I want song'
* "Perfection" industrial grungy pop with this kind of haunting satire on political 'progress'
* The Most Beautiful Bracelet" cooooool smokey vocals
* "Woman Is" is defying gravity on ecstasy
* "Speed" those intense final few hours in the club with the heartbreaking end
* "In the Blasted California Sun" yay old Lempicka back again, all nostalgic with those warm low tones back again yummy
* "Finale" YASSS OLD LEMPICKA YOUR LIPS, YOUR SHARP TEETH...Slay girl one last time while surrounded by YOUR GIRLS. AND THEN YOU START POINTING TO THE AUDIENCE INSTEAD OF THE GIRLS, SO THEATRICAL AND CHILLING

This score is STUNNINGGGG

hearthemsing22 said: "There are still people whining about the closing of this show, saying things like "we need to rethink the system". Oh shut up. This show did not have an audience. And if it did, it was a very small one, and that is not enough to keep the show open. All those people who were always going- did they tell their friends to go? Did those friends pay full price? Did they keep spreading the word? I'm thinking-- no. So- stop whining I beg of you"

No one is whining about it in this thread so you chose the wrong place to post 

hearthemsing22 said: "There are still people whining about the closing of this show, saying things like "we need to rethink the system". Oh shut up. This show did not have an audience. And if it did, it was a very small one, and that is not enough to keep the show open. All those people who were always going- did they tell their friends to go? Did those friends pay full price? Did they keep spreading the word? I'm thinking-- no. So- stop whining I beg of you"


it doesnt help that the whining was elevated by the director and other creative team members during the closing curtain speech

blaming everyone else but themselves for a spectacular bomb

it is much easier to fault the general public for any variety of -ist or -phobia accusations than to look within

the show failed for two simple reasons

not enough people cared about the subject matter to check it out

not enough people thought the show was any good

MezzoDiva47 has spoken

bow down accordingly

 

Updated On: 3/2/25 at 04:30 PM

hearthemsing22 said: "Yet this is a thread about Lempicka, yes? So...I don't see a problem. If you do...get over it"

But you are directly addressing the people who are whining, who were not doing that here so it seems misplaced. 
 

I do think it’s silly that Lempicka closed so quickly and W4E and HK got a bunch of Tony noms but alas. 

I just saw on Instagram there is a production in the works in Korea. I was a big fan of this show so it’s nice to see it have a life after the short lived Broadway run! 

There will be three rotating actresses as Tamara and another three as Rafaela in the production that opens in Korea. I’d love to see all versions as this was a favorite of mine. I wish it much success.
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2026-01-26/culture/artsDesign/Tonywinning-Hadestown-director-eager-for-Korean-audiences-to-meet-next-life-of-Lempicka/2507206

Updated On: 1/30/26 at 09:46 AM

I’m one of the few that seemed to really love this show. I’m glad it’s getting another life. 

“Your women… they’re taking over the world.”

And I love to see it. :)