LEMPICKA closing May 19- Page 2

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 3:49am

This show looked so interesting on paper.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 4:06am

Amber Iman SHOULD be the winner of the Tony. Whether or not that happens who knows... Sorry, Hell's Kitchen and boring Suffs -  She has the most material, the best vocal and acting of the supporting nominees this year, hands down. 

Updated On: 5/3/24 at 04:06 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 4:54am

Bebe Neuwirth would like a word with you.

 

[The8re phan]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 6:19am

Dolly80 said: "Sorry if I’ve missed this somewhere- but is there a cast recording in the works?"

yes, it's just been recordied and will be released in early July

https://playbill.com/article/lempicka-will-release-an-original-broadway-cast-recording

Updated On: 5/3/24 at 06:19 AM

[Sauja]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 7:47am

This is a bummer. I won’t say it’s a great show, but I did genuinely enjoy myself at it. More than I did at several other new shows this year.Yes, it’s messy. And parts are super campy. The design is bonkers. But it has a lot of heart, some great vocals, and a killer cast. I might try to sneak back once more before it closes. At the very least, I’m glad that I saw it.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 8:07am

For Chavkin, I feel like she does shoulder some blame for this but her body of work has been so strong that she deserves a mulligan. If her Gatsby project goes as poorly then maybe she was more of a flash in the pan than Broadway's next great director.

I think this show thought it was going to be big and important and disruptive but it was just messy. I still hate the discourse that's surrounded the bad reviews and the show's hand in amplifying that completely unnecessary assault on critics. 

I also hope Beth Leavel gets a better project real soon because I'd like to see her again on a Broadway stage real soon.

[yyys]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 8:37am

The book, score, choreography are all bad - it's really mind boggling how this got to Broadway!

Updated On: 5/3/24 at 08:37 AM

[Wick3]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 8:43am

I enjoyed watching this show and hope a lot of Tony voters will watch it before it closes.

My friend prefers to pronounce the title the Polish way: Lempitska. I’ll admit I prefer it that way too and if there’s ever a revival, would be interesting if they choose to pronounce it that way.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 9:08am

This is a bummer. I thought this was a really beautiful production and show. Glad I got to see it at least.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 9:19am

Shows like Lempicka are what ALW was referring to when he mentioned "vanity projects." Anyone who thought it was a good idea to spend almost $20 million to bring this to Broadway is completely out of touch with reality. I actually thought the show was pretty good, but what a misguided financial decision.

Updated On: 5/3/24 at 09:19 AM

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 9:27am

I am a voice teacher. Eden's voice was in deep trouble when I heard her sing Gardens of Annuncia.  I wrote in my ShowScore review of that show that her voice was in trouble.  It's not an illness... it's her technique. It won't get better unless she does some major work on her voice.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 11:07am

Dolly80 said: "Sorry if I’ve missed this somewhere- but is there a cast recording in the works?"

Yep! https://playbill.com/article/lempicka-will-release-an-original-broadway-cast-recording

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 11:13am

Wick3 said: "I enjoyed watching this show and hope a lot of Tony voters will watch it before it closes.

My friend prefers to pronounce the title thePolish way: Lempitska. I’ll admit I prefer it that way too and if there’s ever a revival, would be interesting if they choose to pronounce it that way."

Curious what you think Tony voters would do if they saw it?  Re a potential revival, i assume this show will disappear once it closes.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 11:32am

This is sort of a joint "yes and" response to TaffyDavenport and Mr. Wormwood -

I agree that it feels like a vanity project, but shows are in development so long that sometimes people get in too deep and lose perspective on the work. It's hard to pour millions of development money into a show over 7+ years and then say "actually, we don't want to take this to Broadway" (meaning there's 0 chance of recouping any of those costs). Sometimes, weird or bad shows still catch on and make money.

Chavkin did not deliver the goods on this, but I'm not ready to call her a "flash in the pan." Even Hal Prince and Michael Bennett and Jerome Robbins whiffed it sometimes. Ben Brantley's encouragement at Williamstown also helped.

I don't think ANYONE expected Hadestown to run 1400+ performances, but in the next 15 weeks it will surpass the original runs of Dreamgirls, Evita, Mame, Waitress, Matilda, Spamalot, Whorehouse, and Ain't Misbehavin. That's a monumental feat. Chavkin deserves a lot of credit for making Hadestown a commercial success –– though there's also a lot of smart writing and producing –– and I'm sure Hadestown's trajectory was on Team Lempicka's minds.

I wish LEMPICKA felt even half as groundbreaking and daring and original as it claims itself to be. Ah well.

Updated On: 5/3/24 at 11:32 AM

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 12:46pm

The original production of 42nd Street ran 3,486 performances.  Perhaps you mean the revival?

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 12:52pm

That’s what frustrated me the most about this. What was fearless? What was groundbreaking? Yes, representation is important but so is producing quality over a vibe. Let’s call it what is was, a campy inoffensive musical that wasn’t particularly great to begin with. Lets not pretend is was anything more than that 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 12:58pm

QueenAlice said: "The original production of 42nd Street ran3,486 performances. Perhaps you mean the revival?"

Ah -- yes, I was looking quickly at the Wikipedia list.

[dwwst12]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 1:39pm

BETTY22 said: "Heart did not expect any TONY nominations and budgeted accordingly.

The have enough money in reserve to get them to June when tourists arrive.

GOOD PRODUCING......"

I don't have any knowledge of that, but it makes sense. I made this point when people were claiming the Tony noms would doom Lempicka and HoRR. I said Lempicka sure, but HoRR? I mean, how silly would you have to be, as a producer, to have thought that it would be a Tony factor? It may still close, but not because of the nominations. It did jump up in average ticket price last week, so it has life (and if what you say is true, money in reserve!)

 

I have a trip planned for mid-to-late June, so here's hoping it makes it. Sounds like a great time.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 1:47pm

Maybe Eden can now play Tuesday Norma

[OharaFosseWolfe888]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 1:57pm

I think what sucks the most about this closing, is that for all of the flawed material, it did strike a chord with some people, just not nearly enough or those who actually can afford to keep a new messy flawed musical open. Particularly younger queer poc audiences, queer interracial couples, and people who enjoy something that they see themselves in. It seems to me those that love it, have embraced its flaws but it still deeply connects with them on some level. "Lesbian love be messy sometimes" one of my friends said laughing about the critics response. For many of my friends, thats exactly one of the reasons they enjoyed the show. To see the heartbreak on social media, from fans who connected with the show and the many post Eden has shared since the announcement makes it all the more sad.  

For my two cents, I wish it at least could run through the Tony Awards for Eden(Mariand) and Amber's sake. The show for me was an okay evening the first time I saw it, and yet I have returned 3x for Amber Iman's Rafaela and the potential of what the show COULD be. I am rooting for Amber to win the TONY, having seen all the other performances in her category. I know Ms. Neuwirth and Lindsay Mendez and I would also say Nikki M. James (who's Ida B. Wells is STRONG!) are in the running but for me, Amber's acting, powerhouse vocals, and stage presence is off the charts imo. Also curious if anyone saw her IG story from half hour yesterday? Just heartbreaking...performers just want to create great art that touches people and WORK. No one sets out to make a bad show...and yet...

I agree with other's that Chavkin's direction is just far from her best, and she did not shape this material well at all, even from a staging stand point much less silent dramaturg on the book. The set design is both cool and ineffective for the story, it's both over and under used, not even sure how they managed that. The choreography is very...(one of the strongest decisions Suffs made from the Public to Broadway was replacing Raja Feather Kelly as choreographer)...unsupportive of the story almost all the time, except for in moments where it is almost revelatory, just confusing the more I see it. Anyway I digress, my point is there is much to critique, but for all of that I don't think its such a disaster ala Bad Cinderella that it should close this soon. Hoping all the performers are able to revel in their last two weeks and find jobs soon. 

P.S. Old user, new username couldn't figure out how to change it on BWW settings

Updated On: 5/3/24 at 01:57 PM

[Melissa25]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 2:21pm

Lempicka is absolutely my favorite show this season.  I am very happy that Eden and Amber earned nominations. I was also especially pleased that Riccardo Hernández and Peter Nigrini earned nominations for scenic design which I thought was unique and outstanding.  I mourn that the score did not get nominated. I am patiently waiting for the cast recording which will be in heavy rotation. I have tickets to return one final time.  I hope I am still kicking when this gets done at Encores!

[raddersons]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 2:53pm

Listen, is this a perfect show? No. But it really struck me despite its flaws. I found it exciting and sleek and sexy. I’d take 5 Lempicka’s over 1 Water For Elephants any day.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 3:37pm

Does anyone think this has a future regionally or anything, or is it DOA?

[Melissa25]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 3:38pm

I'll raise you: 10 Lempicka's over a Water For Elephants any day!

[Listener]

Posted: 5/3/24 at 3:50pm

I thought she sounded good in Anuncia. Maybe a bit guarded but good. Not as "open" as her Wicked days, but good. Solid.

Is it possible the issue with sometimes going flat is a hearing thing?

I so wanted this to be a hit for her.

For those who have seen it, is it really worth checking out in its so-called "badness" or are you just saying that when its silly and utterly skippable?