I saw the show for a second time tonight, and I have to say, I think they have made some vast improvements. I was shocked. The whole first half of Act One seemed to be clarified, with many slight alterations really adding up to a better show. I was impressed.
I went to see it with a friend of mine who is a huge fan of all the books, and she really liked it, and thought the show was very faithful, except she hated Drew Sarich and thought he was terribly miscast. We also agreed that Jim Stanek's wig is a little scary.
I felt the tone of the show was more even. The actors seemed to tweak their performances slightly so that whether or not the lines the audience laughed at were SUPPOSED to be humorous, the actors were in on the joke. For example, even though I Want More is a highlight of the show, it seemed very out of place because Jim and Hugh were still playing totally straight serious vampires and Allison was practically on a different stage. Now, the actors all play the scene like they are in on the joke.
Overall, I think great improvements have been made. Also, I didn't realize the first time how GORGEOUS the costumes are. Go Susan Hilferty!
This show will definitely do better business than everyone has been predicting.
And I don't think it's ANYTHING like Carrie. The subject of vampires is treated like the subject of vampires. (As opposed to the subject of an average suffering adolescent with crazy supernatural powers being treated like a greek tragedy in togas/ 80's leather disco-mania.) The vampires predictably drink blood. (As opposed to teenage boys in leather and studs slaughtering pigs while performing dangerous choreography and smearing their chests with pig blood.) Lestat turns his mother into a vampire so she can live forever. (Carrie the teenage girl is stabbed by her mother and then touches her and kills her, as she crawls down an enormous white staircase covered in blood.)
Lestat has its flaws, but what you see onstage is never as unbelievable as Carrie or even close. In My Life was more Carrie- like, in my opinion.
[title of show] on Broadway. it's time. believe.