LESTAT - The New Carrie!- Page 6

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:34pm

The ending in SF was alright, simply because I liked the song tune. I was completely confused as to what had just happened when the show ended though.

What I DID like were the individual solos and having all the main characters come together in spirit at the end. And the minute or so where they all sang their own thing was very cool, and the lyrics were actually good in that segment! But other than that it did desperately need a new ending.

I do hope the show lasts long enough for me to at least see it, and also for them to make a cast album. So I can listen to Drew over and over. =)

[wallowinbathtubgin]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 1:43pm

LMAO --- agreed on the SF ending bit, Mother's.

If they ever decided to make the book (NOT MOVIE) Queen of the Damned a musical, Drew would get my vote as Lestat, but as things stand, I'm pretty sure I want Mr. Sarich right where he is.

[rock00]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 2:34pm

Monday night's house was about 3/4 full for Act I and about 1/2 full for Act II. There were a few people who stood at curtain call in the front mezz, but it was mostly polite applause (except for Claudia who got a huge response).

FYI, they're "pre-selling" the cast album, so I'm guessing they're planning on recording regardless of what happens to the show (one of the benefits of having Elton John write your score).

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 2:59pm

All I have to say is the following:

-- "Dance of the Vampires" = FLOP (in America)
-- "Dracula" = FLOP (in America)

It should be clear that, unless it's on a small scale, vampire musicals will be laughed out of American theatre. So take "Lestat" elsewhere, with some reworking, and it would probably be a big success.

[ken8631]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 3:01pm

Also there Monday night.

Claudia was the highlight.

House looked full from where I was sitting (horrible second row seats, VERY high stage). They had tickets available at the TKTS booth, I saw few empty seats, but more after intermission. A woman and daughter next to us left at intermission, but the girl was 11 - maybe not the right age for this show IMO...

[jimnysf]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 3:41pm

No one is the right age for this show!

[Phantom05]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 3:41pm

Okay, a few things...

- To the first post of this thread....I can't believe that half of what's opening or on Broadway right now is on Broadway.

"It should be clear that, unless it's on a small scale, vampire musicals will be laughed out of American theatre. So take "Lestat" elsewhere, with some reworking, and it would probably be a big success."

- I don't entirely know what this says about America, lol. In regards to Dance of the Vampires, Tanz Der Vampire is an ENTIRELY different production in every aspect, from the make-up all the way to the orchestrations; it is remotely possible to tell that they are even the same show, lol. In terms of Dracula I would agree with anyone that said it was a big piece of junk. I loved the original novel and the history of the topic, but even being well versed in the topic didn't help me understand that clunker at all. I saw the original at La Jolla, as well as the Broadway production in and after previews...It always had problems. Saying that Vampire musicals will ALWAYS be laughed off of a "large American stage" is crap! It just depends on how well the "vampire" story is adapted and executed. I can about guarantee that if someone would construct a good musical about vampires, that US audiences would flaunt. Considering that every one of them up until this point has been junk, your comment isn't valid.

- As for Lestat, the San Fran premier was just boring, and there is no other word for it. I have yet to see what the Lestat kitchen is cultivating on Broadway right now, but in regards to the changes, I have heard that there were a lot, so we'll see...I am looking forward to seeing it again. I also don't agree that Hugh Panaro was mis-cast, but more that the entire show was just "mis-written." The material in SF was really long and boring, and I personally felt bad for the talented cast having to work with the material that they did! I still, however, can't wait to see the changes in the NY production!

Tootles!

Phantom05

P.S.
If DAVID IVES,
Rando and Carrafa,
wouldn't screwed it into
the ground and Stage Holding
had produced it, Tanz der Vampire
would have had an amazing AMAZING premier..Just my feelings, lol!

BYE!

Posted: 3/28/06 at 3:42pm

It should be clear that, unless it's on a small scale, vampire musicals will be laughed out of American theatre.

I want to touch on that for a moment... I don't see why. I mean, I've seen the past two vampire musicals and they were awful, and this one's awful, and for god sake's why can't people do a vampire musical without making it awful? It can't be that hard! You're already selling a marketable concept, you have an audience that already understands some of the premise, honestly how can Broadway fail 3 times in a row at Vampire musicals? I just don't get it!

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 3:49pm

Ken,

You're awfully negative. My friend and I were in the third row and we saw everything just fine!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 3:51pm

Could someone who saw the first two previews please post a song listing. I was reading the reviews of the SF run last night and one of the reviews had a SF song listing. I just wanted to compare the two to see what additions/deletions have been made.

Here is the song list from the SF run:

From the Dead
Nothing Here
In Paris
In Paris (reprise)
The Thirst
The Thirst (reprise)
Make Me As You Are
To Live Like This
The Origin of the Species
The Crimson Kiss
The Thirst (reprise)
Welcome to the New World
Embrace It
I Want More
I'll Never Have That Chance
Sail Me Away
To Kill Your Kind
Embrace It (reprise)
After All This Time
From The Dead (Finale)



Thanks so much for your help!

[jimnysf]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 3:57pm

The song "Nothing Here" should be the title of the show! Please, if people feel they must part with $100 plus, just send it on to me. I could really use it.

[BrianWilsonFan]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:01pm

How are they "pre-selling" the cast album?

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:02pm

jimnysf, you've got to be kidding me. You can't come up with a more intelligent post than that?

Without A Trace, here you go:

Act One
From the Dead
Beautiful Boy
In Paris
The Thirst
Right Before My Eyes
Make Me As You ARe
To Live Like This
Morality Play
The Crimson Kiss

Act Two
Welcome to the New World
Embrace It
I Want More
I'll Never Have That Chance
Sail Me Away
To Kill Your Kind
Embrace It (rep)
After All This Time
From the Dead (finale)

[jimnysf]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:04pm

Sorry Walt, we can't all be as intelligent as you are :) If we were, you would have no one to be better than.

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:05pm

Point taken.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:07pm

Thanks, WaltSummersPI!

Looks like "Nothing Here," "The Origin of the Species," and some reprises were cut from Act One. Three songs "Beautiful Boy," "Right Before My Eyes," and "Morality Play" were added to Act One.

Act Two seems to be similar to the SF run of the show, as far as musical numbers go.

I'm seeing it Saturday night and will definitely post a review.

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:12pm

Well, the playbill has "From the Dead (finale)" listed, but that must have been cut very close to the first preview, because "After All This Time" is the last song, at least that I remember.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:15pm

Right, I did hear that the ending was changed since SF. Thanks, Walt!

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:21pm

Someone mentioned a pier.. which I don't remember from San Francisco.

Is Marius' every line still a joke? I remember every line he had to be so damn annoying.

[ken8631]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:22pm

Walt,

I'm negative because that's how the show left me (and my wife). I don't particularly like spending over $200 for tickets and having to feel negative about a show. As I've said, I've seen many plays recenlty. this one just didn't do it for me. On the other hand, "Sweeney Todd", "Jersey Boys" and "Pajama Game" were all excellent and well-worth the price of admission. Just my taste. I'm no theater expert (engineer actually), just John Q. Public. For a show to do well, I think you need a lot of John Q Publics to like it. I didn't. Just my opinion. I still hope they make changes and it does well for the sake of the actors and all employed by the show though.

As for seating - I couldn't even see the wolf on the stage at the beginning, and only saw most people from the knees up. Maybe the third row was better, or you are an NBA player, but I'd recommend sitting further back for this staging to be able to see the stage properly. Had the same problem with Dracula, actually.

[poohnnova]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:22pm

I doubt this show stays open till June

[Shawk]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:25pm

Beautiful Boy, huh.

All I keep thinking of is, "Darling, darling, darling, darliiiing Lestaaaa-aaa-aaat."

I assume this song fills the same function as "Nothing Here," but I'd be curious to hear more about it.

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:25pm

LOL, yes, I'm a 5 foot 3 NBA player.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:54pm

One of these days, long after this closes, people will take the risk once again to try once more to make a great musical about vampires. They will get all the best talent around and they will put their heart and soul into it...



...And they will fail like all the rest.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/28/06 at 4:56pm

. And I agree with Eponine...what a revelation it would have been to see Drew as the rockstar Lestat!

I was just about to ask if Drew ever got to go on as Lestat, but I guess we would've heard about it otherwise. (Plus, a full week hadn't finished before he had the baton passed to -- well, more like thrown at -- him from Noseworthy.)

He would've been really interesting, I think. If he puts out another solo album, may I request in advance he adds a Lestat song on there?