Leap Of Faith Previews- Page 9

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 4/9/12 at 12:49pm

I'm amazed that we're supposed to believe that the Angels aren't in on the scam. I haven't seen the film in years, so I don't remember if that was part of it, but the number of people that are used to gain background info on the townspeople would lead me to believe that everyone involved knows what is really going on. Otherwise the Angels are dumber than the townspeople that they have unknowingly been swindling.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/9/12 at 1:07pm

I thought the choreographer on SMASH was straight?

[littlebutterfly10]

Posted: 4/9/12 at 1:13pm

"I'm amazed that we're supposed to believe that the Angels aren't in on the scam. I haven't seen the film in years, so I don't remember if that was part of it, but the number of people that are used to gain background info on the townspeople would lead me to believe that everyone involved knows what is really going on. Otherwise the Angels are dumber than the townspeople that they have unknowingly been swindling."

I'm not at all familiar with the movie, but when I saw the show, the Angels' reactions in the last scene of act one were very confusing. (SPOILER, I guess...) When Jonas "healed" the widow, who then offered to "donate" her wedding ring because she had nothing else to give, we as the audience were obviously supposed to see Jonas as conflicted with his actions for the first time...but half the Angels seemed to stand behind Jonas, and the other half seemed to be angry at him for taking things too far.

[jv92]

Posted: 4/9/12 at 1:19pm

See, that's the problem! I mean, the music was bland, but still, so are plenty of hits' scores. (And who aside from a select few writes REALLY good lyrics anymore?) But the book! It's such a mess and needs major reworking. It's details like the choir's relationship with Jonas that's important.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 4/9/12 at 1:26pm

I'm going to put this out there about the score. It reminded me of something Dolly Parton would have written. Most of the songs have some hooky lyrics but the content could be applied anywhere. Sometimes witty, sometimes trite. For 9 to 5, we got this but the songs (despite the false rhymes) were really nice.

I really liked some of the lyrics, they could be really nice pop songs, but I just didn't understand why people had to be singing. Glenn Slater is a clever guy, he just gets put on weird projects.

At the end of the day this show will prove harmless, close and never be mentioned again. Like their "Home on the Range."

[ken8631]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 7:39am

Basically went to see Raul, and we were happy. Will be interesting to see what/if they change much during previews.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 8:08am

How close do I have to sit to appreciate Raul's new physique? Does he baptize people with his shirt off or something? Are there beefy guys in the chorus? Hot dancers can make anything enjoyable as far as I'm concerned.

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 9:26am

^ No, he's always fully clothed, and the difference in his physique isn't drastic. It's just that he's never been so "fit" looking before. You know, looking good in a snug t shirt-that kind of stuff.

[andi1235]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 11:00am

Yes, I saw it twice in one day. I don't work on the show (I WISH!), and I try not to stalk people, LOL!

I saw the Saturday matinée, then I stayed after to stage door and get my poster signed. Unfortunately, Raul Esparza and Kendra Kassebaum didn't come out. My bus home didn't leave till 11, and I didn't have anything better to do that afternoon, so I hung around the theatre in hopes that I could catch them coming back in and get the last couple signatures I needed. While I was waiting I asked at the box office if I could get the poster sent back (since I was only in the city for a day and not likely to go back any time soon, I wanted to do everything I could for my souvenir).

The two men working the box office were SUPER nice to me, helped me get a picture taken (sent someone out when they saw me trying to get a cell phone pic of me next to the giant stagedoor poster thing), pointed out Alan Menken to me when he walked past (I'd mentioned that I was hoping he'd be there so I could get HIS signature too - that was exciting!). They finally ended up giving me a ticket someone returned to the box office so I could see the evening performance too. I'm in no way affiliated with the show. Just a long-time Menken fan and a giant Raul fan. It was just luck and really fantastic box office workers that let me see the show twice. They couldn't have been nicer to me - I hope they get a raise! :)

[ken8631]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 11:44am

Wife was impressed with the leather pants.....

[finebydesign]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 2:00pm

There is NOTHING to see on that stage.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 2:21pm

Based on the reports I've read, I'm really surprised this moved to Broadway as quickly as it did. I guess Menken wanted 3 shows on Broadway simultaneously (only Lloyd Webber and Wildhorn have achieved that, right?) and a possible Tony for Esparza.

[wonkit]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 4:49pm

Don't believe everything you read.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 5:48pm

Even if I only believe half the things I read, it still doesn't make this show sound much better.

[wonkit]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 9:36pm

If I let the posts on this site determine what I saw, I would have missed a lot of experiences that are valuable to me. Including LEAP, which I enjoyed. The last 20 minutes of this musical in particular are among the the most effective use of musical theater I have known. To each audience member, his/her own response.

[egghumor]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 10:17pm

MMatt, Sir Schwartz had three shows running simultaneously on Broadway for a time: PIPPIN, GODSPELL and THE MAGIC SHOW

[After Eight]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 7:31am

^

Jerry Herman also had three: Hello Dolly, Mame, Dear World.

Also Rodgers and Hammerstein: South Pacific, The King and I, Me and Juliet. And Rodgers himself had four: the three ahove and the revival of Pal Joey.

[ken8631]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 7:44am

If you are an Esparza fan (at all), it's definitely worth seeing (IMO).

[Mystic Pasta]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 8:07am

Finebydesign is so right. I couldn't put my finger on it, but the show sounds like it was written by a committee and never gets above harmless. I already have forgotten most of the music that sounds the same throughout the show. The entire evening feels lackluster. What may have been state of the art in 1990 feels tepid in 2012. 9 to 5 had a better score and I did not enjoy that production. I wish the authors took the time to comment more on a social issue (like Hairspray, Evita, Mormon or Memphis) and not just deliver uninteresting characters.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 10:22am

Thanks for the info, guys! I always wondered what other composers had 3+ shows on Broadway simultaneously. So, I guess the answer is six? Rodgers, Herman, Schwartz, Lloyd Webber, Wildhorn and Menken?

Anyway, I don't let opinions here determine whether or not I see a show and wasn't even insinuating as much. I was just commenting on the majority opinions I've read thus far (both for the previews and the out-of-town tryout) and the rush to move this to Broadway. If I was in NYC, I'd probably see the show and I've greatly enjoyed many shows others have ridiculed. Women on the Verge was my favorite musical for its season.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 11:21am

Saw it last night. What a trainwreck. I love the movie, Alan Menken and Raul Esparza and was really looking forward to this... Where they went wrong, I don't know.

As amazing as Phillips' voice is, she's just not tough enough. Or cold enough. I get we're supposed to like here, but who would really believe she's the Sheriff compared to the deputy she's always with?

Raul is fantastic. I don't know how he's going to sing that 8x a week, but he's fantastic in the role. The 11 o'clock number is sensational, but doesn't match the rest of the piece at all and is almost laughable because of it. The sudden seriousness and starkness of the moment isn't earned by the rest of the show's wooden journey.

For the love of God, GIVE US SOME CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE.

While "People Like Us" gives us a wonderful background of our ladies, particularly Kendra Kassebaum (who is fantastic in this role), the sound design is so freaking terrible that you can't make out a word they're saying.

The camera shots... Oh, the camera shots. As a fan of the film, I got where they were going with this. It made sense with the revival feel. But the screens are so small and cheapo, the camera-man so horribly shaky, that I'd rather just squint from the mezzanine.

The set is just horrendous. Terrible, no-good, AWFUL. And the score is bland, repetitive and impossible to remember.

What a shame. The cast is clearly working their butts off, as you can tell by the already existent strain in their voices. (Except for Isaih [don't have my Playbill with me], who's voice is like butter.) But this is just dead on arrival.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 12:49pm

It's really hard to have a "concept" like a church revival and make it go for 2 1/2 hrs. Sounds like they just need to drop it.

[ken8631]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 12:50pm

Although I liked the play, I also very much agree with iluvtheatertrash's review

[DaveyG]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 2:50pm

I saw last night's preview and I'm sorry to say that it was pretty awful. There's something just lifeless about the whole evening. The performers are working incredibly hard to make something out of the material and it just isn't there. Jessica Phillips and Leslie Odom, Jr. come off the best. I didn't care for Esparza at all - his scream-singing was painful to listen to. I like many of the creators involved, but this is a mess.

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 3:08pm

Based on what I read on here, I expected to walk into "Sister Act II" but was pleasantly surprised by how entertained I was. The show looks to entertain and that's what it does. The cast is nothing short of brilliant-- incredible vocals. The book has a few holes in it, but, unlike "Sister Act," the secondary characters and antagonists aren't written to look like complete idiots.

Glad I didn't listen to the people here.