Thanks for that piece of info. I've been waiting for CR since seeing it in April. At least now we know that their performances will be recorded (officially) forever and ever (even if the show disappears sooner than it should).
This show is my new favorite and it's far from being St. Yoko. As I understand, some of her stuff has been cut down a little. Let's wait till opening to predict its fate. It's a great show and I think the name Lennon will sell it to out-of-towners.
"The theater is my life. I live it. I breathe it. I fondle it till it falls asleep." Jack (Will And Grace)
http://feathah.blogspot.com
In reponse to everyone, I've seen this show 3 times I loved it. This is someones life, at the end John will sadly be DEAD. Let it have it's own life no matter how long it is. The music will live on. This is the life of JOHN LENNON, am I crazy or something ?
yea, it's been on TKTS every day, with people handing out fliers. its still playing to crappy numbers. i dont think that out of towners want to see it. advertise, yoko!
btw, this is gonna be the dracula of this summer. it's gonna limp along till at least january and then close. or, brantley could love it and totally surprise us all:)
I highly doubt that Brantley will love it, but I'd expect him to give positive notices to some of the females in the cast (you know how Brantley loves his ladies) and I'd expect Chuck Cooper to walk away with better than decent reviews.
And yes, this is one of the best ensemble casts in town. Too bad it's wasted in a mediocre show.
I loved this show to pieces. I saw it for the first time Sunday and as I understand it a lot of changes have been made. I hope it stays on Bway for some time. Definitely my current favorite.
The advertising is in place. This show needs publicity! More TV shows, newspaper spreads, public appearances. They're getting there. One a week or so till opening night!
"The theater is my life. I live it. I breathe it. I fondle it till it falls asleep." Jack (Will And Grace)
http://feathah.blogspot.com
I don't understand this negative attitude people have toward Yoko. IMO, Yoko was not glorified or canonized in "Lennon" and I see no reason for her to be villified for being John's wife, his lover, his soulmate.
Have some compassion. Can you imagine what Yoko must be going through re-living her life with John night after night? Yoko saw her husband gunned down in cold blood. She watched helplessly as he died. She suffered the greatest loss a lover can suffer.
I want to thank Yoko Ono for giving part of herself to "Lennon". For making "Lennon" possible.
The quotes in "Lennon" are John's actual quotes, his words, his feelings about Yoko. No one made them up. Why do people hold this grudge against Yoko? Because she's strong? Independent? Smart? Successful? Worldly? Real?
John was right...
Woman is the n* of the world Yes she is...think about it
We make her paint her face and dance If she won't be a slave, we say that she don't love us If she's real, we say she's trying to be a man While putting her down, we pretend that she's above us
We make her bear and raise our children And then we leave her flat for being a fat old mother hen We tell her home is the only place she should be Then we complain that she's too unworldly to be our friend
We insult her every day on TV And wonder why she has no guts or confidence When she's young we kill her will to be free While telling her not to be so smart We put her down for being so dumb
Woman is the n* of the world Yes she is...if you don't believe me Take a look at the one you're with
Woman is the slave to the slaves Yes she is...if you believe me, you better scream about it
The Broadhurst is already talking with some other "prospective" tenants. That doesn't mean LENNON is going to shutter immediately, but it may indicate that they don't think it's going to hang around long.
And as to the lyrics to n*...what a preachy song. Bleck.
John Lennon was an inspiration to a generation. Unfortunately, it seems there are people in this generation who don't want to be preached to. I find that quite ironic because in these times they need John Lennon's inspiration more that ever.
What Michael Bennett means, I think, is that the song is condescending to the listener. It assumes a position of superiority. I love Lennon and much of his work, but this is not his best stuff.
Exactly GYM. A song like "Just a Housewife" from WORKING says the same thing without beating you over the head. But that's just me. I tend to not like songs that begin with Commands.
Brantley is a jackass anyway. I don't expect him to like many things.
He raved about Melanie Griffith and her two left feet, but wasn't crazy about Christina Applegate.. hmm a little odd. But Christina got support from Barnes and Riedel..
I do like Lennon, just not this song; no matter how well it is delivered, it is patronizing (and somewhat dated, BTW). Women, for example, now represent more than 50% of the college and post-graduate populations, and are the majority in many professional schools (including law+ veterinary). Of course, I am speakng about the Western world here, not some of the places where women are still really oppressed.
(Martha Graham from a letter to Agnes de Mille) "There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening That is translated through you into action, And because there is only one of you in all time, This expression is unique. If you block it, It will never exist through any other medium And be lost. The world will never have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, Nor how valuable it is, Nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, To keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware Directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, A blessed unrest that keeps us marching And makes us more alive than others."
Hope the show closes and they bring in a show that actually took talented people to compose songs! Take the biography musical on a high school tour across the country! There are so many talented song writers that get pushed back and out of the way because of shows like this! The trend needs to die now!
(Martha Graham from a letter to Agnes de Mille) "There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening That is translated through you into action, And because there is only one of you in all time, This expression is unique. If you block it, It will never exist through any other medium And be lost. The world will never have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, Nor how valuable it is, Nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, To keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware Directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, A blessed unrest that keeps us marching And makes us more alive than others."
It's sometimes hard to figure whether or not the postings here are pro or con the show, Lennon. Sunday afternoon, I saw it for the second time; and although I loved it the first time around, with the current changes in effect, it is even better. I LOVE this show! It goes without saying that all of the performers are extremely talented, especially Terry Mann and Mandy Gonzalez, and the show is definitely a standout.
Although I like Lennon's music, I’m not a huge fan. This show presents a fuller picture of Lennon, the man; and because of it, I like him even more. I feel as though I understand him as a person, rather than his just being a member of a famous rock group. People get stuck with the Beatle thing so much that they forget he is an individual as well. In the play this is demonstrated by some of the dialogue which refers to his going on to the next phase of his life as a solo performer, husband, father, activist, etc., and is presented, warts and all. I don't get the impression that Yoko is depicted as a saint, but rather someone who loved, and was loved by, this man. All of the people that complain that she is the reason for the Beatles’ breakup need to get past that and realize that everyone, famous or not, eventually gets to different stages of their lives where they may want or need to do something else. Whether or not you are a fan of Yoko and John Lennon, it's a fact that he chose this woman as his wife and partner.
As far as the music goes, Lennon's solo compositions overall are so much greater than some of the bubble gum stuff that was recorded by the Beatles. I'm not saying the Beatles weren't a great band, I'm just saying that everything they did wasn't necessarily the greatest. And let's not forget that Lennon is about John Lennon, who happened to be a Beatle, but in reality was so much more.
The show and its performers portray Lennon's life with such energy, talent, humor, and pathos that this show shouldn't be missed just because you read someone else's review; or you, yourself, have preconceived notions about John Lennon. Give the show a chance and most likely you will be surprised, entertained, enlightened, and impressed by its message and by Lennon, the man. It's not like every other show on Broadway, and it's not supposed to be; so it should be viewed with an open mind, without comparing it to others. Whether or not you agree with the producer's concept, only without preconceived ideas can you fully appreciate what you are experiencing. If it turns out that you don't like the story, the abundance of talent you are seeing can easily compensate for the cost of a ticket. Critics kill way too many shows before their time. With the price of a theatre ticket, it's good to be selective, but make the final choice yourself; not because I, or John Q. Critic say you should or shouldn't see this or any other show.
Also, don't forget that critics are people just like the rest of us; and most of what they say is purely subjective; therefore, not necessarily right or wrong. We are all entitled to our opinions and from where I sit, Lennon rocks!!!!! My only objection to what I read here is that if someone doesn’t like the show they feel the need to be so nasty and negative about it, so as to spoil it for anyone else who might like to see it.
And..please, please don’t compare it to Dracula, the Musical, which was awful despite talented performers.
"Woman Is THe n* Of The World" is one of the many crappy spngs that Yoko inspired Lennon to write. And THAT"S why people don't like Yoko: she helped bring about the worst period of John's song writing career.
Behind the fake tinsel of Broadway is real tinsel.
"As far as the music goes, Lennon's solo compositions overall are so much greater than some of the bubble gum stuff that was recorded by the Beatles. I'm not saying the Beatles weren't a great band, I'm just saying that everything they did wasn't necessarily the greatest. And let's not forget that Lennon is about John Lennon, who happened to be a Beatle, but in reality was so much more."
I respectfully disagree with you. The White Album is consider one of the greatest album ever created in modern time. Revolver is also another great album. Lenon's best work was with the Beatles. Sure, their beginning albums were bubble gum stuff, but their later stuff was amazing.
The show is in previews so the numbers are not so important, getting the show right is. As far as salaries, look at the billing, i would guess everyone is makeing the same $ (which is close to minimum) It's not Chuck Cooper in Lennon (as great as he is) When the opening date was changed i expected a director change or at least a "Doctor" rumour. I wanna give this show a chance and shows like this can "break out" but things don't look good right now.
Actually the song "Woman Is the n* of the World" was the highlight of Lennon. When I saw the show I didn't think that would be one of my favorite numbers even though I like the actor performing it. Well, I have to say Marcy Harriell gave that song style and presence, just an amazing powerhouse version of it, John Lennon would be proud.
