Little Women at the Virginia- Page 2

[Zola Q. LaPlaya]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 10:18am

pop, I know quite a few people who have booked this show and even they haven't heard most of it. The "little women" themselves only met eachother last week at Maureen McGovern's cabaret act (pics are on broadway.com).

Frankly, I care just as little if runs as I do about Amneris' podiatrist's nephew's gardner's lover's opinion of some undefined CD.

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 10:25am

My grand aunt's brother's cousin's next door neighbor's doctor said that "Princess Diaries 2" the musical is gonna "tank" big time....this kind of talk is what killed that gem of a show "I Am My Own Amneris"!
Updated On: 8/25/04 at 10:25 AM

[Zola Q. LaPlaya]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 10:32am

No that's not what killed it. My ex-lover's therapist's lover's favorite waiter's boyfriend heard the CD and it sucked.

[Eyemakeup3]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 11:15am

This is a nasty and clueless thread.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 11:22am

Then you'll fit right in.

[Eyemakeup3]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 11:41am

Why thank you Poppy, you and Amneris are great kids.
Hey Gang, let's post mindless gossip and destroy the heart and soul of theater!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 11:43am

spoken like a true theatre queen... LOL.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 9:29am

No, spoken like a human being that doesn't deal with mean and nasty crap being posted before the show even hits the stage.

Updated On: 8/26/04 at 09:29 AM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 9:37am

Folks, if any show or any medium or any story is so fragile that one comment about it before it's in mint condition will kill it dead than there's no point in putting it up there in the first place.

Theater isn't nearly as fragile as the egos making it and 'loving' it, it seems.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 9:44am

Why don't you re-read this entire thread and maybe you'll get my drift. Bye the way, did you hear about the new combo meal at McDonald's? I'm SURE it sucks!! HAHA
You can cut a knife through the negativity around here. I'm just sayin'!

Updated On: 8/26/04 at 09:44 AM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 10:00am

And I'm saying that it doesn't matter at all to anyone except for people who decide to get wound up about it.

If you're looking for shiny, happy people holding hands, go see R.E.M.

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 10:15am

Well just my two cents, and I'm all for heated and informed debate, but this thread became so misguided and content poor that it felt like I was eating a Snackwell cookie while reading it.

I need more coffee.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 11:00am

Don't worry, Phanty's panties are not in a twist. It's nice to know that some people have so much free time to post things that, as you say, "doesn't matter."

[Jon]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 11:03am

Just how "little" are these women? Are they, like, "scary" little? - Joseph Tribbiani

[Amneris]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 11:12am

before you continue to dig my LITTLE WOMAN grave, ya might wanna read what "the others" are saying about GOOD VIBRATIONS.. i bet now once the BEACH BOYS read THAT thread they will regret EVER starting a band..

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 11:12am

Jon, I LOVED that episode!!! Joey puts the book in the freezer because he's afraid of Beth dying!!

[Arthur Mervyn]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 11:35am

>You can cut a knife through the negativity around here. I'm just sayin'!<

Well, those who want nothing but positive feedback can go start a fanzine for the show. Those who value debate and difference of opinion appreciate the diversity on this message board.

If the producers of Little Women don't want any feedback on their songs, then they shouldn't put clips on their website for all to hear in the hopes of promoting the show. It works both ways.

I listened to the clips - it's impossible to judge the worth of a score from tiny pieces, but I wasn't deeply impressed by what I heard. Despite the lack of orchestration, the score seemed neither period, nor modern - more in the line of the slightly poppy, slightly art-song Jane Eyre/Anna Karenina musicals - the music is often pretty but not very memorable (although one can't tell from a tiny clip, so the point is moot) - but it's the literalness of the lyrics that got on my nerves - characters planting their feet and making declarative statements about themselves. Is anyone really that self-knowing? Whatever happened to dramatic irony - the idea that the character may be unaware of their true feelings or unwittingly self-serving?

I know that self-contained pop songs have to tell a story in a short period of time, so they have to be somewhat literal. But what works in a four minute song on the radio doesn't always work within the context of a drama - a song in a musical has to be crafted differently for maximum impact - it needs to demonstrate an awareness of what came before and after it and that's what leads to dramatic irony. Context is everything and literal lyrics don't lend themselves as readily to a dramatic build (not to be confused with the build of a song as it key changes upwards into the stratosphere - a sorry substitute for real dramatic tension.) The audience needs to discover some things for themselves - things that the character cannot see because they are not outside of the drama.

I hope I'm wrong and when the songs of Little Women are heard in context, they'll reveal subtext and depth. But after looking at much of the stuff playing on Broadway right now, I fear for the worst.

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 11:50am

Amneris is that "gravediggin'" shovel heavy?
You seem to know a great deal about what it takes to produce a show and have a seemingly endless amount of "inside" information.

I'm all ears as to what the sources are chatting about this morning. Any news on "Brooklyn"?

[Phantom2]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:32pm

Arthur Mervyn- In all due respect, you clearly did not read the thread from the beginning. You really need to look at the entire picture here. I'd love to know how someone knows all about what other producers are saying. It's people like that who give producers a bad name. Again, I will never understand how someone can comment about a show in a negative way before it even hits the stage. That's really upsetting to the people who work hard on any show whether they are producer, director, actor, etc., don't you think? It's just like people who don't like liver. Have they ever tried it or is it that someone told them it wouldn't be good?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:42pm

The lack of orchestration was because they were part of demos on a sampler - and a piano player provided the music...not supposed to be cast recordiong professional.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:45pm

PS Sutton- Remember which board members to invite to the opening night party and which ones not to. HAHA

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:46pm

Who in this thread claimed to be speaking for or knowing a producer's thoughts on anything?

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:49pm

"if people only knew what OTHER producers say about shows before they pass on them..you'd be shocked we even have a bway still"

just commenting on Amneris's earlier comment JP.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:49pm

JohnPopa- I present to you Exhibit 1:

"Jesus Christ Superstar..You are making it like I AM THE FIRST PERSON here EVER to post an opinion about a show before it has "it's out of town"...if people only knew what OTHER producers say about shows before they pass on them..you'd be shocked we even have a bway still. If we aren't allowed opinions, we all may as well be chained to chucky cheese. I speak my mind. I am Amneris."

Updated On: 8/26/04 at 12:49 PM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:55pm

Oh, come on.

Producers don't like other producers' shows? Kill me now, god, if that's the world I'm going to live in!!! They're not all shiny, happy people working together to bring more theater to the masses? Say it isn't so!!

What next, you're going to tell me producers are out to make money instead of trying to illuminate society?

What a world ... what a world, indeed.