MELISSA ETHERIDGE: MY WINDOW Previews

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/13/23 at 12:00am

She’ll be home soon!

Melissa Etheridge comes back to Broadway with her autobiographical one-person show, My Window. Previously staged last fall at Off-Broadway’s New World Stages, the intimate experience begins previews tomorrow night (September 14) at the Circle in the Square Theatre before a September 28 opening night; the limited run concludes on November 19. My Window is written by Etheridge with additional material by her spouse, Linda Wallem; direction is by Amy Tinkham. 

“From tales of her childhood in Kansas to her groundbreaking career highlights — with all of life’s hits and deep cuts between — Etheridge opens her heart and soul on stage to fearlessly dazzle audiences of all generations.”

Who wants to come over? 

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 9/13/23 at 8:18pm

I was at the final dress rehearsal this afternoon. I won't say much as it is a work in progress. She sounded amazing. I did not get to see this when it played off Broadway. The running time was around 2 1/2 hours, including a 15 minute intermission. It looks like they're going to have a lot of merchandise for sale in the lobby.
Circle in the Square is set up in the end stage seating position and there is a little satellite stage in the middle of the arena so if you are sitting in the front of the seats facing the stage, you do miss a couple of fun moments.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 9/13/23 at 8:47pm

Off-Broadway, she was fantastic. It’s a great show, even if you are not necessarily a fan. The lighting and sound at the New World Stages production was some of the best I have ever seen for this type of production. I’m hoping they put out a discount code. If they do, I will definitely go again. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/13/23 at 9:02pm

I love the satellite stage idea. Sounds like it's a mini-arena tour kind of vibe.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/14/23 at 11:38pm

Did anyone go tonight to first preview?

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 12:20am

I went to the show tonight via rush (was in B241, literally 7 feet from her on stage) and, my god, the strength this woman has at 62 to put on an entire walk through of her life from start to finish with humor, pathos, and a genuine authenticity and vulnerability that you seldom see with these type of concert engagements. AND SHE STILL ROCKS THE HOUSE DOWN. The form very much feels like she’s starring in her own biomusical to a degree and she knew EXACTLY what she was doing when it came to engaging the audience along for the ride.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The segment where she discusses the loss of her son from an overdose leading to a fallout with her ex-partner and general depression leading into “Here I Am Again” absolutely GUTTED me.

It ran about 2.5 hours tonight with a 15 minute intermission - starting about 8:10. I will say there were some stories and anecdotes, particularly her stories related to episodic substance use and the resulting spiritual journeys that could stand to be cut down (by A LOT), but with a 16 song set list plus a “Come To My Window” encore, I feel like people would be utterly remiss to not go see this.

 

[matty159]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 1:04am

quizking101 said: "I went to the show tonight via rush (was in B241, literally 7 feet from her on stage) and, my god, the strength this woman has at 62 to put on an entire walk through of her life from start to finish with humor, pathos, and a genuine authenticity and vulnerability that you seldom see with these type of concert engagements. AND SHE STILL ROCKS THE HOUSE DOWN. The form very much feels like she’s starring in her own biomusical to a degree and she knew EXACTLY what she was doing when it came to engaging the audience along for the ride.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The segment where she discusses the loss of her son from an overdose leading to a fallout with her ex-partner and general depression leading into “Here I Am Again” absolutely GUTTED me.

 

 

It ran about 2.5 hours tonight with a 15 minute intermission - starting about 8:10. I will say there were some stories and anecdotes, particularly her stories related to episodic substance use and the resulting spiritual journeys that could stand to be cut down (by A LOT), but with a 16 song set list plus a “Come To My Window” encore, I feel like people would be utterly remiss to not go see this."

 

 

I was there tonight too (A213) and it defied all my expectations!  I was captivated the entire time.  I think the end bit was a bit “look at me”, but it was well done and she was amazing.  And hopefully this will go away, but the prompters downstage and close up on the right and left were disturbing.  She gives it her all and it was an absolutely wonderful night at CITS.  I know tonight and the weekend is heavily papered, but buy a ticket.  It was electrifying and deeply emotional.  Lots of empty seats, but she was on fire!  The intimacy of it all was great.  

Updated On: 9/15/23 at 01:04 AM

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/15/23 at 9:50am

Also, for the merch/stage door curious

MERCH: A million different kinds of t-shirts, as well as a tote bag, pin, and commemorative program.

SD: They had barricades set up, and she came out, smiled and waved, and went to her car. Don't blame her at all, since by the end, I was exhausted FOR her.

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 9/16/23 at 8:37pm

"I was there tonight too (A213) and it defied all my expectations!  I was captivated the entire time.  I think the end bit was a bit “look at me”, but it was well done and she was amazing. "

Glad to hear you loved it, I have always loved her music. You do understand she is a "rock star" even at 62 so a "look at me bit" is pretty normal - lol.

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 9/16/23 at 9:07pm

quizking101 said: "SD: They had barricades set up, and she came out, smiled and waved, and went to her car. Don't blame her at all, since by the end, I was exhausted FOR her."

I could be wrong, but I don't think these concert runs usually do the stage door, do they? I don't remember if Springsteen did it during his first run.

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/17/23 at 2:31am

BroadwayRox3588 said: "quizking101 said: "SD: They had barricades set up, and she came out, smiled and waved, and went to her car. Don't blame her at all, since by the end, I was exhausted FOR her."

I could be wrong, but I don't think these concert runs usually do the stage door, do they? I don't remember if Springsteen did it during his first run."

It probably depends on the performer. When Kristin Chenoweth did her "For The Girls" run, she stagedoored. Otherwise, I wouldn't know about the others. I just posted it because I know someone would ask.

[Anshel2]

Posted: 9/17/23 at 7:57am

I enjoyed the first act but the second act was a rambling mess.  And she clearly had an ax to grind with her ex (the movie star’s ex wife) and her sister.  Too much dirty laundry that just made the show way too long.  Should’ve been 90 minutes with no intermission.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 9/22/23 at 11:44pm

Went tonight on a comp they are papering last minute to fill seats for press performances.

 

An absolutely awful, obnoxious audience, the amount of people filming and with flash was absurd.

the show should be 90 minutes, all the drug stuff in the second act felt so out of place

Was cool to see her in such a small setting but it is just odd this is on Broadway especially when it didn't sell well off-broadway

[JSquared2]

Posted: 9/22/23 at 11:47pm

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Went tonight on a comp they are papering last minute to fill seats for press performances.



An absolutely awful, obnoxious audience, the amount of people filming and with flash was absurd.

the show should be 90 minutes, all the drug stuff in the second act felt so out of place

Was cool to see her in such a small setting but it is just odd this is on Broadway especially when it didn't sell well off-broadway"

 

When you accept a comp, you're supposed to not be a "d*ck" and bad mouth the show on chat boards.

Just sayin'.

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 9/23/23 at 12:37am

JSquared2 said: 


When you accept a comp, you're supposed to not be a "d*ck" and bad mouth the show on chat boards.

Just sayin'."

Is that a rule?

Don't shows paper to increase word of mouth?  Good or bad - viewers are allowed to voice their opinion.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 9/23/23 at 12:57am

JSquared2 said: "When you accept a comp, you're supposed to not be a "d*ck" and bad mouth the show on chat boards.

Just sayin'."

Lolz I wasn't bad mouthing the show, I was bad mouthing the obnixous bridge and tunnel drunks who acted like they were in their living room all night

just saying, get bent

 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 9/23/23 at 7:59am

Comps can come from any source, and some have rules about “Don’t say bad things.”

However, when the show is being done a favor by having that person in a seat - which is the only reason for comping - personally I think the show should get no more favors than that. The person in the seat still went through what a paying person went through. None of this “you came in free so you can only say good things!” 

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/23/23 at 8:08am

If I ever see a show on a comped ticket, I’ll mostly just stick to accentuating the positive aspects and people can usually deduce that the less I highlight, the more aspects of the productions left me unsatisfied.

Example for when I saw BAD CINDERELLA - I just mentioned that Carolee Carmello was deliciously campy and the male ensemble was sexy as hell…but that was it.

If I find nothing positive, I will usually just say that “(insert here) is…a show that I saw”

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 9/23/23 at 8:13am

I think people should be able to voice their opinions on shows they see regardless of where the ticket came from (comp or paid). I pay for most of what I see, but on the off chance I am comped, I will still give an honest review (good or bad). I do usually omit if I was comped though from my review(s), though.

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 9/23/23 at 9:46am

quizking101 said: "I will say there were some stories and anecdotes, particularly her stories related to episodic substance use and the resulting spiritual journeys that could stand to be cut down (by A LOT), but with a 16 song set list plus a “Come To My Window” encore, I feel like people would be utterly remiss to not go see this."

Two times she has an extended drug sequence followed by her receiving some unrelated horrible personal news. It's narratively repetitive, at least one of those songs should be cut completely. 

I also found it interesting how she viewed substance abuse as a horrible problem in multiple generations of her family, but portrayed her own drug use as an illuminating experience. I would have liked to have seen that dichotomy addressed in some way.  

 

Updated On: 9/23/23 at 09:46 AM

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 9/23/23 at 10:10am

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "An absolutely awful, obnoxious audience, the amount of people filming and with flash was absurd.

the show should be 90 minutes, all the drug stuff in the second act felt so out of place

Was cool to see her in such a small setting but it is just odd this is on Broadway especially when it didn't sell well off-broadway"

The audience filming was out of control at the performance I went to as well. I'm wondering if maybe to get the show talked about on social media more, to boost sales, there's been less of an emphasis on getting people to stop filming on their phones.  

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 9/23/23 at 1:15pm

Jonathan Cohen said: "quizking101 said: "I will say there were some stories and anecdotes, particularly her stories related to episodic substance use and the resulting spiritual journeys that could stand to be cut down (by A LOT), but with a 16 song set list plus a “Come To My Window” encore, I feel like people would be utterly remiss to not go see this."

Two times she has an extended drug sequence followed by her receiving some unrelated horrible personal news. It's narratively repetitive, at least one of those songs should be cut completely.

I also found it interesting how she viewed substance abuse as a horrible problem in multiple generations of her family, but portrayed her own drug use as an illuminating experience. I would have liked to have seen thatdichotomy addressed in some way.

"

Eh, I really didn’t see any dichotomy there. The drug experiences she detailed were with pot and ayuhasca, her son was addicted to heroin and fentanyl. They’re nowhere comparable.

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 9/23/23 at 3:25pm

Cape Twirl of Doom said: "Eh, I really didn’t see any dichotomy there. The drug experiences she detailed were with pot and ayuhasca, her son was addicted to heroin and fentanyl. They’re nowhere comparable."

I'm not suggesting ayahuasca and pot are as dangerous as heroin and fentanyl. But there's a through line of her family taking mind altering substances in her performance. In the case of her mother, who was an alcoholic and her son Beckett who died from an overdose, it was bad.

With Etheridge, taking mind altering drugs was good and led to life altering realizations. But even within that framing, she was wondering if she was dying from taking too much pot. I don't think her recreational experiences with milder drugs was completely unrelated, especially given the juxtaposition of the ayahuasca song to learning what happened to Beckett.