Posted: 10/7/23 at 11:03am
MezzA101 said: "The press is not invited until Tuesday evening?"
No, press opening meaning when the reviews come out. The press has probably been there for most of this week.
Updated On: 10/7/23 at 11:03 AM
Posted: 10/7/23 at 11:54am
I guess my question is that I'm used to the press attending late previews and the gala opening being the night the reviews are released. If the gala is tomorrow, will there be anything special about attending Tuesday? Thank you.
Posted: 10/7/23 at 5:51pm
Matt Rogers said: "By the way, in case this was not previously mentioned, the entire Chocolate Factory production from London is posted on YouTube. It is almost exactly the same production that is currently on Broadway but with a different cast. Same set, same direction, and it looks like an official video, not a bootleg. Worth a watch."
From the looks of the set (I have not seen the current Bway Production yet) it appears exactly like the production in Boston also which I saw three time and was excellent.
Posted: 10/7/23 at 6:04pm
BuddyStarr said: "Matt Rogers said: "By the way, in case this was not previously mentioned, the entire Chocolate Factory production from London is posted on YouTube. It is almost exactly the same production that is currently on Broadway but with a different cast. Same set, same direction, and it looks like an official video, not a bootleg. Worth a watch."
From the looks of the set (I have not seen the current Bway Production yet) it appears exactly like the production in Boston also which I saw three time and was excellent."
Friedman has updated it in between all 5 versions (Chocolate Factory, West End, Huntington, Off-Broadway, Broadway), including some blocking, costumes, and set pieces that were completely redone. But, it's the same production at its core.
Posted: 10/7/23 at 6:07pm
Saw this last night and absolutely adored it. I really love Merrily so I’m probably biased, but I thought the three leads were basically perfect. Crowd was great as well. Franklin Shepard Inc is one of my favorite theater songs and Raul Esparza’s version is always my favorite, but I thought Radcliffe did it fantastically well. He’s got great comedic chops and a much lovelier voice than I was expecting. I wish it wasn’t dark tomorrow before opening cause I would try to snap another ticket to see it again before I fly home
Posted: 10/7/23 at 7:26pm
Thrilling. One of the best revivals I have ever seen.
I was sitting by Ben Brantley who was openly sobbing. Seated in front of him was Peter Marks from the Washington Post. It looked like he was having a great time too.
At intermission Ben and Peter were talking - raving about Jonathan Groff's performance.
Posted: 10/7/23 at 8:17pm
Is the runtime of 2:30 pretty accurate?
Posted: 10/7/23 at 8:50pm
the.hard.part said: "Is the runtime of 2:30 pretty accurate?"
longer....2:45
Posted: 10/7/23 at 11:21pm
BETTY22 said: "
I was sitting by Ben Brantley who was openly sobbing.
Sounds like he was trying to give a bigger performance than the one by those on stage
Posted: 10/8/23 at 2:19am
inception said: "BETTY22 said: "
I was sitting by Ben Brantley who was openly sobbing.
Sounds like he was trying to give a bigger performance than the one by those on stage"
Or perhaps moved by the moment, his history with seeing so many Sondheim productions and the man himself, and/or the show.
I've seen Sondheim virgins start bawling at the end of Act One of SITPWG when the replica of the painting drops in front of the cast tableau (when staged that way).
Art moves people. Despite not being much of a Brantley fan, I'll choose not to be cynical about his motivations. YMMV.
Updated On: 10/8/23 at 02:19 AM
Posted: 10/8/23 at 9:32am
Kinda expecting across the board raves. This will be “the” event of the season. Agree?
Posted: 10/8/23 at 11:19am
I'm not sure about that.. CABARET could be pretty "event" worthy.
Posted: 10/8/23 at 11:57am
Maybe I’m biased and having seen this Cabaret what feels like years ago now doesn’t help but I find/found this production so much more exciting than Cabaret. And I’d award Groff a Tony 1000x over Redmayne too. To me, this feels very much like an event for theatre lovers, Sondheim fans and New Yorkers. It’s a special one-time thing. But maybe Cabaret will be something broader and wider appealing.
Posted: 10/8/23 at 5:41pm
TaffyDavenport said: "
"
This makes my heart so happy....... could not agree more!
Posted: 10/8/23 at 6:20pm
Merrily We Roll Along, in my mind, is going to be this season’s Sweeney Todd: a star-studded Sondheim revival that the masses flock to in droves for its main draw(s).
Predictably, both get very well-deserved love letters all around upon opening, and serious Tony consideration arises for at least one of their leads (Ashford and Groff/Mendez), but Musical Revival eventually goes to the “timelier” production with just as many raves (Parade and Cabaret).
I am 99.9% sure, though, that both Sweeney and Merrily will eventually close hits.
Posted: 10/9/23 at 12:55am
Video montage of the Japanese incarnation of the same production, if anyone's interested.
Musical Merrily we roll along at Aichi Prefectural Art Theater Large Hall【For J-LODlive】 - YouTube
Posted: 10/9/23 at 7:16am
Yikes! Even they were stuck using that awful cellophane curtain.
Posted: 10/9/23 at 1:08pm
Is this the beginning of a trend? First BTTF had its gala opening days before the press reviews, and now "Merrily" had its gala last night, with an embargo in place until tomorrow night's regular performance?
Thank you.
Posted: 10/9/23 at 1:22pm
Dancingthrulife2 said: "Video montage of the Japanese incarnation of the same production, if anyone's interested.
Musical Merrily we roll along at Aichi Prefectural Art Theater Large Hall【For J-LODlive】 - YouTube"
Thank you for sharing! It's also pretty much the same production in Boston (Huntington) back in 2017. It makes me think in this case that casting matters. I thought the Boston cast was superb but I understand none of them have a big enough name like Daniel Radcliffe to sell tickets.
Updated On: 10/9/23 at 01:22 PM
Posted: 10/9/23 at 1:33pm
FROM PR TEAM:
Production photos are now available for the Broadway revival of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, which officially opens at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre (141 West 44th Street) tomorrow, Tuesday, October 10.
A red carpet celebration was held at the Hudson Theatre last night.
Updated On: 10/9/23 at 01:33 PM
Posted: 10/9/23 at 1:40pm
As I mentioned earlier in this thread, press opening is tomorrow.
Posted: 10/9/23 at 4:36pm
inception said: "Yikes! Even they were stuck using that awful cellophane curtain.
"
What’s everyone’s beef with the silver curtain? The scene takes place is a crappy underground bar, why would the curtain be nice? Haha
Posted: 10/9/23 at 5:43pm
Springtime said: "Reviews out at 8am"
Do we know why they've set an 8am embargo 2 days after the opening celebration? (I know the 10th is the *official* opening date)
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