My thoughts on THE MIRACLE WORKER

I enjoyed the performances, but the show didn't move me in any particular way. I think I was too distracted by the seating arrangement. The seats in the 400's are terrible. For most of the show, the actors were facing away from me. Doors were also blocking my view. Try not to sit in these seats.

Was sitting in the last row in the 200s (evens) tonight, don't sit there either. The entire section leaning forward to be able to see the key scene at the pump, no clue what was happening in the end of the Annie leaving Boston scene (can't see what the Doctor handed her), etc.

LOVED the performances, but found myself thinking "I want to come back and sit on the other side, to see the stuff I'm missing," and that shouldn't be what the staging invokes.

And mine was a TDF seat, for those who like to know about that sort of thing.

Updated On: 2/20/10 at 12:22 AM

I sat in the 100's first preview and there was no moments where I was taken out of the show because I had backs toward me. It was great for me and i was completely engaged the entire show.

Saw the show last night and must echo the thoughts about the blocking of the play. We had the misfortune of sitting in the 500's as well. 80% of the play looking at the actors backs is accurate. Totally ruined the entire experience.
It was additionally frustrating when one of the characters does not speak. I was longing to see Helen's facial expressions. The entire scene where Annie and Helen battle at the dining table was lost.
Luckily my tix came from TDF, but I would have been pretty aggrivated if I had paid $117 to stare at backs all night. It is hard to believe they are charging the same price for every seat when your experience absolutely depends on where you sit. It's a shame because I was so looking forward to this production, especially Ms. Pill who was very good...when I could see her face. This is the first time I can ever say I truly had a "bad" seat.

OOPS!
My seats were in the 400's.
Thanks Bway fan!
My wife and I were talking about our disappointment with the show this morning and she also brought up Spelling Bee and also Metamorphoses, both of which played in the same theater. We don't remember there being anyone seated in that section of the theater for either of those productions. Does anyone know if those seats are not usually sold?
Just wondering if our memory is correct.

Updated On: 2/20/10 at 09:40 AM

Circle in the Square was reconfigured prior to THE NORMAN CONQUESTS last season.

I sat in the center of the 200s about 4 rows back with my tdf ticket for the first preview. I missed a few things happening on the edge of the stage on my end of the theatre, but I suppose it could have been worse.

I loved, loved, loved the show, but wished it was staged in a different theatre with a proscenium stage.

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I thought Abagail gave an AMAZING, realistic performance. Not once did I think I was watching a girl "act" like she had those disabilities. BRAVA!

The only problem I had (besides people's backs to me a few times) was the father (forgot his name). He was the only one that, to me, seemed like he was "acting." Everyone else made their roles come alive but not him. I mean, there were moments where he surprised me but overall, I was not impressed by him.

And I must give a shout-out to the boy that plays Annie's little brother. He only shows up about 3 times, but my God did he play the s**t out of that part (and it was basically just body movements). He broke my heart and creeped me out at the same time.

Again, Abagail stole the show for me.

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Updated On: 2/20/10 at 11:28 PM

Thanks, Taylor!

I saw this tonight, with ljay and alightinthedark.

Lovely production, with some great performances. Breslin makes a strong Broadway debut, though I'm not sure I can adequately evaluate her performance, since I spent most of the show looking at the back of her head (more on that in a second). Morrison and Modine are both quite good in stereotypical roles as overprotective parents. Elizabeth Franz and her considerable talents are sadly wasted in a throwaway role. I thought Allison Pill was sensational and the star of the evening.

The main problem with this production, as almost everyone else has noted, lies in the direction. This director simply does not have a clue as to how to stage a show in the round. We were seated in the second row of the 400 section, and for at least half the play, I was either peering around someone, or looking at the back of heads. It was incredibly frustrating to not be able to see either Pill or Breslin during the breakfast scene. The people who could see it seemed quite into it, but it fell flat for me, given the horrible sight lines. There are numerous other instances where I felt I was "missing" something, since I couldn't actually see the faces of the actors. It was frustrating and something that it seems like they're not interested in addressing or fixing. To be honest, the horrendous staging was the only thing preventing me from becoming completely swept up in the play.

Interestingly enough, I just read over on ATC that a closing notice has been posted backstage, pending reviews on Wednesday. From what I could see, the house was heavily papered this evening (with a number of Broadway actors present), and there were still a good deal of empty seats. It would be a shame to see it close, as the performances are all excellent. They just really needed a better director.

Updated On: 3/2/10 at 12:17 AM

If that's true about the closing notice, Scottsboro Boys may have just found their house...