Myths & Hymns

[whatever2]

Posted: 2/3/12 at 11:47pm

I'm a little surprised there hasn't been a thread started already on Guettel's "Myths & Hymns" at the Prospect Theater Company.

Anyone see it yet?

Apparently, it's been "re-imagined" to include a more narrative plot or something ...

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/3/12 at 11:49pm

A friend of mine saw it tonight and said it was God awful.

[whatever2]

Posted: 2/4/12 at 10:51am

thanks, santa!

[jv92]

Posted: 2/4/12 at 1:38pm

Seeing it tomorrow.

[whatever2]

Posted: 2/4/12 at 2:39pm

let us know what you think?

[jv92]

Posted: 2/4/12 at 3:14pm

Sure thing. I'm actually looking forward to it.

[RuprechtJr.]

Posted: 2/4/12 at 4:47pm

I saw it two nights ago. It certainly wasn't the worst, but far from the best. The story Ms Lucas created to tie all the songs together was intriguing. Linda Balgord plays an older mother who lost the ability to speak, seemingly to a stroke. Her daughter can't take care of her anymore and needs to sell the house and get her mother to a nursing home. On the last day before the auction the mother hides out in her attic and goes through trinkets and important memorabilia from her past, each one connecting it to a memory, connecting it to a song.

Bob Stillman, whose voice never ages, is incredible as the father. His voice is the one shining thing I took away from the production. Lucas Steele's voice was sadly weak. While his high notes were there I couldn't help but worry his chords were going to blow out from straining. And his last verse in "Icarus" was so flat it sounded as if he couldn't hear the band and was still singing in a previous key. Possible sound issues. Although, I though the band was mostly too loud.

Anika Larsen was good as the daughter acting-wise, but to me her voice didn't suit the material. She tried to mix belt everything leading to some screechy, vibrato-less high A's. Like Lucas with "Icarus", the whole intro to "Come to Jesus" had so many wrong or flat notes, it sounded like she was singing a different song. Matthew Farcher was a standout. He sang the "Come to Jesus" duet with Anika, playing her boyfriend. His voice was flawless and very smooth.

(somewhat SPOLIER)
And while it dramatically makes sense for Linda to sing "Awaiting You", her chance to finally speak (sing), I really would have loved to hear it sung by someone with a nicer tone. It was so jarring I almost couldn't appreciate it. Think "Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick do Old Lady Voices" (/spoiler)

I'm a huge fan of the material, and like the music geek that I am I was familiar with the way each song went. I was extremely uncomfortable during a few moments when, granted they're still in previews, the songs would almost fall apart. Every odd time signature shift was met with hesitation causing a cluster-f**k of instrumentalists and vocalists trying to play catchup. The music direction was just terrible. The music was led with so little emotion, barely any give and take, all one tempo...probably because she was to afraid to give any rubato and confuse the clueless singers even more.

The new reduced orchestrations were confusing. Even though they're a reduction, the new phrases the strings were given got in the way too much. Too distracting from the vocalists. And the light design was very meh. A lot of the audience was confused as to wether or not to clap at the end of songs. Lights would still be on at the previous level, actors standing like they're waiting for applause, and then some characters would start moving sets. Finally a new song would start and then the lights would shift. Granted what they're given to work with in that space it wasn't terribly bad.

The last ten minutes were very touching, but it wasn't enough to distract me from the extremely uncomfortable feeling I had during the first half. It's worth it just to hear Bob Stillman sing "Hero and Leander" and "Build a Bridge" even if they are the second and second to last songs, respectively. I may go back to see it again during the end of its run to see if they settled into the material more just because I love the music so damn much.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/4/12 at 5:23pm

I'm disappointed a woman is singing "Awaiting You." That's my favorite song, and it just sounds like it falls flat here.

I do wonder about the score. Is there a reason everything is written with such high notes? Is there a reason everything needs to be belted to the high heavens?

[RuprechtJr.]

Posted: 2/4/12 at 11:53pm

"Awaiting You" can effectively be sung by a woman. It's written in a register that can work for a belter. Sadly, Linda's voice is so weathered, her vibrato and (what I call) "chunky chords" ruined the song for me.

I feel like Adam Guettel wrote the score to fit his odd range, and when it came time to cast the concert he found people that could sing it as written (Bob Stillman, Lawrence Clayton, Darius de Haas) so he didn't need to adjust it. Sadly, this cast isn't quite up to the challenge.

[kidmanboy]

Posted: 2/5/12 at 12:11am

Saw the show at the second preview on Thursday. I did notice some oddities coming from the orchestra but mostly at the beginning of the show and I'm sure some of that will be worked out as the show progresses.

However, some of these minor complaints are not what make a theatrical viewing experience to me. (And the fact that an audience doesn't know when to applaud doesn't mean anything to me. It sometimes means they are too engrossed in the emotion of the song. It sometimes means there just isn't a button at the end of the song. But a show should not be measured on its ability to allow an audience to clap...)

Anyhow, I thought dramatically the show worked wonderfully and made me hear the songs in a new light and really appreciate adam guettel's craftsmanship. The showmanship may not have always been "broadway-caliber" (whatever that may mean) but it is in an attic space of a church off-broadway and to me is one of those small and rare theater-going experiences that makes living in this city so wonderful. I had a great evening and highly recommend it.

And I have to say, when reading the song list, who sang Awaiting You was of some concern to me, but in the moment of the show, the song is wonderfully effective.

[RuprechtJr.]

Posted: 2/5/12 at 12:46am

I agree with you, kidmanboy, it was still an exciting night getting to hear the music and I look forward to seeing it again when they're more settled into the score. And the clapping issue wasn't necessarily about being engrossed in emotion to me. I personally love it when a song flows so smoothly to the next and you are too engrossed to ruin the tension with applause, but there were some moments that worked like that in the show and then there was some awkward direction and whatnot that didn't work for me.

I actually was there Thursday (3rd preview) and being a musician not an actor, issues like that sometimes cloud my "overall theatrical experience." And by the end I did love the whole experience. I've only been living in the city for a few months and this also made me appreciate the opportunity.

And "Awaiting You" did work very emotionally well lyrically, but musically? Not so much.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/5/12 at 1:20am

I'm very excited for Adam. Not just for this new "dramatization" of the song cycle, but for the four upcoming projects he's working on-- one of which I desperately think cries for musicalization. I'll share my thoughts after I see the show tomorrow. It sounds intriguing.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/5/12 at 7:59pm

Saw it today. Dramatically it worked wonderfully. Musically, it was quite good. Some nice stage pictures. I really enjoyed myself. Intimate and very moving. I'd recommend it. As much as I enjoyed the new PORGY & BESS, this is THE bold theatrical reinterpretation of the season for me.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/6/12 at 12:02pm

I hope it gets glowing reviews. I think it really is a little gem of a show.

[whatever2]

Posted: 2/6/12 at 12:37pm

Ripped Man: are you seeing it?