NYCC Grand Hotel- Page 4

[round2]

Posted: 3/9/18 at 4:25pm

I've never seen Grand Hotel, not even the film, so I don't know this story. If I'm not in the mood these days to see a tale of wealth and grandeur, could I still enjoy seeing this show?

Updated On: 3/9/18 at 04:25 PM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 3/9/18 at 4:46pm

round2 said: "I've never seen Grand Hotel, not even the film, so I don't know this story. If I'm not in the mood these days to see a tale of wealth and grandeur, could I still enjoy seeing this show?"

Yes, because this isn't a tale of wealth and grandeur. 

[sorano916]

Posted: 3/9/18 at 10:37pm

Mr. Nowack said: "Hmm wonder why the former girl had to withdraw."

She booked a TV pilot. The same one Annaleigh's in.

http://deadline.com/2018/03/derek-richardson-abc-justin-noble-comedy-pilot-three-rivers-casts-stephanie-styles-1202325517/

 

Updated On: 3/10/18 at 10:37 PM

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 3/10/18 at 12:05am

The age old tale!

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 3/10/18 at 12:27am

I didn't love Helene York in American Psycho as much as others did. Not that I disliked her... but if any secondary comedic character stole that show for me it was Theo Stockman.

She does seem like better casting that Stephanie. I'm still undecided on seeing this production.

[Kimbo]

Posted: 3/10/18 at 1:07am

The real question to my mind is whether City Center will present the show as written, without an intermission.  To my knowledge, Encores! proper has never done a show in one-act. (Off-Center has had a few 80- to 90-minute shows with no break, such as Tick Tick Boom and Assassins). 

But Grand Hotel is a unique problem in that a) it's definitely a full two hours, b) there's no logical place for an intermission, and c) as far as I know there's not only no provision in the script to add one, but in fact it has never been presented with one.  That said, two hours unbroken seems like a long sit for some of their subscription demographic, and I imagine would be surprising to many who've been seeing their concert musicals presented in 2 acts for a full 25 years now.

Frank Rich in his original review said "The musical at the Martin Beck Theater is an uninterrupted two hours of continuous movement, all dedicated to creating the tumultuous atmosphere of the setting"...

Here's hoping they preserve that and let the show play out in one full swoop. (and let their ticketholders know well in advance so some of them can plan their beverage intake at dinner accordingly).

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 3/10/18 at 5:01am

I really wouldn't expect a recording. Most of the recent ones have been either totally unrecorded (MR ROSEWATER) or shows that had heavily truncated recordings done in the Mono era (GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, PAINT YOUR WAGON, PIPE DREAM) and in a few cases were made to preserve "new" versions of the shows (MERRILY and the new reconstruction of LADY BE GOOD). And even a few that would be in these categories didn't get a record released like CABIN IN THE SKY and THE NEW YORKERS. This show has an excellent recording of pretty much the entire score in stereo with the original cast (minus David Carroll).

And as for intermission, I cannot imagine them adding one. But producers have seen fit to shoehorn in one for FOLLIES for decades so who knows.

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 2:27am

Playbill has released two full rehearsal numbers! Brandon Uranowitz's At the Grand Hotel and Heléne Yorke's I Want to Go to Hollywood. They both suit their roles so well. Of course, Uranowitz is stunning, and offers a gorgeous performance, but I am always so consistently surprised by the work of Yorke. She can play such big, broad characters like Evelyn, Marty, and Olive, and then she can go and give such a nuanced take here, and make your heart break when she gets into the breakdown about how sad her life is. I don't know, I'm just amazed. I know this won't happen, but I'd adore for Roundabout or some other non-for-profit to pick this up and revive it on Broadway with this cast for a limited run.

I can't wait to hear reports once the show opens.

[Dolly80]

Posted: 3/14/18 at 3:39am

I was not prepared for how camp Brandon U was going to be..! Adorable.

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 8:41am

Starting tonight! Who's going?!

[veraclaythorne2]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 8:44am

Kimbo said: "The real question to my mind is whether City Center will present the show as written, without an intermission. To my knowledge, Encores! proper has never done a show in one-act. (Off-Center has had a few 80- to 90-minute shows with no break, such as Tick Tick Boom and Assassins).

But Grand Hotel is a unique problem in that a) it's definitely a full two hours, b) there's no logical place for an intermission, and c) as far as I know there's not only no provision in the script to add one, but in fact it has never been presented with one. That said, two hours unbroken seems like a long sit for some of their subscription demographic, and I imagine would be surprising to many who've been seeing their concert musicals presented in 2 acts for a full 25 years now.

Frank Rich in his original review said "The musical at the Martin Beck Theater is an uninterrupted two hours of continuous movement, all dedicated to creating the tumultuous atmosphere of the setting"...

Here's hoping they preserve that and let the show play out in one full swoop. (and let their ticketholders know well in advance so some of them can plan their beverage intake at dinner accordingly)."

I was at the Dress last night, and there was no intermission. Straight through, it ran about 1 hr 45. 

[morosco]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 10:25am

The show looks pretty good in the video.  But at the end of the Death Bolero you can hear someone yell something.  Can anyone make out what it is?

Video GRAND HOTEL

[Sertzo19]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 10:30am

veraclaythorne2 said: "I was at the Dress last night, and there was no intermission. Straight through, it ran about 1 hr 45."

How was the show?? Thinking of seeing the Sunday Matinee but still undecided. Grand Hotel is one of my favorite musicals and I wasn't 100% convinced by this cast. 

[raddersons]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 10:35am

At the very least, I'm curious about the dancing -- considering the Tommy Tune choreo seemed to be the biggest appeal of the original, I wonder how Encores will be presenting it. 

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 1:00pm

I am selling an official playbill and Orchestra ticket stub from the original Broadway engagement of Tommy Tune's Tony-winning musical, "Grand Hotel", starring Tony Winner the late Michael Jeter, Jane Krakowski and the late David Carroll.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/123033535961

Updated On: 3/21/18 at 01:00 PM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 1:14pm

It's a shame that Roundabout isn't doing a full revival of this. I feel like this would be a good pick for them and would help spice up their otherwise completely dry season.

[musikman]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 1:25pm

Was at the dress rehearsal last night. Is it taboo to say anything about it on here? I was right near the person who yelled at the end of the death dance. They were cheering loudly for all the dancers last night so I assumed they were friends of some kind?

Updated On: 3/21/18 at 01:25 PM

[morosco]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 1:42pm

Junior Cervila and Guadalupe Garcia dance beautifully together during the Death Bolero.  Junior Cervila's intensity is sexy as hell.

[Tony2600]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 2:36pm

[Tony2600]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 2:37pm

From what I witnessed last night, this one is fully ready, gift wrapped and waiting for the Roundabout to pick it up.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 2:40pm

I should've grabbed some tickets for this. Does City Center have a rush?

[veraclaythorne2]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 2:59pm

Sertzo19 said: "veraclaythorne2 said: "I was at the Dress last night, and there was no intermission. Straight through, it ran about 1 hr 45."

How was the show?? Thinking of seeing the Sunday Matinee but still undecided. Grand Hotel is one of my favorite musicals and I wasn't 100% convinced by this cast."

I enjoyed it. I had no familiarity with the musical save for "We'll Take A Glass Together," so I can't speak to how it compares to the original production or other versions. 

[musikman]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 4:16pm

I have very different feelings from Tony2600.

The choreography was definitely great (that death dance was STUNNING), but the direction was very misguided and only...halfway there? It didn’t know whether it wanted to be Brechtian or melodrama. This allowed the real drabness/grim nature of the story to really take center stage which made it a bit of a slog. We’ll take a glass together was a very welcome respite from that. While I didn’t see the original, I’ve tried to find as many videos and recordings of it and became fascinated by the piece. I think the original cast had a certain charisma and gravitas that this current one doesn’t quite have yet. It also lacked Tommy Tune’s ingenious staging, pacing and vision. There are some very nice performances, though. I definitely liked James Snyder, John Dossett, Natascha Diaz, and the woman who played the ballerina (whose name escapes me right now).

I suppose take this all with a grain of salt since they’ve only had 2 weeks or something to put this together, but I’ve been spoiled by previous Encores productions that feel like fully realized productions that are ready to win TONY awards (hello Brigadoon, Most Happy Fella).

The Set is really beautiful - especially for Encores - and the orchestra, of course, sounds great as always.

Also, I’m not sure if it’s because they wanted to shorten the run time, but they cut out a big chunk of Love Can’t Happen - one of my favorite songs in musical theatre - and one of the most famous songs from the show. It was definitely disappointing and lessened the impact of the song for me.

[bk]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 4:22pm

From the posted video it is very clear that Tommy Tune's original choreography was at least inspiration for what I'm seeing.  But of course Tommy was better because it was tighter and more focused.

[dwirth]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 4:50pm

For me, the original Grand Hotel is right up there on my greatest nights at the theater... A masterpiece, as written? No. It's a good, if not great, show. But, between that legendary Tune staging, the music, the lighting, the look, the performances from some great pros... It was definitely a whole that was far, far greater than the sum of its parts. It's a show I kinda of liked but majorly loved.

From the opening strains of that prologue... with the revolving door pushed downstage... to the glowing, twirling chandeliers and triumphant music/dance of the bows (capped with that lighted "hotel" curtain...) Oh, that's magic...

I'm a few states away, but am forcing my NYU daughter the few blocks over to City Center for the family, if anything, promising she will adore it - though hard to equal the magic of the original, no matter how good.

Now all I am thinking about is Grand Hotel!

(A shame that videos of the original London production (tried for a bit without an interval I recall.. due to the importance of interval drinks there), the US tour, and a few Broadway casts don't exist down in my basement.. or I could simply go down and grab them and watch tonight... Hmmm...)

Updated On: 3/21/18 at 04:50 PM