musikman said: "I have very different feelings from Tony2600.
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."
No, I don't think so. There was a cut in the underscoring after the Baron's opening section, but the song was all there.
What happened to the part where Elizaveta sings several lines? It’s not on the original cast recording, but watch any video of a professional production and she sings. They moved her funny line “I have toe shoes older than you” from the middle of the song to the beginning of the dialogue prior to the song.
-There's the muddle in the middle. There's the puddle where the poodle did the piddle."
I had to exchange my subscription tickets which are Orch Row L left side. Was moved to Row CC in the Orch Center. Have never been that close to the stage and can't recall and never paid attention to the height of the stage. Has anyone sat in the first three rows? Trying to figure out if the stage will be too high to see their feet.
Thanks.
"I hope your Fanny is bigger than my Peter."
Mary Martin to Ezio Pinza opening night of Fanny.
musikman said: "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 cheeringloudly for all the dancers last night so I assumed they were friends of some kind?"
Huh. I thought she shouted something like “Don’t let him hurt you!” (But I was too smitten with adorable Brandon Uranowitz to give it another thought.)
wish i were here2 said: "I just stumbled upon this video that was posted today with David Carroll, Jane Krakowski, and the rest of theOBC! Thought you all would enjoy!
wish i were here2 said: "I just stumbled upon this video that was posted today with David Carroll, Jane Krakowski, and the rest of theOBC! Thought you all would enjoy!
Michael Jeter was just astonishing in this show. That video shows even more acrobatics from him that the performance on the Tony Awards. One of my most favorite performances witnessed live.
Was there tonight. I really enjoyed it, flaws and all, and I think the Encores audience did, too. The show is not so great, but I've always loved the score and the setting, and it's got moments that are just wonderful. This production does justice to the score, mitigates some of the not-so-good aspects of the book, and ultimately delivers the goods. I've never seen the show before, though I knew the score and enjoyed clips (like the famous Tony Award "We'll Raise a Glass Together" scene). That number, by the way, was as thrilling a moment I've had in the theatre in a long, long time.
I was there tonight. What a delight. Yet again, Encores goes above and beyond their mission. No books in sight, fully staged, even with a lovely set! I thought the multi-level set was perfect. As another poster mentioned Roundabout could transfer this production tomorrow and it would be ready!
I've been so excited to see this show. I've had a close friend who is a huge fan of the original describe it multiple times and I have been hooked on the cast recording and LOVED the TONYS clip with the amazing Michael Jeter.
I thought this show delivered the goods. The cast was wondering including James Snyder who really was in great voice, and Brandon Uranowitz who really made us feel for his Otto. Of course We'll raise a glass was a showstopper, but there were several including the Bolero ballet and the curtain call!
Heléne Yorke was an absolute delight, and lived up to the potential I hoped she would deliver on when she was cast. She was hysterical and charming and I loved her " I want to go to Hollywood"!
Overall I adored every second of this show and I'll be going back to the show on Saturday to take my mom. I cannot wait!
dave1606 said: "I was there tonight. What a delight. Yet again, Encores goes above and beyond their mission. No books in sight, fully staged, even with a lovely set! I thought the multi-level set was perfect. As another poster mentioned Roundabout could transfer this production tomorrow and it would be ready!
I've been so excited to see this show. I've had a close friend who is a huge fan of the original describe it multiple times and I have been hooked on the cast recording and LOVED the TONYS clip with the amazing Michael Jeter.
I thought this show delivered the goods. The cast was wondering including James Snyder who really was in great voice, and Brandon Uranowitz who really made us feel for his Otto. Of course We'll raise a glass was a showstopper, but there were several including the Bolero ballet and the curtain call!
HeléneYorke was an absolute delight, and lived up to the potential I hoped she would deliver on when she was cast. She was hysterical and charming and I loved her " I want to go to Hollywood"!
Overall I adored every second of this show and I'll be going back to the show on Saturday to take my mom. I cannot wait!
"
That encores clip of ‘We’ll Take A Glass’ was delightful, it really is time for a full revival of this.
Well I didn't want to get into it, but he's a Satanist.
Every full moon he sacrifices 4 puppies to the Dark Lord and smears their blood on his paino.
This should help you understand the score for Wicked a little bit more.
Tazber's: Reply to
Is Stephen Schwartz a Practicing Christian
This was not an Encores production- this was a fully-staged revival ready for Broadway. I adored the set and costumes. And that ensemble! All that choreography and staging! I just don’t believe this wasn’t rehearsed for months and months. It’s too polished for only a few weeks of rehearsal.
I have such a soft spot for James Snyder. Cry-Baby is one of my all-time guilty pleasures (saw it many times), and of course saw him in If/Then and In Transit. But then there are his Encores performances: first the GLORIOUS Fanny, which is an Encores high-water mark, and now this. His voice simply soared throughout City Center last night. James, you need to be singing this type of music all the time. No more In Transits. Please. I feel like he could be one of the great leading men of our time if he only got in the right vehicles...
Brandon Uranowitz and Heléne Yorke were fantastic and it was good to see Irina Dvorovenko back again (singing!) after her delightful turn in On Your Toes. Anytime the ballet world can creep into the sphere of Broadway is most welcome in my book.
I don’t know how well Grand Hotel would sell in a commercial run, but as others have said, there’s no reason Roundabout shouldn’t snatch this up.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
I've been waiting years to see a production of Grand Hotel and Saturday afternoon cannot come fast enough!
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
So very glad to read the accolades James Snyder I'd getting for his performance. I've been taking singing lessons from him and he's not just an outstanding performer but a genuinely wonderful person.
I hope to catch GRAND HOTEL but this is a rough week with 19" of snow on the ground (and it's still falling!) The March For Our Lives and my responsibilities for Palm Sunday. James is worth the added effort it will take to get into the city, though. He's truly the best of the best.
How fantastic would that be, for Roundabout to snatch this up for a fall run! Perhaps it could even become one of their Broadway HD broadcasts. It’s glorious and grandiose and it’s a perfect time to bring this gem back in a big way.
They/them.
"Get up the nerve to be all you deserve to be."
If I had millions of dollars I would finance a production of The Girl in Pink Tights with Dvorovenko immediately. I think she’s doing the new Kander musical at the Vineyard. Last night reminded me to buy a ticket.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
I regret not planning my trip up to NYC earlier as I definitely would have liked to have seen this. I saw the original production and it was absolutely thrilling. I had the same reaction when I saw the clips from the current Encores production. I listened to the original cast recording before work this morning.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
James Snyder hasn’t truly had any opportunity to really “shine” in a show (and yes, I’m counting CRY-BABY, which I thought was awful and nobody really saw) so seeing him in this role proves just what a true Leading Man he is and what a gorgeous voice he has. I hate the overused word “revelation”, but to me that’s what he was in this. York proved it is possible to fill Jane Krakowski’s very large shoes and was sweet and sad and superb. It feels like someone always says now that every Encores show “needs” to transfer, but this one absolutely does.
I'm not seeing this until Saturday night but I watched clips this morning and I'm SO EXCITED. I've been wanting to see this show forever!
Also, I saw James Snyder in Fanny at Encores! a few years ago (as others in this thread did) and was absolutely blown away by his voice and performance. I'd love for him to get a starring role in a classic Broadway musical, or just a musical that is truly worthy of his talent. He's really special and it's strange to me that he hasn't ever gotten an opportunity to show that (on Broadway, at least).
I'm not going to say that I agree that last night's performance is ready to transfer lock-stock-and barrel to a Broadway run, but I thought for a concert staging with limited rehearsal, Encores and Josh Rhodes did an excellent job creating an evening (very much inspired by Tommy Tune's original production) that gave audiences a taste of what this musical should be.
I have a lot of nit-picks. I couldn't stand the unnecessary cuts to the score and script -does Encores simply have to do this so the evening qualifies as a reduced 'concert version?' - and I thought the costumes were actually fairly atrocious. The genius (I realized watching last night) of Santo Loquasto's original designs were that in keeping most of the ensemble in their hotel uniform the entire evening, it provided an absolute focus of where to look and when in Tommy Tune's frenetic staging. The costumes here distracted (particularly in group numbers like "We'll Take a Glass) and at times look ill-tailored, uncoordinated and thrown together, but I understand they were no doubt working on a very tight budget and time frame to pull it together.
I thought the cast was solid, if not extraordinary. I sense Josh Lucas's talent may be more in the staging that in scene work, and I'm going to be the dissenting option on Helene Yorke, who came across as too tough and jaded for me. That character has to have some optimism and youth or the show starts to feel uniformly oppressive.
The Balero dancers were thrilling.
But still - flaws and all - this is one of the best Encores efforts in recent times and if nothing will ever top the brilliance and vision of Tune's original production, this staging is a nice impression.