OHIO STATE MURDERS Previews- Page 2

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 11/11/22 at 11:46am

Adrienne Kennedy doesn't do "light." Haha. And I do agree that this play is a successful, total artistic statement on its own. I don't think it needs to be paired with something to have more impact or more meaning. There are plenty of places this show, on its own, is a terrific idea.

I just can't imagine people wanting to pay Broadway prices and go through the irritation of getting to Broadway for something that isn't a full evening. Especially when all of Adrienne's plays are also short, with small casts. There are even three other plays in the Alexander cycle, all about the lead character of Ohio. Granted, they're weird... but... I don't know. Tough sell for me. 

 

[nyla123]

Posted: 11/11/22 at 1:34pm

Well this play is part of a 4 play suite of plays all focusing on Audra McDonald's character. Haven't read all of them, but I imagine they could have thrown one of them in as a double bill.

[blaxx]

Posted: 11/11/22 at 1:38pm

Running time doesn't equal quality. I'd pay for 60 amazing minutes considering I've paid the same for awfully long, terrible productions.

[sarahbrowneyes3]

Posted: 11/11/22 at 2:05pm

Picked up a $39 rush ticket at the box office for tonight. Seats are orchestra front row. Excited for my first time seeing the amazing Ms. Audra in person

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/11/22 at 10:32pm

Any first preview thoughts?

[Bill Snibson]

Posted: 11/11/22 at 10:50pm

Agreed. I feel like maybe this needed a creative producer to figure out a way of pairing this with some other Kennedy work to justify the ticket price. But $200 for 75 minutes sounds absurd!

[Robbie2]

Posted: 11/11/22 at 10:59pm

Bill Snibson said: "Agreed. I feel like maybe this needed a creative producer to figure out a way of pairing this with some other Kennedy work to justify the ticket price. But $200 for 75 minutes sounds absurd!"

It's not selling well and the balcony is closed.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/11/22 at 11:11pm

Bill Snibson said: "Agreed. I feel like maybe this needed a creative producer to figure out a way of pairing this with some other Kennedy work to justify the ticket price. But $200 for 75 minutes sounds absurd!"

 

That 200 plus price is for a premium seat. There are $68.00 seats in the rear mezz with a great view. I sat in G1 last night for the invited dress and would sit there again. You don't have to pay that premium price but if someone wants to, that is their choice. They are paying that and a bit more for shows that only run 15 minutes longer. Is that justified?

 

 

 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/11/22 at 11:23pm

Geez, people are really hung up on the running time. Whether it's Angels of America or this show, you are paying for a performance. It's not a (insert any amount of money) per minute kind of thing. It's a play.

That being said, prices are way up and if people are going to shell out money for Broadway tickets, they are going to see a splashy musical for the most part. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 11/12/22 at 12:13am

If you're so determined to value a product by how much of your time it takes up, why not just swipe into the Subway and ride a train until it turns around? You can get HOURS of ride-time for only $2.75

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/12/22 at 12:45am

JBroadway said: "If you're so determined to value a product by how much of your time it takes up, why not just swipe into the Subway and ride a train until it turns around? You can get HOURS of ride-time for only $2.75"

^^^Exactly. And still have a ton to spend on MTA merch! It's a win-win!

And as I was leaving the theater, people were realizing the time and were making plans to stop off for a drink since they had time. And they had a full evening. I heard no complaints about the running time.

So many people are now liking, and preferring,  90 minute "In and Out" shows. This is just 15 minutes less. 

 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 11/12/22 at 10:33am

Performance length to me is somewhat similar to portion size at expensive restaurants:  bottom line is whether or not I felt satiated at the end.

Updated On: 11/13/22 at 10:33 AM

[veronicamae]

Posted: 11/12/22 at 4:25pm

Just got home from the 2pm matinee, at 110th street, at 4pm. I LOVE a shorter piece of work.

80 minutes of The Audra Show - you really can't go wrong there.

You can go wrong with an audience that spends the first very quiet 15 minutes of the show coughing nonstop. I know people cough at shows, and that we're all very aware of it in the COVID-era, but we couldn't go 60 seconds without someone coughing somewhere - often grossly and wetly. The woman a few seats down from me even fished a bottle of nasal spray out of her loud purse to administer it to herself. Honestlyyyyy

Anyway, this is a thread about the show and not audience behavior. Show was short, and I'm glad for it because as powerful as it is and as amazing as Audra is, I was ready for it to end as it did grow like 1% tiresome toward the end.

Also: got my ticket thru TDF - it was Orchestra, dead center, row F. Best TDF seat I've ever gotten, I think.

[Markecib]

Posted: 11/12/22 at 4:39pm

I was row E Center Orch on the end and that first 15 min with the coughing train took me out of it for a bit, but Audra is amazing and it ends at the right moment. 
 

Fun thing I saw was the ushers we’re looking for younger people and switching out their playbills with one signed by Audra. Happened to a teenager a few seats down from me.

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 11/12/22 at 4:46pm

Is there room on that mantle in that house for 2 more Tonys? Hmmm? 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/12/22 at 9:53pm

Doesn't sound like it.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 11/13/22 at 1:22am

blaxx said: "Running time doesn't equal quality. I'd pay for 60 amazing minutes considering I've paid the same for awfully long, terrible productions."

You're 100% right that runtime does not equal quality by any stretch, and as someone who lives and works in Manhattan, I'm happy to hop over for a quick show. But if I was coming for a night in the city, or flying in for a trip, I'd feel cheated, I get it. 

[Dan6]

Posted: 11/13/22 at 5:56pm

Other than comments on the running time and audience coughing, does anyone who has seen one of what have now been several preview performances have anything to say about the actual play, production, performance, etc? Anything that might help steer people towards or away from buying tickets?

[LarryD2]

Posted: 11/14/22 at 10:31am

I'm loath to offer public opinions on something in early previews (I saw the Saturday evening performance), but this has a ways to go, and I wonder if Kenny Leon as director is an insurmountable challenge for this material. I cannot think of a greater stylistic mismatch than Adrienne Kennedy (one of the most poetic, speculative writers alive) and Leon (perhaps the most prosaic director working today). He treats the play like it's actually a murder mystery. All wrong. I'd love to see what someone like Lileana Blain-Cruz or Robert O'Hara would do with this material. Audra's performance also needs time to settle. Her performance is often overwrought where Suzanne should seem tough and taciturn. 

[KitKatBoy24]

Posted: 11/14/22 at 11:49am

I saw this the other day and unfortunately didn’t care for it. Audra is great, but the whole thing dragged, and that’s rough when an hour long show feels long. The subject is interesting and disturbing, but something is missing. I’m not sure if it’s a disconnect between text and direction, or if a play isn’t the right medium for this piece. 

[betyourass]

Posted: 11/14/22 at 12:12pm

I found it to be a unique and often thrilling theatrical experience. And no, running time is not a factor if the quality is good. This was the perfect running time, just as you're ready for the time to be over it is. Thing I was missing was some big emotional moment. There's definitely emotion, but not enough of a reckoning. Hopefully that will come out more in previews. 

If nothing else you get: the first play in the Jones (its amazing inside), Adrienne Kennedy's Broadway debut, phenomenal Audra acting and a gorgeous set design (forget who don't have it in front of me).

Definitely a great theater experience. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/14/22 at 12:19pm

betyourass said: "I found it to be a unique and often thrilling theatrical experience. And no, running time is not a factor if the quality is good. This was the perfect running time, just as you're ready for the time to be over it is. Thing I was missing was some big emotional moment. There's definitely emotion, but not enough of a reckoning. Hopefully that will come out more in previews.

If nothing else you get: the first play in the Jones (its amazing inside), Adrienne Kennedy's Broadway debut, phenomenal Audra acting and a gorgeous set design (forget who don't have it in front of me).

Definitely a great theater experience."

Set design is by Beowulf Boritt, who never disappoints and does a beautiful job here.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/14/22 at 12:29pm

The comments about it dragging are the same I got from two friends that attended this past weekend. It's a little over an hour so that's.....telling. 

[LarryD2]

Posted: 11/14/22 at 3:15pm

It does drag. It's also a full 15-20 minutes longer than previous productions I've seen of the play, mostly due to pacing. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/14/22 at 3:24pm

That's interesting. Do you think it will do well due to Audra's casting?