ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME Broadway Previews Thread- Page 3

[B212323]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 12:09am

Oy

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 7:49am

This is by the far LOUDEST show I have ever seen on Broadway... It's blaring, bright, bold, blinding, and brash, and I don't mean any of those things as compliments. Jesse Green opened his Bad Cinderella review saying you needed ear plugs, eye plugs, and soul plugs for the show, but Bad Cinderella is tame compared to Once Upon A One More Time. It's an outright assault on all the senses. 

The sound is cranked up all the way. The orchestra blares through the speakers at ear splitting levels and often drowns out the singing. It's a good thing we already know most of these lyrics since 90% of them are unintelligible and garbled. Bright lights are constantly shown directly into the audience's eyes.

The physical production has been beefed up since DC and while it has some pretty moments, it mainly looks pretty damn cheap for a Broadway show. The choreography is the best part of the show. It's high energy, intricate, complex, and very well executed by the cast. There's A LOT of long book scenes between songs, and act 2 plods along at a pretty slow pace and gets bogged down with the "rewrite your story" theme that gets beaten to death.

All in all, this is one of the brashest shows I’ve seen on Broadway. I can’t stress enough just how freaking **loud** this show is (both audibly AND visually). If you’re sensitive to loud music or bright lights, definitely steer clear of this one. I can easily see this show finding an audience of younger theatregoers, but whether or not that audience will be large enough to sustain a healthy run after the inevitable critical drubbing this show has coming its way remains to be seen.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 9:40am

Does this show end up having more of a concert vibe where audience members feel inclined to sing and sway at times?

[B.JAMES]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 10:50am

pablitonizer said: "theaterdrew said: "‘Once Upon a One More Time’ Musical Authorized by Britney Spears, License Negotiated Post-Conservatorship

I didn't figure they'd have plastered her name everywhere otherwise."

Of course there is no way the musical could have continued without her approval. Her name is on the marquee

"

That isn't true. When she was under the conservatorship, her father and team could make financial and business decisions without her approval. That is why a lot of fans are not happy with this show (you can read the comments on Instagram, which the show seems to be cleaning up). This is where the whole Free Britney thing even came from, because she wasn't even allowed to drive, let alone make these kinds of decions.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 10:59am

JasonC3 said: "Does this show end up having more of a concert vibe where audience members feel inclined to sing and sway at times?"

Not that I noticed. I think it's partly because the dancing during the singing is elaborate enough that people were paying attention to that, and partly that there were some lyric changes to better match the plot, which I didn't care for but had the benefit of preventing people from singing along much of the time because the lyrics they knew might not have been the ones the characters were singing.

Also, as noted, the music was so loud that people in the audience could have been singing along and I probably wouldn't have been able to hear them anyway.

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 11:06am

B.JAMES said: "pablitonizer said: "theaterdrew said: "‘Once Upon a One More Time’ Musical Authorized by Britney Spears, License Negotiated Post-Conservatorship

I didn't figure they'd have plastered her name everywhere otherwise."

Of course there is no way the musical could have continued without her approval. Her name is on the marquee

"

That isn't true. When she was under the conservatorship, her father and team could make financial and business decisions without her approval. That is why a lot of fans are not happy with this show (you can read the comments on Instagram, which the show seems to be cleaning up). This is where the whole Free Britney thing even came from, because she wasn't even allowed to drive, let alone make these kinds of decions."

LOL u think Broadway veteran Jame L Nederlander would lie about this knowing he can be sued? LOL I believe you're aware once the c-ship ended, most likely her lawyer had to work out a lot issues around her career and contracts. One of them being this musical. If she did not want this, there's no way they could used her name on the marquee and marketing. Perhaps it's pretty hard for some fans to believe Britney could actually like this musical post-conservartorship. She's making money off this show as she's co-writer in some of the songs. She's not actively working so it makes a lot of sense she decided to continue with this musical. Any decision she's been making since Nov 2021 it's up to her luckily. 

[theaterdrew]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 11:12am

"you can read the comments on Instagram, which the show seems to be cleaning up"

That's not true.  You can still see the comments on posts.  They are getting drowned out by other posts is all.  For example: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CsHnQGhg1Sc/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CsHxDRlvGLH/

What they are "cleaning up" is the misinformation that this was all driven by people other than Britney herself.  They appear to have been astute enough to know that they couldn't use her name so prominently in the higher profile Broadway production, and presumably send their cast out to promote it, if they weren't in the position to say SHE herself approved it when no one was controlling her decisionmaking. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 11:13am

JasonC3 said: "Does this show end up having more of a concert vibe where audience members feel inclined to sing and sway at times?"

Surprisingly, no. The audience was very well behaved - more well behaved than I have seen at most jukebox musicals (or most musicals for that matter!). No phones out, no singing along, talking etc. They were definitely enthusiastic and energetic, but never to the point of being obnoxious.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 12:18pm

Thank you MemorableUserName and bwayphreak234 for answers to my question about audience engagement.

[B.JAMES]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 1:59pm

pablitonizer said: "B.JAMES said: "pablitonizer said: "theaterdrew said: "‘Once Upon a One More Time’ Musical Authorized by Britney Spears, License Negotiated Post-Conservatorship

I didn't figure they'd have plastered her name everywhere otherwise."

Of course there is no way the musical could have continued without her approval. Her name is on the marquee

"

That isn't true. When she was under the conservatorship, her father and team could make financial and business decisions without her approval. That is why a lot of fans are not happy with this show (you can read the comments on Instagram, which the show seems to be cleaning up). This is where the whole Free Britney thing even came from, because she wasn't even allowed to drive, let alone make these kinds of decions."

LOL u think Broadway veteran Jame L Nederlander would lie about this knowing he can be sued? LOL I believe you're aware once the c-ship ended, most likely her lawyer had to work out a lot issues around her career and contracts. One of them being this musical. If she did not want this, there's no way they could used her name on the marquee and marketing. Perhaps it's pretty hard for some fans to believe Britney could actually like this musical post-conservartorship. She's making money off this show as she's co-writer in some of the songs. She's not actively working so it makes a lot of sense she decided to continue with this musical. Any decision she's been making since Nov 2021 it's up to her luckily."

I was not implying that she was not aware. I am just referring back to the situation she was in and what her rights were for years. Just this morning I read an article that she was on board.

As a massive fan for years, I was actually excited about a jukebox musical for once, so of course I was hoping she was involved.

Britney Spears Authorized Once Upon a One More Time Broadway Musical – The Hollywood Reporter

 

Updated On: 5/16/23 at 01:59 PM

[aihyde007]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 2:37pm

anyone have any luck using the code Oops50 at the box office? Thanks in advance!

[Ricey2]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 6:15pm

I’m glad that I waited a little bit to review this from seeing this last night. I walked out HATING it with a passion, but that has mostly cooled now. 
 

It is just LOUD like the previous poster said. The music sounds like it is coming from the ****tiest bar speakers known to man. You can’t hear the vocals to save your life and it’s embarrassing that I can’t understand the words to songs that I know by heart. Fix the sound mixing and I will be a lot more forgiving about the other parts. 
 

I do agree that the audience was wonderful and that was part of what I was worried about too. I don’t know. I’m going to give it another chance once they fix the sound mixing. Though, I also didn’t like the set either. Way too bright and almost assaulting too. lol

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 6:27pm

Ricey2 said: "I’m glad that I waited a little bit to review this from seeing this last night. I walked out HATING it with a passion, but that has mostly cooled now.


It is just LOUD like the previous poster said. The music sounds like it is coming from the ****tiest bar speakers known to man. You can’t hear the vocals to save your life and it’s embarrassing that I can’t understand the words to songs that I know by heart. Fix the sound mixing and I will be a lot more forgiving about the other parts.


I do agree that the audience was wonderful and that was part of what I was worried about too. I don’t know. I’m going to give it another chance once they fix the sound mixing. Though, I also didn’t like the set either. Way too bright and almost assaulting too. lol"

Well, as I was informed/lectured in the Sweeney Todd thread, when I dared to expect to be able to hear the show in an early preview, apparently the sound designers are not obligated to let you hear the show in early previews, despite the terrorist ticket prices, because that is when they work on perfecting it. As I was told, anyone who buys a ticket for an early preview can basically just sit there and rot because they are not obligated to give you any hearable sound at all. 

[OhHiii]

Posted: 5/16/23 at 6:29pm

B.JAMES said: "pablitonizer said: "theaterdrew said: "‘Once Upon a One More Time’ Musical Authorized by Britney Spears, License Negotiated Post-Conservatorship

I didn't figure they'd have plastered her name everywhere otherwise."

Of course there is no way the musical could have continued without her approval. Her name is on the marquee

"

That isn't true. When she was under the conservatorship, her father and team could make financial and business decisions without her approval. That is why a lot of fans are not happy with this show (you can read the comments on Instagram, which the show seems to be cleaning up). This is where the whole Free Britney thing even came from, because she wasn't even allowed to drive, let alone make these kinds of decions."

Now that she's out of the conservatorship, these Free Britney "fans" refuse to believe she's actually making her own decisions and even send police TO HER HOME BECAUSE THEY WERE CONVINCED SHE'S DEAD AND BEEN CLONED. These people (and seems you may be one of them) refuse reason, even when a sanctioned statement is put out by the production in The Hollywood Reporter of all places. As another person already said, there is zero chance they would have put out this without having her blessing. And the woman has a trademark on her name (and has for decades), so to use it in advertising, she would have had to have given permission.

Get. A. Grip. Touch some grass.

[HunterK]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 1:55pm

Just adding my 2 cents..I went last night and had a freaking blast. Walking in I had zero expectations and walked out smiling and enjoying the 2+ hours with my friend. Yes it was loud, but it was a heck of a lot of fun. The choreography is some of the best I had ever seen on the stage. And it is executed perfectly! That ensemble is killing it. Justin Guarini can move!! Honestly, those moves are still in my head. The other stand out was Jennifer Simard. She stole the show every time she walked on that stage (I expect nothing less of her). Just perfection. To give her "Toxic" was genius. 

I was sitting in Row Q of the orchestra and at times it was Loud, but could hear their voices and lyrics. Truly loved the cast. It's not the next broadway blockbuster, but it was a darn good time at the theatre and it was well needed. That audience loved every minute. I wish them nothing but the best for their run. 

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 2:06pm

Is anyone planning to see it more than once? I would honestly love to see how they smooth out Act 2 because that sh*t feels R U S H E D. The only other thing I would like them to fix are Snow White's jokes. Otherwise, I feel like the show is already in very good shape. 

Also the Little Mermaid character is so f***king hilarious without even saying a word. 

[All So Ozmopolitan]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 2:13pm

aihyde007 said: "anyone have any luck using the code Oops50 at the box office? Thanks in advance!"

Yes, works perfectly! $50 even. 

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 3:29pm

HunterK said: "Just adding my 2 cents..I went last night and had a freaking blast. Walking in I had zero expectations and walked out smiling and enjoying the 2+ hours with my friend. Yes it was loud, but it was a heck of a lot of fun. The choreography is some of the best I had ever seen on the stage. And it is executed perfectly! That ensemble is killing it. Justin Guarini can move!! Honestly, those moves are still in my head. The other stand out was Jennifer Simard. She stole the show every time she walked on that stage (I expect nothing less of her). Just perfection. To give her "Toxic" was genius.

I was sitting in Row Q of the orchestra and at times it was Loud, but could hear their voices and lyrics. Truly loved the cast. It's not the next broadway blockbuster, but it was a darn good time at the theatre and it was well needed. That audience loved every minute. I wish them nothing but the best for their run."

How can be so sure it won't the next broadway blockbuster? I honestly see it doing MJ numbers, it's Britney. I mean, every human being in the universe knows at least 1 Britney song, same with Michael Jackson. I saw the DC tryout and it was already a blast! I got tickets for June,  and I saw a bit of Jennifer's performance of Toxic, I would say O M F G, I was blown away!

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 3:44pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "Is anyone planning to see it more than once? I would honestly love to see how they smooth out Act 2 because that sh*t feels R U S H E D. The only other thing I would like them to fix are Snow White's jokes. Otherwise, I feel like the show is already in very good shape.

Also the Little Mermaid character is so f***king hilarious without even saying a word."

If I lived in NYC, I would go at least once a week tbh! I'm a huge Britney fan, and what they did with songs like Cinderella, Toxic, Passenger, I wanna g, among others is just impeccable

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 4:14pm

Where are the throngs of BS fans? It doesn't appear to be selling that well on Telecharge.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 4:15pm

Lola Getz2 said: "Where are the throngs of BS fans? It doesn't appear to be selling that well on Telecharge."

Ticketmaster is the official ticket seller of Once Upon a One More Time; it is playing a Nederlander house. 

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 4:18pm

Sadly, many people dont even know about it. I was out with NYC gays last weekend and told them I was seeing "the britney spears musical" and everyone said "the what?!" 

[bholtzinger544]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 4:26pm

I love when people fight over where Nederlander has their tickets for sale. While Ticketmaster may be their official vendor, they cross post on Telecharge and Ticketmaster and currently, Telecharge is slightly cheaper for Once Upon a One More Time and lists the exact same tickets. 

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 4:27pm

Lola Getz2 said: "Where are the throngs of BS fans? It doesn't appear to be selling that well on Telecharge."

It's on ticketmaster, and Monday and Tuesday say otherwise

[pablitonizer]

Posted: 5/17/23 at 4:29pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "Sadly, many people dont even know about it. I was out with NYC gays last weekend and told them I was seeing "the britney spears musical" and everyone said "the what?!""

No worries, it just started on Broadway. It'll get exposure in the coming weeks