Official Bernadette Peters in Hello, Dolly! performances thread- Page 10

[EthelMae]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 1:48pm

Great to read all the opinions here on the new cast members, As much as I want to go back like NOW(!), I think I'll wait a bit for them to settle in. I have to say that Donna Murphy, who I loved in the show, went up several times in the many times I saw her. I always thought this was because of the only one performance a week schedule for most of her run (even though she did sub for vacation days for Midler.) It must be hard to play a Tuesday night and then not again until the following Tuesday. That's a big gap of time to stay consistent. But it never took away, for me, how great she was in the part.  I would suspect this new cast will adjust quickly playing all 8 shows a week. 

Updated On: 1/22/18 at 01:48 PM

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 2:30pm

EthelMae said: "Great to read all the opinions here on the new cast members, As much as I want to go back like NOW(!), I think I'll wait a bit for them to settle in. I have to say that Donna Murphy, who I loved in the show, went up several times in the many times I saw her. I always thought this was because of the only one performance a week schedule for most of her run (even though she did sub for vacation days for Midler.) It must be hard to play a Tuesday night and then not again until the following Tuesday. That's a big gap of time to stay consistent. But it never took away, for me, how great she was in the part.I would suspect this new castwill adjust quickly playing all 8 shows a week."

I always thought that the reason Donna went up in lines a lot is because she never connected with the character.  Hers was a performance.  Dolly wasn't there.  But I did enjoy herin the show regardless.  This is just my opinion.  Hopefully Bernadette finds her groove.  

Updated On: 1/22/18 at 02:30 PM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 2:55pm

Bette and Donna both frequently went up on their lines. It never bothered me much, but I hope that it doesn't continue with Bernadette. I doubt it will.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 3:02pm

I saw Donna in the show and to say she wasn't connected to the character is completely wrong. She WAS Dolly at least for me. She always throws herself into every part and Dolly was no exception: I thought she was warm, genuine, honest, and beautiful.

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 3:07pm

broadwayboy223 said: "I saw Donna in the show and to say she wasn't connected to the character is completely wrong. She WAS Dolly at least for me. She always throws herself into every part and Dolly was no exception: I thought she was warm, genuine, honest, and beautiful."

 

That is why it is called a opinion.  I am glad you enjoyed.

 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 3:22pm

I never saw Carol Channing or Pearl Bailey but I have friends who did who said they sometimes went up in lines too and ad-libbed jokes when they went up on lines. Is it sort of a Dolly schtick? I'm asking because on the surface I wouldn't think it'd be that hard of a show to memorize.

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 3:27pm

poisonivy2 said: "I never saw Carol Channing or Pearl Bailey but I have friends who did who said they sometimes went up in lines too and ad-libbed jokes when they went up on lines. Is it sort of a Dolly schtick? I'm asking because on the surface I wouldn't think it'd be that hard of a show to memorize."

I don't know about forgetting lines.  But Pearl would often ad-lib.  Especially during the Hello Dolly number.  One of her regular ad-libs was to playfully berate the conductior for going fast.  She would go thru the pasarelle and yell  "Honey where is the fire? Slow it so I can breathe" .. things like that.   

[Kad]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 3:30pm

Dolly is saddled with a lot of long, expository, and repetitive lines, so I'm not surprised the actresses have gone up on some.

[binau]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 3:33pm

Grosses just posted for the two weekend performances. Sold out with higher ticket averages than Murphy but a massive, massive drop from Bette - far less premium tickets being sold. If the show can sustain this there will be happy producers. Waiting for someone to misinterpret the 2 million drop going from 8 performances to 2 haha. 

Updated On: 1/22/18 at 03:33 PM

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 3:36pm

qolbinau said: "Grosses just posted for the two weekend performances. Sold out with higher ticket averages than Murphy but a massive, massive drop from Bette - far less premium tickets being sold. If the show can sustain this there will be happy producers. Waiting for someone to misinterpret the 2 million drop going from 8 performances to 2 haha."

I hope you are right.  But you have to remember that most people that went this weekend just wanted to be there for her first shows.   But I think the show will manage. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 3:38pm

Don't forget 2for1 Broadway Week till Feb 4 ~ 

https://www.nycgo.com/broadway-week

[WestCoastActor/Director]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 3:40pm

SmokeyLady said: "poisonivy2 said: "I never saw Carol Channing or Pearl Bailey but I have friends who did who said they sometimes went up in lines too and ad-libbed jokes when they went up on lines. Is it sort of a Dolly schtick? I'm asking because on the surface I wouldn't think it'd be that hard of a show to memorize."

I don't know about forgetting lines. But Pearl would often ad-lib. Especially during the Hello Dolly number. One of her regular ad-libs was to playfully berate the conductior for going fast. She would go thru the pasarelle and yell "Honey where is the fire? Slow it so I can breathe" .. things like that."

My favorite Pearl Bailey story comes from a tour stop in Norfolk Virginia (or thereabouts).   When they did the title number the lights on the stairs didn't come on.   After the song ended Pearl stopped the show and said we're going to do this number again and we are going to do it right.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 4:46pm

SmokeyLady said: "poisonivy2 said: "I never saw Carol Channing or Pearl Bailey but I have friends who did who said they sometimes went up in lines too and ad-libbed jokes when they went up on lines. Is it sort of a Dolly schtick? I'm asking because on the surface I wouldn't think it'd be that hard of a show to memorize."

I don't know about forgetting lines. But Pearl would often ad-lib. Especially during the Hello Dolly number. One of her regular ad-libs was to playfully berate the conductior for going fast. She would go thru the pasarelle and yell "Honey where is the fire? Slow it so I can breathe" .. things like that."

Thanks. I do think Hello Dolly! gets much of its schtick from vaudeville, where forgetting lines or making bloopers and then ad-libbing jokes is more acceptable than it would be in say, My Fair Lady or any other musical play where the words are just as important as the numbers. 

With that being said I saw both Bette and Donna go up in lines. Only difference was that Bette is a pro at live concerts/performing as the only headliner for her show so she ad-libbed jokes quickly and the audience ate it up. With Donna the bloopers were more awkward.

[binau]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 4:52pm

According to Dollypop's other thread there was no dress rehearsal for BP in Dolly. I find that interesting and it is starting to make a little bit more sense. Personally I don't mind because it makes the performance feel even more special to me knowing that not even an invited audience had the privilege of seeing BP in the role before I did. 

It was so cute when Bernadette was getting the applause she broke the 4th wall a little. For example, on the entrance she started to point to her watch a lot. And after the title song it looked like she was looking at her colleagues in a "wow, this is amazing - but what do we do" kind of look. In fact, there was a lot more 4th wall breaking in Bernadette's performance than I remember with Bette. Bernadette certainly does not get 'lost in a character' the same way you might expect of another show. It is Bernadette Peters playing Bernadette Peters playing Dolly. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 5:26pm

I think the ultimate goal for Peters & Co. is to gross $1 million/week. Nobody should be expecting her to come close to Midler's numbers.

[binau]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 1:49pm

The show appears to be just over 90% sold for tonight and is at TKTS for 50% off.

[SherrieByTheSea]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 8:42pm

Not surprised that Charlie is bowling people over. I'm crushed I had to give up my Feb 18th birthday tickets because of knee replacement but as soon as these knees are healed I'm going to be there cheering him on!

 

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 9:53pm

SherrieByTheSea said: "Not surprised that Charlie is bowling people over. I'm crushed I had to give up my Feb 18th birthday tickets because of knee replacement but as soon as these knees are healed I'm going to be there cheering him on!

"

He is bowling people over?  I appreciate your enthusiasm...  but lets not get carried away.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 10:32pm

I was there again tonight. While the crowd wasn't nearly as wild as it was on Saturday, the performance was much more polished. No line flubs and Garber really is finding the laughs. His Penny in My Pocket is just superb.

They have given even more dancing over to Stemp as the competition now features him weaving through the couples in an attempt to find from Horace, all the while joining in with the couples to disguise himself. He does it well, but the trouble is that it steals focus from Ambrose and Ermengarde, who have so little to do anyway, and they are supposed to win the cup after all. One of my friends said afterward, with the new staging it really doesn't make sense that Barnaby doesn't win the cup himself!

I really do enjoy Stemp and his performance, but what's next? Will Barnaby start dreaming of buying a banjo instead of seeing the stuffed whale?

The hat shop scene was on fire tonight. Bernadette was positively hysterical during that sequence. The dinner scene was smoother; the lines are down- now it's all about playing with the timing and getting the most out of laughs.

Still, a great night out at the theater with that winning Herman score.

[funaviator]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 10:32pm

We were at the matinee on Sunday and also saw Bette in the summer along with David Hyde Pierce. 

There was no comparison. I know Bernadette will get better with more practice. But Bette and David were a dream team together.  They made the show an A+++ together with Gavin and Kate... The grade I would have given Sunday's show would be a C.  (Gavin and Kate still an A+++++) If I was grading Victor it might be a D. 

I think with time they will get better.  But I now appreciate Bette and David even more!  

 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 10:40pm

Bernadette and Victor have had very little rehearsal time before this weekend. Basically, for the next couple of weeks you'll be seeing a rehearsal. They'll find their footing soon, but please remember that they are currently in a preview period with their opening night being February 23, I believe.

[DAME]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 11:07pm

Hmm. I don’t know about that. Bernadette was on the Kelly Ripoa morning show weeks ago and she talked about how rehearsals were going then.

Updated On: 1/23/18 at 11:07 PM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 11:54pm

Yeah, but she wasn't rehearsing onstage with the full cast and costumes. A rehearsal in a studio with a choreographer and a music director is very different than a full dress rehearsal, something she apparently didn't have. From what I understand, she worked independently before having a put in rehearsal.

[Papi2013]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 12:01am

But weren’t there pictures as early as last Tuesday on Instagram of the company rehearsing on stage?  I believe I saw links for them here somewhere.  

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 1:45am

Yes. They had probably four or five days together. Bette had about two months to work and mesh with the rest of the company. Bernadette is still working it all out. They're all getting on the same page.