Okieriete Onaodowan to Replace Josh Groban in THE GREAT COMET- Page 5

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 11:31am

In the novel, at the time of the Great Comet Pierre is about 28-30. He's in very poor shape though; Tolstoy tracks Pierre's weight gain throughout the novel, and by the time we reach the 1812 section, he is fat enough that he has some trouble getting up and down stairs and on/off a horse.

 

Realistically he's probably just kind of a chubby guy, but Tolstoy likes to comment on the physical aspects of his characters enough that, after a time, they start to seem grotesque.

[JayElle]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 11:42am

To understand the show prior to attending, I read the lyrics while listening to the album repeatedly.  I also read all the annotations Dave Malloy wrote about his script. (The opening song said to "study up a little bit," so I did!)  Malloy wrote that in W&P, Pierre is about 45, but he cast him older.  Dust & Ashes is about him nearing the end of his life having accomplished nothing but drinking and reading.  "Is this how I die? Sick with booze." 

Age is relative. Drinking heavily could make anyone older than their time.  That isn't really the point for me.

Groban was a force in the show.   His presence pulled in $1mil /week with a significant drop in his absence. That speaks loudly. News reports question if Oak can do the same.  I attended Groban's final performance. To use a racing analogy, Groban is the all-time Secretariat to the also rans who followed him in the Triple Crown quest...good but not great.

Again, I'm sure Oak is fine, but he just doesn't have the vocal range of Groban, and I'm sure Oak would be the first to admit that. They are two different vocal styles much like opera's Renee Fleming to pop's Cyndi Lauper.

I'm glad I got to see Groban 4 times, once on a stage table with him singing Dush & Ashes within 2 ft of me. It was thrilling.  I intend to see Malloy & Oak.   I would've preferred  Danny Burstein, who played the lead Tevya, in Fiddler on the Roof.  Danny has the pipes, the look, and doesn't need the "fat suit" that Groban said he wore to plump up. Actually, Oak doesn't need the suit either.

As the NY Times article said, the producers are "making a bet" that Oak's Ham connection will work comparing it to Phillipa Soo for Amalie. That didn't keep the show alive for more than 2 months. 

If nothing else, at least I can cherish the Secretariat Triple Crown performance of Groban.

[SacPsych]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 11:47am

In the Great Comet book that includes the full libretto, Malloy writes, "Pierre is probably in his early 30s, but life expectancy was pretty grim in Russian back then (averaging from 28 to 32 years)."

[leighmiserables]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 12:11pm

JayElle said: "As the NY Times article said, the producers are "making a bet" that Oak's Ham connection will work comparing it to Phillipa Soo for Amalie. That didn't keep the show alive for more than 2 months. "

To be fair, if they're "making a bet" on anyone right now, it's probably Ingrid. She actually has a fanbase outside of Broadway – even if that fanbase is significantly smaller than Josh's – and between her and Oak, she's the one that's going to bring in new people (if any). 

Also, on the subject of Pierre's age in the Great Comet section of W&P: I'm 99% sure he isn't supposed to be older than his early thirties. I think Dave's portrayal makes him seem older, even though Dave himself was 36 when he started to play the role. 

Updated On: 7/4/17 at 12:11 PM

[JayElle]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 12:29pm

NYTimes 2/15/17: "The casting choice is striking. It reflects a bet by Broadway that “Hamilton” alumni have ongoing, bankable box-office appeal (another member of the original “Hamilton” cast, Phillipa Soo, will star in an adaptation of “Amélie” opening in April)."

Perhaps Oak will have better luck than Phillipa Soo.

Fans still wait hours for Ham tickets even tho the cast has recycled several times. Very possible the same will happen with Comet regardless of the age of Pierre, real or intended.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 12:32pm

^ Which proves that with Hamilton, the star is the show. Groban's absences from Comet proved that the star was the star, not the show.

[JayElle]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 1:42pm

Which proves that with Hamilton, the star is the show. Groban's absences from Comet proved that the star was the star, not the show.>>>

I guess we'll see how it fares in upcoming months.   A lot of folks said they didn't understand what was happening, and the ticket office acknowledged it with their one sheet handout giving a 7 paragraph summary that was inserted in the Playbill.  How many shows open with "study up if you want keep with the plot."  Funny.

Happy 4th all

[Rainah]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 2:24pm

I'm still agape they needed to include that at all. It's fairly obvious to me? Pierre is suffering depression, Natasha is waiting for her fiancee to come back from the war and then is seduced. In the end, they find solace in each other.

Like, my auditory processing skills are fairly poor and I still had zero trouble with no 'studying up'. I feel like people are trying to make it more complicated than it is.

[JayElle]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 2:56pm

I sat at a stage table where two people evaluated each song trying to understand what was happening the bar scene and the opera scene.  On another occasion, I saw a row of folks who had "bleacher" seats leave at intermission.  I've been on the Ham cancel line when folks came out complaining it was "too confusing."  

Apparently a lot of folks complained about the strobe lights.  While at a stage seat, one of the performers said  to close your eyes if you don't like strobes.  I thought the interaction was fun. It's not for everyone, but neither is Ham.

 

 

[Rainah]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 3:34pm

I WILL second the strobe lights, and I always warn people about them. Sat on a stage seat and they were incredibly intense. Miles beyond anything I have ever experienced. 

[willep]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 3:48pm

Rainah said: "I'm still agape they needed to include that at all. It's fairly obvious to me? Pierre is suffering depression, Natasha is waiting for her fiancee to come back from the war and then is seduced. In the end, they find solace in each other.

Like, my auditory processing skills are fairly poor and I still had zero trouble with no 'studying up'. I feel like people are trying to make it more complicated than it is."

 

"Prologue" was essentially written out of spite by Dave Malloy after audiences complained during the very first readings that it was too complicated.

 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 4:06pm

It seems clear that some people have found it confusing, and those are simply data points that I can't argue with. However, I found the story to be fairly simple and the lyrics at times unusually explicit in describing exactly what was happening, so to me it was one of the least confusing shows I've ever seen.

[aimeric]

Posted: 7/4/17 at 4:12pm

I know you guys aren't really that interested in Pierre's age, but I thought I should add that, though Dave Malloy is welcome to make his Pierre as old as he wants him to be for the musical, darquegk is quite correct about Tolstoy's Pierre, who is only about 28 in late 1811/early 1812 (this can be determined pretty accurately by counting up from the beginning of the novel, when he's said to be 21).

As for the strobe lights, I can definitely see how some might have problems with them (I'm actually a little surprised I don't, since I'm often sensitive to certain visual stimuli like 3D and IMAX movies).  Myself, I've always thought they were cool, and last time I saw the show from stage seating, I was actually stunned by how great the effect was during the part where Dolokhov is giving his taunting toast to Pierre, and they use that particular strobe that makes everything "vibrate" (for lack of a better term)--I loved the really disorienting look of Pierre and Dolokhov facing off with the orchestra and mezz audience "vibrating" madly in the background.  It really conveyed the strain and the intensity that leads to the duel breakdown and reminded me of those vocal dissonances that Malloy loves, but instead a visual "dissonance."

 

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/5/17 at 2:05am

trpguyy said: "^ Which proves that with Hamilton, the star is the show. Groban's absences from Comet proved that the star was the star, not the show."

Not really the same thing. If I buy a ticket to see Groban and he is out, that's sort of what I was planning to see, so why wouldn't I wait and see him later, if I could?

People never really had the same issue at Hamilton, since it was a star-less show. I don't recall anyone getting refunds whenever anyone was out, not to mention, the show was so sold out, you couldn't just flip your tickets to a later date even if you wanted to...

[Rainah]

Posted: 7/5/17 at 9:35am

haterobics said: "

Not really the same thing. If I buy a ticket to see Groban and he is out, that's sort of what I was planning to see, so why wouldn't I wait and see him later, if I could?

People never really had the same issue at Hamilton, since it was a star-less show. I don't recall anyone getting refunds whenever anyone was out, not to mention, the show was so sold out, you couldn't just flip your tickets to a later date even if you wanted to..."

I would argue that Hamilton cast members became stars, at least Lin did. The difference is that no one in Hamilton is billed above the title, you can't exchange tickets even if you wanted to. If Lin or Javier is out, what are you going to do, not see the show? Comet has been exchanging tickets left and right for all kinds of reasons. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/5/17 at 10:55am

Rainah said: "Comet has been exchanging tickets left and right for all kinds of reasons."

Earlier in the run, they would let you see the show and come back to see Josh, but when i went on June 10 and Josh was out, they weren't doing it anymore.

[Rainah]

Posted: 7/5/17 at 11:11am

haterobics said: "Rainah said: "Comet has been exchanging tickets left and right for all kinds of reasons."

Earlier in the run, they would let you see the show and come back to see Josh, but when i went on June 10 and Josh was out, they weren't doing it anymore."

I'd heard that (And I've heard War Paint does it too). I've also seen tons of people on the Comet seating thread exchanging tickets on a whim.

And now with Ingrid they have yet another above the title name. Not sure it was a smart move.

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/5/17 at 11:38am

Rainah said: "I've also seen tons of people on the Comet seating thread exchanging tickets on a whim."

Telecharge is pretty good about exchanges pretty much all the time. Nothing specific to Comet.

"And now with Ingrid they have yet another above the title name. Not sure it was a smart move."

For 5 weeks only, can't see that being a major issue. Plus, neither Oak nor Ingrid are tearing up the box office just yet.

 

[Notreallysilent 2]

Posted: 7/5/17 at 1:28pm

If/then also did that when idina was out. You could see Jackie and then come back for free to see idina. They did it almost every time, but during Jackie final, they did not do that. I'm guessing it was cuz the show was going to be closing in the next few weeks when that happened. I'm guessing something similar happened to josh. Josh was going to be leaving soon, so maybe by June 10 they were not doing that policy.

[Skimbleshanks2]

Posted: 7/7/17 at 10:54am

I noticed for the first time ever today a COMET discount on BROADWAY BOX ... They should consider announcing OAK's replacement soon, as he's not going to sell tickets lolol

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/7/17 at 11:05am

Skimbleshanks2 said: "I noticed for the first time ever today a COMET discount on BROADWAY BOX ... They should consider announcing OAK's replacement soon, as he's not going to sell tickets lolol"

Comet discounts have been around since the show opened... they only disappeared during Josh's last two weeks.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 7/7/17 at 1:04pm

Yeah, I used a discount code which was released before the show had even started previews to buy my January tickets. They have consistently been available for all price levels.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/7/17 at 9:23pm

Ingrid is not billed above the title. I went by the theater yesterday (buying "Bandstand" tix) and there's a very small promotion of Ingrid, fairly with the very brief window of her performance. The show doesn't push stars at all, now, in the footage above the Imperial. It now operates as if the show as a brand is a star.  That's wishful thinking, since it hasn't worked thus since it was downtown/in the tent.

They made some ... odd ... decisions last winter when they didn't look beyond Groban pragmatically.    

It's been on TDF this week, with Oak (next week) and without (now).

Updated On: 7/7/17 at 09:23 PM

[Rainah]

Posted: 7/7/17 at 9:53pm

Ingrid is indeed above the title

Posted: 7/8/17 at 1:06am

Just wanted to share my experience seeing the show tonight. Went to TKTS around 6 and checked out what they had. They had a single banquette seat available which I took. I'd only seen the show from the right rear mezzanine before so it was really fun being onstage and seeing everything so close-up. I'd recommend the seats- very comfy! Dave and Ingrid were both great. I really appreciate how much the "stars" (or so to speak, I wasn't familiar with her before she was cast) commit to this weird, wonderful show. I did notice that while the orchestra and rear mezzanine both seemed full, there were some empty rows on the side of the front mezzanine. That being said, a few of the people around me had no idea Josh Groban was ever in the show, so clearly the "show as a brand" concept is getting to at least a few people!