Oklahoma! transferring to Circle in the Square...- Page 7

[ccbway]

Posted: 2/20/19 at 8:45pm

Simply, anyone looking for an uplifting or old-fashioned musical should not be attending this. I saw it during the St. Ann's run and it was very dark, with scenes involving basically murder, contemplating suicide, drug use, etc. Personally, I found that it was lacking any real joy for the entire show. I don't think it's the "momsical" you're looking for. Updated On: 2/20/19 at 08:45 PM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 2/21/19 at 7:45am

HennySlay said: "Anyone that saw that production at St. Ann’s could talk about how Many a New Day and Out Of My Dreams are staged? There is no female ensemble so I was curious how the scenes with Laurie and her friends are handled. "

 

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The female ensemble basically consists of Mary Testa, Ali Stroker, and Mallory Portnoy. They all come out and sing around Laurey, who is sitting on a table on the far upstage wall with the countryside mural. For the last verse, they leave her and she sings to the end of the song all alone and a cappella. Then blackout.

 

[Kad]

Posted: 2/21/19 at 11:15am

ccbway said: "Simply, anyone looking for an uplifting or old-fashioned musical should not be attending this. I saw it during the St. Ann's run and it was very dark, with scenes involving basically murder, contemplating suicide, drug use, etc. "

To be fair, literally all of that is in the text of the show. 

[ccbway]

Posted: 2/21/19 at 11:44am

Kad said: "ccbway said: "Simply, anyone looking for an uplifting or old-fashioned musical should not be attending this. I saw it during the St. Ann's run and it was very dark, with scenes involving basically murder, contemplating suicide, drug use, etc. "

To be fair, literally all of that is in the text of the show."

Agreed, not to imply they made anything up - more that it definitely emphasizes the much darker nature of the material, without any of the charming folksy trappings you might expect.

[HennySlay]

Posted: 2/21/19 at 6:01pm

Per her instagram, Sasha Hutchings who in currently in My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center and was in the OBC of Hamilton is the production. I assume she is the Laurey, Ado, Gertie, and Head Dancer understudy.

[schubox]

Posted: 2/21/19 at 7:21pm

Is there any chance this extends? They seem to be pushing the “strictly limited engagement”

[dollyfan]

Posted: 2/22/19 at 9:49am

It might be limited because something could be coming in soon after

[natashalost]

Posted: 2/22/19 at 11:06am

schubox said: "Is there any chance this extends? They seem to be pushing the “strictly limited engagement”"

I wouldn’t count on there being a month-long extension or anything like that. At most I would say there is a possibility they could extend an extra week if they have overwhelming sales or do well at the tonys

[BwayinVan]

Posted: 2/22/19 at 11:20am

I’m looking forward to this. Unfortunately there weren’t any $59 tickets left but with the discount OKBBX111 I was able to grab $99 tickets. The great thing with CITS being in the round is there really aren’t bad seats.

[schubox]

Posted: 2/22/19 at 12:06pm

natashalost said: "schubox said: "Is there any chance this extends? They seem to be pushing the “strictly limited engagement”"

I wouldn’t count on there being a month-long extension or anything like that. At most I would say there is a possibility they could extend an extra week if they have overwhelming sales or do well at the tonys"

Okay, I’m not getting back to NYC until the week after this closes. And it’s also a week after Hadestown is selling (though I imagine it will extend if it is doing well). May have to plan a quick 2 day trip to catch those two and Gary. Thanks 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/6/19 at 4:16pm

"Oklahoma!" will be first Broadway show to join anti-gun violence initiative

https://www.axios.com/oklahoma-first-broadway-show-anti-gun-violence-7b35328d-69cb-4a1f-a241-e87ce4cab229.html

[eekahil2]

Posted: 3/6/19 at 10:31pm

I appreciated your review very much.  I think your previous experience with it - and your appreciation for -pulling out/emphasising certain subtexts are right up my alley, but your understanding that your own expectations might not match every Theatregoer's made for a good answer.

Thank you.

[theaterlyfe19]

Posted: 3/7/19 at 8:32am

I consider myself incredibly open-minded when it comes to musicals but was I the only one who just...wasn't a fan of this production? I think Danno will be praised for his performance, and Ali Stroker, and possibly Rebecca Naomi Jones, and when I saw it I definitely thought Mary Testa will somehow be recognized some awards season, but was I the only one who...wasn't really a fan of this production? 

[ccbway]

Posted: 3/7/19 at 3:40pm

You were not. I was also not a fan at all, as I think I've mentioned elsewhere. Was surprised that it made the transfer, found it way too dark and joyless.

[teatime2]

Posted: 3/7/19 at 4:12pm

ccbway said: "You were not. I was also not a fan at all, as I think I've mentioned elsewhere. Was surprised that it made the transfer, found it way too dark and joyless."

Perhaps that was... the point.

[ccbway]

Posted: 3/7/19 at 5:25pm

teatime2 said: "ccbway said: "You were not. I was also not a fan at all, as I think I've mentioned elsewhere. Was surprised that it made the transfer, found it way too dark and joyless."

Perhaps that was... the point."

And YOUR point is? Sure, Oklahoma! has always been dark (some would say more subtly), but the juxtaposition of the cheeriness/upbeat nature of the songs provided some respite from a 2.5 hr bout of on-stage depression.

But I can say the same thing about Carousel, which I also didn't enjoy. Is it supposed to be pretty dark/depressing? Sure, I guess. And if you want to sign up for 2.5 hours of that, go right ahead. Not sure why that would invalidate my "not being a fan" (of either show, really) or finding this production of Oklahoma too dark and joyless.

[greensgreens]

Posted: 3/8/19 at 9:46am

I love that everyone has differing opinions on this! I've always been disinterested in the sugary coating and distraction that the songs provide, so I'm really looking forward to this new spin on it!

What other shows could/should receive this same treatment? I saw a production of Man of La Mancha set in an ICE detention center, maybe something like that???

[romain2]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 1:13pm

For people who saw this at St. Ann's: are the gunshots recorded or do they fire blanks? I'm thinking that Circle in the Square is a relatively small space and I worry about blanks hurting my hearing (plus I have PTSD when it comes to gunshots being fired). I saw the musical at the Lyric Opera in Chicago and I remember two gunshots (blanks or caps being fired)--but that theatre is incredibly large so it wasn't that bad. When I look at Show Score people are filled their St. Ann's reviews with warnings about gunshots. Do they add more to this particular production? I am aware that changes could be made with this Broadway transfer. Thanks.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 1:19pm

I believe they fire blanks. It is quite shocking brutal and violent. If this will deeply upset you, I recommend maybe sitting this one out.

[teatime2]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 1:47pm

romain2 said: "For people who saw this at St. Ann's: are the gunshots recorded or do they fire blanks? I'm thinking that Circle in the Square is a relatively small space and I worry about blanks hurting my hearing (plus I have PTSD when it comes to gunshots being fired). I saw the musical at the Lyric Opera in Chicago and I remember two gunshots (blanks or caps being fired)--but that theatre is incredibly large so it wasn't that bad. When I look at Show Score people are filled their St. Ann's reviews with warnings about gunshots. Do they add more to this particular production? I am aware that changes could be made with this Broadway transfer. Thanks."

The gunshots were very loud and shocking. They are blanks.

 

[romain2]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 2:06pm

Thanks teatime2!

[romain2]

Posted: 3/16/19 at 2:19pm

Thanks GeorgeandDot, I believe I will.

[dollyfan]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 8:26am

Previews start tonight!

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 9:03am

dollyfan said: "Previews start tonight!"

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1115420

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 12:06pm

When do the gunshots happen exactly? I’m pretty sensitive to loud noises.