"On the Town" Preview Thread — Page 3

For the person who asked about the balcony boxes, we sat in the two seats in the box closest to the first row of the balcony, and the view was fantastic!

The orchestra, as mentioned, was a total delight. Being able to hear and see all 28 pieces clear as a bell from the back of that theater was magical. The music really is the star of the show and they're being highlighted appropriately.

Last night's performance felt tight for a first preview - yes, there were some muddled lines throughout - but I imagine it will settle in quite nicely.

I didn't find all of the projections to be too much or out of place - the taxi ride felt like an excellent use of them, at least from where I was sitting. I thought it was necessary to fill the space, while not actually having the taxi move about the stage.

Right now the dancing > singing > acting, and hopefully it was first night jitters that will allow the acting to settle in over the next few weeks. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to a friend or out of towner visiting. Hope to head back in a month or so and see how it's evolved - I can't imagine it's going to do anything but improve.

"the three male leads are shirtless at one point during the show."

Sounds like a dish I will wish I had took!! Yum.

Actually, I think Lenny would have ADORED Alysha Umphress.

---

"I Can Cook Too" from last night is on tumblr if you look for it.

Alysha is, surprisingly perhaps, much better at scat-singing than Lea, she produces the sounds more naturally, more like a musical instrument.

Alysha has been doing it for years. It was always a highlight of the late-night shows at the Laurie Beechman., where I first heard her sing jazz and blues. She never failed to astonish me.

---

Add me to the chorus of those who think the scatting isn't troublesome at all. It's not like she's riffing every note either. She adds it at the end in a few places and I think it enhances her performance rather than deters from it.

---

Alysha is, surprisingly perhaps, much better at scat-singing than Lea, she produces the sounds more naturally, more like a musical instrument.


That's an opinion I don't happen to share. Lea is by no means a favorite performer of mine, but what she does, she does well. I've seen her a few times where she's done scat (in the Park and Broadway productions of On the Town, and in jazz performance) and the ease with which she produced the notes was jaw-dropping. I saw Umphress perform "I Can Cook Too" at the presser for this revival, and you could watch every gear turning. Nothing effortless there. Perhaps it was a bad day for her, but it didn't leave me hopeful. Still planning to see this revival, of course, and won't pass absolute judgment till I've seen the finished product.

Thanks Whizzer. Always an intelligent and objective review.

Here's a thought. Maybe someone could start a thread where people who see the previews of On the Town can discuss what they've seen. Then maybe they could re-title this thread for clarity -- something about scatting.

Hopefully soon there will be more reviews of previews?

I'm going tomorrow. They seem to have two days of rehearsal in between. I'm very, very excited!!!!

New York, New York, it's a helluva town!!! (BTW-the box office staff couldn't have been nicer when I made sure my seat was a good view for one as short as I am.)

The inadequacy of the projections is an artistic triumph.

---

Does Jackie Hoffman wear wig? If so, what does it look like?

If the show is a hit and runs, she'll be flipping her wig from boredom and will probably bad mouth the show cause they didn't give her a song of her own.