PARADISE SQUARE Chicago Pre-Broadway Tryout - Previews & Reviews — Page 4

I can't help but think this is always the issue. There are giant things that need to addressed, but the show is up and running and therefore, those things will never be addressed. It's a dumb system.

At least Immigrant Owen acknowledges the timeline issue of the dance contest in recent performances. After the coin flip, when Nelly asks Owen to dance first, he gets ready, muttering “but I just danced.”

This leads me to believe that the dance contest timeline is being worked out and will eventually appear in a performance.

I saw a preview last week and I agree with everything gingersnap2 said. This show has potential, but need significant revisions, not small tweaks. Right now the biggest problem is that the show simply hasn't decided what it's about. It wasn't until Act II when you really start to figure out who we care about and what the plot is going to be at all. That's not to say that things don't happen in Act I, but there's no forward momentum. For me this started with the opening, it felt like there were multiple opening numbers presented in rapid succession each introducing different characters, themes, and plot lines with absolutely no dialogue between them.

I agree with everyone else that the dance off is a mess because it happens twice and just felt stale and boring in Act II, especially given the unnecessary reprises.

Then there's a song where Washington apparently told his whole backstory and I was legitimately paying attention but none of it came through. At the end of the song, everyone else shows that they understood why he did what he did, but honestly, I almost laughed out loud because I had no idea what was said. It felt more like a dream ballet than any kind of narrative.

I was also confused by the choreo at times. AJ Shively did a fantastic job of Irish step dancing, but they other actors playing Irish characters just looked sloppy. I don't know if that was to make AJ stand out as the best Irish dancer in NY or what.

Finally, did anyone else feel that Welcome Home felt too much like the song of the same name from Bandstand?

Updated On: 11/10/21 at 12:01 PM

^ thanks for the thoughtful replay.

I wasn't really asking the question for an answer, but was instead replying to RippedMan's post (#75) preceding mine in which he suggested giant changes were required.

In hindsight, I should have quoted that post for clarity.

unclevictor said: "BalconyClub said: "Several technical tweaks on Tuesday night, Nov 9.

1. Ahead of Frederic Tiggens entrance, a sound effect of galloping horses was added.

2. All last week, Milton Moore had been SEATED at the upright piano in his initial scene. Tonight, he entered stage right, and briefly stood in FRONT of the piano to sing his initial stanza before retiring to the piano bench.

3. A line said by one of the Irish men was dropped - something about not wanting (to fight in the war) as he had a wife and baby.

4. Last week, Act 1 had always ended with a blackout. Tonight, the final moment was visually frozen as the black scrim/map of Five Points dropped from the proscenium.

5. In Act 2, a few wordy visuals that had been beamed to the upstage wall were instead beamed onto the top of the proscenium.

6. Are there more splashes of red in the design that I’ve overlooked before? The red color appears in the opening scenes of Five Points on a messenger bag and fire department box. The red also appears much more during one of the slides used in the riots.

There were likely more tweaks. Subtle script changes are always difficult to pick out. But last week, duringthe Act 2 dance contest, one saloon denizen was overly excited with a “you go girrrl” during Washington’s dance entry. That brief line only appeared for one night.
"

I’m confused. Are u in the show? Work on the show? Or are u watching it every night because tickets are easy to get and taking notes?"

Believe they are doing the latter. BalconyClub, also did the same thing for Tootsie when they tried out in Chicago! Thanks for the very much BalconyClub for your continued viewings!!

This producer seems do to with his shows. Ragtime was tweaked to death and Fosse was all sparkles without any real substance. He will futz with it, focus group it and then end up with a homogenized latte

Saw Performance tonight - 11/10 - 7th row - center of Orchestra

Overall: Rough show with unmoving music and a murky plot. SKIP IT.

Thoughts: The story has no focus so the show meanders, and never spends time investing in the characters. Instead of getting to know the characters they are paraded around through plot points. Has a few nice melodies but the lyrics are horrendous. You can often guess the lyrics before they sing them they are so predictable. The cast is wonderful and really put in great performances, the material is just - not worth your time.

I doubt this makes it to Broadway unless its completely reworked. Even Let it Burn - the 11 o'clock number - and the best in the show - repeats the same phrase for the last 90 seconds of the song. Lazy song writing. Great set / costumes / dancing - just need a story and new lyrics!

The updates from BalconyClub are invaluable to show the production's progress and while fully appreciating the tryout period of a show to work out issues with a production of this scale, the two key obstacles will be mixed reviews that will further add to audience indifference and the inevitable frustration from the creative team derived from the producer meddling which has been his approach on every show. Even poor Frank Galati was sidelined on Ragtime. I wish the cast strength and success.

This is a difficult show. I really want it to be successful but it needs some work.

First, the producer's history isn't terribly relevant to the audience. He discharged his sentence and so be it. If there are issues with misbehavior or maltreatment associated with this show, go for it but otherwise it's history.

Second, this is no Hamilton. Not even close. But that's not a fatal flaw, either. What it means is that there are some shows that are compelling and some that are classics and these merit repeat attendance. Some are almost timeless. Think of shows like "The Prom" or "Mean Girls." Good, okay, but not "I'm going to go out of my way to see again and again."

Particularly in the first act it was difficult to follow the story line and how it tied together. "It needs something," we kept saying. The dialogue was hard to follow and the sound system is pretty good. (Imagine it playing at the PAC in Milwaukee where the audio sucks.) Maybe there are too many things going on. The Stephen Foster connection is interesting but either it needs to be expanded or cut.

Glitches aside, there is a lot to like here. The story of an interracial community in 1863 is pretty cool -- as is the event that tore it apart. Providing safe haven to a runaway slave also cool. The ward boss is an underdeveloped situation. He's upset because he sees the tavern as a political threat but you never see any evidence of that conflict. He suggests that Nelly's place has political power and yet she is helpless politically. That makes no sense. We needed some good vs. evil conflict here. There is a real need to grab the audience earlier and hold the attention throughout the show.

There is a little kinship to Camelot here. In the midst of poverty there is kind of an idealistic society being attempted until some bastard shows up to screw it up.

The leads are fantastic. The audience Wednesday night got it right, saving the standing ovation for Joaquina Kalukango (Nelly) and then it was unanimous. Chillina Kennedy's character needs just a bit more "oomph" (not her fault).

I realize I am going all over the boards here but that's because that's just what the show did. It needs more glue and a better flow. It is not Hamilton but it is worthwhile and it could (and should) be better -- especially if it wants to have some life on Broadway and on a tour.

Finally -- and again Camelot comes to mind -- after the Richter-scale power of "Let It Burn" at the end the show closes without hope unlike Sir Tom at the end of Camelot.

I think shows like South Pacific, Hamilton, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, etc., are timeless classics.

Shows like The Prom and Mean Girls are nice, OK, but not necessarily timeless classics that people see again and again and again. I would rate Paradise Square as a pleasant show but one that is unlikely to become a timeless piece or one that people endeavor to see multiple times.

Updated On: 11/14/21 at 10:57 AM

BalconyClub said: "Sunday evening’s performance was solid with just small tweaks. Angelina no longer carries a knife in her attire, Quinlan did not blow out his candle, and the smoke was just the right thickness during LET IT BURN.

The underscore has been updated again when Angelina and Washington enter the saloon to escape the riots. It’s the skeletal notes of HARD TIMES. The new vamp continues when Owen and the Reverend return.

Swing Colin Barkell remains in the lineup, temporarily replacing the injured Jason Oremus."

Eye roll

BalconyClub's posts are wonderful (for this and previous Chicago tryouts) and a fascinating artifact for anyone interested in the process of tweaking a show throughout previews.

Well, opening night is here. At 30% houses, monstrous papering, and hundreds of changes (reported in detail by balcony club), will this show make it to Broadway past a papered opening night packed with investors and family that will warm themselves against a Chicago hard chill with standing ovations and free champagne?

Even in the chance that reviews are strong and the show has potential, the road to Broadway will be a hard one. The producers will come out of Chicago with losses followed by the unenviable task of creating a demand in New York. A wise person once said; "when they are not buying tickets, there is no stopping them" . Cheers to Paradise!