PARADISE SQUARE Chicago Pre-Broadway Tryout - Previews & Reviews- Page 6

[HogansHero]

Posted: 11/20/21 at 12:12pm

coopsbiz said: "Thanks Smaxie! Given that reviews no longer determine a show's trajectory and that the changing times from pandemic to netflix and colossal demographic shifts coupled with a history lesson that seems of little interest to ticket buyers, Hedy will likely have no impact. But good point nonetheless!"

You misapprehend out of town reviews mightily. No such review will have a (significant) impact. Is it possible that some Chicago pull quotes might be used during the pre-opening vacuum? Sure. But if you see them post-opening (and that would be because there are no viable quotes from ANY NY outlet -- a far-fetched proposition), no review would have a positive impact. Time to end the masquerade and maybe attempt to present an intellectually sound argument. 

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 11/20/21 at 12:48pm

coopsbiz:

This was tired ten years ago when I was doing it to Ken Davenport's Godspell, not that that needed my help to die.

Give it a rest, my guy.

[markypoo]

Posted: 11/20/21 at 9:58pm

Saw the matinee today. 

A strong contender for not only the Tony - but the Pulitzer.

[coopsbiz]

Posted: 11/21/21 at 6:12pm

Tony? maybe Tony Soprano

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/21/21 at 6:18pm

Amy Archer said: "Coops, with another disaster metaphor invoked and the fact that you last graced these boards during the production of Sousatzka, your agenda is as clear as can be. I suggest you work out your Garth issues in therapy."

100%. Love ya, Amy. 

 

[tgirl16]

Posted: 11/23/21 at 10:24am

Has anyone won the lottery for this? Considering how ticket sales are I’d expect it’s an easy get but would love to know if that isn’t the case/where people are getting seats. 

[coopsbiz]

Posted: 11/23/21 at 12:32pm

Houses are running at below 30% . Best bet is to walk up to the box office and ask for a pair.  

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 11/23/21 at 12:59pm

tgirl16 said: "Has anyone won the lottery for this? Considering how ticket sales are I’d expect it’s an easy get but would love to know if that isn’t the case/where people are getting seats."

I’ve won 5 times out of eight attempts. Seats have always been great - on the main floor, in the front half of seats.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/24/21 at 6:02pm

I just got out of todays matinee. I thoroughly enjoyed the show. I do think it still has some kinks it needs to work out, there are some clunky moments of dialogue. Also, I believe the Owen character is so poorly written. I wish he could be cut. But overall, this story is much needed right now. 
 

Joaquina Kalukango holds this show together. She is the main reason why this show works. Her performance is one of the best I have ever seen. If I had anything to do it with it, she’ll be walking away as a Tony Award winner in June. I cannot understate how amazing she is in this. She made weep more times than I can count.

Updated On: 11/27/21 at 06:02 PM

[Smaxie]

Posted: 11/26/21 at 11:27am

Very favorable review from WGN's Dean Richards. 

"It's an incredible story that often becomes poignant for its many comparisons to the same social problems that we face today, but it’s also very touching and full of hope and life, both through its strong performances and razor-sharp dance numbers from both sides of the ethnic and racial aisle."

Dean’s Theater Reviews: Paradise Square, Cinderella

[MVintheheartland]

Posted: 11/27/21 at 11:32am

It always amazes me how these posts become so contentious and devolve into insults sometimes. I think I’ll go back to Reddit.

[Marlothom]

Posted: 12/4/21 at 1:46pm

Saw this last night - I am also one that loves going to several Chicago pre-Broadway shows to see how it changes throughout (Kinky Boots, The Cher Show, Tootsie), but only managed to see this one once, and it was enough. As others have said, the foundation for a good musical is there, so much talent in the cast, it just needs a lot of focus and I hope they take the time between now and Broadway to fix some  major things.  There are too many characters/stories.songs, and frankly too many concepts on one stage.

For a show that's all about how these various cultures came together to live happily, it's confusing that these various styles are presented mostly separate from each other.  We go back and forth between Irish step dancing, contemporary jazz a al West Side Story Dance at the Gym.  A new/unique combined shared sound and dance style born out of living life at Paradise Square would have been interesting - I think Bill T Jones tries to do this, but it just reads as hip hop/jazz.  To that point, I also found the modern and at times hip hop style dancing to be jarring, unlike in Hamilton where everything (including bare costumes) is conceptual, all characters are in detailed period attire, so seeing an adult male dressed in 1860 attire, twerking, is distracting.  For me, it seemed like the choreographer was working on a different show/concept.  

I also hope they take time to flesh out some of the songs/melodies. None of the songs (except for the title song) were memorable to me - I couldn't keep track of how many times the lead said Welcome Home at the end of Act 1, and Let it Burn at the end of Act 2 (though sung beautifully).  

At the beginning of the show, the lead says "we are going to tell this story on our own terms", and at the end she says something akin to "we were living in the future" - I think this idea gives them license to be more creative, to bend reality a bit, and find their "own" conceptual way of bring in hip-hop, R&B, Irish jigs, step dancing, etc. together in a cohesive/compelling way.  They just need to take it there.  For example, it would have been heartbreaking if they were all in modern clothes and after the fire destroys their "home", we find them back in their period costumes, as they recognize the world around them won't let them live life together, yet.  

Updated On: 12/5/21 at 01:46 PM

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 12/5/21 at 3:00pm

No major changes to report in these past few weeks.

But it has been fascinating to see an understudy or swing perform. Colin Barkell has performed in more than half of the 5-week tryout as an Irish dancer, filling in for Jason Oremus, who I believe last performed on November 17 - on press night.

Jay McKenzie played the Washington Henry role in one of the performances I caught. McKenzie’s singing voice and diction is outstanding. In part one of ANGELINA BAKER late in Act 1, his enunciation was so clear, I easily picked up on the word ‘LASH’ for the first time - an important (slavery) word I had trouble making out when listening to Sidney DuPont in previous and many performances that followed. But DuPont wins my dancing vote.

Is there no role that Eric Craig can’t ace? His performances as Lucky Mike Quinlan, Uptown Man, Station Master, and Ensemble have all been great.

Camille Eanga-Selenge also swung in one performance I attended.

In the pit, Associate Conductor Anna Ebbesen has conducted nearly all performances - if not all - these past 2 weeks.

The theatre is taking covid protocols seriously. At the Thursday, December 2 performance, the pit sent an alert that a patron in the front row (with a seat near the conductor) was not wearing their mask. One of the venue’s house managers quietly inched her way into the middle of the front row during the performance to correct the matter.

The Saturday, December 4 matinee audience had the most latecomers of the run as many nearby parking garages were full. A bus load of guests from southern Wisconsin helped add to the largest reaction in the run to Frederic Tiggens and Mike Quinlan’s final dialogue. The words hit too close to their home.

A few on-stage tweaks:

a) when Washington Henry says “I can dance, too” he had been wiggling his legs - now he kicks one than the other leg into the air.

b) in GENTLE ANNIE, just one word change has made a big difference, when the Reverend sings FEEL bolder instead of GROW bolder.

c) the “I can’t breathe” line has been removed from the saloon attack

In the months between Chicago and New York, i hope Washington Henry and Angelina Baker’s affections are more strongly emphasized in I’M COMING - it will make their Act 2 reunion stronger. Nelly should treat Milton’s first drink as a full cup. I hope Owen’s initial entry in the dance contest is removed. I’d also like to see Milton have a bit more of a dramatic exit.

Addendum:

At the final performance on Sunday, December 5, the curtain was held until 2:15. (15 minutes) Four Roles had different players:

Nelly O’Brien: Gabrielle McClinton

Angelina Baker: Hailee Kaleem Wright

Sarah: Camille Eanga-Selenge

Irish Dancer: Colin Barkell

My speculation is that Joaquina Kalukango may have needed some vocal rest, but a just as likely scenario is that it made sense to give McClinton an opportunity to perform the lead role once in tryouts.

Kalukango has had the choice in each performance of WELCOME HOME to hit or skip the soaring high note near the end of the number. The ending notes are amazing in OR out. Kalukango skipped the WELCOME HOME high note in both of Saturday’s performances. But in Saturday night’s LET IT BURN, the high notes at the end were only 95% there. The last note wasn’t as crisp as usual.

During today’s hold before curtain, you could hear backstage applause.

McClinton did a fine job, in 2 Nelly costumes instead of the usual four. I liked her choice of being on the staircase during the riots asking “Who’s there? State your name.”

I totally forgive first performance hiccups. The coin toss was fun - the coin nearly rolled into the pit, but Owen stopped the coin, only to have it roll randomly upstage into the Ensemble before the coin was stopped. Nelly ad libbed, “Let’s do that again,” as she tossed the coin again.
 

Updated On: 12/5/21 at 03:00 PM