PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!- Page 4

[NYfanfromCA]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 5:00pm

I bought a ticket to this for October on a whim.  I was seeing "The Four Immigrants" by TheatreWorks a few weeks ago, and it was a very well done show.  So I decided to go for the other "world premiere" show, which happened to be this one.  

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 5:21pm

Love Jason Gotay - great casting! 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 5:28pm

An out-of-country tryout in Denmark? Very odd. I wonder if they're eyeing Broadway down the road?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 12:19am

What's Gotay's ethnic background? Weren't people all freaked out that the show had to be cast a certain way?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 12:31am

It's better than Casey Cott...

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 6:01am

RippedMan said: "What's Gotay's ethnic background? Weren't people all freaked out that the show had to be cast a certain way?

Gotay is of Peurto Rican and Jewish decent according to this - http://stagedoordish.com/a-fking-up-everything-interview-with-jason-gotay-hipsters-acting-and-theatre/

The cast is very diverse and the press release includes a lot of language about inclusive casting. We're a far step away from Sherie Renee Scott and Stark Sands. 

[binau]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 6:29am

Even though I am annoyed we didn't get Marin Mazzie's performance this whole thing is a good example I guess of when social outcry does have good outcomes overall. They learned from their mistakes and the cast and audience will likely benefit as a result.

 

[JennH]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 9:17am

ACL2006 said: "An out-of-country tryout in Denmark? Very odd. I wonder if they're eyeing Broadway down the road?

 

"

It's not where it's premiering, it's starting in Palo Alto, CA first. THEN Denmark, most because that where the lead is from.

I'm glad they learned form their casting mistake, but Julia (Miriam) is as blonde and blue eyed as it gets. So...where's the outcry there? I'm not saying there SHOULD be one, I'm just mentioning why I haven't seen outcry for any of the lily white peeps in this. I agree, this one SHOULD be diverse, because this is a piece that has more grey area about the issue than many others, but I guess I just assumed I would see an outcry. 

Act break note-Through Heavens' Eyes, IS.THE.ACT.BREAK. Bar none, nothing else could work.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 11:18am

I see Scott Schwartz is still directing this.... what a shame.

[ElphabaGoodman]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 11:46am

JennH said: "ACL2006 said: "An out-of-country tryout in Denmark? Very odd. I wonder if they're eyeing Broadway down the road?

 

"

It's not where it's premiering, it's starting in Palo Alto, CA first. THEN Denmark, most because that where the lead is from.

I'm glad they learned form their casting mistake, but Julia (Miriam) is as blonde and blue eyed as it gets. So...where's the outcry there? I'm not saying there SHOULD be one, I'm just mentioning why I haven't seen outcry for any of the lily white peeps in this. I agree, this one SHOULD be diverse, because this is a piece that has more grey area about the issue than many others, but I guess I just assumed I would see an outcry. 

Act break note-Through Heavens' Eyes, IS.THE.ACT.BREAK. Bar none, nothing else could work.

 

"

Julia is married to Scott Schwartz, which may explain her continued involvement in this....just saying 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 2:42pm

JennH said: "ACL2006 said: "An out-of-country tryout in Denmark? Very odd. I wonder if they're eyeing Broadway down the road?

I'm glad they learned form their casting mistake, but Julia (Miriam) is as blonde and blue eyed as it gets. So...where's the outcry there? I'm not saying there SHOULD be one, I'm just mentioning why I haven't seen outcry for any of the lily white peeps in this. I agree, this one SHOULD be diverse, because this is a piece that has more grey area about the issue than many others, but I guess I just assumed I would see an outcry. 

Motyka is a Polish surname. She could be Jewish and/or naturally brunette. Besides, it's less of an issue when there's been an effort to have diverse casting throughout the rest of the cast. It's more egregious when you tell a POC story with an all white or predominantly white cast.

[JennH]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 9:45pm

Julia is married to Scott Schwartz, which may explain her continued involvement in this....just saying 

 

"

That...is news to me. Which explains a lot. I'll clarify I have nothing against her, nor even her casting because I agree with Snarker. This piece has a lot more complexity than people give it credit for in terms of "race" and I half expected a backlash again, considering what happened last year. I'M not backlashing, I honestly thought I'd hear one if the entire cast didn't turn out to be non-white. Which it's not, and I'm just going to be honest and say I'm fine with that in this SPECIFIC case. The worlds three biggest religions all have an attachment to this in some way, and regardless of actual nationality, shouldn't be lashed out against for wanting to be a part of it, hell I'm one of them. 

"I see Scott Schwartz is still directing this.... what a shame." 

Sadly yes. He's never NOT been attached to this. Unless my life gets tuned upside down between now and then, I'm still seeing it, I have my ticket, but I've said MANY times, Scott is the number one reason why though I thrilled to shreds (ok, so I borrowed from another Schwartz show...) that this is finally seeing the light of day, his involvement makes me scared also. I haven't had such high expectations for any show since...I don't even know when. I will be rioting (mostly in my head) if this turns out to be yet another "story theater"/"Tell me a story" format, that father and son are so fascinated with for some stupid reason. This format can work, but honestly it only seems to work under very specific circumstances. Imperfect though Children of Eden is, somehow that format work for it, but I'm not sure why. I can't say enough that P of E doesn't need anything more, just put thing on stage, change the very few things that obviously won't work for the stage and be done with it. This is already beautifully moving and poignant film that even non religious people love because it's just THAT good.

What also makes me nervous in terms of direction and production quality other than Schwartz Junior is the theater itself. I'm from close to that area, but I've never been to that theater, and seeing pics of it gives me more skepticism than I care to admit. It doesn't look like a step large stage and space, and like Frozen, this deserves every epic grandiose treatment the it screams for. This movie literally was made with the idea to make it one of those sweeping, grand epics of the classic film era, and by golly it succeeded because it knew what it was and ran with it. I also feel like this is Schwartz's best work because he was allowed to do what he felt was best without having vultures hovering over him. Katzenberg more or less allowed him to have full control over his material and it shows. When he's allowed to have free reign, his material soars. I know we're on the same page when we say we'd hate to see this amazing piece that has every potential to be one of the single best film to stag adaptations ever created, be ruined because of due to some already foreseeable problems. 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 9/15/17 at 3:14pm

Just got this in a e-mail:



Choreographer for The Prince of Egypt Sean Cheesman has been hard at work with our cast creating the electrifying movement that will be present throughout this timeless story. Under his guidance, the show's ensemble will embody the majestic Nile river, the devastating plagues of Egypt, and the wondrous burning bush.

[JennH]

Posted: 9/15/17 at 3:41pm

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Just got this in a e-mail:



Choreographer forThe Prince of EgyptSean Cheesman has been hard at work with our cast creating the electrifying movement that will be present throughout this timeless story. Under his guidance, the show's ensemble will embody the majestic Nile river, the devastating plagues of Egypt, and the wondrous burning bush."

DANG...I'll repeat what I said in another thread, I hate when casts are used such an unliteral way, but I'll do my best to reserve judgment as I can pretty much say for sure I'll still be seeing this. I've had my ticket for a while, but life possibly wasn't going to allow to me to see it, and I would have just had someone else take mine, but now that all potential conflicts are out of the way, my ticket is still mine.

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 9/15/17 at 10:16pm

im going and have an open mind-will report in when ive seen it

[JennH]

Posted: 9/25/17 at 12:53pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interview-Stephen-Schwartz-On-Bringing-PRINCE-OF-EGYPT-to-the-Stage-Working-With-His-Son-Scott-More-20170925

Thoughts? 

"What they don't have is the most lavish physical productions, so, you know, this is not a production with a whole bunch of bells and whistles, and it's not meant to be."

THIS is why I'm very nervous about this, among other things he says. It's like he doesn't know his own material very well. The movie, like many of it's genius previous predecessors like it, feels grand, epic, with this hugely large sweeping scale and to scale this down would very likely make it lose it's grand emotional punch.

I"ve seen pics of that theater and it certainly doesn't look like it can house a huge, large scale epic type of show, and that's why he say he picked it, but when a writer doesn't even know their own material well..this makes me scared. And the fact that he says his son knows exactly the kind of show he sees in his head...WHAT now? A juvenile, scaled down version of a large feeling, EPIC story? Yes the movie feels large and grand, but that can also happen on stage with some creativity. Here's another piece that Taymor would SOAR with, and no it's not just because "Africa". She would know exactly how to translate this piece, give it new life, while still by some miracle retain what the populace loves about this masterful film. I wouldn't say LK has a whole lot of bells and whistle either, but it's just enough of them to make it feel large and epic like it's film is. 

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 9/25/17 at 1:47pm

Sad to say I'm not surprised. Scott Schwartz is not a good director. This piece deserves a grand production.  

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 9:42am

^Dammit.

The show opens tomorrow! Who's going to see it this week? I'm waiting until reviews to get last sec tickets

Updated On: 10/5/17 at 09:42 AM

[JennH]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 10:52am

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "^Dammit.

The show opens tomorrow! Who's going to see it this week? I'm waiting until reviews to get last sec tickets"

Oh man, as hard as it will be, I'm going to avoid reviews for this one, since I'm seeing it soon after it's official opening. I don't recall which date that is however. I feel like most shows I'll read everything before I see it, mostly since I usually won't see it for a while or I know I won't see it at all. If I weren't seeing this, I'd read every review, but I'm gonna have to resist all major temptation because I really want to be swayed by others' opinion as little as possible, but considering it's Scott...I still am very sure I know what I'll be in for.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 10/6/17 at 9:27pm

Well, I'm out. 

Updated On: 10/6/17 at 09:27 PM

[antonijan]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 6:08am

How was it?

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 9:59am

I don't understand, why did you post that picture of an understaffed 2005 community theater production of Aida? 

[JennH]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 10:37am

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Well, I'm out.
"

Oh dear...good grief, I petition father and son never work together ever again.

scarywarhol-Because that's what it is? 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 11:12am

antonijan said: "How was it?"

I actually found that pic of POE on Instagram, that's why I posted it. BWW removed it, which is totally fine and understandable. And based on that, I'm not going to see it sadly.

With all of the respect of the hardworking cast and crew, the direction looks like it's much worse than Hunchback. Use actors as props, whatever, but they seriously couldn't built a set for this? Imagine of the beautiful Egyptian architecture & papyrus style they could have used. This could have gotten Best Scenic Design.

I know Stephen wants to build Scott's theater career, but he needs to know that his son shouldn't be doing epic stories if Scott doesn't try capturing the feeling and the scale. Hunchback at least had a huge set and choir going for it. Prince of Egypt requires way more umph and seeing the final production is extremely frustrating and infuriating. If Scott uses this style for community theaters, then that's 10000% fine. But if this is your big introduction to a big show that may go on Broadway (They just said there's no plans, which is honestly a good thing if this is it), it does not work. At all. 

 

 

[JennH]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 12:01pm

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "antonijan said: "How was it?"

I actually found that pic of POE on Instagram, that's why I posted it. BWW removed it, which is totally fine and understandable. And based on that, I'm not going to see it sadly.

With all of therespect of the hardworking cast and crew, the direction looks like it's much worsethan Hunchback. Use actors as props, whatever, but they seriously couldn't built a set for this? Imagine of the beautiful Egyptian architecture & papyrus style they could have used. This could have gotten Best Scenic Design.

I know Stephen wants to buildScott's theater career, but he needs to know that his son shouldn't bedoing epic stories if Scott doesn't try capturing the feeling and the scale.Hunchback at least had a huge set and choir going for it. Prince of Egypt requires way more umph and seeing the final production is extremely frustrating andinfuriating. If Scottuses this style for community theaters, then that's 10000% fine. But if this is your big introduction to a big show that may go on Broadway (They just said there's no plans, which is honestly a good thing if this is it), it does not work. At all.



"

I think this is my biggest problem with transferring from either medium. The scale and feel MUST be kept intact you're going to keep your audience...I think anyway. I'm not saying one can't change things when and/or if needed, but the issue there is that usually the original scale and feel changes along with it. To scale down this grand epic style story, is just....oi vey no. I guess they're trying to avoid a Lion King comparison, which is understandable, but actors as props or as a representation of something...I've said it before, but it REEKS of juvenile children's theatre.  I understand father wanting to build son's career, but the two are of one mind when it come to how they like to tell stories, so it's not like Scott will at all try to do anything different because "Like Father, Like Son" to quote the mentioned Aida. Stephen has an odd love for story theatre (God only know why...) and it's obviously he passed it down...story theater is such a specific format that rarely works well outside of it's own world. 

Is there truly no plans to go to Broadway? I mean considering Hunchback, I'm not surprised but this deserves every big, epic Broadway treatment ever...but I agree, if this is the end product then yeah, no Broadway is best.