PRISCILLA Reviews

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 1:13am

Today is Sunday, March 20, 2011, marking the official opening night performance of PRISCILLA: QUEEN OF THE DESERT — the musical adaptation drawn from the Academy Award-winning film "The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert" — following its previous engagement in Toronto, at the Palace Theatre. Previews began February 28, 2011.

Tony Sheldon, Will Swenson and Nick Adams star as "the trio of friends on a heart-warming, uplifting adventure. [They] hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed."

Completing the Broadway company are: C. David Johnson, James Brown III, Nathan Lee Graham, Mike McGowan, J. Elaine Marcos, Jessica Phillips, Steve Schepis, Keala Settle, Luke Mannikus, plus "Divas" Jacqueline Arnold, Anastacia McCleskey and Ashley Spencer, with Thom Allison, Kyle Brown, Bryan West, Tad Wilson, Joshua Buscher, Gavin Lodge, Ellyn Marie Marsh, Jeff Metzler, Eric Sciotto, Amaker Smith, Esther Stilwell and Ashton Woerz.

The show was written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott and directed by Simon Phillips. The score features existing dance-floor favorites, featuring the choreography of Ross Coleman.

Break legs, all!

- M

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 1:18am

Good luck, Queens!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 1:40am

Best of luck to all involved! Can't wait to see the show this summer!

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 2:23am

routing them on from ayers rock

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:54am

Break a leg one and all!

It's been an epic journey to bring this show to Broadway and I hope it proves to be just as much of an audience-pleaser in NY as it has been in Oz, NZ, the UK and Canada thus far. Special mention for all those who have been on-board since the very beginning.

From one of the thousands of 'passengers' you picked up along the way.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 7:50am

Good Luck to everyone involved! So far it's my favorite show of the season. Hopefully the critics see past the fluff.

[alterego]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 8:23am

Chookas!

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 4:34pm

Here's the first....Politely could be called "mixed"....

http://www.showbiz411.com/2011/03/20/broadway-priscilla-is-here-rebecca-is-coming

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 5:33pm

^ Not really a review...and did anyone else feel a slight homophobic vibe from the article?

[Katurian2]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 5:53pm

what the heck was that article? It was terrible! Sound like some grumpy old man got forcibly dragged into it via some from of torture device. That 'review' or whatever it's called was not only mean, it was insulting in a more general sense. Yuck.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:00pm

I knew his name sounded familiar - he got fired from Fox News for reviewing a pirated copy of Wolverine. So naturally, he's an arse.

[brettystar]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:03pm

Agreed Play Esq.

[little_sally]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:07pm

I like how matter-of-fact he is about the show not winning Tonys for anything other than costumes.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:13pm

Does this count as a real review? Word of mouth is up: http://www.broadway.com/shows/priscilla-queen-desert/video/153455/word-of-mouth-review-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert/

ETA: Really positive- fun, big, etc. especially for Tony Sheldon.

Updated On: 3/20/11 at 06:13 PM

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:29pm

Wow, that Showbiz review is horrible. I think he had to make SURE we knew he was absolutely 100% hetero.

[tourboi]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:40pm

The problem with sites like Shobiz411 is that they are treated legitimately by getting press comps. But at the end of the day... they're not really legit critics. They're bloggers.

ANYONE can open a blog and call themselves a critic.

The smart individuals will only pay attention to the legit publications.

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:45pm

First "legit" review...A.M. New York

2 out of 4 stars

http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/theater-review-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-2-stars-1.2772292

“Priscilla Queen of the Desert” is not so much a normal musical but rather a loud, oversized karaoke party and midnight drag show. You really want to have fun, but it is so aggressively campy that it soon becomes irritating and too much to stomach.

[maxximumvolume]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:52pm

I'm afraid that A.M. New York review is going to be a sign of things to come. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not expecting overly positive notices for this.

Does anyone know if Brantley or Isherwood is reviewing?

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 6:59pm

Probably Isherwood, don't you think? He admits to having done drag in his day.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 7:02pm

Brantley reviewed the London production, did he not? It's a high-profile show, so I'd be surprised if Brantley didn't.

[canmark]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 7:10pm

Guy Pearce is at the opening: http://twitpic.com/4blf10

Pics of Joan Rivers, Bette Midler, Bruce Villanch on the red (pink?) carpet have also been posted on Twitter.

Updated On: 3/20/11 at 07:10 PM

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 7:19pm

Oh you're probably right then...If he reviewed it in London, he would do it here.

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 7:21pm

The Hollywood Reporter RAVES

What the show does deliver, however, is joyous crowd-pleasing entertainment, raunchy humor, eye-popping visuals and unexpected heart.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/priscilla-queen-desert-theater-review-169436

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 7:44pm

Ignore Roger Friedman (from showbiz411), he was fired from Fox News as someone already said, and I believe he was also fired from The Hollywood Reporter. He's incredibly bitter and gossipy, he also constantly throws hissy fits online when another website publishes some piece of news that he might have posted as a rumor some time before, he's particularly vicious when it comes to Deadline's Nikki Finke and I think he believes he's best friends with every star in Hollywood. Ugh, can't stand him. Regarding his Tony predictions for PRISCILLA, just so you guys get an idea, this is someone who around Oscar season last year (after NINE had crashed and burned at the theatre), was predicting nominations for NINE for Picture, Lead Actress, Lead Actor, Supporting Actress et al...so take his opinion with a grain of salt.

Anyway, back to celebrating the opening of PRISCILLA! Break a leg everyone.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/20/11 at 8:05pm

I should also point out that Brantley did not enjoy Priscilla in London.