** PROMISES, PROMISES OFFICIAL REVIEW THREAD **- Page 4

[After Eight]

Posted: 4/25/10 at 11:50pm

I'm so disappointed this evening.


I loved the original production, and it remains one of my all-time favorite musicals. It was terrific.

Why couldn't they have gotten this right? Everything was off. The theatre was wrong, the casting was wrong, the look was wrong, the choreography a dud, the changing of the date was a mistake, the adding of two extraneous songs threw the show out of whack.

When are they ever going to learn to leave well enough alone?

[musicalman2]

Posted: 4/25/10 at 11:55pm

i believe they have a decent sized advance. the question is whether the advance is for more immediate weeks, or far off into the distance. with these reviews, typical theater goers may stay away. we should know in about a week or two how it is all panning out.

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:07am

My love letter to PROMISES, PROMISES: January 8, 2010
DynaGroove Theater Classic: PROMISES, PROMISES

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:07am

Can't see the full review but Newsday appears Negative

BOTTOM LINE Too lame, too late

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/theater-review-promises-revival-is-so-1968-1.1880703

[fanadu1996]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:07am

"comes fully to life only briefly, at the beginning of its second act, when a comic volcano named Katie Finneran erupts into molten hilarity." ~nyt

not Tony worthy review?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:09am

I'm happy that these reviews are boding well for a RAGTIME nod. Doubtful. But still...

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:14am

'Promises' revival is so 1968...

Didn't Miss Winer get the memo? The show's setting has been changed to 1962. Did she even see the show?

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:18am

I'm happy that these reviews are boding well for a RAGTIME nod. Doubtful. But still...

Ragtime surely deserves the nomination over Promises. But I just can't see the Tonys nominating two closed shows. Pretty unfortunate.
Updated On: 4/26/10 at 12:18 AM

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:21am

Ragtime surely deserves the nomination over Promises. But I just can't see the Tonys nominating two closed shows. Pretty unfortunate.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed! Finian's Rainbow and Ragtime continue to be very memorable highlights in a ho-hum season.

~Steven

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:21am

Even if RAGTIME gets a nod for Best Musical Revival it's chances of taking home the trophy are slim to none...A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC will win it...and deservedly so.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:22am

^ I would be ecstatic if that happens. But doesn't La Cage have the edge?

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:24am

That's a good question ljay. I say give Best Actor to Hodge but give the Best Revival award to NIGHT MUSIC.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:24am

First of all, La Cage IS winning, no question. But... while i with ljay that it is unlikely that both Ragtime and Finian's will be nominated, if the nominating committee realizes that either La Cage or Night Music will win no matter what, there is a chance they could nominate both. They know Promises has no chance of winning, so why not nominate shows that got stellar reviews, whether they're closed or not?

[Ryan4]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:27am

re nominating 2 closed shows for Revival

I know that the Tonys slant more commercial nowadays, but...

In 1996, the four nominees for Best Musical included two shows (Swinging on a Star, Chronicle of a Death Foretold) that had been looong closed while shows that were still at it, like State Fair, Big, and Victor/Victoria - critically pummeled, most - got left out.

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:28am

I don't know bjh. I'm actually torn. They are both excellent revivals with winning performances. One thing is for sure: PROMISES, PROMISES sure ain't gettin' it.
Updated On: 4/26/10 at 12:28 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:30am

La Cage could win because of rave reviews. But having previously won 5 years ago could hurt its chances.

Night Music could win because it's one of the big hits of the season with two big stars. Plus it's the first revival of the piece during a 'Sondheim season.'

It could go either way.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:31am

First of all, La Cage IS winning, no question. But... while i with ljay that it is unlikely that both Ragtime and Finian's will be nominated, if the nominating committee realizes that either La Cage or Night Music will win no matter what, there is a chance they could nominate both. They know Promises has no chance of winning, so why not nominate shows that got stellar reviews, whether they're closed or not?

None of that should even come into consideration when it comes to nominations. Let's just be reminded of last year's lesson that when nominators don't like a high-profile production opening late in the season (9 to 5), they will not feel inclined to give it its pre-ordained slot as nominee and instead bring something in from left wing (Rock of Ages). In all honesty, who saw that coming?

~Steven

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:31am

^ All true. And I LOVED Night Music, so I obviously would be thrilled if it won. I just think it's hard to ignore the rave reviews it got. But like I said, either way I will be happy. (We all know that I would be the MOST happy if Finian's managed an upset).

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:37am

I would be thrilled as well, bjh. :)

~Steven

[After Eight]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:37am

"None of that should even come into consideration when it comes to nominations. Let's just be reminded of last year's lesson that when nominators don't like a high-profile production opening late in the season (9 to 5), they will not feel inclined to give it its pre-ordained slot as nominee and instead bring something in from left wing (Rock of Ages). In all honesty, who saw that coming? "



In all honestly, I did.

And I think it deserved it.

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:41am

Some opening night arrivals:

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 12:42am

Sure, I thought it deserved it too. I never dreamed it would actually happen. Glad you saw it coming, After Eight.

~Steven

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 1:30am

I wouldn't be surprised if NIGHT MUSIC won the Tony in the season of Sondheim's 80th birthday. However, they may consider nominating SONDHEIM TO SONDHEIM for Best Musical enough. LA CAGE is the one to beat but I agree the fact it won 5 years ago (even if it was because it had virtually no competition) hurts its chances now.
And saying that Brantley's review didn't scream Tony is just complete denial, she may not win the actual award but she's certainly in the competition after Brantley wrote her a valentine.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 2:08am

There is no denying that Finneran is in the competition now. But I have read three reviews so far that did not like her performance. So it doesn't appear that she is getting the unanimous raves that Angela received.

Updated On: 4/26/10 at 02:08 AM

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 2:15am

Surprised Hal David didn't go to the opening. I know Bacharach is recuperating from recent back surgery so that explains his absence. To the best of my knowledge Donna McKechnie or Jill O'Hara did not go either. I would have expected some involved in the original production would have gone to show some sort of support to the new production.