Pasek & Paul question: what is their connection to Barret?

[inception]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 3:44pm

Over the weekend I was reading through a lot of old threads related to songwriters Pasek & Paul because there are productions of their three shows being done in the Pacific Northwest over the next two months. Seattle's 5th Avenue is remounting Christmas Story next month (they did the pre-Broadway tryout), and Arts West is currently doing Dogfight. In December Vancouver's Carousel Children's Theatre is doing James & the Giant Peach.
From reading the old threads I got a pretty good idea about most people's opinions - but please don't let that hold you back from posting those again if you want.
Then I was looking at Benj Pasek's twitter fead & I noticed shout outs to the cast of Found and specifically Barret Wilbert Weed. So I was wondering what the connection is, like did she ever work with them on a show? Or is she working with them on a future show?

I have been a bit surprised that whenever I tell people who follow theatre back home about my recent NY trip, the one person people are most curious about hearing about is not Chita Rivera (who for me was the highlight of the trip), or Idina Menzel, or even Andrew Rannells - but everyone wants to know about Barret Wilbert Weed.

Updated On: 11/3/14 at 03:44 PM

[eperkins]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 3:49pm

Looks like they know each other:


Link

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/3/14 at 9:24pm

Well she's had some rumors about being difficult to work with, so she's kind of interesting in that way.

I find her acting to be the same and quite dull, but I love her voice.

As for Pasek and Paul, I don't mind them, but I feel like they've yet to find a voice in their songs. Like if you listen to ALW or Sondheim you know it is them. Or even Yazek. it's distinct no matter the genre of the show. They haven't really done that yet. Some good songs in Dogfight and some clunkers. Some okay songs in Christmas Story and some clunkers. ( didn't care for Christmas Story score, but maybe it worked in the theater).

[jo]

Posted: 11/4/14 at 4:33am

Anybody know if the work Pasek and Paul are doing for a forthcoming movie musical called THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH is still underway. In February this year, they were supposed to have started recording the musical score or part of it?

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/hugh-jackman-shares-image-from-greatest-showman-on-earth-recording-session--214605

[inception]

Posted: 12/10/14 at 1:12am

So Vancouver's Carousel Theatre For Young People is currently running a production of Pasek & Paul's James and the Giant Peach AND last night they brought Pasek and Paul themselves all the way out here for a fundraising concert which was fricken amazeballs and pretty much turned me into what will likely be a lifelong fan.
I saw a great production of Dogfight down in Seattle last month, but wasn't sure what to expect of this concert after reading a few less than favourable comments about them. But they were so warm and funny and charming in performance. Some of their material and banter between songs may have been a bit scripted but it came across as being off the cuff and real. It was a small venue and during one song Benj was looking right at me while he was singing and I got all flustered and hot and bothered - such a cutey pie!

The cutest was when Benj said that he felt like he was on a magical island where magical trolls sprinkle everything with fairy dust. I had to clamp my hand over my mouth to keep from shouting out, "No, that's across town at Steamworks."

The second cutest moment was when Benj spoke to a woman in the audience who he had invited to the show that morning from the umbrella shop a couple doors down from the theatre. We've been having crazy weather, it's 55F and raining cats and dogs, so he had needed an umbrella and ended up inviting the lady there to their concert after she had been really helpful. After he said Hi to her from the stage she started some rambling story and he had this look on his face like WTF, all while still smiling and being gracious and charming.


Unfortunately, I was cheap and didn't pony up the extra hundred bucks for the meet and greet with them after where I would have been all "So how do you know Barret? Isn't Barret great? Why don't you write a show for Barret? Hey why don't you write a show for Barret AND Lindsay TOGETHER!?!? Here's an fricken great a idea ... Barret and Lindsay ummm in a show together as like girls who sing stuff about stuff. Write it NOW!!" Actually I didn't buy a ticket to the meet and greet because I knew I would probably get all crazy on them like that.

I see from their webpage that they occasionally do these sorts of concerts all over, and my recommendation is if you ever get the chance to see them don't miss it.

Having said that, I can totally see how they could make some people want to vomit, sort of like if you hate workplace posters of cute kittens they probably wouldn't be your thing.