Pirate Queen Update

[queenbee2]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 6:04pm

I just received this email from my best friend who lives in Chicago. We both saw the show in the first week of previews, and she revisited yesterday's matinee. Sounds like they are headed in the right direction to be sure. Lindy is smart and has worked a lot in Chicago theater, so I trust her opinions. Although no one else has to! LOL

For those who don't want to know too many details and changes, you may want to avert your eyes.

I'll try to cut and paste and see how it comes out.
----

Hey You,

Well, like I told you I would, I ran by The Palace this afternoon to see if I could pick up a ticket to catch the PQ matinee today, and got a cheap seat in the balcony. They are definitely moving in the right direction. Not perfect yet, but certainly progressing.

Noticeable Changes:

I think the overture was shorter. It seemed to go by a bit quicker. I think they could still cut it, or even better yet, rewrite it. It is pretty, but as we discussed, it almost lulls you to sleep. Not the effect they were looking for I doubt.

My Grace- it's now a duet between Steph and Jeff! Huge improvement, as we actually have a chance to get to know Steph's character. Great change.

Oh, the pirates still look hot! LOL

Queen Elizabeth- It sounded like they may have lowered some of her stuff. I could understand her a little bit better, but this is still a major issue. I found myself WANTING to know what she was saying/singing, but still having a difficult time.

Boys Will be Boys- Big improvement: Marcus now enters half shirtless! No complaints there! He now gets ready for the wedding during the song. And they put a better ending on the number surrounding him with the girls. I think they might have just put this change in, as it wasn't a very smooth ending, but it was better than before. I feel like this could be a showstopper. Marcus and the boys are great, but the number doesn't quite reach the heights I wish it could. And yes, it still sounds a bit like Master of the House. But I don't mind.

Wedding- Still a highlight of the show for me. Like you, I thought I'd hate the Irish Dancing, but now I want them to put in more.

Because I Am A Wife- Steph and Marcus now have a few lines before she sings that I don't remember. They mention that it is their anniversary before she kicks him "down below". Great reaction from the audience on the kick. And it seemed to launch Steph even more dramatically into her song (which she sings the heck out of. Even better than when we saw it last week!)

Funeral- Much shorter, thank God. This was the biggest fix that I could see. It almost seemed like they cut it in half, and yet it still had more dramatic punch. They also ended the song in this big powerful way, rather than the version we saw where there was lots of music after the ensemble sang. Much more powerful and to the point. The audience gave a big ovation at the end of act 1.

Act 2- I didn't notice as many changes. I think they cut the little dance number at the beginning of the act, but I didn't miss it. I think they could shorten the entreact still, like the overture. And they could find a more creative way for Steph to have the baby on stage. The guys on stage yelling and pounding their oars doesn't work for me.

The show is really moving in a positive direction, and the audience response throughout was much better. I heard at the stage door from some of the actors that they've cut over 9 minutes in the past few days! And I didn't miss any of it. The show moved along much quicker, and as an audience member it was much more exciting.

I still think something more exciting needs to happen at the end of the show. Hopefully they're working on that. It just seems to end all of the sudden, and a bit too easily. But like we said at dinner, there are lots of smart people working on this, so if we see it, they probably do too.

The performers are all still amazing. Even after just a week or so more of performing, they're all getting even better in their roles. Steph seems even stronger. That duet with Jeff really helped me care about her character, and her singing is still fantastic as always. Hadley is still bringing down the house with I'll Be There, and his second act quiet song (no program in front of me, but you know the one) is just beautiful. Marcus has really made Donal even more interesting, and sounds just great. I think they should develop his character a little more and get more into that story with he and Steph and Hadley and less with the Englad stuff. Jeff was just as terrific as last time we saw him, and Youmans is really funny/nasty as Bingham. Linda is very interesting as Elizabeth. I just wish I knew what she was saying.

I already decided I have to see it one more time before they leave Chicago. If they made this many changes in a week, I can't wait to see where they go from here. Try to get off work and come visit. We'll go together.

Like I said, show still isn't perfect. I want it to move me more emotionally. I remember crying my eyes out at both Saigon and Les Miz (of course this is a totally different show). It think PQ has the potential to have the same emotional impact, but at this point it doesn't quite get there. I have a feeling if you wait until the show open on Broadway you might not even recognize it from the show we saw last week. Let's hope they keep improving, and they might just have a hit on their hands.

Miss you-

Lin-O

------------

All good news I guess. Sounds like they are making good progress. As I said before, I thought there was great potential in the show when I saw it last week, but it had a long way to go. Sounds like they are working hard to get it there. Must be a crazy time for the cast. Cutting 9 minutes in one week and adding new duets? Maybe I'll have to try to sneak back to Chicago before they leave.

Saw Chorus Line this week. It was pleasant. I posted a "nice" review for the show for those interested.

-QB

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 6:12pm

HEY!! Who the hell hates Irish dancing?! =(

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 6:15pm

What kind of merchandise are they selling at the theatre now?

[Popular]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 6:18pm

Thank your friend for sending that to you. And thank YOU for sharing that with us! I'd definitly go again if I were you... you seem to be just as fascinated by seeing it all come together as I would be.
Updated On: 10/16/06 at 06:18 PM

[Act4ever]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 6:24pm

That does make me want to revisit this show...

they're selling t-shirts, hats?, mugs, programs (but they dont have any production photos in them), no posters, that's all i can remember

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 7:00pm

they should sell the blockhead merchanidse

[queenbee2]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 7:01pm

Popular- I am highly interested in how this (and all shows really) come together from previews through opening in NY. This one I find especially interesting since it obviously, in my opinion, has so much unrealized potential. Not like some shows where you either know its going to be a huge hit right off the bat, or you are darn sure it might not work, no matter how much effort the creatives put into it. This show was so close when I saw it to being something special, and it sounds from Lindy's email that they're even closer, I find myself fascinated in the progress and process.

As far as merchandise goes, she did tell me that they have a gorgeous souvenier program with Chicago Premiere listed on the cover, which leads me to believe their will be a new one once it opens in New York. And being the dear friend that she is, she sent me one as a gift! If I can get my scanner back up and running, I'll try to post some of the pics. She said that for all the faults the current show may have, the program is unbelievably gorgeous. Should have it in a few days and will do my best to share.

Popular, are you going to get a chance to see it? You're in CA if I remember correctly?

-QB

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 7:04pm

What's "Half shirtless" mean?
I suggested nudity a while back.

[Popular]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 7:08pm

QB -

Yes, I am in CA. I'm hoping to work it out somehow. Haven't given up yet but not seeing the light at the end of the runway either.

By the way, tried to send you a PM but your account isn't set up to accept them.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 7:30pm

O know I am to excited Im seeing this show next tuesday evening. My college is 45 mins from Chicago and our theatre group is going all together....CAN'T WAIT!!!

[karatekid1]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 7:36pm

I am just dying guys to hear something from the show, anything?
please help!

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 7:56pm

No posters???

[commasplice]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 8:15pm

I saw someone with a poster (not windowcard) this weekend, but I'm not sure if they bought it at the stand (I didn't really look because I didn't have much money with me) or if it was maybe a promotional item.

I saw the show this weekend (based on the descriptions, sounds like the same version your friend saw, QB), but even though I liked the performers quite a bit, I liked very little about the show itself. It was disappointing.

[wishinguweresomehow]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 9:18pm

Yeah, they have posters for I think about 15 bucks...

[joanna2]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 10:59pm

I got my tickets for November 11th! Excited!

[queenbee2]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 9:10am

CurtainPullDowner,

In response to your question, I emailed her back and asked what exactly "half-shirtless" meant.

Her answer:
-------

Half-shirtless = white "piratey" shirt is now wipe open with pecs and abs fully exposed. The middle aged woman sitting next to me turned to me on his entrance and just said "Wow". Very funny moment.

Someone has been going to the gym! And I'm not complaining.

Also, I forgot to tell you, they did trim that intollerably long curtain call somewhat from what we saw last week. You could tell the actors were so uncomfortable having to bow so many times. We still get the great "Riverdance" moment at the top of the curtain call, but the individual bows seemed to be sped up, thankfully.

-Lin-O
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So "half-shirtless" equals a good thing! And the curtain call has apparently been tightened.

-QB

[queenbee2]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 9:10am

CurtainPullDowner,

In response to your question, I emailed her back and asked what exactly "half-shirtless" meant.

Her answer:
-------

Half-shirtless = white "piratey" shirt is now wipe open with pecs and abs fully exposed. The middle aged woman sitting next to me turned to me on his entrance and just said "Wow". Very funny moment.

Someone has been going to the gym! And I'm not complaining.

Also, I forgot to tell you, they did trim that intollerably long curtain call somewhat from what we saw last week. You could tell the actors were so uncomfortable having to bow so many times. We still get the great "Riverdance" moment at the top of the curtain call, but the individual bows seemed to be sped up, thankfully.

-Lin-O
---------

So "half-shirtless" equals a good thing! And the curtain call has apparently been tightened.

-QB

[Lady Italy]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 11:43am

Thanks QB for filling all of us in with the PQ changes. Saw the show in the beginning and will be seeing it again on 10/29. Looking forward to see what's been done with the show. I'm expecting a much smoother production. Hopefully, there will even be more changes, which will tell the story better, before the 29th.

Good reporting!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 11:56am

Thanks queenie

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 12:24pm

Marcus=Yum!

Is Hadley shirtless at all? If not that is a major missed opportunity.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 3:15pm

Thanks for posting that! Good to know that the PQ creators seem to be making the correct changes. It's also extremely exciting to think about how if they are able make even this much difference in the show in only 2 weeks, what the show may be like when it arrives in New York! :)

[fachedaluna]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 6:20pm

Good report. Thanks for seeing the positive aspects in the show. I too feel it has the potential to be a large hit. The cast is just too talented and the creators realize their worth. I believe that once it gets to NYC there will be a completely different take on the story.

[kaycee]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 10:29pm

Thank you SO MUCH for the report. It has been driving me crazy not to be able to see the show every week to see what changes have been made. If you or you friend go to see it again, please update us again on the changes!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 10/17/06 at 10:34pm

yeah
I say get Hadley half shirtless too.
and some of the ensemble men as well.
Hey, it can't hurt.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 10/18/06 at 1:05am

I found two press pics of it: