Raul Esparza Set To Appear In REASONS TO BE PRETTY Post Show Talkback 5/19

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 5/18/09 at 1:34pm

Following a spate of successful post-show talkbacks, the best new Broadway play of the season* Reasons To Be Pretty has announced that actor Raúl Esparza will appear following tomorrow, Tuesday's (5/19 at 7:00 p.m.) performance in a talkback with the entire cast of the Tony Award-nominated Neil LaBute play, including Tony-nominated Marin Ireland and Thomas Sadoski. The post-show conversation will be offered free of charge to anyone purchasing a ticket to that performance.
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Raul_Esparza_Set_To_Appear_In_REASONS_TO_BE_PRETTY_Post_Show_Talkback_519_20090518

[willep]

Posted: 5/18/09 at 2:14pm

Umm...why? Does he have something to do with the show? Why would you participate in a talk back for a show you aren't in...?

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 5/18/09 at 4:13pm

Maybe to bring in a crowd that might not want to see this show?

It is actually kind of smart.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/18/09 at 6:25pm

They've been choosing a lot of random people to do these. And, yeah, clearly to attract audiences to come. It's not totally random, seeing as the producers of reasons to be pretty produced Raul's last two shows. I have no interest in seeing the play, though I think he'll make a good talk-back moderator.

[PRFRMR20]

Posted: 5/18/09 at 7:45pm

I'll be honest, hats off to the Producers because though I have already been planning on going to see the show, I just bought my ticket to see the show tomorrow night.

Excited to see the show/talkback/Raul :)

[wonkit]

Posted: 5/18/09 at 9:06pm

Please let us know how it goes.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 7:57pm

How was it?

[PRFRMR20]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 2:58am

Sorry I didn't post after... It was actually my birthday today (yesterday, wed.)! :)

It is sooo late, but really quickly: The show was really enjoyable, some of the best acting in a "contemporary/modern realism" play from the "three" :P I have seen in a while. (Why was Piper projecting too much on every line, she was shouting at everyone, aahhhhhh!).

The talkback was good. It happened to be significantly shorter than I expected, it was about 20 minutes or so. Not that I feel the actors should have been forced to give more time post-evening show, haha, but from past talkbacks I've been to, it just felt really brief and rushed. I didn't leave feeling gloriously fulfilled from the info given by everyone at the talkback :)

Some things of interesting note:
* Raul was the moderator and basically just announced everyone, took the questions and gave his thoughts subtly every now and then
* Raul mentioned he saw it the previous Sat.... wonder what he did Wed night during the performance
* Director Terrey Kinney was there
* The most discussed part during the talkback were "inner" monologues that each character originally had directed out to the audience. People were obnoxiously fixated on these in my mind, and in the rushed fashion of the talkback I wanted to get passed the monos many times.

Lastly-
* Penn Gillete of Penn and Teller was there. He stayed for the talkback and I said a quick thing to him at the end which was very neat. :)

time for bed, night

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 9:59am

Heh, no need to apologize. Happy birthday!

Why was Piper projecting too much on every line, she was shouting at everyone

Because that's what you're supposed to do in the theater, hasn't anybody told you?

wonder what he did Wed night during the performance

... he probably just came after the show? I don't think that's weird.

I often find myself totally unfulfilled after talkbacks because the questions that people ask are just so insipid and basic. That's part of the reason I didn't bother going, because I figured even with such an eloquent, intelligent moderator, it'd still be a little bit ridiculous because the average audience member doesn't ask interesting questions. I've been to a few at MTC that were good, but they were for really sort of... high intellectual plays, like Translations.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 10:45am

I pretty much avoid talkbacks. It seems that some gasbag gets the mike and tells the cast how wonderful they were, how much they enjoyed it, etc., etc. Nice enough to say, but these people have more interesting things to address and, when you get the right person and the right question, it can be most illuminating and interesting.

[harper4]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 1:46pm

Yeah, agreed: it was not the most enlightening talkback ever. I did however, LOVE that the cast came out eating sushi and that the "Entourage" theme music played when they entered! Raul looked genuinely pleased. It shows that the cast took some time and consideration and had a good time with it all.

People are obsessed with those monologues, though....ugh.

[boydowncenter]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 5:37pm

Just saw this, so it looks like they are making it their "thing". Which I think is cool (and smart even), because the show does inspire so much conversation. I'm going to check out the show again on one of these days-and hopefully people will ask good questions. Maybe I should stand and say, "Ok, only one question about the monologues is allowed!" LOL

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cannavale_and_Weber_Set_for_REASONS_Talkback_Hosting_Duties_524_25_20090521

[Morgaine885]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 5:48pm

I think the talkbacks are a great idea...I'm hoping for America Ferrera to do one.

[boydowncenter]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 5:59pm

America Ferrara would be awesome!
I would love to see Aaron Eckhart-he's a LaBute guy. I would definitely wanna be there for that one.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 7:14pm

I did however, LOVE that the cast came out eating sushi and that the "Entourage" theme music played when they entered!

That is brilliant.