Robert Cuccioli- Page 2

[musicaltheatreman]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 12:40am

are you an usher jackal??

Posted: 6/19/03 at 11:56am

It would appear so from my responses...but, NO. Quite honestly, I'm posting under a screen name to be able to speak more freely, as some admitedly do.

I am involved in the theater industry and just enjoy the chit-chat now and then. As the the recent Hartford Conn. article brought out, theater boards are "the" pulse of what people think.

Even if half of it is gossip and hearsay, and wanna bees,,,it does keep you in touch with some intersting things now and then.

But, No, I'm not an usher, that would be too easy...hmmmm food for thought!

[scooter38432]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 2:07pm

I don't understand how you all managed to sit through JEKYLL & HYDE in the first place!

(An unpopular opinion -- especially in the Cuccioli room -- but there it is.)

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 6:19pm

To Scooter

The same reason why people kept going to it for almost 4 years & why it has spawned productions all over the world . This in the face of some of the most savage reviews in theater history

It is good. If it is as bad as you say it was, it would have opened & closed immediately. Strong word of mouth kept it open

My wife & I both loved it.

So there. Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah

Updated On: 6/19/03 at 06:19 PM

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/20/03 at 7:38pm

I was one of Cuccioli's invited guests to the Opening Night of JEKYLL AND HYDE and totally loathed the show! As an English teacher, I was horrified by what they did to the original novella and felt that Wildhorn's music was totally at odds with the Victorian setting. Although Robert was impressive on stage, I was so embarrassed by the staging of that one number when he was both Jekyll AND Hyde that I couldn't look at the stage!!!

Updated On: 6/22/03 at 07:38 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/20/03 at 9:04pm

To Dolly Pop

Totally disagree with you. J/H was a show you loved or hated. Luckily, more people liked it than disliked it. Word of mouth kept the show going so it obvious was good word of mouth

Confrontation was a highpoint & one of the most memorable moments in of the show & in theater. While Hasselhoff was not that great, his Confrontation somewhat redeemed his poor performance.

Hopefully, you did not attend the opening night party if you felt the way you did. Broadway music is memeorable if it advances the story ( it did) & if you can remember it when you leave. My wife & I listen to the cd often while cd's like Rent & Cats never leave their jewel boxes

Sorry you feel as you do. It is a free country but think you are dead wrong here

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/20/03 at 9:46pm

I have the OBC recording of J&H and haven't been able to endure listening to it all the way through. What beastly stuff!

BTW: "Dollypop" is one word.

Updated On: 6/20/03 at 09:46 PM

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 6/21/03 at 3:11pm

The only songs I care for in that show are the songs that Linda Eder sings.

Posted: 6/21/03 at 5:59pm

Jekyll had a "cult-type" following, just ask any of the real "jekkies". THEY were the only word of mouth out there! Yes , THEY loved it, BUT the majority of theater fans and critics did not! OK. I'll say was 30/70 odds (70% hated it). It lasted until it went into the red. They "stunt casted" this baby to keep it alive with Wagner,Bach, Hasselhoff until the investors and Frank said OK shut her down. Sure it tours to this day, but that's a whole different financial ball game.

Don't get me wrong..I didn't hate it..I had some fun watching all the stars come and go.

The show itself diviated so far from the book and that "great" concept album it was almost a totally different show on stage.
I LOVED the talent that show produced! It launched Linda Eder's career and a few other leads, Cuccioli, Noll, Evan got some decent recognition from it.

The Confrontation was executed way too fast and the umbrella scene was just stupid. The Broadway tour was a minor improvment in staging, but the money ran out to really FIX the show enough to make it dazzle. Other than the J/H character and Lucy there was no time for any character development for anyone else. No depth at all. Eder & Noll, Cooch knocked out those belters so well.... people came to see THEM until even that got old real quick. It coulda, shoulda, woulda been a great show if they went back to the drawing board.

Yep, the jekkies kept it alive until the funds got low. Still the "hair ballet" and the spit and spinning was a bit of a hoot !

I may kick myself for this one! Well, too bad, that's how I saw it.

[Salome]

Posted: 6/21/03 at 6:39pm

Dollypop - did you tell Robert how you felt? What was his reaction to your review?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/22/03 at 5:38pm

Opening Night is neither the time nor the place to seriously critique a performer. I refrained from any such comments at that point. However, Robert knew I wasn't thrilled with the show by what I DIDN'T say. He called me a few days later and asked for my "undiluted opinion". He got it.

I was very proud of Robert and still am. It's just that the J&H material was dreadful. Hopefully his next major role on Broadway will provide him with a better way to display his talents.