SEA WALL/A LIFE to Broadway

[Sauja]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 5:13pm

Am surprised by this move as I didn't think the evening was that well received. Anyone have buzz on which theater it will move to? Given the short run, feels like it could grab the Jacobs or the Cort. Maybe the Belasco? The Hudson would probably be too quick of a turnaround, but it's not impossible...

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 5:15pm

It’s taking the Hudson according to their website.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 5:20pm

Interesting. But not completely out of left field given the star-caliber involved. And while there were definitely mixed reactions (in various senses of that term), I think it was more well-received than not. 

I'm very curious how they will treat this in terms of Tony eligibility. Sea Wall has been around for over a decade, and has been performed and brought back enough times that it, in ordinary circumstances, it would probably fall under the "classics rule." Meanwhile A Life is a totally new piece. So will they treat the performance as one new piece? Or will they let make Sea Wall eligible as a revival, and let A Life compete as a new play? 

[Sauja]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 5:30pm

Since they're only doing a 9 week run, I wonder if they will just not bother with inviting Tony voters and remove themselves from eligibility a la Sunday in the Park.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 5:56pm

It's the same producers (and the same star) as SUNDAY IN THE PARK, so I can easily see them not wanting to bother with paying for a Tony campaign (and giving up all those seats for Tony Voters) for such a limited run.  

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 6:04pm

Darn it I was hoping for Jake and Ellen in Little Shop of Horros again....grrrr

Updated On: 4/18/19 at 06:04 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 6:08pm

I know its silly, but it really warms me up how much Gyllenhall (sp?) has taken to theater performing!

[sm33]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 6:20pm

Glad that more people will get a chance to see it! I found it to be a moving show at the Public (particularly the latter half), but I feel like it might lose some of its intimacy in a bigger venue. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 6:35pm

JSquared2 said: "It's the same producers (and the same star) as SUNDAY IN THE PARK, so I can easily see them not wanting to bother with paying for a Tony campaign (and giving up all those seats for Tony Voters) for such a limited run."

 

You could very well be right. But unfortunately that will leave me very much in suspense over how they WOULD have categorized it! 

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 6:50pm

We should assume that Tony voters will be invited, unless we are told otherwise. Sunday in the Park was one of the ONLY times in modern history I can remember a non-special-event play or musical making itself ineligible to Tony voters. That show also knew it was not going to win Best Revival; this is happening early in the season, when anything is possible.

I would venture to guess (with no background) that it would be categorized as a New Play, because the two are being performed together as one evening. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/18/19 at 10:20pm

Sauja said: "Am surprised by this move as I didn't think the evening was that well received. Anyone have buzz on which theater it will move to? Given the short run, feels like it could grab the Jacobs or the Cort. Maybe the Belasco? The Hudson would probably be too quick of a turnaround, but it's not impossible..."

The Hudson it is ~

http://www.thehudsonbroadway.com/whatson/sea-wall-a-life/

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/19/19 at 8:23am

I love the Hudson but I feel it's too large a house for such an intimate play. I'm quite happy with my experience watching it at the public theatre (managed to get front row seats) so will skip this Broadway run but hope it does well!

[bfreak]

Posted: 4/19/19 at 9:32am

This was one of my most powerful theatre experiences recently, but this is a little bizarre. It was not that difficult to get tickets to this at the Public; and I don’t believe it’ll sell out. Gyllenhaal needs another name or a famous show like Sunday to sell out. I also think it would be strange seeing this show in such a large theatre, but I have confidence in both actors that they’ll make it work.

On the subject of Tonys, I hope this doesn’t get the Sunday treatment. I believe Gyllenhaal gave Tony winning caliber performances in both this and Sunday, and hope he has the chance to at least be nominated. I’m surprised this is transferring, but I wish this production all the best.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 4/19/19 at 9:44am

Like bfreak said, it probably will lose some intimacy but they can make it work. This is FAR from the first time that an “intimate” show has successfully adapted to a Broadway space. And the Hudson is not exactly the Gershwin or the Lyric.

As for their potential sales: the Public is not exactly focused on marketing the stars in their shows. In recent years it’s fairly common for them to have huge names in shows that don’t sell out, because the star’s name is in small font below the title on just one of the many posters outside the theatre, which is downtown, away from the tourists and high foot traffic. Obviously that doesn’t negate your point, as it will be a much larger space, but I think it will help to have real marketing and to be in midtown.

Also, I doubt this show needs to sell out every night to recoup. The theatre rental and Gyllenhaal’s paycheck will probably be their largest expenses. And I doubt Gyllenhaal will try to bleed them dry given how much of a passion project this is.

But anyway, this is all speculation. Only time will tell!

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/19/19 at 12:45pm

I agree I hope this doesn't get the Sunday treatment either. Sunday had a larger cast whereas this production will only have 2. 

I'd think Jake Gyllenhaal is a household name in the USA but not sure about Tom Sturridge.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/19/19 at 6:25pm

I’m so angry at my husband Jake, for this. I’m thrilled he’s back on Broadway but sitting through this again so soon after I saw it downtown is something I really don’t want to do. It was one of the most powerful and depressing evenings I’ve ever spent in the theatre but I have to go support the show. I have no choice. It’s JAKE.
I guess I’ll just stock up on Kleenex.

[schubox]

Posted: 4/25/19 at 9:22am

I loved this, particularly A Life, but I can’t see how it will translate well to a larger theater. Part of what was so special about it was how immediate it felt with the actors so close

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/25/19 at 1:29pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I’m so angry at my husband Jake, for this. I’m thrilled he’s back on Broadway but sitting through this again so soon after I saw it downtown is something I really don’t want to do. It was one of the most powerful and depressing evenings I’ve ever spent in the theatre but I have to go support the show. I have no choice. It’s JAKE.
I guess I’ll just stock up on Kleenex."

 

An old sock is just as effective.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 5/14/19 at 8:59am

FYI, regarding seating, if the Public's staging is kept, Jake Gyllenhaal stands stage right/house left for the entirety of his play. It's possible that this will change, and he'll move to center stage, but I just figured I'd give a heads-up.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 5/14/19 at 9:12am

On a side note, I was in Mexico City last week and Jake was at the Freida Kahlo Museum, the same time I was.

Updated On: 5/14/19 at 09:12 AM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 5/14/19 at 1:15pm

CT2NYC said: "FYI, regarding seating, if the Public's staging is kept, Jake Gyllenhaal stands stage right/house left for the entirety of his play. It's possible that this will change, and he'll move to center stage, but I just figured I'd give a heads-up."

 

I'm not sure when you saw the show at The Public, but when I saw it (during the final week of the run), this was not at all the case.  He moved around quite a bit.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 5/14/19 at 1:29pm

JSquared2 said: "CT2NYC said: "FYI, regarding seating, if the Public's staging is kept, Jake Gyllenhaal stands stage right/house left for the entirety of his play. It's possible that this will change, and he'll move to center stage, but I just figured I'd give a heads-up."



I'm not sure when you saw the show at The Public, but when I saw it (during the final week of the run), this was not at all the case. He moved around quite a bit."

I saw it on 3/13, 2 1/2 weeks before the end of the run. He stood in a single spotlight which didn't move for the entirety of A Life. He shuffled a bit within the spotlight, but he was never dead center stage or stage right.

Updated On: 5/14/19 at 01:29 PM

[sorano916]

Posted: 5/14/19 at 1:43pm

So, I saw the show at the Public and as many have mentioned, it's slightly depressing.

The Broadway production posted a montage and I hope that people don't see the video and think that it's an uplifting romp because it's totally giving off a different vibe that what it is (or at least was from the Public version): https://youtu.be/LiuJmWZg4cA

[sm33]

Posted: 5/14/19 at 9:35pm

CT2NYC said:  I saw it on 3/13, 2 1/2 weeks before the end of the run. He stood in a single spotlight which didn't move for the entirety of A Life. He shuffled a bit within the spotlight, but he was never dead center stage or stage right."

I saw it the day before it closed, and this is exactly how I would describe it. I was really glad that I'd gotten seats in the center of the audience.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 5/14/19 at 9:57pm

sm33 said: "CT2NYC said: I saw it on 3/13, 2 1/2 weeks before the end of the run. He stood in a single spotlight which didn't move for the entirety of A Life. He shuffled a bit within the spotlight, but he was never dead center stage or stage right."

I saw it the day before it closed, and this is exactly how I would describe it. I was really glad that I'd gotten seats in the center of the audience."

Thanks, I have friends who also confirmed it. Of course, there was the very brief part when...

 

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he came down off the stage and ran through the audience, but, when he was up there, he pretty much stayed put.

 

Updated On: 5/14/19 at 09:57 PM