SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE in Performances (The 2017 Revival)- Page 6

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 1:57am

You're gonna love it

Another note, they changed the color of Jake's dress shirt in act two to blue, it closely matches the color of Annaleigh's dress, which is a nice touch. It definitely seems that they are tinkering with minor things throughout previews. 

Updated On: 2/16/17 at 01:57 AM

[djoko84]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 6:33am

ljay889 said: "It's always great reading your thoughts, Whizzer! I agree with most of it, although I think I enjoy Ashford's Dot more than you do. I saw both Ben Platt and Jake today and this truly could've been an exciting Tony competition. I really wish this production was eligible, but I understand their reasoning. 
 

"

Funnily enough, I also saw DEH in matinee and SIPWG at night. I was totally blown away by DEH and Ben Platt, but I wasn't as amazed by SIPWG. My friend told me it's the kind of show you need to see a second time to appreciate.

[After Eight]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 7:11am

Since the day I sat through it, Sweeney Todd stands as the worst musical I have ever seen. But now with this new production, that ne plus ultra of snobs' and critics' darlings entitled Sunday in the Park With George is sinking ever closer to rock bottom. I never could have thought it possible, but this experience was even more painful, more torturous than when I suffered through it the first time. It's not that the music is any more headache-inducing,  that the book is any more drab, boring, and pretentious, that it moves at any more of a snail's pace. What has heightened here is the hallowed  "we-are-a- masterpiece"  reverence it has conferred upon itself. It's not only pleased with itself, it's in awe of itself. Not only is every member of the audience expected to bow and scrape before it --- no dissent allowed, of course --- it bows and scrapes before itself all evening long.

You know how you have to eat a peppermint to get a sour taste out of your mouth? Similarly, I felt obliged to play La Cage aux Folles immediately upon returning home as an antidote to all this. Happily,  it worked! Thank you, real music!

Updated On: 2/17/17 at 07:11 AM

[Lot666]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 8:11am

Regarding front orchestra seating and views of the Chromolume scene, I'm getting the impression from posts here that rows C and closer are partially obstructed to varying degrees. The Hudson website currently shows row A at $299, which is incredibly expensive for a partially obstructed view. Am I misunderstanding something? I bought B 107; is this an obstructed view?

Updated On: 2/16/17 at 08:11 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 8:14am

After Eight said: "What has heightened here is the hallowed  "we-are-a- masterpiece"  reverence it has conferred upon itself. It's not only pleased with itself, it's in awe of itself. Not only is every member of the audience expected to bow and scrape before it --- no dissent allowed, of course --- it bows and scrapes before itself all evening long."

Yeah, when I dislike a show, I always go to everything by the same composer and every subsequent revival... makes perfect sense.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 8:26am

ljay, you're right- Robert Sean Leonard pairs well with Davie, and his line cutting off George and Marie's banter after the slideshow was one of the biggest belly laughs of night. In general, this revival has so much humor that only a truly humorless person could find it otherwise. 

And don't get me wrong- I really did like Annaleigh's performance- but my excitement for it was overshadowed by how blown away I was by Jake. I haven't made it a secret around here that I detested his first two New York outings. It had nothing to do with him- I just hated the plays themselves and I don't think they gave him any chance to shine. Then came Little Shop and it was like, wow, this guy could really make a name for himself in musical theater. That said, Seymour isn't the most vocally demanding role, and his voice, while strong, sounded like he just had a lot of natural talent, but never had invested in any sort of training/coaching. Would he be able to handle one of the toughest roles in the canon? It's clear he put in the work and now I think he has it in him to tackle the great Sondheim male roles. Can't you see his Bobby? His Giorgio? His seductively cold Sweeney? His Franklin Shepard? When he's older he would make a great Frederik. Jake could even play Hapgood and get that show to run. As he said last night, so many possibilities! 

[little_sally]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 9:40am

Well, Whizzer, I didn't know I wanted  Jake to play Franklin Shepherd until you mentioned it!

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 9:46am

I'd pay good money for Jake's Franklin Shepard

[BroadwayGuy12]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 10:18am

Add me to the list of those who would pay top dollar to see Jake's Franklin Shepard.

Actually, I'd pay top dollar to see every performance Whizzer listed. Looking forward to seeing his George again next week after enjoying the concert at City Center.

[SueBee06]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 10:34am

WhizzerMarvin said: It's clear he put in the work and now I think he has it in him to tackle the great Sondheim male roles. Can't you see his Bobby? His Giorgio? His seductively cold Sweeney? His Franklin Shepard? When he's older he would make a great Frederik. Jake could even play Hapgood and get that show to run. As he said last night, so many possibilities! 

 

Oh my... I would love to see him as all of those. I think he's particularly primed for Bobby right now because of his age. I really loved him as George. He brought so many layers to both of them and I "got" the character more than I ever have. And oh my god the dog portion was amazing. I agree with so much of what both you and ljay said about last night. I'm not a big Annaleigh fan, but I thought she sang the role beautifully. I never really got that she was completely in love with George though, so I think she has some digging to do into the character. I'd love to go back in a month and see where they both are with it. I can only see it getting better

I didn't like Robert Sean Leonard at all. I just found him meh.

The orchestrations and the orchestra were glorious, especially during the Act I Sunday. That song has always been lovely, but somehow they made it even more special. I'm not going to lie - it made me cry.

Thank you to whomever gave the heads up about seating to see the Chromolume. I managed to buy a different seat and sell my old one so I got a full view. Years ago I was a stagehand and I was wondering what the rig was when I was checking out the renovation during intermission. I may have actually whispered, "Oh ****," accidentally out loud when the Chromolume got going (that's a compliment when I see an effect that I love). Luckily I had an empty seat next to me.

Overall a really lovely production.

 

[sondmon]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 11:20am

I saw this last night after seeing it at City Center and was overwhelmed. I thought the projections were wonderful. A simple and thoughtful way to make the scenic design work without being over the top. though in the Sunday Act 1 Finale you can't really see the whole painting up on the curtain which was slightly annoying. 

In terms of the cast other than Jake and Annaleigh who blew me away again I thought Boykin stole each one of his scenes. Davie and Leonard were good but I was not overwhelmed. I thought they delivered their lines well but they lacked some of the swagger and snobbery that are so essential for the roles. Ruth Ann Miles was great, just wish she had a chance to sing. David Turner was adequate but he really tried a little to hard on the French accent during the day off which was a little jarring given how diverse the casting for this production was. Penny Fuller was excellent but honestly I preferred Rashad-her Beautiful was otherworldly.

And what can I say the chromolume was something special. Its giving Great Comet a run for its money for all those lights. I had a perfect view in the third row of the dress circle-thanks to ljay for recommending it.     

 

[Chad Eberle]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 11:42am

Hi, everyone.  I have tickets to see this mid March, and I cannot wait.  Thank you to all who are posting feedback here.  It is only heightening my excitement and anticipation.  I do have a dilemma, though, that I hope you'll help me with.  Oddly, even though I consider Sunday one of my favorite musicals ever (listening to the score makes me cry every time), I haven't ever actually seen it.  I am very familiar with the music and have a general understanding of the story.  My husband bought me the DVD of the original production with Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin for Christmas, and I haven't yet sat down to watch it.  So my question is, should I watch it before seeing the revival next month?  I'm torn.  On one hand, I don't want to be subconsciously comparing the productions and performances, but on the other hand, I don't want to have trouble following the story.  We will be in NYC on vacation, so I'll only have the opportunity to see this once.  Could anyone offer an opinion on this?  How complex is the story to follow since it jumps around in time?  

[Jimmyb1969]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 12:35pm

Hate to say it...but...I was completely bored. Caught the evening performance last night and it felt like Jake got off to a very slow start. He even blew some lines and seemed out of sorts until he found his footing mid-way thru act one. But it was very uneven throughout...there were a few times the show would start gaining momentum and then bam...just lose energy. I'm wondering if there's something going on we don't know about? Jake seemed way preoccupied when he came out last night. There's a tentativeness with the cast and that's the kiss of death for this show. I saw the Encores version and it felt so much fresher to me...there was something electric about the cast sitting on stage. You felt like you were seeing something special. It was fresh and alive and dare I say fun. Not last night kids. The revised staging just feels bland and uninspired. Actors were getting in each others way. It was just off.  I'm a huge fan of Analeigh but her voice just got so grating to me last night...none of the depth or range of a Kristin Chenoweth who she sounds like. Absolutely the wrong role for her.  Jake is solid vocally but Putting it Together was a complete miss for him. Frankly he just sulks around the stage for 2.5 hours. I didn't feel any chemistry or spark between Jake and Analeigh and I did during the Encores performance??? Maybe it was just an off night...who knows?  Jake is usually so sexy and his costumes do nothing to help him. They're not cut right? On a positive note the Chromolume is very inventive and fresh but the actor playing the electrician is a total amateur. I felt him "acting" during his leaving scene. Just so you know the audience loved the show...I guess I'm the lone hold out. I cannot believe Sondheim thinks this is any good? But for 250.00 I expect better on Broadway. Yes it was a preview but really??? Also..warning...there are sound issues in this theatre, it was hot,  the orchestra is weak, the projections cut on and off at weird times and overall the entire production felt sloppy, amateurish and frankly boring. I usually take Whizzer's reviews as the gospel but I just can't on this one...and I loved Jake in Constellations...cried through the last 20 minutes of it so I have to say in my opinion this is not Jake's best outing on Broadway. I needed more substance from him...and Analeigh's schtick didn't help at all. Last night they were in two different shows. The supporting cast actually worked really hard to give the night some much needed humor which I greatly appreciated. Brooks always knows what to do to get a scene moving...just like Nathan Lane. 

Jake even looked lost during the curtain call...what does that tell you?

 

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 1:01pm

The curtain call was JUST added. So Jake looking a little confused is forgivable. 

Also. I respect your opinions, but George isn't a happy go lucky character, I think Jake plays the brooding disconnect very well, I don't feel it's a lack of interest or boredom. And Jake looks great, why should they make George look sexier? The other characters find George attractive, but I don't think he's supposed to be a sex symbol. 

Updated On: 2/16/17 at 01:01 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 1:22pm

Jake regarding the Tony eligibility.

The show ends its run April 23, before nominations are announced, so the producers decided to withdraw it from consideration. “These awards are partially about getting attention and making sure people see shows that are still running,” Gyllenhaal notes. “There’s no reason to usurp any of that.”

http://variety.com/2017/legit/news/jake-gyllenhaal-broadway-sunday-in-the-park-with-george-1201989620/

[Jimmyb1969]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 1:30pm

If you have to make excuses for the curtain call then you know you're in trouble...just saying'!

[haterobics]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 1:31pm

Chad Eberle said: "I do have a dilemma, though, that I hope you'll help me with.  Oddly, even though I consider Sunday one of my favorite musicals ever (listening to the score makes me cry every time), I haven't ever actually seen it."

I have a similar dilemma, and asked a composer friend who says Sunday is his favorite show as to his advice. And he told me to watch the video before seeing it live, so that I had a firm grasp of the story and music, so that I would better appreciate the new production and the nuances and choices, rather than having to grasp it all in that first sitting.

So, although I didn't do it yet (since I'm going to the final show of this run and have time yet), that is still the plan.

 

[newintown]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 1:37pm

On this question of "should I prepare for Sunday?", all I can say is - the first time I saw it was late in previews for the original Broadway production when I was an undergrad, and it hit me immediately, like a ton of bricks. With no familiarity with the material in the least.

Repeated viewing revealed more things, but... I have to say, if you don't "get it" right away, there's either 1) something wrong with the production, or 2) you aren't probably going to ever really "get it."

Updated On: 2/16/17 at 01:37 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 1:45pm

I don't fear not getting it, really. I just find most things get better with subsequent views, so in the case of a new musical, I try to go in fresh and with as little information as possible to make a purchase decision. If I like it, I'll just go again later. But for an older show that isn't revived as often, with a limited run, I wanted to ensure my first time seeing it live is as rich as possible. If that meant going in blank, as I am right now, I'd do that. But since I trust the person's advice, I'll watch the video version beforehand, probably not the night before, but a month or so out... let it simmer a bit.

For the same reasons, when asked, I've recommended people listen to the Hamilton OBCR before going to that show, since the option to just pop back in isn't the same as it is for most shows...

[Jimmyb1969]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 1:51pm

The original is gorgeous. You should watch it. Notice the command in which Mandy starts the play. You know you're in for a great ride.

 

[Chad Eberle]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 1:57pm

Thanks to those chiming in on whether or not to view this before attending it live.  Unlike my husband, who prefers to go into shows cold with no knowledge whatsoever, I think I've decided to watch the OBC about a month out from when I'll be seeing the revival.  I'm pretty sure my hubby is going to hate Sunday anyway (his loss) because he doesn't seem to appreciate Sondheim.  I remember seeing the Company revival with Raul Esparza in 2007 and being utterly mesmerized and enthralled with the entire production.  When the lights came up at the end, I saw hubby was asleep.  He called it "the most expensive nap he ever took".  Oh, well.  His loss.  Sondheim shows have always been my favorite in the musical theatre canon.  There's so much pathos and emotion and wit and intelligence to them.  Of the 8 shows we have booked for March, I'm looking forward the most to Sunday!  

[Valentina3]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 2:10pm

Chad - to be fair, the 2007 revival of Company is not everyone's cup of tea. My boyfriend who loves Sondheim and Company napped through most of the show because he found the direction to be extremely underwhelming.

Anyway, I haven't said this for almost 50 posts now, so I'll say it again - theater gods PLEASE let this show extend for just 2 more weeks.

Updated On: 2/16/17 at 02:10 PM

[The Day Off]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 2:18pm

Very excited to see this production and the Hudson! Looks like a beautiful show and theatre. 

Updated On: 2/16/17 at 02:18 PM

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 3:56pm

With all due respect, Mr. Eight, why would you attend a show you already dislike? I myself am a very picky theatre-goer. I only buy tickets to things I know I will love.

[MinnieFay]

Posted: 2/16/17 at 4:12pm

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "With all due respect, Mr. Eight, why would you attend a show you already dislike? I myself am a very picky theatre-goer. I only buy tickets to things I know I will love."

Actually that approach seems just as silly and close-minded as A8's!  How on earth do you know what you're going to "love" before you've seen it?