SUNDAY at City Center performance thoughts/reviews — Page 4

Still on the fence about trying to go tonight...

If I don't know the show, and don't know the music, but don't necessarily have some of the same concerns about expecting a full production for a fundraiser, and realizing that I'll have to drive basically directly from work for 2 hours to get there....

Should I do it? I've always wanted to see this show, but might be better served with a fully staged production... Hmm... thoughts?

While I've been aware of the show (of course) for years, I'd never heard any songs besides "Sunday."

Holy hell. What a beautiful gut-punch that show is.

Jake and Annaleigh were just wonderful. Even with their books in hand, they fully developed, committed performances. They'd be wonderful in a full production.

A great way to be introduced to the material proper. I hope you all who get to see it enjoy yourselves! Well worth the money for "Move On" alone.

Although I have no interest in attending this concert (I saw the original production six times, with different casts, and several productions since; the first original cast is still by far the benchmark for me, and no subsequent production has come close to that one [for me]); I do have this to say about "concert productions:"

You'll see these, and to many it's immediately obvious who did their homework as soon as they got the offer. These are the people who hired a coach, or just had the help of friends, to dig in and explore the dialogue and music, make specific choices, and memorize the piece. And there are those who just showed up at rehearsal, expecting to be taught what to do.

There will always be a difference of opinion on nose in the book performances; some people enjoy them; personally, I think if you don't really know the material, you're flying half-blind. That can be interesting, in a hit-or-miss way, but to me it just can't compare to what comes from someone who has done the work - whether that work was done in guided rehearsal or independently.

What's odd about this particular case is some viewers here report nose in the book performances, while others report fully fleshed out ones. I wonder what's really happening?

haterobics said: "Still on the fence about trying to go tonight...

If I don't know the show, and don't know the music, but don't necessarily have some of the same concerns about expecting a full production for a fundraiser, and realizing that I'll have to drive basically directly from work for 2 hours to get there....

Should I do it? I've always wanted to see this show, but might be better served with a fully staged production... Hmm... thoughts?"

I, personally, would not recommend this to someone who was not familiar with the show. But that's just me- there are obviously people in this thread who went in knowing very little and enjoyed it.

"...given how quickly this was put together - how little time they'd likely had with an orchestra and how insanely complicated the music is - and the entrances to the music are..."

I always marvel at this myth that Sondheim scores are "complicated" or "almost impossible to learn." Granted, I'm a musician, but I've worked with many actors with little musical experience, totally unable to read music, who have easily learned pieces that others would call "complex." Into The Woods is really trickier, and I've heard children master it. I've seen singing actors master the opening number to Company in one session.

The key, of course, is to not tell the actor that the music is difficult. And the fact that there are several recordings of this particular score available to assist learning really does remove any excuse for anyone performing this score professionally (who has known for months that they were going to do so) for not being totally comfortable with it (and off book).

""Putting it Together" has to be the most terrifying patter song since "Trouble in River City"."

I don't think I'd call "Putting It Together" a patter song - it doesn't have lightning fast strings of words. It might have a good number of lyrics, but that's a different thing. A Sondheim patter song is the Witch's first number in "Into The Woods," or "Getting Married Today."

Updated On: 10/25/16 at 10:46 AM

I hear you, Alice, but I suppose I'll never really accept that excuse "it's hard material," particularly when applied to celebrities/professionals who are performing in a piece with a high price tag for the audience. For amateurs or kids, yes; for pros, no.

That's a part of why most people pay to attend this sort of thing - to see artists at the top of their craft doing difficult things exceptionally well.

haterobics said: "Still on the fence about trying to go tonight...

If I don't know the show, and don't know the music, but don't necessarily have some of the same concerns about expecting a full production for a fundraiser, and realizing that I'll have to drive basically directly from work for 2 hours to get there....

Should I do it? I've always wanted to see this show, but might be better served with a fully staged production... Hmm... thoughts?



"

Other than knowing the title song, I knew nothing about the show and absolutely LOVED it! Go!

Here we go. A MAJOR rave from Brantley. Big love letter to Jake. Congrats to all in involved.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/theater/review-jake-gyllenhaal-shines-in-a-joyous-sunday-in-the-park-with-george.html

He even compliments the direction

"But in terms of conveying this work’s view of art as both a coolly isolating and warmly embracing experience, I’ve never seen a more convincing interpretation. Directed by Sarna Lapine (Mr. Lapine’s niece) and featuring a prismatic onstage orchestra led by Chris Fenwick, this “Sunday” benefits from the stripped-down concert approach to let us see plain, the naked elements that come together in making art’s magic."

Updated On: 10/25/16 at 11:51 AM

To Mr. Brantley's quote, I guess I would say that the "benefit" of a stripped down concert is likely only for those intensely familiar with the work already (as I would wager Brantley is). But congrats to Gyllenhaal and Ashford. Yes, I suppose with a review like that we have to assume some kind of eventual full production starring these two down the road will at least be discussed.

Agreed about Rashad. She was stunning.

QueenAlice said: "To Mr. Brantley's quote, I guess I would say that the "benefit" of a stripped down concert is likely only for those intensely familiar with the work already (as I would wager Brantley is). But congrats to Gyllenhaal and Ashford. Yes, I suppose with a review like that we have to assume some kind of eventual full production starring these two down the road will at least be discussed."

I agree. It will at least be discussed. I'm sure many commercial producers will be taking a major look at this benefit. Also, I don't believe it was by accident that they employed three major Tony winning designers for a benefit concert. It would be amazing to see a commercial production of Sunday become a big success.

Bought myself a ticket to see it again tomorrow afternoon so I can experience it again for what it is, and not just the joy of seeing these individual performances exceed all of my already high expectations. It really was a beautiful evening and tomorrow will be a beautiful afternoon.