SUNDAY at City Center performance thoughts/reviews- Page 6

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 12:01pm

I was wondering about the Rayn line as well!!! I guess James added it for this production. I actually loved it. 

I agree Annaleigh sounded fatigued during Move On and Rashad absolutely missed a note or two during Beautiful, but all of her intentions were clear and delicate. Like I said earlier, missed notes or some strain didn't bother me, I wasn't expecting fully rehearsed perfection. The potentional for a full scale production is very strong though.

[Kad]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 12:05pm

I've seen a few shows at Encores in which there's an upstage set piece or something that is almost totally impossible for people in balcony or rear mezz to see. It's infuriating.

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 12:27pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Kad, I think the characters bowing to and acknowledging George at the end of the show is the most incredible moments in any musical. It's art acknowledging the artist. How beautiful is that? 

 

It left me in tears. So many moments left me breathless, elated or in tears. What a beautiful show. What a beautiful cast. What a beautiful night. 

 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 12:37pm

No Encores has been more poorly staged than On the Town when almost every single dance sequence was performed on an elevated platform behind the orchestra was was completely obstructed for rear mezz and balcony patrons. 

They has projected images on the sides in the past and I don't know why they didn't do that last night too. 

TonyVincent- I'm totally with you on the '08 revival being one of the best productions of any show EVER. Were you at the final performance? Daniel Evans' breakdown after Move On and his inability to say the words in the back of the box was sob-inducing. 

As for last night, I enjoyed it a lot. I thought everyone was off book enough and the costumes/staging/etc were appropriate. I expected it to be staged as much as Annie Get Your Gun was last year and it basically was. Jake really sounded wonderful. I hope he keeps coming back to the stage but please, please, please not in any more Nick Payne plays!! 

I liked Ashford's take on Dot. She didn't go for the conventional choices we've seen/heard before. 

The supporting cast did well and of course the book and score are two of the greatest written. (For me they are second only to The Most Happy Fella, but Sunday is the type of masterwork we rarely see in the theater.) 

Experiencing the score is always going to make for a good night out and I'm happy they put this on. 

[Thparkaly]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 12:48pm

Updated On: 11/8/17 at 12:48 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 12:59pm

Yeah, ON THE TOWN will go down as the worst production they've ever put on there. It was infuriating and directed solely for the orchestra section of the theater. 

[Kad]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:05pm

I'm still thinking about the performance on Monday. What's so wonderful- and unusual- about Sunday is its second act. It's messy, not as focused on building or exploring character much, reliant on high concept devices that are totally absent in the first act, it's basically just three scenes (the painting, the museum, the island)... but it works not only well, but extremely well. Looking at it close, it's just a lot of specks. From far away, your senses mix them together into colors and light.

[barcelona20]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:11pm

Having not seen the show but listened to the clips online of Jake singing, I would say he is "adequate".  He doesn't try to go beyond his limited range and is never out of tune, but he is not a Broadway leading man singer at all, I'm sorry.

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:13pm

barcelona20 said: "Having not seen the show but listened to the clips online of Jake singing, I would say he is "adequate".  He doesn't try to go beyond his limited range and is never out of tune, but he is not a Broadway leading man singer at all, I'm sorry.

 

I respectfully disagree but you shouldn't ever feel the need to apologize for having an opinion. You're entitled to one. 

 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:19pm

Jake's voice was rich and full last night. Completely Broadway leading man material. He was wonderful in both this and Little Shop; I abstain (courteously) from commenting on his performances in Constellations and If I Knew You Were Coming I'd Have Baked This Cake. Still, despite his dubious choice in plays, Jake should give up making films and give himself over to the theater full time. 

 

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:20pm

^ I agree, no need to apology for an opinion but I'm not entirely sure someone could come to that conclusion based solely on a bootleg audio that isn't the best quality. His voice was lovely live in person, and Sondheim is famous for choosing actors who could sing over sensational singers with limited acting ability. 

[barcelona20]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:30pm

Stephen Pasquale, Patrick Wilson, Brian D'arcy James, would slay the material. Y'all are going far too easy on Jake. I don't get any sense of urgency in his singing. It's too guarded, and I wish he could let go a little. "In my opinion".

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:40pm

"your opinion", which is based on not having seen the performance.

[barcelona20]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:42pm

And I said that already, but thank you for mentioning it again.

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:43pm

barcelona20 said: "Stephen Pasquale, Patrick Wilson, Brian D'arcy James, would slay the material. Y'all are going far too easy on Jake. I don't get any sense of urgency in his singing. It's too guarded, and I wish he could let go a little. "In my opinion".

All great singers and each a decade (or more) too old for the role. George died at 31.

 

"

 

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:50pm

barcelona20 said: "Stephen Pasquale, Patrick Wilson, Brian D'arcy James, would slay the material. Y'all are going far too easy on Jake. I don't get any sense of urgency in his singing. It's too guarded, and I wish he could let go a little. "In my opinion".

 

I was under the impression that you had seen the performance live, but you are basing your opinion off of bootleg audio.

Your opinion would be more informed and fair if you had attended a performance.

That is not really fair. No one is going to consider your "opinion" based on that. 

 

 

Updated On: 10/26/16 at 01:50 PM

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 1:51pm

George is a difficult role to sing, but an intelligent performance is more important than perfectly golden tones. Daniel Evans, who had a smaller voice than Jake, was absolutely masterful in role. 

Jake's voice was very expressive and alive last night. The Day Off was particularly exquisite. I do think Pasquale would make a good George, but there was nothing lacking in Jake's performance IMO. Audios can't tell the whole tale. 

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 2:01pm

I agree that Jake is also perfect age wise. For the first time last night it hit me how young George and Dot really are supposed to, given that George died at only 31. It was quite refreshing seeing a very age appropriate George and Dot. 

[Kad]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 2:03pm

Believe it or not, Mandy Patinkin was only 32 when he originated the role on Broadway.

[MyFavoriteBrunette]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 2:29pm

Not adding anything other than what's already been posted...I remember when I was a kid, the original production on Broadway and hearing the  title mentioned on The Tony Awards.  The show title always piqued a curiosity in me.  I am very happy I had the chance to see this last night, even though my row L mezzanine practically cut off the entire projection.  However, it didn't take away from what I was watching from the actors and what I was listening to.  Gyllenhaal had a very pleasing voice, Rashad's delivery of her lines as Old Lady were amusing.  I made the big mistake of not seeing She Loves Me, so was happy to have Zachary Levi in the cast.  It was wonderful to see actors from shuttered shows, Brooks Ashmanskas from Shuffle Along and how happy I was to see Fun Home little Allison, Gabriella Pizzolo.  I loved her in the opening song of the second act, her glasses!  I wish I could have heard more Ruthie Ann Miles vocal range as I did at The King and I because her voice is just so beautiful to me.

Overall, a wonderful evening for me, exactly as it was presented.  My husband and I truly enjoyed seeing this with books in hand (highlighted lines spied through my binoculars) it was unfiltered and real and I loved it!  Not knowing anything about the show beforehand didn't take away anything from it for me, I was still teary-eyed and the end!

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 2:48pm

There has never been a better interpretation of the dog bit than Jake's, in my opinion. And I've studied this show very intensely, I've heard a lot of Georges interpretations.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 3:23pm

I'll take a masterful actor like Gyllenhaal who, by all accounts, can more than hold his own in the singing department than someone like D'Arcy James whom I believe lacks the charisma and presence necessary to realize what's ultimately (on paper, anyways) a hard-to-like protagonist. As Ljay said, Sondheim himself has often opted for actors who can sing.

I only wish that any talks of a full production actually materialized, which I think is rather unlikely. It'd be so wonderful to see an event production of this masterpiece headlined by a huge star like Jake Gyllenhaal. How exciting would that be!

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 4:01pm

barcelona20 said: "Stephen Pasquale, Patrick Wilson, Brian D'arcy James, would slay the material. Y'all are going far too easy on Jake. I don't get any sense of urgency in his singing. It's too guarded, and I wish he could let go a little. "In my opinion".

"

Pasquale doesn't have the acting chops for this.

[barcelona20]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 4:01pm

Well for starters, you're just wrong about BDJ's ability.  And #2, I never said Jake wasn't amazing in the part, just that for me, his singing ability is lacking compared to others.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 10/26/16 at 4:20pm

TonyVincent- I'm totally with you on the '08 revival being one of the best productions of any show EVER. Were you at the final performance? Daniel Evans' breakdown after Move On and his inability to say the words in the back of the box was sob-inducing.

Whizzer -- I was! I think Jenna Russell had a very hard time in her last solo line as well. My favorite moment of that production is actually not even a spoken/sung one. When Daniel turns around to see the blank, bright white stage, he gasped and the "blank canvas" before him. It always got me, and was particularly prominent (and combined with a real sob) during the final performance. I was really hoping everyone would clear out rather than just standing there last night for the final note, but can't take too much issue with the directorial choice.

And, not to fuel the sidetracking of the past few points, but during the trade last night I did think of Pasquale as a voice I'd love to hear as Georges. He's 39, vs Jake at 35 now
and Daniel at 35 when he played it. Certainly towards the limit, but not past it. It's not like Barbra trying to play Rose. :)