SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS with Raul Esparza @ Lincoln Center- Page 2

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 9/14/25 at 1:14am

It's selling well, with 9 weeks until the 3 performances.

https://www.mastervoices.org/events/sweet-smell-of-success/

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/16/25 at 12:46pm

Ali Louis remains booked & blessed and is great casting on paper!

https://playbill.com/article/full-casting-set-for-sweet-smell-of-success-concert-starring-raul-esparza

Ali Louis Bourzgui (The Who's Tommy) as Sidney Falco, Noah J. Ricketts (The Great Gatsby) as Dallas, and Aline Mayagoitia (Real Women Have Curves) as Rita.

[quizqueen101]

Posted: 11/15/25 at 3:29pm

I’m selling an extra ticket I have. 47 bucks for last row of balcony. 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 11/17/25 at 2:27pm

"Don't Know Where You Leave Off" from SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS | Lizzy McAlpine & Noah J. Ricketts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghEmkczCrwo

Updated On: 11/17/25 at 02:27 PM

[barcelona20]

Posted: 11/17/25 at 2:55pm

CoffeeBreak said: ""Don't Know Where You Leave Off" from SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS | Lizzy McAlpine & Noah J. Ricketts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghEmkczCrwo"

I'm not sure why they posted that.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 11/17/25 at 3:02pm

barcelona20 said: "CoffeeBreak said: ""Don't Know Where You Leave Off" from SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS | Lizzy McAlpine & Noah J. Ricketts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghEmkczCrwo"

I'm not sure why they posted that."

Advertising for the 3 performances this weekend at Lincoln Center ?

https://www.mastervoices.org/events/sweet-smell-of-success/

[barcelona20]

Posted: 11/17/25 at 3:40pm

CoffeeBreak said: "barcelona20 said: "CoffeeBreak said: ""Don't Know Where You Leave Off" from SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS | Lizzy McAlpine & Noah J. Ricketts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghEmkczCrwo"

I'm not sure why they posted that."

Advertising for the 3 performances this weekend at Lincoln Center ?

https://www.mastervoices.org/events/sweet-smell-of-success/"

Point being I have a hard time believing that video (especially one of the performers) sold any tickets. Give us Raul and Ali please.

 

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 7:12am

Interesting interview with two of the creative team.

https://www.theatermania.com/news/interview-john-guare-and-craig-carnelia-revisit-sweet-smell-of-success-the-musical-that-got-away_1812306/

Updated On: 11/20/25 at 07:12 AM

[macbeth]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 10:35am

Excited by these changes!

[morosco]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 9:43pm

Sweet Smell of Success (2002)

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 10:53pm

Going tomorrow night; can't wait! 

[theatergoer3]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 11:06pm

Ran about 2:15/2:20 tonight. Score is stunning. Esparza made a meal out of it. Liked the younger cast as well. 

I haven’t seen the original but - 

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The ending is very different than the film’s. I liked it. 

 

Updated On: 11/21/25 at 11:06 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 11:07pm

That’s different than the 90 mins I was told. Is there an intermission?

[theatergoer3]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 11:09pm

Jordan Catalano said: "That’s different than the 90 mins I was told. Is there an intermission?"

Yeah - it’s about 1:10/1:15 in.

At the door they were saying 1:45 with in or addition to intermission - couldn’t tell. 

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 11:17pm

Really enjoyed this tonight as well. Ran 2:20 with an intermission (though intermission ran a little long). The musical is a bit of a weird one but felt lucky to hear it with such a great cast. It seems like a lot was added for Susan and I wish we could get a recording of that new material especially since Lizzy sounded wonderful. Huge shoutout to Noah J. Ricketts with the swoonworthy vocals. The duet moments between the two of them were highlights. A very nice night out. 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 11:42pm

how is the back of the balcony at this venue?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 11:45pm

CoffeeBreak said: "how is the back of the balcony at this venue?"

It’s FAR from the stage. 

[Diana Greenhouse]

Posted: 11/22/25 at 2:01pm

I’m in the last row of the balcony right now. It’s not far at all, but once you’re accustomed to the balcony at city center, everything else is a piece of cake. 

[Diana Greenhouse]

Posted: 11/22/25 at 2:13pm

Omg they just stopped because of mic issues.  I’m in the last row of the balcony and I heard okay, but not as well as it should be, so I’m glad they’re fixing it. The band rocks

[NYCTheatre12342]

Posted: 11/22/25 at 2:35pm

Updated On: 11/22/25 at 02:35 PM

[Diana Greenhouse]

Posted: 11/22/25 at 3:27pm

I’m enjoying it, the melodies are great, the band rocks.  I like the dog eat dog world of it all, but then it turned a little sappy.  It reminds me of a rock opera from the British ovation where there’s no traditional book scenes. There’s underscoring almost entirely throughout with barely any moments of reprieve or clarity.  But that’s just my thoughts after act 1. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/22/25 at 5:20pm

That was sublime. I love these master voices concerts, they’re like old school Encores shows. I wish we could get more of not only these concerts but beautiful scores like this. 

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/23/25 at 3:13pm

Wonderful review!

https://openingnight.online/triumphant-resurrection-mastervoices-breathes-new-life-into-sweet-smell-of-success/?fbclid=IwdGRleAOQSv9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe_bUXD90yCSoKJBAZ88ZpEHqs52zyIhcz3q3BwNv20eg6MXFzjr5qWasyvtU_aem_5kZ4EYSZxdb-w-i5-POG_w

Updated On: 11/23/25 at 03:13 PM

[somecheapfrenchthing]

Posted: 11/23/25 at 8:36pm

Jordan Catalano said: "That was sublime. I love these master voices concerts, they’re like old school Encores shows. I wish we could get more of not only these concerts but beautiful scores like this."

Completely agree. One of my favorite things I've seen all year. master voices has really upped their game. I loved The Frogs, too. But this I felt was next-level. Now I wish they'd redo Anyone Can Whistle with a different Cora. I also much prefer their productions in the Rose Theatre over Carnegie Hall. 

 

Updated On: 11/23/25 at 08:36 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/23/25 at 11:01pm

WOAH, that brassy score sounded stellar in a theatre built for jazz. Kicking myself that I didn’t accidentally turn on my voice memos app ;)

It's an unevenly written show with lots more good than bad, and I liked it much better than two of the other "forgotten musicals" recently onstage, Baker's Wife and Bat Boy (haven't seen Chess yet). I know the choir is a “thing” for Mastervoices, but maybe Guare needs to look at slimming down the cast (but not the band!!!!) if they actually want a future life for the show, the greek chorus-style commentary might be unnecessary. This also felt much more professionally mounted than other things I’ve seen by Mastervoices (their STRIKE UP THE BAND at Carnegie Hall was one of the worst things I saw on stage last year).

Esparza was predictably sublime, and brought way more to the role vocally than John Lithgow. You just love to hate him, and he appeared to be having a blast as the villain. High kicks at 55!! Ali Louis Bourzgui is a special talent. Noah Ricketts vocally was also a vast improvement over Jack Noseworthy on the cast album. Maybe Lizzy McAlpine is only good with a few months of prep? I didn’t like her at all the first time I saw Floyd Collins in previews, but saw it later in the run and was really taken by her performance.

The JJ and Sydney relationship kept making me think about Mamdani’s chummy press conference with Trump.

The ending felt a little toothless. Maybe too optimistic for the two hours that came before it.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

the movie and original bway show ended with the murder of Sydney Falco, and JJ Hunsecker remaining on top as the gossip king. Now, it ends with JJ’s sister Susan threatening to squeal on him, Sidney becoming the gossip king, and Susan having the final moment in the spotlight.  Maybe there’s a better version where Sidney and JJ can both get their comeuppance.