Seussical at Bucks County

[greatgilly]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 6:41am

I know there are a lot of Bucks County Playhouse haters on this board, but I must say that Seussical is top notch there. I was very impressed when I saw it last weekend. It actually seemed like they put some money into the production of it...sets and costumes were all very impressive and the lights they must have installed for this year also add to the ambiance of the piece. The cast, as usuall, is extremely talented. I am hoping that after last years star debaucle they realized that the money that went to getting d-list names would be much more beneficial going into the production values of the show. I always enjoy the shows there, but i always make myself look past the sets and costumes...not for Seussical though...you can't wait for the next piece to come out on stage. I would highly recomend seeing it if you are in the New hope area! Has anyone else seen it?

[jasonf]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 8:05am

Hm - interesting. I'm taking my students to the drama festival later this month (already!!!) and they unanimously decided to see Into the Woods instead of Seussical as the show we would get to see (I agreed). Hope ITW is just as good...

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 10:18am

I will be seeing this on Sat and will post a review. I must say, I was surprised to see that this show is playing there for over 3 weeks, which is a long time for the BCP. Usually, most things there are, how to put this politely, not that good.

I will let you know what I find.

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 3:50pm

Ok, I went to see Seussical at the Bucks County Playhouse on Sat, at 4 pm. The house was about 1/4 full as is normally the case with a Sat matinee.

I found it to be a little (just a little) bit better then usually. They did add new lights and possibly a new sound system. They did spend extra money on sets and costumes. The cast was very large. Most of the leads hold overs from year after year. None that special, with the exception of the young boy that played JOJO and the guy that played Horton. Both very good and newer to the playhouse.

I was entertained, but still very much a high school type production. They all tried very hard and I was, as I said, mostly entertained.

My partner however, he hated everything and ended up walking around New Hope during the second act.

[greatgilly]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 7:27pm

I would like to know who at the playhouse from years past was not that special. Jill and Louis Palena, Tressa Mc Callister, and Peter Martino are the only returnees and they were all wonderful. I am sickened by everyones lack of support for this establishment. The entire tech at the playhouse is leaps and bounds better than past years and the cast is all comming from national tours and other great regional theatres. I have seen many productions of Seussical (Broadway, media theatre, the national tour) and this is by far the best one I have seen.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 7:34pm

gee this sounds really biased.

[greatgilly]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 7:44pm

I don't know what high school productions are being seen...but i can tell you that this is not one of them. I just wish people would stop complaining about bucks county and realized that it is a theatre that has been running for over 60 years and yes, sometimes crap does get put on that stage but they also do about 14 shows a year so some are going to be better than others, yet after going there for over 8 years and seeing it progression and almost always leave happy, I realize that some people just are too judgemental over a place where young aspiring talent can work and grow. Bucks County is a non-equity house with non-equity productions (all of which have much more original and exciting choreography than many broadway shows I have seen) and they also have had many of their young talent grow to be on broadway (Audra McDonald worked there for 2-3 years Alexander Geminiani worked there 5 years ago, the original simba on broadway worked there for many a season). I am sorry for such a rant but it really upsets me when so many never have nice things to say and will lower themselves to rip apart productions that so many love and so much work does in fact go into.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 7:58pm

Bucks County reminds me of Bright Lights, Big City.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 7:59pm

I am sorry for such a rant but it really upsets me when so many never have nice things to say and will lower themselves to rip apart productions that so many love and so much work does in fact go into.

umm... sorry to say, but that's the business of show. labors of love get torn apart by critics and audiences. either get used to it or get out. fast.
Updated On: 5/8/06 at 07:59 PM

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 8:00pm

Well I think people have issues with it because it has declined. It USED to be a great place to go see theatre. You can't deny that it's sort of fallen out of grace. I have plenty of friends who've worked there and at times it was not even safe to work there. I mean literally dancing with on a stage that feel like it's gonna give. I think some of the shows aren't as great as they could be. The ones I've seen just haven't. You can't get angry at people who think the shows there stink. IT's there right to have that opinion. I mean sure the people there work hard etc etc, but hard working doesn't make it good. I don't think there's 1 single person involved with Carrie who didn't work hard. That doesn't make the show great.

[neomystyk29]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 9:47pm

I love Bucks County if not for its awesomely bad productions. However, I performed at the Bucks County festival this past Thursday (we took director for The Haunted Carousel, but anyway) and I enjoyed Seussical a lot. It's not amazing, and it's certainly not artistic but it was fun and the talent on that stage was AMAZING. Jill Palena was the star of the night for me, as she was phenomenal as Gertrude McFuzz and was one of the people who saved the show.

Last year when we performed at the festival (best production), we saw Starmites. This is a huge improvement although the talent in starmites again was phenomenal.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 11:18pm

I've often wondered how this dump stays in business. I've never been to a show that is more than half full. Where are they getting their money from?

[sondwisenheimer]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 11:27pm

I did not like this in New York,
It was too frayed and full of pork.
I liked the music and the rhyme,
But they did better with "Ragtime."
I would not like it there at Buck's,
I do not like that show - it sucks.

[Baine]

Posted: 5/8/06 at 11:53pm

I have yet to go to the BCP, but I plan to see a few shows there this summer. I also just found out that a boy from my Uni is in Company A, so that's always fun! :)

[JBSinger]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 8:51am

They make alot of their money from the parking lot. I know that Ralph has been approaced by some buyers in the past and he won't sell (I forget the amount he wants). I would like nothing better than to win the Lotto/Powerball whatever and buy/restore the BCP to its former glory. Close down the nightclub next door and re-build all the cast housing/rehearsal space. Theatrical greats and amazing plays used to premiere here. i'd also bring back a live pit orchestra (in the pit, not the balcony). The New Hope region is so amazing so it would definitely be worth it to re-invest in this theatre. Most of the castmembers are really talented and it is a great training ground for younger performers - you really have to learn alot in a short amount of time and make it work on stage.

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 9:11am

Greatgilly - As another poster stated you might be a little bias. But I commend your passion. You say that you are sickened by everyones lack of support. I am a subscriber, I go to 8-10 shows here a season, along with 4 other people. We do support the playhouse. I agree that the addition of the tech stuff is great. The playhouse itself is in extreme need of refurbishing. The ceiling is extremely bad and stained. The seating is horrible. The bathrooms are disgusting. I believe this may ultimately distract from the viewing pleasure.

The main reason I contunie to subscribe is that my partner's mother thoroughly enjoys the day spent in New Hope and the Theater.

While I agree that most of the performers seem to really love what they are doing, that does not necessarily make what they are doing good. They try hard and some are actually very good. I do disagree that most of their shows have had better and more exciting choreography then many Broadway shows.

I do not feel that I am lowering myself and I do not feel i ripped the production apart. I said that I was entertained. I just can not agree that these productions even come close to being compared to anything on Broadway or even off Broadway.

As another poster stated, just because love and work goes into a production that does not always make it good.

I do believe that you might be too attached to the product to see some of what I am saying, but loyalty is good.

I guess you should also be lucky that my partner did not post his opinion because it would not have been pretty. He did not have a nice thing to say.

By the way, the night club next door has been closed for a while and they are currently renovating the building. They plan to put in some sort of museum there.

Updated On: 5/9/06 at 09:11 AM

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 9:13am

The nightclub next to the theater closed several years ago. It is now an art gallery/retail space. The two brothers who own Triumph Brewery purchased part of the theater last year.

[CenterStage3]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 9:26am

I also heard they were thinking about selling the place. I wish they would bring it back to the way it was years ago where they would attract pre broadway productions.
I have to say the Steven Casey is an excellent director. I have compared Steven's productions with regional higher budget productions and have found Steven's to be more entertaining.
He is a big fish in a small pond, and a very nice man.

[JBSinger]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 9:54am

Thanks for the update on the Nightclub. that was terrible to sleep above on the weekends. Agreed - Steven Casey is incredibly talented an dhe knows how to put a show together in short amount of time. I did TOMMY there with him and that was definitely a career highlight for me. We cranked it out.

[Amneris]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 11:40am

I remember seeing "The King and I" at Bucks County when I was 7 :::sigh::: I thought that was good but, they had a bunch of campers running around the place.. and If I'm correct, the brother on Clarissa Explains it All was Ana's son.