She Loves Me previews — Page 3

The original production was before my time, and I somehow missed the revival 20 years ago, so today's matinee was my first exposure to a professional production of a show whose score I have greatly admired since my teens. What a charmer of a show. The "mittle-European" flavor of the music is period faithful while offering contemporary delights. Ok, so maybe the hairstyles seemed a little too modern for 1934, but that's a minor quibble. The performances were all outstanding--does anyone have as pure a voice as Laura Benanti's? Zachary Levi didn't quite connect with his tossed hat, but that only added to his endearing vulnerability. Creel and Krakowski were a lot of fun. I just wish Jim Walton--the original Franklin Shepherd--had more to do. All told, a yummy cupcake of a show to savor.

Updated On: 2/20/16 at 10:28 PM

Someone at work said that the first act dragged but it picked up in the second act.

With all the remarks and comments about SLM, especially Kad and phreak, I'm starting to get more excited about seeing She Loves Me, more than I was when I saw Hamilton. Thanks for your opinions.

I can't wait to see Laura Benanti again and I truly love Jane Krakowski. I saw the Boyd Gaines SLM at Center Stage in Baltimore when I was much younger and don't remember anything about a sudden or uneventful ending (?) , I don't remember the set....is the Tango Tragique still in it?

seeing it on March 30

Updated On: 2/21/16 at 04:48 PM

She Loves Me was first performed in 1963, still in that "Golden Era," I think. I was very into Broadway musicals at the time, primarily because of my mother's influence and because my father was a sales director for a large railroad who often entertained clients with dinner and a Broadway musical. I still have a lot of left over Playbills from the famous shows of the time.

But I know really know almost nothing about that show. It ran for about a year (with a Hal Prince and Barbara Cook pedigree) and them more or less disappeared for 30 years until Roundabout offered its first revival. The only song with which I was familiar was the title song, which is a very good tune (recorded by O'Hara on her most recent album). The only production that I ever saw was a PBS production starring Robin Ellis, the original Poldark of the BBC hit melodrama. It didn't do much for me.

If it weren't for all the love shown to the musical here, I probably would have passed on it. But now i have my tickets for April.

So, you see, this BWW message board does influence the success or failure of a new Broadway production. At least two seats worth.

I saw yesterday as well and thought it was cute, especially the set is ADORABLE. It reminds me of touring version of Mary Poppin, very doll house like. However, although the cast was uniformary good (I love anything Laura does), I didn't get the " rave" feeling like others. And I'm wondering is it due to the ticket price? I suspect most of the people who commented paid a discount price like $10? I too got a discount but paid $67 for mezz. So would you mind telling us how much you paid, and say if you would have paid full price for this production or at least 50% and would have the same satisfaction? For comparison, I saw Something Rotten via lottery ($37) and enjoyed it but I'm not sure if I had the same satisfaction if I bought it at TKTS or paid full price.

While I won't be going until next week and have paid a price closer to the cost of your ticket lite2shine, that's an interesting question. Do you feel like what you're experiencing is a type of buyer's remorse? I don't feel like my enjoyment of a show has ever been related to the price of admission.

I have a few comments about a couple of things mentioned.

First, the question of price paid vs enjoyment quota...I and my husband live in MD just north of Baltimore. Even though we get to NY usually at least once per month if not more, we almost always pay full orchestra or premium prices no matter what. Sometimes an online discount may come along but being in the profession our schedules are set and determined along with rehearsal or performance times, so we know if and when we can schedule ourselves. That being said, we have never based our enjoyment of a performance on how much we've paid for the tickets. It's just never even been a thought. (Now, say driving time spent coming and going on a day trip has come up when the show or performance is much less than perfect).

I don't even think if we lived in NYC and had the luxury of a $10 ticket, we would enjoy it more based on the price.

The other thing mentioned was sound at Studio 54. I have never had that kind of a problem with sound. We've seen many many shows there even multiple times. We saw Cabaret 3 times, Assassins twice, I can't think of the others right now, but never never has sound or mixing been a problem.

So I'm glad She Loves Me is getting good word of mouth and buzz and can't wait until March 30.

Cupid Boy2 said: "While I won't be going until next week and have paid a price closer to the cost of your ticket lite2shine, that's an interesting question. Do you feel like what you're experiencing is a type of buyer's remorse? I don't feel like my enjoyment of a show has ever been related to the price of admission.

"

Not at all, as I said I thought it was cute but was surprised to read the raving reports here. But in general wouldn't your expectation get higher when you pay more for a ticket? That's why I wrote my experience for SR as comparison. If the experience would be the same no matter how much you pay, I'm wondering if those people who paid $10 would have paid the full price or close to it?

Anyone know if the stage door has been super crowded?

lite2shine said: "But in general wouldn't your expectation get higher when you pay more for a ticket? That's why I wrote my experience for SR as comparison. If the experience would be the same no matter how much you pay, I'm wondering if those people who paid $10 would have paid the full price or close to it?"

I could pay full-price for Disaster, but it doesn't mean that I'll go in with higher expectations. On the flip side, I could win the lottery for Hamilton and only pay $10 a ticket, but that won't stop me from ignoring everything I've heard. Point is, price is irrelevant for me while reviews and word-of-mouth have much more influence on my expectations.

Kad said: "It is not."

Thanks. I suspected as much.

The 1994 London cast recording with Ruthie Henshall has "Tango Tragique." Wasn't that production a mounting of the same Scott Ellis Broadway revival from 1993 or was it a different staging?

Intermission now. If there was an actual Musical Theatre Heaven, this would be the production they'd use to advertise for it.