#151
Posted: 3/2/16 at 11:28pm
Bit of a random question here. Just wondering if Row A is the front row of the center orchestra section for this production?
She Loves Me previews — Page 7
#152
Posted: 3/3/16 at 1:34am
LimelightMike said: "Bit of a random question here. Just wondering if Row A is the front row of the center orchestra section for this production?
I bought my tickets with HipTix today. According to Roundabout's website and their representative on the phone, there is a row AX that is in front of row A in the center orchestra. She also told me AA front row mezzanine is better than AX, for what it's worth.
#153
Posted: 3/3/16 at 8:54am
Four pro-shot numbers from the first Roundabout revival of "She Loves Me"-Criterion Center, Broadway, 1993:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyRqRjjE54U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKvh1PPwUL0
#154
Posted: 3/3/16 at 9:45am
I sat in AX yesterday, and I loved it! The stage is very low, and the seats are set a few feet away from the stage. It was a perfect view.
As for the show, it was pure bliss from start to finish. What a fantastic ensemble Roundabout has assembled; they had me smiling so much that my face hurt by the end. Try not to miss this production!
#156
Posted: 3/3/16 at 12:42pm
These newly released photos are giving me life this morning! The production looks gorgeous and reading this board has made me so pumped for the show!
#157
Posted: 3/3/16 at 12:47pm
I don't understand why their can't be 4 Best Revival nominees this year?? With only 5 revivals opening this season, would they really only nominate 3 shows?? The 4 should be: The Color Purple, She Loves Me, Fiddler & Spring Awakening. Only Dames At Sea was the only other revival to open this season.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
#158
Posted: 3/3/16 at 1:28pm
It is unfortunate that there can't be a fourth nomination given the quality of these productions. I've seen all of them except the Color Purple, but I expect it to make the category alongside Fiddler and She Loves Me. With that said, I could see Spring Awakening nudging out Fiddler. While I enjoyed it immensely, I think it's fair to say that Fiddler is the most divisive production out of the five. There's been a lot of mixed word-of-mouth. Regardless, these revivals truly are an embarrassment of riches. Any one of them could have been strong award contenders in weaker years.
#159
Posted: 3/3/16 at 2:30pm
There can be 4 nominees. The Finians/Ragtime/La Cage/Night Music year only had five revivals.
#160
Posted: 3/3/16 at 2:40pm
First of all, there were 6 revivals that year. Secondly, I'm pretty sure that year was before the change in policy.
Updated On: 3/3/16 at 02:40 PM
#161
Posted: 3/3/16 at 3:05pm
I've got seats to see this in a couple of weeks. How is the view from Orchestra Left, row J? We are a seat or two from the end of the aisle.
#162
Posted: 3/3/16 at 3:59pm
I sat in those same seats only on the right side the other night. That theatre has a big center row so it's more of an angle than I would love but overall they are great seats. Sometimes you miss the facial expressions if an actor has his/her back to you but it didn't negatively affect my experience. Orchestra seats there have so much leg room too that it's worth it.
So don't worry, you'll be happy!
I like a good rhyme more than a good time
#163
Posted: 3/3/16 at 5:44pm
Finally putting some thoughts together.
We planned a trip to NYC because I wanted to finally see TKAI before Kelli leaves. We had a "When in Rome" moment, and bought discounted tickets to She Loves Me, because we're both big fans of Laura, Jane and Zachary. I've owned the '93 revival recording since it came out, but have always somewhat regretted buying it, because the score never did much for me. Call us superficial, but we bought these tickets to be in the same room as Laura, Zachary and Jane, and for no other reason. We listened to TKAI all week, talked about it, planned our trip around it, and could not wait for it.
As I said in my previous post, the TKAI was good. Not great. The orchestra could have been much louder, Kelli looked bored and talked through several of her songs, and only Ruthie Ann Miles really made an impact (...And what an impact! You own that Tony girl!).
The big, unexpected win of the weekend was She Loves Me...She Loves Me....SHE LOVES ME! I want to scrawl it on every wall I see! What a delight from start to finish. From the overture, which spotlighted several players (each receiving applause), to that gorgeous set, to the abso-****ing-lutely perfect cast, it just ticked every box for sending one directly to musical theatre heaven!
I sat in the front row of the rear mezz, in the center, and only had minor sound problems. The orchestra seemed to be playing in a very restrained fashion, and only overpowered the performers towards the end of "Good Morning, Good Day," when it really gets going, and whenever Jane Krakowski sang. Poor Jane was a bit hard to hear throughout. The set has been discussed much here, and it really is great. It reminds me of a beautiful jewelry box my sister had when she was younger, and I loved the floor.
The show really is driven by the songs, and in a rare occurrence, they all need to be there. Now that I've seen it live, I can't stop listening to the music at home. Maybe this is a show that you have to see to really appreciate? This has been the case for me. Scott Ellis was at the stage door and I congratulated him. He looked pleased in general. I also feel like Paul G. can pick and choose what he wants to do, so he must really love this show to be conducting.
And the cast. Oh the cast! Zachary Levi was almost too good-looking for George, but Boyd Gaines is quite handsome also. Zach was charming, geeky and adorable. His voice is light, but there wasn't a missed note, and I actually preferred his somewhat quiet, maybe dazed take on the title song. Whereas Gaines seems to have been directed to sing it as though he were given a shot of confidence with the knowledge of Amalia's feelings, Zach is playing it as if he really can't believe his good fortune, and there's a humble joy there that I found terribly endearing. McGrath and Jennings are heartwarming, funny, and perfect. While I prefer Brad Kane's voice to Nicholas Barasch's, his overall performance is impressive and just might be remembered at Tony time. Gavin needs to loose the mustache, but he reminded me of Douglas Sills in Pimpernel playing this role. He was a manly-but fabulous fop. His voice really is like "buddah," isn't it? This is also a real grown-up role for him. Oh and Jane.... Those legs...those splits! She's perfection, and though she frequently plays the same type of character, you can not help but love her, and root for her. *Spoiler?* Even knowing what would happen eventually with Kodaly, when she realized what was happening, my heart broke a little. I love her. Period. *End Spoiler?*
And Laura. Laura-GD-Freaking-Benanti. That voice is from heaven. I remarked to my beloved that she seems to possess something like a soprano-belt. She seems born to play this role. Her chemistry with Jane is warm, with Zach it's electric and when she wrapped her voice around Dear Friend at the end of act one, the audience was crumbling with her, while simultaneously eating out of the palm of her hand. If Brantley doesn't write her a love letter, he needs to have his head examined. It seems as if her greatest Tony competition might be Ms. Erivo from The Color Purple, and while I haven't seen the show, if she does indeed take it over Laura, then it must be a performance for the ages, because, if I were the Tony committee, I'd have begun engraving it after Vanilla Ice Cream. It's my favorite female performance I've ever seen.
Are there enough superlatives in there?
I used to post here frequently, but don't much anymore, as I don't get to NYC often, but I had to gush about this show. It's one of the best things I've ever seen (possibly only topped by South Pacific, and the OBC of Hairspray), and as I have time to let it marinate in my brain and my heart, it may surge to the top. I hope it gets glowing reviews, wins a million awards (I know...Hamilton Hamilton Hamilton), and becomes a big fat hit. I will be back to see it before it ends its run and/or this cast is replaced. Please run, don't walk to Studio 54.
"Y'all have a GRAND day now"
Updated On: 3/3/16 at 05:44 PM
#164
Posted: 3/3/16 at 6:07pm
I agree with everything you said about She Loves Me and the dazzling Laura Benanti. I saw the opening night preview. It was so delicious, I'm still smiling from it.
But, I do want to comment on one thing you said about Kelli and King & I: "Kelli looked bored and talked through several of her songs ..."
She did no talk-singing when I saw her (nor did she look bored). Kelli has been sick with laryngitis for the past week or so, but has not canceled her K&I performances. She even did a concert in Boston this past Sunday, rather than cancel. If you can get to it, here's a review from the Boston Globe with more info about her singing with laryngitis:
"Despite laryngitis, an enchanted evening with Kelli O’Hara"
http://tinyurl.com/j5zanq8
#165
Posted: 3/3/16 at 6:55pm
After seeing SHE LOVES ME at this past Saturday's matinee I fully understand Mr. Nowack's ebullience and utter joy when he sings the title song. The show was one of the most exhilarating, passion-filled, exciting times I've had at the theatre. As a huge musical theatre lover, nothing makes me more joyful than witnessing a great Broadway musical but SHE LOVES ME was not just great, it was sublime. From the second the show starts and the set moves forward (that set, that beautiful set) and the actors start walking onto the stage, you know you are in for a treat, and boy does the show deliver.
The ensemble is perfectly cast, with not a single weak link. They truly play the piece as if it had been written for them, and everyone makes a case against those who say that performers today simply don't have the "it" factor that made musical theatre performers at the height of musical theatre great. Everyone is giving a true musical theatre performance in the best way possible and credit goes to Scott Ellis for creating such a tight ensemble and such strong performances in that grand musical theatre style that is so hard to pull off with such honesty and energy and warmth. Only being familiar with Amalia's and Ilona's songs, for the most part, I didn't realize what an ensemble-driven piece this is, so Ellis was smart to pay that kind of detailed attention to the casting of each role. Everyone in the chorus is terrific, Peter Bartlett manages to chew scenery without veering into crass or unfunny territory, and ensemble-driven numbers like "A Romantic Atmosphere" and "Sounds While Selling" are delightful.
I don't even know where to begin to describe the cast. I'll start with the obvious. Laura Benanti is giving one of those Broadway turns that made me so grateful to be alive at a time when she is getting to do this kind of work. She has a gorgeous soprano that I assume she worked very hard to get to a point where it effortlessly comes out when she opens her mouth. Rather than watch a performer try to get through a tough-to-sing role, Benanti's gorgeous singing allows her to focus on creating a character. Her Amalia is electrifying. She plays it like a screwball heroine, giving a performance that I'd compare to Claudette Colbert in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT or Carole Lombard in TWENTIETH CENTURY and TO BE OR NOT TO BE. Those magnetic, comedic performances that can make you laugh out loud at one turn while breaking your heart the next. Her songs are all special, with "Dear Friend" being a true heartbreaker, "Where's My Shoe" being the comic highlight of her performance, and of course, "Ice Cream" being the emotional centerpiece of the show. Levi's quirky but understated performance as Mr. Nowack is the ideal match for Benanti's Amalia. As the audience, you get that immediate energy and tension between the two, and his desperation when seeing Amalia at the restaurant by herself is palpable. His delivery of the title song is giddy, exciting, fun, and so romantic.
Jane Krakowski is doing some of the best work I've seen from her, making Ilona fit her like a glove much like she did with Carla in NINE. She is lovable and irresistible as a performer. She doesn't play up Ilona's lack of smarts, she plays the role like a hopeless romantic and it works beautifully. When she sings "I Don't Know His Name" with Benanti, I felt like I was in musical theatre heaven. Her dancing is out of the world and seeing her perform during "Ilona" was one of my favorite moments of the show. Everyone else is excellent, I loved Gavin Creel (who makes the mustache an essential part of the character), Byron Jennings, Michael McGrath, and the adorable Nicholas Barasch. The set matched the romance that fills the room throughout every scene, the costumes are beautiful, and the show itself is a precious jewel. How is this not revived every so often like GYPSY? Thank you, Roundabout, for producing what will be remembered as one of the great revivals.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#166
Posted: 3/3/16 at 7:41pm
First time poster, I just have to add my giddiness over this production of She Loves Me. I first fell in love with the show many years ago when I saw a BBC production (which I believe is now on YouTube). I saw the first Roundabout revival many times, as well as many local productions and the one-night benefit with Kelli O'Hara. This productions exceeded all my expectations! As a theater lover, you love when you leave the theater walking on air, and I certainly did! The magnificent cast and set have already been discussed.. I just want to mention one moment that melted my heart. When Georg was admitting he was "Dear Friend", I swore I saw tears in Zach's eyes. That melted my already mushy, joyous heart!
I hope to see the show again and again......but it all depends on NJ Transit and whether they go on strike..??
All I can say, is run, to see this show!!!!!!!
#167
Posted: 3/3/16 at 8:50pm
cute, short and sweet interview with Krakowski, Creel, Benanti and Levi:
#168
Posted: 3/4/16 at 2:26am
Interesting review, Princeton. You sat in the front of the rear mezzanine? Toward the middle? That's where my seat is for the end of March, as well.
You said you only had minor issues hearing the performers. How was the view from the front of that section of the mezzanine?
#169
Posted: 3/4/16 at 8:38am
I don't know if there is any show that fills me with as much pure joy as a great production of She Loves Me, and this revival delivers so much. I agree with everything that's been said about the cast (although Justin Bowen, very good, went on as Arpad last night), and hope to return to this gorgeous gorgeous show at least once before the end of the run.
After becoming increasingly fed up with Laura Benanti's social media presence, it's so good to be reminded of what an incredible performer she is. Her Amalia is so lovely, and I was so thrilled with how well-matched she is with Zachary Levi, who brings such a wonderful charm to Georg. The back-to-back effervescence of Vanilla Ice Cream and She Loves Me put such a bounce in my step on the way home. I just love this show so much.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
Updated On: 3/4/16 at 08:38 AM
#170
Posted: 3/4/16 at 9:00am
Princeton78 said: "As I said in my previous post, the TKAI was good. Not great. The orchestra could have been much louder, Kelli looked bored and talked through several of her songs, and only Ruthie Ann Miles really made an impact (...And what an impact! You own that Tony girl!)."
I saw THE KING & I and SHE LOVES ME on Saturday too, actually. Saw the SHE LOVES ME matinee and KING & I in the evening. Kelli O'Hara did not look bored in any way, she was an excellent Anna and went head to toe with Hoon Lee's note-perfect King. O'Hara seemed sick, she sang the songs beautifully but by the time she got to "Shall We Dance" she swallowed a word when singing "it made me think we might be..." and then talked through the rest of the song until she got help from Lee. Then she talked through the "I Whistle a Happy Tune" reprise. My partner, who isn't familiar with the show, didn't even notice that she was supposed to be singing at those points. She more than made up for it in acting. I thought everyone was terrific.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#171
Posted: 3/4/16 at 9:28am
Add me to the list of people that are excited to see this show based on this thread. I have a trip next week and bought a ticket to this based on the cast. I knew nothing about the show at the time. Usually once I have tickets to something I've never seen, I study up on it before going to see it, listen to cast recordings, etc, so that I'm familiar with everything and don't miss something during the show. But after reading all of the comments in this thread, I think I'm going to go into this one blind and just experience it all for the first time in the theatre.
So thanks everyone for all of your comments. Suddenly this is the show I'm looking forward to seeing the most next week!
(PS I do have orchestra seats so I'm not as concerned that I'll miss hearing a lot of it)
Updated On: 3/4/16 at 09:28 AM
#172
Posted: 3/6/16 at 1:26pm
I saw the show last night. It was really great from start to finish. It isn't or will never be my all time favorite of the season. (that goes to Spring Awakening) but I really thought it was great. I also never realized how funny the show is. I really hope Jane Krakowski and Laura Benanti get at least tony noms. The audience was also really into the show from the second the lights dimmed there was lot of clapping and that continued through bug dance scenes and the overture. Jane Krakowski got a very big entrance applause which I guess meant there were some 30 Rock fans in the house, which I was very happy about! Laura, Gavin and Zac also got entrance applauses but not as big as Jane's. Everyone is giving great performances. They set is really great too. I never knew Studio 54 could hold that much set pieces! It was a great night at the theatre!!
#173
Posted: 3/6/16 at 4:21pm
I'll be in the minority here, but I found it to be just pleasant. Nothing wrong with that, nor is there anything wrong with the cast, the set, the performances.
But it just felt like a really well-done pleasant experience I doubt I'll relive or recall much ever again .... unlike other musicals that have really stayed with me years after seeing them.
But it just felt like a really well-done pleasant experience I doubt I'll relive or recall much ever again .... unlike other musicals that have really stayed with me years after seeing them.
#174
Posted: 3/6/16 at 5:10pm
I didn't want to be the party-pooper in this thread, but now that tallguy has chimed in his thoughts, I have to agree that this production was good but not great. It was pleasant enough, but it did not erase my memories of the 93-94 revival. That production I just loved!
Saw the show yesterday, and perhaps my expectations were too high from reading this thread. I wasn't familiar with the show prior to snatching a ticket at the TXTS booth in October 1993. However, after the first notes of the violin, I was hooked. That production has remained with me for 20 years, specifically the performances of Howard McGillian as Kodaly and Sally Mayes as Ilona.
My quibbles with this production are minimal, but enough to deem it just a pleasant production. Now, I love me some Laura Benanti as everyone else, and she was funny in the role; however, I just didn't find her voice a good fit for the role. Likewise, I prefer a belter in the role of Ilona, which Jane Krakowski is not. Finally, I felt let down by the direction, staging, and design of "A Romantic Atmosphere." I felt that staging should have been more expansive with stronger choreography. Maybe the main set was so large that this scene had to be played so close to the front of the stage, but I felt like the scene was confined.
I am glad that people are enjoying this production, especially if it is their first time seeing this show - what a show it is! I'll just relish in my memories of the previous revival.
Updated On: 3/6/16 at 05:10 PM
#175
Posted: 3/6/16 at 5:31pm
Has anyone won the lotto or rushed for this show? How were the seats?
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