Shuffle Along previews — Page 21

Adrienne Warren, it must be mentioned, is giving a breakout performance.

Wow, down nearly a full hour from when I saw the show. Can't wait to see the changes.

dramamama611 said: "Waiting to hear more details about changes please!

Hi! I'm a longtime listener, first time caller, so to say. I saw the 3rd preview of Shuffle Along and was lucky enough to see it again last night (orch row G dead center for $40!).

I took a non-theatre lover with me because I thought he'd love it and I was right. He was blown away.



To start, the original Playbill had a list of 'Musical Numbers' that was 2 full pages, the current one (which looks better 'in person', I must say) has no songs listed at all.

There were probably a thousand minor changes over the last 2 weeks, but the most major was, sadly for the gifted actress who performed the role, the elimination of an entire character.

In the beginning of the show, we met this determined, but seemingly squeaky and talentless performer who almost forces her way into the show. By act 2, that actress was, literally, Josephine Baker (dancing, banana skirt and all). Josephine is gone entirely.

I won't spoil anything for anybody, but everything I loved (and I loved A LOT) from the first time I saw the show remains, and is made better by the trimming of the fat. I wouldn't change a damn thing about Act 1 at this point - it's thrilling. Act 2 has some parts that lag.

Mr. Wolfe and Mr. Glover were in the last row of the orchestra furiously scribbling, so they're still at it!

Oh, and it's been pointed out that Billy Porter has a moment in Act 2 that's great, but doesn't feel 'deserved' by the character - I think that with the trimming, you do feel more invested in his story (simply because there's less 'other stuff' to be invested in).

And Audra is a brilliant comedian.

Updated On: 4/2/16 at 08:28 AM

Is that the character who gets fired in act 1 for complaining?

Hellob said: "Is that the character who gets fired in act 1 for complaining? "

No, that character remains and that actress, Amber Iman, plays a couple different roles. Interestingly, when that character is fired for complaining in Act 1, the squeaky girl who becomes Josephine (Felicia Boswell), is the one who runs in and replaces her. Well, 'was' the one who 'ran' in and replaced her.

Thus, the song 'That Comedy Chorus Gal', where she transitions from Freda to Josephine is gone.

Felicia also played Eubie Blake's wife, Avis, a character who doesn't appear (and I don't think she appeared the first time I saw it either).

Felicia remains in the Playbill, but I don't know if she was in the ensemble last night or not.

Also, very sadly, a great piece that was mentioned on this thread where there is some awesome tap happening on a small set of steps has been cut.

Updated On: 4/2/16 at 10:09 AM

Of the three major character solos in the second act, I thought it was really Mitchell's that was the least effective- largely because he is in half black face and that is not at all utilized in the song. The usage of blackface could be removed with no difference to the number. It is set up to be a sort of manic, acidic comedy song- sort of like "Buddy's Blues"- and never makes good on it.

No.

I think the major issue with the second act is that it suddenly takes an interest in character development that it only scarcely sets up in the first half.

But the show's central focus for much of runtime isn't really on Lottie, Aubrey, F.E., Eubie, or Noble. It's on Shuffle Along, the musical they worked on.

But after the show is a success, where do you go? The second act is at its best when it's exploring the effects of Shuffle Along on the world- the Gershwin interlude, the song about its unfavorable legacy. But that's not enough to build a second act on, so the focus turns to the central characters, who don't have a lot in the way of development but now are treated as if they did.

That entire sequence seems an homage to the Loveland sequence in Follies - Mitchell's song being Buddy's Blues and Audra's being reminiscent of Lisibg My Mind.



As for the 1/2 blackface, it was seemingly put on in a rush and then I thought when Mitchell would have to switch sides and okay Aubrey, it was effective bc Aubrey's darker complexion figured into the tension between them.

So I guess this is a really radical question. Does the show even need its second act? Everyone is saying the first act is brilliant -- should they just call it a night at intermission?

Scarywarhol said: "Kad, interesting, I thought Mitchell's solo was one of the most effective moments of the production. Trying to get through the number without his partner in an almost furious mania, stuck in a dated routine in a half-dead form. He can't go back but he's unable to move forward, and I think this is the reason for the half blackface as well. "

I totally got the intent of the song- it just didn't come together effectively for me. It wasn't as manic, as desperate, as self-loathing as it needed to be.

QueenAlice said: "So I guess this is a really radical question. Does the show even need its second act? Everyone is saying the first act is brilliant -- should they just call it a night at intermission?"

sing_dance_love beat me to the succinct response here.

But, no. The second act, for all its messiness, is still good. It's not nearly perfect and will most likely never be able to be perfect. But the second act contains the thematic heft. It contains the scathing social commentary. It is arguably the point of the show.

The first act is a joyful, thrilling explosion of black artistry.

The second act is the world stripping it away.

Got it -- maybe they just haven't yet fine tuned artistically what they are trying to succinctly say about the social impact "Shuffle Along" had. I find 'messiness' often comes because the author is trying to say 'too many" things.