The entire night ran about 3 hours and 40 minutes including a 20 minute intermission and like ten minutes of tech troubles. There's a lot that can and should be cut but I think there's a really great musical underneath. The entire cast is amazing. Bully, Brian and Audra all have brilliant act 2 solos. Act 1 I think failed to really have a focus, I didn't feel connected to any character until Act 2. Like the pieces are all there, they just need to distill it a bit and figure out what's really important.
Also, the choreography is thrilling but I think they could cut 3 tap no story moving numbers and still have more than enough.
The show ran almost 4 hours? Holy Bullocks. Imagine yourself lucky for getting to see the invited dress because they will be making major cuts before a first paid audience I assure you.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
Oh I think it's easy to make cuts. Major ones if you have to. Shows cut songs overnight in previews. It's hardly uncommon... It frankly sounds like the show is a little bit of a mess. I have no doubt that the talent involved makes it all compelling and exciting, and this this is being put together by people who know their craft. Surely, they will pull it all together. But there's no way you can ask a paid audience to sit through a 3 1/2 hour musical. Even at a first preview. Any director in their right mind would automatically know 30 minutes has to be immediately cut, and would spend tomorrow making sure that happened.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
if its good audiences will sit through anything no matter how long it is, Les Mis ran nearly that long when it first opened, operas run longer. Such a blanket statement that you say you can't ask an audience to do that!
Well I didn't want to get into it, but he's a Satanist.
Every full moon he sacrifices 4 puppies to the Dark Lord and smears their blood on his paino.
This should help you understand the score for Wicked a little bit more.
Tazber's: Reply to
Is Stephen Schwartz a Practicing Christian
This isn't the opera, and this is not the RSC in 1985. Audiences who go to the musical theater on Broadway in this day and age are not going to sit longer than three hours no matter how good it is. They will start to walk out, and that will be what the word-of-mouth is. And I promise you George C Wolfe knows this and Scott Rudin knows this, and they aren't going to let it happen.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
Plenty of people would walk out and not for lack of quality. They have a train to catch, a sitter they have to relieve, a job they have to get up at 5 the next day....Audra would probably be right with them for all the same reasons if she were a patron. its also worth remembering that anything over 3 hours starts going into overtime for the entire cast and crew. That's boucoup bucks. They will have this down to under 3 hours by Thursday night I bet my life on it.
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
As was announced at the beginning of the show, it was for friends and family, so I wouldn't expect the length (for what sounds like a lucky audience seeing bonus material!) or anything else to be remotely close to set it stone. And as invited dress rehearsal guests are there for (and as) friends and family to see an early run-through, I'd caution on posting here or elsewhere to help maintain the sanctity of that privelge.
To the first preview audience tonight though, enjoy!
Don't get me wrong, The show is certainly better than mediocre, it's truly moving. Even if it is a bit long, it is watching people at the top of their game do some amazing work. I don't think you can see it "too early."
Also regarding the music, which was amazing, I am not familiar with the original arrangements (yet) so I can't respond to that.
I picked up a rush ticket for the 1st preview. $40 general rush, CASH OR CREDIT. My seat is in one of the boxes, partial view. I'm not sure how many tickets they ended up selling, but there were about 15-16 people in line by 10am. I got there a little after 9 and was 5th in line. I'll be sure to report back after the show!
Side note: this is my first time attending a first preview on Broadway! I've been to several 2nd-previews as well as some first previews Off-Broadway. I'm excited!
JBroadway said: "I picked up a rush ticket for the 1st preview. $40 general rush, CASH OR CREDIT. My seat is in one of the boxes, partial view. I'm not sure how many tickets they ended up selling, but there were about 15-16 people in line by 10am. I got there a little after 9 and was 5th in line. I'll be sure to report back after the show!"
Wow, I'm surprised (but also not) at how many people were there before the box office opened for the first preview. I am going to be in NYC on Friday night and was going to try to rush when I got there at 6:00, but that sounds like a lost cause now. Enjoy, JBroadway, let us know what you think, and the run time!
I got there a little after 10, just missed rush tickets. However the box office had a few "post rush" tickets for $69, so I got side Orchestra partial view.