"Side Show" Preview Thread- Page 8

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 11/4/14 at 8:07pm

Speaking of sound, how is it? At Kennedy Center it was not great.

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 11/4/14 at 10:47pm

So. Brief thoughts


Never saw he original and not familiar with the OBC recording...

Emily Padgett and Erin Davie were incredible. The performances were nuanced when needed and broad when they could. Who could love me and I will never leave you brought down the house

David St. Louis was very, very strong as Jake and if this runs could be a best featured actor nominee. Ryan Silverman and Matthew Hedzyc were stronger than I thought (based on previous threads). The Terry role could be meaner - you almost liked him at points. But that's a book issue

As opposed to previous threads I thought Act II compared well to Act I and brought more emotion to the piece.

Actually. For a Tuesday night. There was incredible love in the theatre.

[BroadwayBryce]

Posted: 11/4/14 at 11:26pm

How has rush been for this? Im trying to rush this next wednesday for the matinee and was curious how the turn out has been. Seats are front row right?

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/4/14 at 11:29pm

Any sense if things are changing much in previews?

[wickedfan11]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 5:18am

BroadwayBryce- Last Saturday, I purchased a rush ticket at 10:45. It was in the second row.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 8:21am

I, too, am curious as to how they are using the previews. If the text and songs are fairly fixed, now, but the concerns are staging and adjusting the show to work to maximum impact in the St. James.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 8:24am

I'm going to read through this thread and see if I can shed light on any changes being made as I saw it last night. I enjoyed it very much, with the except of David St. Louis who I didn't like at all. His voice is just not strong enough to tackle these songs that Norm Lewis originated. I guess if the audience has never heard the music before they are impressed by him but from the OBCR and hearing how they should be done, hearing him sing them was just painful.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 8:31am

I'm fascinated by the degree of concern over the two roles being nominated together. Yes, one can argue that the show makes it clear these two women are separate. But the show also makes (a far bigger point) it crystal clear that they are "one" (listen to the lyrics, folks). It's BIG SPOILER (not) ... one of the major points of the show, revisited in the ending, poignantly, that they lived their lives together. Sharing a Tony nomination is hardly an insult, and in this case, helps make a very persuasive case that the protagonist in this musical is a double one, impossible to separate. This isn't some arbitrarily applied ruling; it's an astute analysis of the performance demands of one show. It sets no precedent, unless another play or musical comes along with conjoined twins. Otherwise, why all the fretting when they're dueting?

Updated On: 11/5/14 at 08:31 AM

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 8:46am

Quick question...spoiler-ish?

Do the twins still separate during "I Will Never Leave You"?

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 8:58am

Yes.

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 12:07pm

Thanks! One more question: Do Jordanna James and Josh Walker appear in the ensemble outside of their tracks as the freaks? I ask as I imagine it's hard for them to blend in as dinner party guests, photographers etc

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 12:48pm

I don't think so.

[brucebossa]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 12:51pm

Yes. They are in the dance ensemble in "1+1=3" and are fantastic. They are both good dancers and the audience loves when they enter in that number.

[Overthewall]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 1:44pm

Haterobics - in response to your question on changes during previews - I was at the first preview and then last night - and nothing has changed aside from one or two technical changes that have just been tightened.

I believe they are just going to keep working on timing during the remaining to weeks of previews.

Personally - I love this version of the show. I saw it in DC and thought it was an extremely strong revision. There were two revisions since DC that kind of "grind my gears" but they're both in the finale and one is extremely minor! haha.

In DC there was a beautiful moment right before the finale kicked in where the girls sang "Come Look at the Freaks" and the music dropped out so it was just the voices for about 3 beats and then came in and it was thrilling. That is no longer there and I'm hoping they'll still put that back in - very minor but I loved it!

And the other change is just the change of the tableau at the end of the second act that was just heartbreaking. :SPOILERS: Now the show ends with the girls being center stage and the freaks behind them. In DC, the freaks were all center stage and the Freaks poster was back lit so you see the twins standing behind it and just before the final blackout the poster became opaque and you could no longer see the twins and just saw the Freaks singing center stage and then it went to a full black out - I found that ending much more heartbreaking and tragic as the girls still never became stars! :END SPOILERS:

Slight changes but still a beautiful production - if you can see it - I'd recommend it!

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/5/14 at 1:45pm

OK, thanks, sounds like there is no need to delay until closer to opening then, if I feel the pull to go some night...

Updated On: 11/5/14 at 01:45 PM

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 11/6/14 at 12:31am

Saw it tonight. Liked Act Two a lot, but I thought Act One just moved too quickly over everything, like "here's 80 minutes of exposition and we're just going to run through it." I get it's like a Condon-style of "fluidly" going through plot, a la Dreamgirls, but I just never felt like they took a brake to take a breath, savor a moment, until they finally got to vaudeville.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 11/6/14 at 8:36am

^ That's fascinating because I felt the opposite way. Act 1 moves briskly and act 2 is like "oh hey let's tie everything up without explaining it"

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 11/6/14 at 12:18pm

^ I can see your POV too. Put 'em together and you get a whole lot of show where a lot happens and none of it is explained! Just keep rolling that plot along...

[CukorLover]

Posted: 11/6/14 at 11:21pm

Saw the show tonight. If the producers wanted to use a Hollywood director, they should have done themselves favor and called on Ryan Murphy. Such a lackluster, univnentive- looking production. Those two talented women deserved much better.

[TalkinLoud]

Posted: 11/6/14 at 11:39pm

I haven't seen this production yet, but in what world is Ryan Murphy (!) a better choice to direct anything than Academy Award winner (albeit for writing) Bill Condon?

Not to mention the producers didn't want a Hollywood director. They wanted to produce this show on Broadway which already had a director.

[SayitSomehow]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:49am

Count me in for the "really good" camp!

Two leads are marvelous and their voices are so crystalline & clear - wonderful to listen to, and they make the big songs count.

Less impressed with the men. Ryan Silverman definitely delivered in his big moments but David St. Louis was comically bad for me. He has a second act number that could be a huge moment, and it just isn't. He's got a really rich deep lower register, but anything above that sounds strained and quiet. EDIT: Now that I've listened to Norm Lewis' version I feel robbed. This song could have stopped the show!

Thought sets/costumes/lighting were just fine. Book & lyrics can be a bit trite, but work. Really enjoyed the score - although I kept thinking it sounded like a really good Frank Wildhorn score. There are some very Jekyll and Hyde moments. Actually think Silverman would kill it as Jekyll.

Took two friends and all three of us approved without a second thought - great night! It's a pleasing mix of belting ballads, old school B'way charm, melodrama and nuance. Would recommend for sure.





Updated On: 11/7/14 at 12:49 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 9:16am

No, CukorLover. Never call Ryan Murphy. Never.

[alovingfan]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:50pm

Thinking of going to this but I spent so much money on Elephant Man tickets. Are there resources for cheaper tickets? I am not a TDF member. If this has already been discussed I apologize. If you could just point me in the right direction I would appreciate it.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:57pm

Rush would be your best option. The tickets dont seem to sell out.

[alovingfan]

Posted: 11/7/14 at 12:58pm

Thank you. I will look into that.