Spelling Bee LA reviews — Page 2

#26

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/27/07 at 9:46pm

I saw the show Thursday May 24th, the opening preview, and thought is was wonderful. My wife and I sat row G center aisle.

The cast's timing and love of the show is evident. It is a blessing to get a full broadway casting production in Los Angeles (hopefully this pattern will start now).

Yes the lighting was suspect, but expected with an opening night. The sound was a bit weak on some of the performers at certain times. Although I am thankful for being able to hear the performers project their voice, (Ethel Merman styled projection still lives, hooray) it was hard to hear some of the lines.

The cast and production will only get better. I hope to see it again. It was a great night at the theater.

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"Bad theater is better than no theater" Some smart guy.

#27

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/27/07 at 9:49pm

Was William Finn there?

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I shave me Xanadu every morning!

#28

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/27/07 at 9:54pm

You know, I didn't see him, unless he is clean shaven, then maybe he was there, in the back.

The cast came out pretty quick after the show, so I don't think they took notes or heard from any of the creators. There were a few actors or smaller note there. The audience seemed to be people from the Nederlander offices and friends.

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"Bad theater is better than no theater" Some smart guy.

#29

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/27/07 at 10:20pm

Did you stagedoor the show after?

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I shave me Xanadu every morning!

#30

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 10:17am

I happened to be picked as a guest speller at the Saturday matinee and found, that during the scene "when Leaf was calling out all his siblings' names", it is a bit confusing. The staff had explained that the cast would tell/show you when to do anything, but when everybody else is standing, it seems wrong to still be sitting. Does that make sense? Jesse caught me starting to stand and motioned me back down, so it turned out OK.

Anyway, I had a great time! The show is wonderful and I wish we could go again!

#31

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 12:06pm

"How do you get autographs and pictures from the entire cast if they exit from different ways?"

bring a few friends and man every exit.

#32

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 12:15pm

FYI-They all came out the stagedoor at the matinee...and were very sweet to all that were waiting!

#33

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 12:15pm

" happened to be picked as a guest speller at the Saturday matinee and found, that during the scene "when Leaf was calling out all his siblings' names", it is a bit confusing. The staff had explained that the cast would tell/show you when to do anything, but when everybody else is standing, it seems wrong to still be sitting. Does that make sense? Jesse caught me starting to stand and motioned me back down, so it turned out OK. "

.... that's the point. happens most every show. they do it for the laugh when jesse or jose have to sit the person who hasn't been called back down.

#34

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 12:28pm

Hmmm...perhaps so. It does leave one feeling a bit discomfited.

#35

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 1:19pm

"It is a blessing to get a full broadway casting production in Los Angeles (hopefully this pattern will start now)."

It won't. The original cast who were recently replaced on Broadway were offered he opening of the LA production as a consolation for losing Broadway. Because Dan, Jesse, and Jay were already in LA, hey decided to try and get the entire original cast together again.

#36

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 1:30pm

Enjoy it while you can.

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"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>> “I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>> -whatever2

#37

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 2:04pm

I saw the show yesterday and it was absolutely fabulous! I was so excited to see the entire original cast together and you could tell they were enjoying doing it...I can't wait to go back! :)

#38

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 3:41pm

Mrs. B- Did they all come out one exit?

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I shave me Xanadu every morning!

#39

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 3:47pm

Yep! On the east side of the theatre, by the parking lot. They even had a barrier set up.

#40

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 4:03pm

Fosse...you bring me sad news, at least you could have given me a few days of hope. You are a cruel young man (I hope you are a male, it's more dramatic than "young woman" haha).

I guess I have to make time to catch it a few more times, huh?

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"Bad theater is better than no theater" Some smart guy.

#41

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 4:07pm

how full has the theater been?

#42

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 8:38pm

It looked pretty full to me from my 'special' view!

I had read there were codes available, but every code I have seen in the last few days have been sold out. I know there are tickets available on ticketmaster, but from the choices I have been given when I have looked, the seats are not the best. Of course, the theatre isn't that big to begin with, and I think just about all seats would be decent. This isn't a show where you miss anything if you are on the left or right house (except for being under the overhang for the one small scene.) Almost all the action is center front...

I wish it wasn't a 125 mile trip down there! I'd be Rushing the show a few times before they go!

#43

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 9:00pm

The theatre has been been pretty full. I have seen it more full before but it is doing pretty well. They all have adapted to using the one exit instead of confusing people and coming out different ways.

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"I never had theatre producers run after me. Some people want to make more Broadway shows out of movies. But Elliot and I aren't going to do Batman: The Musical." - Julie Taymor 1999

#44

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 9:08pm

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117933782.html?categoryid=33&cs=1

http://www.calendarlive.com/stage/la-et-spellingbee29may29,0,3036540.story?coll=cl-stage-top-right

http://lenwein.blogspot.com/2007/05/give-this-bee-a.html

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

Updated On: 5/28/07 at 09:08 PM

#45

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/28/07 at 10:33pm

I was at opening night last night, and the show was amazing. The performances were amazing, but the abrupt shift in tone after the marathon of correct spellings one right after the other kinda seemed weird. The audience's sympathy seemed to lie mainly with the first few spellers to get out. But the cast was spot-on and hilarious.

And everybody came out the stage door after and was more than happy to sign and take pictures.

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"You mean what was the best picture of the year or what did they pick as the best picture of the year?" - California Suite

#46

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/29/07 at 10:11am

https://losangeles.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=18740

#47

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/29/07 at 1:51pm

yay! I'm so glad you liked it! I wish I could see it. I loved it on Broadway sooo much. FYI, Marcy is Asian American as am I. Asian implies that she is foreign which she is not. We Asian Americans like to make a clear distinction. Good review though. Is it very different from the Bway? How did it feel in the big theatre? Dan Fogler is a genius!

#48

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/29/07 at 2:45pm

It was my first time to see the show and enjoyed it because I also listened to the cast recording over and over so I could get used to it.

I got a ticked from Liote :P and it was row G, center!!!!

After the show, we waited at the stage door and got my playbills signed by Jose, Bolger and Marcy Park!!!

Jose is so nice and he talked to me in Tagalog :P

The next day, I went to the Pantages to see Wicked and this is what I saw:

#49

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/30/07 at 12:00am

Do you know who the covers are in this production? It isn't onn the website, but I am assuming they have some. Thanks!

#50

re: Spelling Bee LA reviews

Posted: 5/30/07 at 1:23am

I saw it Friday May 25 and the house was packed. Great energy and the cast was fantastic. I loved everyone, especially Jesse and Dan. I was center orchestra row K on the aisle so I got some Swedish fish and Circus Peanuts from Chip. It was also really funny because the last guest speller was about 15 years old and he spelled his word correctly and the whole cast glared at him and when he asked for a sentence for the next word, Jay Reiss said "Get this word wrong."

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"I wish the stage were as narrow as the wire of a tightrope dancer, so that no incompetent would dare step upon it." Goethe