Spiderman Preview Thread!- Page 22

[crewdude]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 11:05pm

Hey Mr. Matt, I really wasn't trying to disparage the show by pointing out that obscurity really depends on a person's point of view. What's considered common knowledge for you or me may be completely unknown to someone else. At the same time, most baseball player names or Nascar drivers are completely obscure references to me.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 11:24pm

...Karen and Ramona.

[bk]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 11:25pm

I just have to comment on the post that said four months isn't a lot of rehearsal. Are you insane, that would be my question. Classic musicals from the Golden Age rehearsed for FOUR weeks then played a gypsy run-through then went out of town for a few weeks or so, then came back to NY (if they were lucky), played one or two previews and opened. Period. In the last two years only certain shows have rehearsed a little longer and by a little longer I mean five weeks - maybe in one or two instances six. FOUR MONTHS? Please.

[rorschach37]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 11:49pm

Ok, judging by what I've read I feel that what they should do is drop the Geek Chorus and replace Arachne's introduction with a voice-over by oh I don't know...Stan Lee?! He could also provide narration if needed. All pre-recorded dialogue of course. Just a thought.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 11:52pm

http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/11/29/spider-man-turn-off-the-dark-preview-michael-cohl/

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 12:06am

You know, at this point I hope they defy the odds, fix this show and make all of these "journalists" and bloggers eat crow for the negative headlines that are appearing. It just seems that the media loves to put negative stuff out there. The coverage is amazing. Where are they for other openings? They are just there for something big that they think is going to fail. The word vultures was mentioned earlier in this thread and that's what they are. Do I consider us vultures? No. We are passionate about the theatre. Yup, some nasty things have been said about it in this thread but we aren't sending it out to the masses. We are discussing it here on BWW. If we were all in a room together, we would be saying the same things. And if it is a bad show, it won't last. But at least give it a chance to officially open. OK, I'm done! JMO

Updated On: 11/30/10 at 12:06 AM

[leefowler]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 12:28am

Are there people here that think comments about a show in previews shouldn't be allowed? A lot of people here seem outraged at all these negative thoughts about a work in progress...

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 12:31am

ditto with uncageg... i hope they do a great job... i would NEVER wish anything failure which apparently most people on here and in the blogosophere love to do

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 12:50am

I've said this before, I want this show to be good and I want it to do well if it's good but from what I saw last night I have a hard time trying to imagine how they are going to make this show good. I just don't see them changing that much of it.

[glind.jr]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 12:54am

Granted, I haven't seen anything from the show other than the "60 Minutes" trailer, but I'm PUMPED.

I don't work in theater, but have been following this show for a while. And although I guess I don't have the knowledge (sorry 30-years plus annoying guy who KEEPS TALKING FOREVER), I work in film and TV production - not theater.

Everyone I know who I've worked with over the past year on thinks this sounds AWESOME. If anything, something to be experienced. I joined this chat only to say I know dozens of people within the film and TV industry (small population, I know...and not the target audience) who are SO excited.

Also - just to defend myself, I live in NYC and have seen most of the shows you all have compared this to. If Spider-Man looks or sounds anything like "Titanic" or "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown", I'd also be terrifie

I'm sure the first show sucked...I've never been to a preview but have tix for Dec 23rd. I'm still excited and so are my work friends. Bring it on! If the show stops, we'll applaud and chant, "spider-man, Spider-Man, SPIDER-MAN!"

[glind.jr]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 12:58am

Sorry for my mis-spelling and here comes the wrath...

[crewdude]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 1:01am

"some nast things have been said about it in this thread but we aren't sending it out to the masses. We are discussing it here on BWW."

Are you serious? You do understand that this is the internet, right? You do know that the internet is accessed all around the globe, right? You do understand that people are reading this that aren't a part of this "we" of which you speak? Just plain casual readers or anyone with the ability to google pulls up this thread and reads it. This not a special select club.

These "vultures" of which you speak are not just "here" because they think or want the show to fail. The vast majority are interested because it is Spiderman, it is a musical about Spiderman, it is a musical written by U2. These "vultures" actually want the show to be good. That's why they and I care.

You'll discover that these "vultures" are usually the same intense theatre queens that want to dish everything to show that they have better taste than the little people. Only Sondheim is good enough for praise.
This is a show, a concept, that people wanted desperately to be good, to be damn good.

(As a side note, I have to admit, that as a spidey fan , I get a huge laugh every time some one brings up up "vulture" since he is one of the Spiderman bad guys.)

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 1:01am

Also it wasn't the stoppages that bothered me I expected more of them actually. It was the terribly forgettable music and the horrible book and the completely absurd moments(the fashion show, and shoe song) and basically the entire act 2 which was a mess that made last night a huge disappointment.
Updated On: 11/30/10 at 01:01 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 1:02am

People aren't necessarily WISHING for failure. However, they are wishing for a quality show.

I for one would rather see a mediocre or weak show FAIL, then see it succeed. I hate when mediocrity is hailed as greatness simply because of longevity. I hate when medocrity is taken as art simply because it exists. I'd rather elevate the public's perception rather than kowtow to the common. JUST to have a show sell tickets, when a show is lacking substance, is not what I want for broadway.

I think MOST people hear would love to see all the issues with this (and any other show) bandied about addressed and fixed throughout the very long preview period. I know when I see it at Christmas, I'm HOPING for just that to happen. Will it? Only time will tell.

However, since the cast and crew had NEVER run the entire show previous to the first preview IS a telling sign that it WASN'T ready for the public. How much longer should they have waited? I don't know, I'm not there. But four months rehearsal is an exhorbitant amount of time to rehearse any show. It SHOULD have been ready. Remember, it was only two weeks ago that they couldn't even show all the stunts to the inspectors.

[twinbelters]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 1:52am

I was just describing the big no-plot of TODT and mentioned the Arachne bit. I enjoyed his suggested re-title "Spider-man: Bite of the Spiderwoman." tee.

[dented146]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 1:56am

I've never hoped a show would crash and burn but for me Marvel and all the other high tech crap that inundates the movies is a good place to start. I'm so sick of mindless movies that depend on special effects and advertising to draw crowds. And I'd prefer to not have Broadway become another outlet for the dumbing down of America.

[groucho797]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 2:20am

Wow - I came here hoping to find out a bit about the show and am amazed by the vitriol being thrown around! "You'd think that after X months of previews and the ticket prices, etc. that this would be the best show ever!"

How can you enter a debate with someone with that mindset? How can you dictate what someone should spend their money on? If someone likes a show that you don't, do you lie awake at night thinking how superior you are to them? I'm still scratching my head over people that loved Addams Family - but you know what? Good for them! They feel like it was money well spent. And if you feel cheated by the money you spent - well, who hasn't spent money on a show they didn't like?

When I saw Women on the Verge, I didn't get it the first time. I liked it, but I didn't know why. Then some insightful posts on the thread helped me to understand why it was staged and performed the way it was. Now I like the show even more. Yet there were folks on the thread who insisted that we hate it (adopting munchkin-like voices "Oh, yes, you have to H-A-A-A-T-E it or you don't know anything about theater!")

I'll never sit through Le Miz or Lion King again, thank you. Obviously lots of people think they were the best shows ever made, that they DEFINE Broadway or something. Yeah, well - I buy tickets regardless of what someone else thinks. And now I want to see this one even more. It sounds innovative. I'm skeptical, but I'll throw down the money anyway. So if I don't like it, I won't go back.

Who decides who has the right to see a show or not? I don't recall voting for you.

"Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't do or teach, criticize."

[brettystar]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 2:44am

Weighing in here, I think it is a shame that previews are no longer discounted. It is the same here (in Australia) and whereas preview tickets were once heavily discounted, they are now close to full price and producers appear to do their best to not make it obvious that the audiences are at a preview. I think producers should discount tickets to all previews and make no bones about it that they are discounted for a reason - that the show is a 'preview' of what the finished product will be and technical hitches are likely.
That said, as it WAS a first preview, I think people need to accept this and not harp on and on about technical faults. I totally agree that the audience should not have paid full price and there should certainly have been compensation for those who bought the tickets if it was once an actual post opening performance date. However as it stands it WAS a preview - end of story.
It has even made the free papers our here which is plain ridiculous. It truly appears to be a case of tall poppy syndrome whereby because so much money has been spent, or some think that the director is an egomaniac, then the show deserves to fail.
I do not think any reviewer should post their opinions on a preview - unless they do so for all previews. It just reinforces personal vendettas and is in a way, bullying imo.
When there were issues with the bus during the Priscilla previews here in Sydney - many audience members were outraged and compained and said that the show would flop. That turned out to be a major success here (mind you, the producers gave away a LOT of return free tickets to those who complained which imo is the correct thing to do). There also wasn't a member of the press with a bee in their bonnet whining about the first preview either.
Mind you, I have no idea how any show could have a budget of $65m.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 5:19am

Groucho -- I don't see anyone here telling you what to like or dislike, what to buy or not to buy. Folks are simply talking about either their experience or beliefs. MOST folks want to hear varying opinions, I know I do.

DEBATE implies one person is right or wrong or, at least, will win. You can not "win" when it comes to opinions. Some people feel that what's wrong with the show are not fixable. Some people think they should have delayed again rather than show what they consider a debacle to an audience. Some people think it will be a raging success. What is there to debate?

However, there is lots to discuss. WILL it get better? Most likely. Will it be enough to make the show worthy of Bway or of the ticket prices? I don't know.

Bway Fans are a passionate bunch, people that visit discussion boards like to voice their opinions -- that's a loud combination. If all ANY discussion board did was agree with each other, there wouldn't be any discussion. I've been on the unpopular side of some of the shows I loved (Spring Awakening) or hate (Curtains, Rent). I always felt my opinion was worth typing about and that people (even while disagreeing with me) enjoyed the back and forth. Ignore those you find unreasonable, chime in with your own thoughts.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 6:48am

As usual...Mama makes an excellent point. Just an interesting note: I work in the medical field, and more 'non theater' people have been asking me about this show than any other. And, they had no idea that Sunday wasn't the opening night, and think all the comments about topping the show etc were the actual reviews .

[Katurian2]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 8:24am

"I'm so sick of mindless movies that depend on special effects and advertising to draw crowds. And I'd prefer to not have Broadway become another outlet for the dumbing down of America."


Seriously? Marvel superhero movies are some of the best out there. They have had a few whiffs (Fantastic Four), but the first two Spiderman movies were brilliant. And even if the effects in them sucked, there is still a fundamental story in there about sacrifice and love.

Millions of kids across the world grow up idolizing these heroes and stories, and it's certainly not 'dumbing down' for them. It's people they can look up to for the rest of their lives. Pick up a comic book sometime and figure it out.

Oh, and America is built on what you call 'dumbing down,' because superheroes have been saving and inspiring us all the way back since before WWII when Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster- both Jews- created a symbol that would help America see goodness and patriotism through a terrible time in history, and so they invented Superman. I'm sure they thought it was real stupid too when they needed a symbol to fight the evil they saw in the world. Real, real dumb.

Updated On: 11/30/10 at 08:24 AM

[Steve2]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 8:49am

^
|
|
Not sure if this is a serious post or a joke.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 8:58am

It's a serious post. Get out of your ivory theatre tower and figure it out.

[denali.fire]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 9:47am

The Kiss of Spider-Woman and Spider-Man: Making Spider-Babies in the dark

Updated On: 11/30/10 at 09:47 AM

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/30/10 at 9:52am

Completely agreed about these characters, Katurian.

And I think there's something deeply theatrical about many superheroes. It's a shame that in the few attempts to adapt them into theatre, the creators apparently haven't trusted what made the source material work. Hal Prince tried to make Superman ironic and campy in that musical's first incarnation, now it looks like Julie Taymor is trying to force some sort of weird, half-baked Greek mythology theme on Spider-Man (which, incidentally, is much of what ruined CARRIE). It seems like the most sincere attempt was that Batman show that never happened, but the music was pretty terrible.

I'm pulling for this show to work, though I don't really like what I'm hearing about most of it. With so many decades of strong stories to choose from, there's no reason why people should come away saying that there's no story. I hope that the show's technical complexity and the egos involved won't completely cripple the book's progress.