Posted: 11/16/21 at 9:37am
Had I not gotten the seat I paid for, I would cause quite a stink, not gonna lie.
Posted: 11/16/21 at 10:03am
I guess I really lucked out. When I was walking to pick up tickets I saw there were two lines, one of which was MUCH shorter than the other. I asked about the difference and was told one was orchestra and the other was mezzanine. I was only in line about 10 mins outside before waiting in the lobby for tickets. That part was insane because it was around 6:45 and tickets were still being stuffed into envelopes. Only had to wait for about 10-15 more mins before getting my tickets and entering. Also snagged one of the t-shirts quickly upon entering.
The evening was honestly way more than I expected because I came in thinking this was just going to be a concert of the songs. We got an entire run through of the show with many cast members completely off book and emoting as if they were in the show yesterday. Unlike the other posters, I wasn't a fan of Skylar's choices here. He was always my second favorite from the OBC (Groffsauce 5eva!) but it felt like he wanted to show he was Mr. Pitch Perfect now and oversing/mug a lot. Obviously Lea and Jonathan were the standouts having memorized the whole script and acting the hell out of it. The whole cast really seemed happy to have reunited and it was a joy to watch. As others said, Totally F**ked was the highlight and really conveyed the energy of the whole evening. Something I'll never forget.
As for the audience, I was kind of surprised that after the initial excitement and rapturous applause after everyone sang a line they calmed down. The exception being a group of girls in the front row that screamed like banshees at several parts involving Jonathan. It felt like they didn't grow up from their days of seeing the show 100s of times and likely thinking the entire cast were their friends.
ETA: They also had the original band performing last night which I don't think was mentioned anywhere and was really nice to see. There were some hotties that I recognized right away.
Updated On: 11/16/21 at 10:03 AM
Posted: 11/16/21 at 10:11am
Omg they all look so old!!!! Never cared for the show but cool that this happened!
Posted: 11/16/21 at 10:30am
Also, can we take a moment to appreciate the string orchestrations in this show? I wish there was an official instrumental version of the finished score because some of those sections are really exceptional.
Posted: 11/16/21 at 10:58am
The string orchestrations have always been so gorgeous. Simon Hale should have shared in Duncan Sheik’s orchestration Tony win; his work really elevates the score.
Posted: 11/16/21 at 12:40pm
I was front mezz, and the audience was fairly well contained. I was honestly expecting a lot more standing ovations, etc. The only time the crowd actually got up (outside of entrance and curtain call) was following Totally F*cked. There was definitely enthusiasm in the crowd, but it wasn't anywhere close to the reopening hooplah some of the shows have had.
They showed a video before Act 2 with clips of old talk show appearances, award shows, etc. It was pure nostalgia, and the audience loved it.
Updated On: 11/17/21 at 12:40 PM
Posted: 11/16/21 at 1:06pm
herewegoabc said: "I was front mezz, and the audience was fairly well contained. I was honestly expecting a lot more standing ovations, etc. The only time the crowd actually got up (outside of entrance and curtain call) was following Totally F*cked. There was definitely enthusiasm in the crowd, but it wasn't anywhere close to the reopening hooplah some of the shows have seen.
One part I haven't seen anyone mention- Gideon broke during Word of Your Body. I don't blame him for cracking, and his tiny bust of laughter was fun to see. That's always such a much needed calm down/humor break in the show anyway, and I loved watching it last night.
I thought Jonathan gave a nearly identical performance to the one he gave on Broadway all those years ago. I do agree that his vocals are stronger, but his acting seemed to be pure muscle memory. I loved it because it just felt so natural, like that character is still in his bones after all these years. Lea gave the best performance I've ever seen her do and seemed like a totally different character from her old Wendla. They were phenomenal together and were completely off book the entire time.
They showed a video before Act 2 with clips of old talk show appearances, award shows, etc. It was pure nostalgia, and the audience loved it."
I was happy the audience didn’t go over the top during the show. They were there to experience the performance and not the sound of their own applause.
Posted: 11/16/21 at 1:35pm
I was glad as well, but I was surprised. I was afraid we wouldn't even be able to hear the actors, so I was glad that wasn't the case.
Posted: 11/18/21 at 7:20pm
I got an email from the Actor's Fund regarding the clusterf*ck in the mezzanine offering complimentary tickets to an upcoming Actor's Fund performance through December 31st 2023, converting the cost of the ticket to a deductible contribution or getting a full refund.
I have not stopped thinking about the concert portion of the evening since the minute I left Monday night. I never got to see John Gallagher Jr play Moritz and never thought I'd have the chance so Monday was a dream come true. His performance was incredible and hit me just as hard as it had from YouTube videos and bootlegs.
I had always heard about the magic that was the full original Broadway cast (I saw the show for the first time in February 2008 - so I saw a majority of the original cast) and seeing them all together and seeing their chemistry as a group there is a reason it had been long regarded as such.
I will never forget Monday evening and the feeling of watching the cast of a show I love so much and saw many times bring their magic back to Broadway.
Updated On: 11/18/21 at 07:20 PM
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