Spring Awakening Wed. April 9, 2008

[george95]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 11:51pm

I saw Spring Awakening tonight for the 8th time. There was some kind of a reporter with a big television camera there asking people in line about the show, and she had me talking for a good 5 minutes.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that during the B-way Cares speech, Jonathan Groff mentioned how everyone should go see Passing Strange because the SA company was invited to see the Wed matinee today of Passing Strange by that company. Jonathan said he had never been so moved before by theater.

So I sat in the 3rd row of the orch, on the left side of the left aisle (does that make sense?). I've never sat anywhere near that close before. As much as I enjoyed sitting that close, I think the front mezz is better so you can see the whole "picture" and I like to see the lighting effects on the side walls of the theaters.

I think this was only my 2nd or maybe 3rd time seeing Blake Bashoff as Moritz, and he was so incredible. However, when he ran out after "Guilty Ones" with his NO NO NO!, his hair, which had looked the regular way, all messed and hairsprayed, was now standing straight up like Kid N' Play (early 90's rappers). What was supposed to be a shocking emotional moment was ruined when what sounded like a large group of teenage girls cackled mindlessly and loudly when he ran out---they pretty much drowned out his "no no no!" I couldn't believe how much he cried during his scene with Ilse---the tears were streaming down his face!

Which brings me to Ilse. Hmmmm. Hmmmmmmmm. I've seen another actress do the part besides the original girl, but the new Ilse, Emma Hunton, I just dont' know. All right this is going to sound mean, but I dont like her appearance for the role of Ilse. Ilse is supposed to be a screwed-up homeless girl. That's why the long wild hair, the smallish body of the original girl worked so well. Also, it was great that she had that distinctive, throaty, almost scratchy voice, which was so different from the other girl's voices. It was another way to separate her character from the other girls.
Emma Hunton is I guess big-boned you could say? Her little pixie haircut complete with perfect bangs and well-fed body do not go well with this supposedly homeless girl character living life in a wacky artists' commune. Her voice was average. It did the job, but it didn't knock you out like the original girl...man I need to dig out a playbill and find out her name.....that's it Lauren Pritchard. Emma is no Lauren.

It was great to have Christine back as the adult women. She really hams that part up.

Oh and before the show, the woman in front of me put her coat over her chair, so that it covered my knees, so I whispered to my friend "this coat is all over my knees" and she darted around and said "is there a problem? Do I need to move my coat? Are you going to be ok with my coat there?" And I was like " no no I'm fine I'm fine! You're fine! The coat is fine!" I think it was that she looked like such a typical mom, that I couldnt be a snotty and be like "yeah move your coat it cant touch my knees" And I felt bad I even whispered about it.

Oh and by the way, my friend is in town visiting, and he is poor as hell, so I got us these tickets tonight, and what does he say when he sits down? "I'd rather sit in the balcony. These seats are too low, I'm gonna have to look up at the stage the whole time. I'd rather be more in the middle. I'd rather sit a little further back." It was also his first Broadway show ever, so he joked about how he would try and make faces at the actors to break their concentration. I had no idea if he was serious or not at the time. Needless to say, we had a big fight after the show and he just left my apartment to go for a walk. Thought you'd all like to share in the drama!! : )

Updated On: 4/9/08 at 11:51 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/9/08 at 11:59pm

"I saw Spring Awakening tonight for the 8th time. There was some kind of a reporter with a big television camera there asking people in line about the show, and she had me talking for a good 5 minutes. "

Oh no! Are the audience testimonials commercials coming back???

"We got tickets to see it TWO more times. My husband works in the area."

[caitlinette]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:02am

Great review!!

...So did you have a fight because he actually did make faces at the actors?

[aliciag]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:03am

That's awesome that the cast got to see Passing Strange and loved it. And good for Groff for spreading the good word of mouth!

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:04am

Updated On: 5/6/09 at 12:04 AM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:05am

but it didn't knock you out like the original girl...man I need to dig out a playbill and find out her name.....that's it Lauren Pritchard. Emma is no Lauren.

So Lauren really must've made quite an impression on you, huh?

Updated On: 4/10/08 at 12:05 AM

[george95]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:06am

No he was very well-behaved during the show. On the way to the theater, when we got on the subway, he YELLED at me because he said I ran down the stairs, but then I slowed walked onto the train. He was like "how u gonna run down the stairs and then just like slowly go into the train? That dont make no sense man" And then he kept going on and on while a trainload of strangers glared at me getting yelled at. So that, coupled with the complaints about the tickets that I paid for, were kind of the basis of the argument I guess.

[dramaboy27]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:07am

I think Emma is great, and you are right she is No Lauren.......SHES EMMA!!! I wouldnt want to see another Lauren because that means that she is copying and not experiencing the role for her self....As for her size, I would be careful about talking about a young girls size on a site that many young people get on....I think she is talented, and best of all SHES CAST and another four or five hundred girls arent!!

[george95]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:12am

Oh nooooooooooo! I dont want to start any BWW drama/Lifetime Movie about girl's weight issues. (and hey, at 6' 207lbs, I got weight problems of my own to deal with)

There is an overweight actress in Avenue Q who goes on as Kate Monster sometimes and she's terrific--the weight does not affect the role.

But I really think that in the case of a character like Ilse, the actress should be a little less done up in terms of the hair and make up. I could have forgiven the weight (of course) if she didnt' have that totally wrong hair and the red lipstick. How is she able to buy lipstick and maintain that hairstyle when she lives in an artist colony?? That's all I'm sayin----we now return to this week's Lifetime Movie--"It's Not Lauren--It's Emma!" : )

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:20am

"Oh nooooooooooo! I dont want to start any BWW drama/Lifetime Movie about girl's weight"

you may have not started any... but it seems you want to, when you bring up some pointless drama between you and your -- "friend" ?

[george95]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:27am

oh nooooooooooo you didn't toodarnhot. no. you. didn't.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:30am

MMMHHHMM I DID GURL.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 6:34am

"Man of La Mancha, starring Brian Stokes Mitchell...and I bought the mug!"

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:00pm

I could have forgiven the weight (of course) if she didnt' have that totally wrong hair and the red lipstick.

So, you can't forgive her size because she had short hair and lipstick? First of all I don't think her size should have been something you needed to forgive, but whatever. Secondly, I think she was actually told to have her hair cut like that for the role. I guess if she doesn't look like the spitting image of Lauren Pritchard she won't do it for you, though. (And for the record this has no real bearing to me as I haven't seen Emma in the role yet and will not for another week.)

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:22pm

Dancinthrulife just came out of nowehre, with a surprise attack. Cat fight is ON ladies!

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:25pm

Uhh, no.
Dancingthrulife just read the thread and had to point out the post she felt very odd.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:34pm

I loved the picture... it was a good excuse to share it, darling.

all in good fun

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:38pm

Emma is wonderful in this role. While I PREFER the quality of Lauren's voice, Emma is lovely and her acting runs circles around Lauren.

Personally, I do not care for the makeup OR the haircut: BUT THAT IS NOT THE ACTOR'S CHOICE. (And yes, "THEY" had her do it.)

The scene she has with Bashoff is amazing. So good, I forget about her hair.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:51pm

I can't wait for Lauren's album.

I always loved her voice but her acting... wasn't crazy about it.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 12:52pm

I don't even remember Lauren's acting, really. Guess it was that good.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 1:00pm

Unless things have changed: her album is due out around the end of October. I can't wait to hear it. LOVE to listen to her.

[george95]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 1:49pm

Ok I'm still not backing away from my comments about Emma's appearance (the Cat fight is on!!!!) however.....

I did forget to mention how much better Emma was in the Blue Wind/Don't do Sadness scene than Lauren. When Lauren asked Moritz why he couldn't just come over for an hour, just walk with her, every time she asked, she appeared annoyed, offended, pissed off even, but Emma had tears in her eyes, and she look desperate, sad, lonely.....more realistic DESPITE the totally wrong makeup and hair. I dont care if its not her choice to look like that, I still dont like it for Ilse!

[greybaby231]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 1:59pm

I think Emma's acting is amazing!
But, I do agree with george95. It's not that she's not really skinny, or her hair's too neat, or her lipstick's too red. It's just, Ilse isn't supposed to look like that. She's wild and dangerous. The image they've given to Emma is too clean. It completely contradicts the character that's been created up to that point. It's not Emma's fault. It's whoever makes her look like that before and during each show.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 2:03pm

I disagree with the fact that they have GIVEN ilse a specific "look"

just because Lauren was the original image, doesn't mean she should look like Lauren.

and ... in my opinion... there isn't much character development in the first place. not sure it really matters THAT muchh

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 4/10/08 at 3:54pm

I sat in the area of where you sat before and I really enjoyed the seats! Glad you had fun!