Stick Fly - First Preview- Page 2

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/22/11 at 12:40am

Echoing what Whizzer says, I think the 'experience' of seeing this play is a huge part of its enjoyment factor. The play itself is pretty standard Lifetime soap suds, at turns campy, groan inducing and predictable, but for me the fun of what is essence a 21st century melodrama complete with its own version of audience interaction was what made the evening kind of a hoot. Kind of a bad play but I'd still say, ' go gurl.'

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/22/11 at 12:48am

Ha, exactly. This is the equivalent of going to see "Johnny Guitar" at Film Forum with a packed theater of Crawford loving gays. Of course you don't sit quietly on your hands- in fact you would only go to "Johnny Guitar" wanting to share in the that communal experience of vocalizing your love for the campy film together.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 11/22/11 at 1:05am

Now that we're getting some positive thoughts about the play, my decision of whether or not to see it became more difficult!

[Claire8]

Posted: 11/22/11 at 1:39am

what kind of things are audience members saying exactly?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/22/11 at 8:17am

Pretty much the same reactions the audience gave during the run of the Ricki Lake show.

[Calvin]

Posted: 11/22/11 at 7:04pm

Maybe my problem with the play is there wasn't enough audience reaction when I saw it :) (besides the aforementioned biddies behind me, which was on an entirely different wavelength). There was a bit of the talkback, but it was more of the typical Saturday matinee crowd when I was there, at least in my immediate area.

I did get a nice bonus when the lady in front of me said in medium voice "He sucks" about three times when one character made his final exit. And then the next line of the play was a character saying "Well, that sucks," which led the lady to whoop and say, "I called it!"

[HBBrock]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 12:37am

Saw "Stick Fly" on Broadway tonight at the last minute - great production all around!

It started at 8:07pm and ended at 10:35pm so it was just under 2 and a half hours. Not sure where everyone's getting close to 3 hours unless they are already trimming a lot.

I think it's the kind of play that Tony voters could very potentially sneak into that 4th slot for Best Play at nomination time. It's definitely an underdog type show. There are no "lead" roles or known actors - but the entire ensemble is very good, it's a well written piece, and also has an impressive set. Go see it!

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 12:38am

Ha! Calvin that's funny and my friends and I overheard something similar:

There was a particularly bad joke where Mekhi Phifer asked, "Can I be frank?" and Thoms answered, "I thought you wanted me to call you Flip?" Phifer then went on to chew out Thoms and the woman behind us said to her friend, "Mmhmm. Well he told her he was gonna be frank!"

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 1:07am

It definitely ran 2:50 on Sunday night. It's not like I'm making that up.

I don't think there's a chance in hell that it will be nominated for Best Play.

[HBBrock]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 1:12am

I think the only lock for a Best Play nomination so far this season is "Other Desert Cities."

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 9:43am

Baby Girl, it will be a gold day at the K Fry C before STICK FLY gets a best play nomination in a season that includes Other Desert Cities, Peter and the Star Catchers, Claybourne Park, and half a dozen other new plays we haven't even seen yet.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 9:59am

Man, I'd kill for a 2 piece and a biscuit right now.

[HBBrock]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 10:10am

Clybourne Park will probably get a nomination. True. Peter and the Starcatchers doesn't even have a theatre yet, so it's not 100%.

[trentsketch]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 11:16am

What's the original music like? Is it just piano?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 11:19am

Some of the interludes are just piano, but most aren't. It sounds like samples for what her or a multitude of other R&B artists could use on an upcoming album. With the play running as long as it is they should cut them, although I realize it will never happen.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 11:25am

The incidental music really adds nothing to the play at all, and I agree, should be axed.

As for the "interaction," I don't mind the occasional gasp or "oh my god!" (like you had in August...where there were truly shocking moments), but it's way beyond that here. Every time a character defends him or herself, or tells someone off, there was a chorus of "That's it!", "Amen, brother!", "You tell him, girl!" from the audience. That was what was disruptive.

But the fact that there were 8 (!!!) cell phone disruptions on Sunday evening was worst of all. This despite the fact that the ushers (a friendly house staff, by the way) repeatedly walked up and down the aisles before the show telling people to turn them off. AND there was a pre-show announcement.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 11:40am

I don't condone the cell phone rings but don't really see the issue with the audience reaction. This isn't high art. It isn't Shakespeare (although audiences in his time were apparently extremely vocal). Its just this side of a gospel play or a Tyler Perry film and the communal experience of the melodrama is arguably what makes the play bearable.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 12:38pm

I'm in agreement with Michael Bennett about the audience reactions. The play is the equivalent to a Ricki Lake Show episode, so why not react the same way. Ricki Lake wouldn't have been as fun as it was to watch without the audience cheering when someone burst through a picture of his or her old self during a make over show or the audience booing a dead beat dad when confronted by his baby mama!

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 12:41pm

So... is "everyone" "in" on the "joke"?

Or just the white people?

There, I said it.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 12:52pm

Well anyone making the comments is clearly reacting in an honest way, meaning I don't think they're mocking the piece. I don't think it's a joke to be "in" on per se.

It's more that Michael Bennett and I both enjoyed the experience of the play more than the play itself, and that's ok. I would enjoy the experience of being in the audience of Ricki Lake or Jenny Jones more than the programming itself too. There might be people who actually love the play, which is fine and valid.

I personally just don't have a problem with the vocal reactions because the play is such frothy stuff. I think it was written, directed and acted to elicit these reactions so why not go for it. Hell I even started to chime in because I got so caught up in it all! Why I probably came out of the theater loving it.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 1:02pm

Its just this side of a gospel play or a Tyler Perry film

The play is the equivalent to a Ricki Lake Show episode

Then they should charges prices comparable to those, and not over $100 per ticket.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 1:05pm

I guess it would be folly to ask if the play or production is "good," critically speaking. I'm honestly very glad you guys enjoyed your experience, but it sounds downright infuriating to me... which probably means I'm not the audience for the piece, anyway!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 1:11pm

No, of course the play isn't good. The writing is competent, if somewhat amateurish, and the performances range from competent, if somewhat amateurish, to over the top scenery chomping (Tracy Thoms I mean you, little mama). The set is first rate.

I wouldn't pay $100 dollars to see it, but if there are people who are willing too, its at least - if not more entertaining than many things on Broadway charging the same prices.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 4:12pm

I find some of the comments people have made a bit disturbing, and frankly, a little racist.

Are people really suggesting that part of the "experience" of seeing this play is to laugh mockingly at the silly black folks who think this is high art? How communal!

I also don't see how the experience of any Broadway show should be equated to watching Ricki Lake.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/23/11 at 4:16pm

I don't care if you're white, black, yellow or red. If you go to the theater, you shut the fvck up while you're watching it and not act like classless trash.