Sunset Boulevard Revival Broadway Thread — Page 31

chernjam said: "CT2NYC said: "Lot666 said: "CT2NYC said: "I saw Glenn, Betty, Karen Mason, and Elaine Paige. If I recall correctly, that was all of the original Normas."

WOW. I guess Petula Clark was only in London, right?

Right, but she also toured with the show in the U.S.

"

CT - I hated Elaine Paige in this. Thought her singing was overrated (Mason and Buckley definitely were better than Paige) and her acting was ridiculous. She was playing it almost as a cartoon.

Glad to know someone agrees with me, and, unfortunately, I don't think it's exclusive to SUNSET BOULEVARD. I've seen her in the live recording of CATS, and there's just something very "cheesy" about her acting. She doesn't inhabit her roles the way that others do. It's all very "acted," for lack of a better word. As far as her voice is concerned, it's good, but it doesn't have that special something that distinguishes it from other good voices. She was my least favorite Norma, by far.

Standing ovation said: ... Yes it is a former best musical winner, but you have to put it in context with what was happening in the commercial theater the year it was eligible. It was a NOTORIOUSLY weak year for new musicals with only one other nominee...Smokey Joe's Cafe (a musical revue at best). Plus, Sunset Boulevard was the only nominee for original score/book of musical. In other years, I highly doubt that the show would have won either of those three awards. Watching it last night, it was apparent that the show hasn't aged that well.



Completely get not everyone is going to like Sunset. But it should be noted that when t opened in 1995, with a record setting $37.5 million in advance ticket sales (which was only just broken by Hello Dolly with much higher ticket prices btw) that scared a lot of other producers from even wanting to go up in competition that year. If I remember correctly, passion, beauty and the beast, Rent were shows that opened the seasons before or after Sunset. So you can't dismiss the awards that year because others decided not to show up and be eclipsed by what was taking up almost all of the theatrical oxygen that year. Just my two cents

Betsy: simple typo. I have a lot of respect for the artists on any show wouldn't do it on purpose.

1995 is known as one of the weakest years in new musicals in that decade...with one other show nominated and not even having a real book, I'm not sure they had to give the award by default that year....however, I get why it would be strange for the Tony brand to not have a BEST MUSICAL that year....but book and score could have been skipped that year. Not that it's the same, but some years they don't give a pulitzer for drama.

the orchestra must be significantly cheaper than doing the full scale musical or I'm not sure this would be possible...the producers must have hit the right numbers in order to make some kind of profit. Nice to see them onstage and even nicer to give her a full bow, but I still think it looked really cheap (don't get me wrong it was never intended on being a full show, I get it. Just an observation, especially considering napier's set is legendary)

Yeah I don't see "cheap" or even "pared down" when describing this production... I wouldn't doubt if the weekly costs are near what the original production were (700-800 K a week). The orchestra has to be over $40,000 a week... the main cast is probably near $60,000. Can't imagine what Glenn and the other three leads are getting. But let's guess that just actors/orchestra salaries are at $200,000. That's just stage salaries...

I first saw Sunset Boulevard in London's West End, a couple of weeks after its world premiere. The main reason I went was because it's an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, plus the fact I love the movie. I liked (no more than that) Patti LuPone, was not too impressed with the score (sorry guys) but was glad having seen the original production. Over the years, the score grew on me, but I've never seen another SB production.

When it was announced Bette Midler would be back on Broadway there was no doubt in my mind: I just had to be there. Huge Midler fan here.
Now this is easier said than done, as I live in Europe and flying to NYC "just" to see a broadway show.....Well...In December of 1991 I did fly to NYC just to see a movie that wouldn't open in my country (the Netherlands) till February 1992. So why not do the same for Bette and Dolly?

To make a long story a bit shorter, I got my Dolly tickets, but as I was planning to spend a week in New York I really wanted to make the week an event......And see a show every night.

Back to Sunset Boulevard. Of course I had heard about the original Glenn Close production, but had never seen it. I really like Glenn and as I finally considered the score to be one of Webber's better ones, it wasn't too difficult to make this new production a must-see.

Getting tickets wasn't too difficult. I'll be in New York the last week of April and many good seats were left. But I think I might have made a mistake in my enthusiasm this was so: I got myself two front-row-centre seats, at $299 each....Ouch....
Now I don't mind having spent so much money - the most expensive ever for a Broadway show I attended. But a couple of posts back some people were commenting on the size of the stage and that front-row seats were really to close to take it all in. Great to see miss Close up close, but...

Did I make a mistake in choosing front-row?

sk

chernjam said: "Yeah I don't see "cheap" or even "pared down" when describing this production... "

I think it's all relative. One could certainly argue that this production looks "pared down" next to the original Napier design, but when viewed outside that context it seems no less than a typical "minimalist" Broadway show design. When it comes to musicals, I tend to gravitate toward large productions so I don't have a whole lot to compare it to there, but it's as staged as Fun Home was and it's definitely more lavish than the current Sunday in the Park revival. Next to a show like the revival of Equus a few years back with Daniel Radcliffe (which, for the record, I loved), this Sunset looks downright expensive.

Updated On: 3/20/17 at 08:56 AM

SK, replying to your front row question:

I also had front row seats. The good news is, you will be able to see Glenn Close, and cast very well, and feel the power of it.

The bad news is you will miss the effect of the B&W film projections, up close they look out of focus. Also, surprising to me, is that no one ever mentioned all the smoke! Surprised Glenn can deal with that! At intermission, I felt a bit light headed and a little nauseous. (It's not as much smoke as The Present or Wicked, just that hazy effect smoke they keep pumping in.)

in hindsight, I wish I had done fifth/sixth row, but honestly you will love it and feel they are presenting just for you.

Also house left is better than house right. The only thing you get with house right is Title Song, with M. Xavier in his tiny swimsuit. I know, that may be important to some. On the left side you get Norma's home scenes, staircase activities. With One Look, is centere, but a bit to house left also. Super far house right, first row, would not be good.

I also thought the sound was Superb for a front row seat, often front row is not great in a musical, due to speaker placements.

You will have a great time front row, you will feel they are performing just for you! Enjoy!

Alec3 said: "Also house left is better than house right. The only thing you get with house right is Title Song, with M. Xavier in his tiny swimsuit. I know, that may be important to some. On the left side you get Norma's home scenes, staircase activities. With One Look, is centere, but a bit to house left also. Super far house right, first row, would not be good."

House left gets the corpse.

Alec3 said: "I also thought the sound was Superb for a front row seat, often front row is not great in a musical, due to speaker placements."

Maybe there was a technical issue when I went, but my experience in the front row was quite the opposite; I thought the sound mixing was poor, with the voices buried behind the orchestra. This was especially true of Mr. Xavier.

Alec3 said: "SK, replying to your front row question:

I also had front row seats. The good news is, you will be able to see Glenn Close, and cast very well, and feel the power of it.

You will have a great time front row, you will feel they are performing just for you! Enjoy! "

Thanks, Alec3, I'm sure I will.
The seats are front-row centre, so that should help.
Lot666 suggested contacting Ticketmaster and trying to get an exchange. Sounds good, but then again, I love the idea of seeing Glenn Close (and the other actors, obviously) from really close-by.
decisions decisions.....

sk

frik said: "Lot666 suggested contacting Ticketmaster and trying to get an exchange. Sounds good, but then again, I love the idea of seeing Glenn Close (and the other actors, obviously) from really close-by.
decisions decisions....."

The second time I saw the show I sat in center orchestra row E, and I can assure you that you will still be able to see the star up-Close (pun intended) and personal from that distance.

CT2NYC said: "I saw Glenn, Betty, Karen Mason, and Elaine Paige."

Watching the old YouTube footage of Betty Buckley, she sang and acted the part quite differently from Ms. Close, but I have to admit that I find her performance to be pretty fabulous. Not saying she's better, but she is different and intriguing. Her somewhat bleating vibrato notwithstanding, I think I would've enjoyed seeing her do this.

Lot666 said: "CT2NYC said: "I saw Glenn, Betty, Karen Mason, and Elaine Paige."

Watching the old YouTube footage of Betty Buckley, she sang and acted the part quite differently from Ms. Close, but I have to admit that I find her performance to be pretty fabulous. Not saying she's better, but she is different and intriguing. Her somewhat bleating vibrato notwithstanding, I think I would've enjoyed seeing her do this.

Fabulous is the right word. I was in heaven watching her, mainly because her singing voice is my favorite of all the Broadway divas. Her spoken dialogue comes across as a little low-key in the videos, but she really commanded that stage. It was an elegant performance, and her voice is a force of nature, in my humble opinion. Glenn Close put her stamp on the role with a scenery-chewing performance. None of that was on display with Betty Buckley, and I don't think people were ready for a "wounded" Norma. They wanted an over-the-top characterization, to go along with the over-the-top production design. Ironically, Ms. Close is currently giving us a more understated Norma, and people are loving it.

Updated On: 3/17/17 at 12:36 PM

Also, no Norma I've seen (not even Glenn) ended the show like Betty. Her reprise of "With One Look" to lights out was flawless. The growl in her voice when she sings "look" still gives me chills. It was fierce, on every level.

https://youtu.be/j-RnHI29_Mg

Updated On: 3/17/17 at 01:38 PM