THE GREAT COMET Announces September Broadway Closing; Final Performers for Role of 'Pierre'- Page 13

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 12:40pm

Elvis would have been hilarious as Horace Vandergelder. I could see him during the dinner scene when Dolly is trying to force him to eat beets, "No thank you, no thank you very much."

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 12:42pm

Bear88 said, "The producers screwed up in many ways, but I just don't see how the show as it's now constituted could ever have succeeded as a big-budget Broadway show unless they had a bunch of stunt casting replacements lined up. And with the partial exception of Ingrid Michaelson, they didn't even have one. They had Hercules Mulligan from Hamilton, and we see how that turned out. "

 I agree with everything he said. For me, the opera scene was "too busy" & totally unnecessary.  It could've just been the queen/king crooning at each other and cut to Lucas leaving w/Denee. It's as if they threw everything at the wall and hoped to see what stuck. Sonya singing about contrabass & gravestones which Malloy said he took from the book. And two mostly naked actors prancing & groaning as he held her. Made no sense to me.   Still don't know what that was about as often as I've seen the show.  If someone does, please let me know.

And from the day they announced Oak,  I shook my head "no way" while the BWW hordes dismissed me. I told a box office man (unknowingly Howard Kagan) that I didn't see the fit. Two enormously different voices & styles.With the exception of the Pierre lead, I thought the cast worked seamlessly together much like the OC of Ham.  

Yesterday I searched all I could read on Comet in mags & newspaper.  I also agree with Hogan'sHero that it was destined to fail.  It started with a shaky foundation when I read the stories about the Hagans burning bridges with other producers in the industry. 

The thick, murky cesspool of politics isn't just in WashDC.  It's alive and well everywhere, and apparently  also in the theater world.  I read many Tony voters would not vote for Hagan's Comet, but only for the artistic side of the program.  Then I understood how a show that garnered 12 nominations could fail so miserably to only obtain 2 to a very simple show in DEH..  Add to that the planning for leads,  apparently personality clashes,  some serious editing,  marketing, rehearsals.  Then add salt to the wounds with a massive line outside Comet's front door with fans screaming as they await the DEH cast.  What an optic.

Even Sally Fields recognized the politics of it all when she won her Oscar for Places in the Heart and said (in part) to the Academy members, "you like me; you really like me."  Obviously the Hagans couldn't use that line.   

Still sorry to see it go. 

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 12:46pm

Unfortunately, PoisonIvy, Elvis was sadly dumpy at death.  I didn't know he was a baritone. Is Lucas a tenor?

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 12:51pm

Well I guess I have the honor of being blocked by Cynthia.  I tweeted that words matter from folks in her position and asked if she was happy that the diverse cast is jobless.  No reply; just a block.

 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 12:52pm

JayElle said: "Unfortunately, PoisonIvy, Elvis was sadly dumpy at death.  I didn't know he was a baritone. Is Lucas a tenor?

"

Anatole is definitely a tenor role. I think Elvis would have been great as Pierre. And I know this won't happen because of GHD but man, Andy Karl would sound great singing Pierre's music too.

 

[bear88]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 5:51pm

The problem with the first act isn't that it is bad. But Dave Malloy does frontload the show with a lot of deliberately atonal music. There's an artistic reason for all of it. "The Intimate Life of the House" is funny and poignant, and the hideous sounds along the way aren't just there to irritate people - although I know people on this board who can't stand it. "The Opera," as noted in another thread, shows Natasha losing her bearings in Moscow society, leaving her vulnerable to Anatole. "The Duel" is the bad result of too much self-indulgent partying and pent-up rage.

The problem is that none of these songs are easily accessible, and plenty of people dislike them strongly
or don't see the point. And for some, they have tuned
out or even decided to leave at intermission.

I am more patient, I guess, and I read the section of the
novel on which the show was based. From "Dust and
Ashes" on, the music is quite accessible, fun, and moving. The second act is very, very good.

The show always was able to draw an audience, just not enough of one without Groban to make a profit given its high costs. I do agree that Broadway shows with stars seem to require the continued presence of stars in the cast, unless the musical outgrows the need for them. Great Comet didn't, which is very unfortunate from my perspective. But most shows fail anyway, and they aren't as ambitious and unique as this one.

Updated On: 8/11/17 at 05:51 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 10:41pm

JayElle said: "Well I guess I have the honor of being blocked by Cynthia.  I tweeted that words matter from folks in her position and asked if she was happy that the diverse cast is jobless.  No reply; just a block.

 

 

"Good for you...What are Cynthia and that a hOle Casal saying NOW!?

 

[Streganona]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 10:58pm

Bear 88, thank you for your thoughtful comments.  Although I better understand the purpose of the opera scene now, while I was sitting in the mezzanine (I've never sat on stage), it only distracted me from the intensity of Natasha's being hit by a thunderbolt when she first sees Anatole.  And certainly as played by Lucas Steele, Anatole is hot enough to cause Natasha to lose her bearings---even in a drawing room.  I remain puzzled by the time given to Andrei's family.  (I think that was Andrei's father, yes?)  I wish that instead, after the Prologue (such a witty way of introducing the characters and reinforcing their names), the ensemble had shouted "FLASHBACK!"  I think it would have strengthened Act 1 if we briefly saw Andrei and Natasha together, before he went to war and she came to Moscow.  Yes, I've read the book many years ago, but sitting in the audience, I wanted to know if Natasha's relationship with Andrei had been less hot, less physical.  Was he emotionally reserved?  The Andrei whom we meet briefly in Act 2 is a really heavy muffin and I'm not sure if we are supposed to feel that Natasha is better off without him. (Of course, her eventual marriage to Pierre, her defender, brings them both great happiness but that is years ahead.)  And I think that Pierre would be less of a peripheral character in Act 1 if we had a stronger indication of his long standing fondness  for Natasha.  As a friend of the family's, he has watched her grow up----and I think that his envy of Andrei's happiness should have been made more clear in Act 1.  Then, even while he's sitting silently in the orchestra pit (randomly popping out to briefly play the accordion), we would have a sense that he is somehow involved in this story-----and of course, he becomes much more central in Act 2.   (If I sound cranky about the accordion, that's because first, I kept hoping that Pierre would actually sing a song when he came out of the orchestra pit----and second, I was not expecting the deeply depressed Pierre to play such cheerful music.)  PS  Yes, I am a middle-aged Josh Groban fan who came to NY by bus and would have been very disappointed initially if he had called in sick.  But I would have been a fool to leave and miss the transcendent conclusion of Act 2.

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 1:28am

Well, Robbie2, I will consider Cynthia blocking me as a digital autograph!They don't have enuf emojis!

And whoever this Casal guy is who's not in the Playbill, I wish him a nice day to enjoy with his unemployed friends.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 1:30am

JayElle said: "And whoever this Casal guy is who's not in the Playbill, I wish him a nice day to enjoy with his unemployed friends."

^^one of my favorite comments in this entire thread.

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 2:02am

Bear88 said, " "The Intimate Life of the House" is funny and poignant, and the hideous sounds along the way aren't just there to irritate people - although I know people on this board who can't stand it."

I didn't have a prob with that. Reminded me of the 14 years I lived in the Tampa/St Pete area & my neighbors were in their 80s. They were always losing something, walking around in unwashed underwear, dementiated, cranky, etc. But see, you all have knowledge of the story, its intent,  and the author's objective.

A lot of folks come into the theater clueless which is why simpler stories work for them.

In the 1990 timeframe, I majored in mass comm & journalism. At the time, I took courses in the Poynter Institute of Media Studies, the think tank for the newspaper/tv news world. Then major newspapers were freaking at the creation of USAToday b/c of its simplicity. It focused on short news reports using simple words with limited syllables and lots of photos.(Much like twitter today).  They aimed an audience with an  8-9th grade  education whereas the storied newspapers like WSJ, NYTimes, WashPost, Chicago Trib, were always aimed at folks with an education level of a minimum of a college freshman and higher.  That's a couple of decades ago, but the intent remains even with TV.

For most folks, especially in this age of multi media sources, simplicity is critical.   Many of us understand or understood Comet b/c we took the time to read the story or listen to the music.  I would bet 99% of the theater goers have an attention span more suitable to a Disney show. Simple & happy. Little thought. They go to be entertained, not to think or challenge their brains. For that reasons, I could never understand why anyone would take seniors to Hamilton.  Lin said there's over 20K words in the show so he could compress 1000 pages into 2.5 hours. Fast paced, hard to understand lyrics...at least with the OC. (No one can sing like Daveed and everyone sings Jefferson slower).

That's why I said Comet needed critical editing.  No lyric should be about "gravestones and contrabass."  I had to look contrabass in Wikipedia. Malloy said he took it from the novel. Fine if everyone read it and knew music. 

I don't consider editing dumbing it down, but making it more general audience like.  Certain folks go to the Met b/c they love the formal opera. I get it. They genuflected when Renee Fleming retired throwing her flowers. To me, who cares. But that's a niche.

If this show wanted to be a "rock opera" like Jesus Christ Superstar was decades ago, it needed to simplify the message.  Media studies teaches how to message folks based on what the brain can process.  There was just too much stuff from a visual and auditory standpoint. It was okay in the tent or ARSNova b/c it was smaller with a supper theater.  But it moved into a mega theater with a section dedicated to the supper theater group. But the majority of ticket holders were orchestra, mezz, balcony.

Those of us on this site have a special theater interest, but most going to the show do not. And they help make the ticket sales.  I still adhere to the decades old acronym KISS:  Keep It Simple Stupid.  You want to get your message across, then KISS it.  The $ keep the show open. The authenticity apparently does not......and it doesn't help having Cynthia, Casal, et al. tweeting stupid, baseless shxx.

I'll still miss the show. I agree coming into that dreary lobby to walk into what looked like a museum or palace. Class.

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 2:15am

Thank you BroadwayConcierge  

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 3:19am

And to Mandy Patinkin, with 35+ years in the business, where are your guts? He should've stood up to the race baiting nonsense; instead he ran with his tail tucked spewing PR broadsides 

[Kitsune]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 4:01am

My boyfriend and I have tickets to the matinee on September 2nd.  I've heard a lot about this show (both good and bad), and I'm really glad we get to see it for ourselves before its current incarnation is gone.  

We opted for the front mezzanine, which I hope will be a good place to experience the entire effect.

I've been listening to a bit of Act I - is it worth really familiarizing myself with the story and music beforehand?  Admittedly I never read War and Peace.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 4:21am

JayElle said: "And to Mandy Patinkin, with 35+ years in the business, where are your guts? He should've stood up to the race baiting nonsense; instead he ran with his tail tucked spewing PR broadsides "

Honestly, he didn't have much of a choice.  After 35+ years in theatre I'm sure he didn't want to be remembered by many as the guy that made Oak "step aside."  His previous accomplishments would mean nothing to many (ignorant) young people.  It puts his name in scalding water.  At the age of 64, I can see why he would find it to be more trouble then it's worth.

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 5:42am

Kitsune said: "My boyfriend and I have tickets to the matinee on September 2nd.  I've heard a lot about this show (both good and bad), and I'm really glad we get to see it for ourselves before its current incarnation is gone.  

We opted for the front mezzanine, which I hope will be a good place to experience the entire effect.

I've been listening to a bit of Act I - is it worth really familiarizing myself with the story and music beforehand?  Admittedly I never read War and Peace.

 

"

Front mezz will be fabulous.  

When I first saw it at the ART, I went in cold. Fell in love. Same for my then 15 year old son. I honestly don't understand how people say they have problems following it.

 

Hope you enjoy!

[schubox]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 8:46am

Kitsune said: "My boyfriend and I have tickets to the matinee on September 2nd.  I've heard a lot about this show (both good and bad), and I'm really glad we get to see it for ourselves before its current incarnation is gone.  

We opted for the front mezzanine, which I hope will be a good place to experience the entire effect.

I've been listening to a bit of Act I - is it worth really familiarizing myself with the story and music beforehand?  Admittedly I never read War and Peace.

 

"

I say 100% yes. The first time I saw it I went in almost complete fresh and kind of felt meh about it. My gf loved it so I decided to take her again the next time we were in town and so I listened to the cast recording, became sort of obsessed with it, and when we saw it again I absolutely adored it. I think it helps knowing what's coming so you don't get overwhelmed with everything going on 

[schubox]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 8:48am

dramamama611 said: "Kitsune said: "My boyfriend and I have tickets to the matinee on September 2nd.  I've heard a lot about this show (both good and bad), and I'm really glad we get to see it for ourselves before its current incarnation is gone.  

We opted for the front mezzanine, which I hope will be a good place to experience the entire effect.

I've been listening to a bit of Act I - is it worth really familiarizing myself with the story and music beforehand?  Admittedly I never read War and Peace.

 

"

Front mezz will be fabulous.  

When I first saw it at the ART, I went in cold. Fell in love. Same for my then 15 year old son. I honestly don't understand how people say they have problems following it.

 

Hope you enjoy!

 

"

Yeah I don't get people who say the story is hard to follow. It's pretty simple. Most people who go in fresh, that I've talked to, either say they didn't get the story or that the story was the weakest part. And I think once you know the story it becomes one of the shows greatest strengths. I think people are expecting more complicated story than it is 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 10:04am

JayElle said: "And to Mandy Patinkin, with 35+ years in the business, where are your guts? He should've stood up to the race baiting nonsense; instead he ran with his tail tucked spewing PR broadsides"

If you take him at his word, which is that he did not know the circumstances of his entrance into the show and that he never would have accepted it had he known, then everything else you say is the nonsense. Take race out of it entirely and tell him an actor is being fired so he can add a few million to the pockets of some rich people and I think he would have turned the job down. What is at the core of what you have said here? 

[David10086]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 10:17am

JayElle said: "And to Mandy Patinkin, with 35+ years in the business, where are your guts? He should've stood up to the race baiting nonsense; instead he ran with his tail tucked spewing PR broadsides "

I think in his case and under the circumstances, "discretion is the better part of valor". He did the right thing. 

[HSky]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 12:43pm

I'd listen to it beforehand because there's a lot of information in there and some of the phrasing can take a sec to get used to because of how it was adapted from the source material. 

Yet, I throw out my personal experience that it was the combo of listening then seeing it staged that made it click for me. Listening alone wasn't enough.

I had owned the OCR and could never quite get into it aside from knowing I liked "Letters" and "Sonya Alone," even during my drive to the Boston area when I saw it at ART. Up to the moment the show started, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it. The following day after I saw the show, it was in a constant loop in my car for the 5 hour drive home and I've now seen it multiple times on Broadway.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 5:33pm

JayElle said: "Well, Robbie2, I will consider Cynthia blocking me as a digital autograph!They don't have enuf emojis!

And whoever this Casal guy is who's not in the Playbill, I wish him a nice day to enjoy with his unemployed friends.

 

"too funny...Casal is a friend of Oak's...are they still friends after this?

 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 5:58pm

Robbie2 said: "too funny...Casal is a friend of Oak's...are they still friends after this?"
 

why wouldn't they be?
 

 

 

 

[CorkySt.Clair]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 11:17pm

Just wanted to say, that in the midst of all this ugliness and speculation, I saw the show this afternoons and it was the most magical and mind-blowing theatre experience I've ever seen. In the front rear mezz, I had both a perfect stage view and some audience interaction. Even though I'm quite familiar with both cast albums, seeing it live was a totally different experience. The design was absolutely breathtaking, especially the lighting. Every actor was top-notch, oozing with passion, and crazy talented. The story took on new depth and meaning and I full-out sobbed during "Sonya Alone" and the ending sequence. I'm still in awe of how the ensemble could do it all-sing, dance, play instruments, weave their way through the set and audience, and, heck, dance on small platforms while playing the violin! I was spellbound every second and the whole show was a dream come true. Now more than ever this makes me so sad. Everyone involved with this production deserved better, and I hope with all my heart that the whole team is able to find success after Comet closes. 

Kitsune, I hope you have a wonderful time! I would recommend a little bit of preparation, as I know I missed some lyrics because I was so absorbed in watching what was going on. If it really intrigues you, I'd suggest reading the book at some point. Not only is it a beautiful novel, but a big chunk of Comet is taken verbatim from volume two, part five. Also, the show has a ton of "Easter Egg" type references to earlier and later parts of the book. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/13/17 at 12:24am

I love this show having seen it in the tent and now on Broadway, and I will be back before it closes to see Scott or Dave, can't decide who. 

But I do feel the ending half is a little "eh" to me. I wish it built to something more.