THE GREAT COMET Announces September Broadway Closing; Final Performers for Role of 'Pierre'- Page 19

Posted: 8/22/17 at 11:01pm

For anyone who is seeing the show September 2nd and 3rd (unfortunately not me, though I will be there this weekend), Blaine Alden Krauss has just announced he'll be playing Andrey/Bolkonsky at those performances. I believe Belton had scheduled his vacation before the show announced closing.

https://twitter.com/BlaineKrauss/status/900178152525369344

[Notreallysilent 2]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 11:28pm

That's great that Kennedy got to go on before the show ends!! She always is amazing in her ensemble track! Wasn't dave supposed to start performances this week? You went today and Scott was still in? Not complaint thoufh Scott was AMAZING when I saw him this past Friday possibly my favorite Pierre out of all of them. Finally I'm sad to hear that Nicholas won't be in the final shows especially since he was in it in the earlier productions

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 8/22/17 at 11:57pm

Caught this for the first time tonight as well - wow, the energy of this cast is super contagious. Such an interesting and unique show I greatly enjoyed. Denee Benton was sublime. I'm really glad to have caught this one before it closes. I hope it tours!!

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 12:01am

Double post

Updated On: 8/23/17 at 12:01 AM

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 12:01am

Scott was on tonight and I believe will be on the evening of the 30th according to Dave's Twitter. 

Updated On: 8/23/17 at 12:01 AM

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 12:45am

amazingamandakate said: "For anyone who is seeing the show September 2nd and 3rd (unfortunately not me, though I will be there this weekend), Blaine Alden Krauss has just announced he'll be playing Andrey/Bolkonsky at those performances. I believe Belton had scheduled his vacation before the show announced closing.

https://twitter.com/BlaineKrauss/status/900178152525369344"

I asked Nick Belton about this a week or so ago in the signature line. He said

"afraid it's true. I'll be in Greece"

person next to me in the line, "Really? Where is it playing"

me: "Greece, not Grease"

I guess you had to be there. Happy for Blaine, but sad that Nick will miss the final performance.

Updated On: 8/23/17 at 12:45 AM

[HSky]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 12:50am

Phillytheatreguy10 said: "Scott was on tonight and I believe will be on the evening of the 30th according to Dave's Twitter."

I also got confirmation last night from Scott that he's on the night of the 30th. Dave is doing the matinee.

 

Updated On: 8/23/17 at 12:50 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 1:58am

Phillytheatreguy10 said: "Scott was on tonight and I believe will be on the evening of the 30th according to Dave's Twitter."

Yup, that's why I'm going on the 30th for Scott and closing for Dave...

[broadwaygirl89]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 5:21am

haterobics said: "Handful of tickets released for the last show on Telecharge today. Hurry."

Thank you for the heads up! I've been checking daily to see if there were any tickets released and forgot to check yesterday, but thanks to your message I was able to splurge and snag a center mezz ticket. Seeing this evening on Sept 2 and now Sept 3. It'll be my 3rd and 4th times seeing the show

 

[LxGstv]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 3:12pm

poisonivy2 said: "I went tonight. Scott was indeed amazing -- I think he's about equal to Josh. Maybe not in terms of pure voice, but he really inhabited the part. I thought Amber Gray's understudy was fine but not at the Scott caliber in terms of standbys.

The energy of the ensemble and cast was BEYOND tonight. I was sitting in the front center mezzanine and I'm convinced that's the absolute best place to sit in the house. Perfect view of almost everything. Balaga of course brought down the house. Denee Benton was also on fire tonight. I find her soprano sometimes weak and thin but not tonight. I did see her swig some water discreetly in some hidden water bottles on that huge set. 

One thing I've noticed: almost everyone in the cast and ensemble have gotten almost frighteningly thin. I guess this show demands so much energy and stamina that it was inevitable, but there are a couple cast members who look like they really, really need a huge T-bone steak and onion rings.

I haven't decided if I'll go back and see Dave Malloy and thus see all four Pierres. Oh who am I kidding. I probably (in other words definitely) will.

 

"

I was at last night's show as well and it was indeed quite phenomal, the energy was beyond amazing... my second time seeing it... first time with stage seating and while I haven't seen it from the front mezzanine, I feel that it couldn't possibly top the pizza slice seat I had...

You feel like a part of the show with all the actors running around you and getting shots of "vodka" every now and again! Probably one of the best Broadway experiences I had...

[Eliza2]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 3:28pm

LxGstv said: "I was at last night's show as well and it was indeed quite phenomal, the energy was beyond amazing... my second time seeing it... first time with stage seating and while I haven't seen it from the front mezzanine, I feel that it couldn't possibly top the pizza slice seat I had...

You feel like a part of the show with all the actors running around you and getting shots of "vodka" every now and again! Probably one of the best Broadway experiences I had..."

I've seen it several times, from the front row of front mezz and several onstage locations including BB17 ("Russian Custom seat), TP, TR, and TN (pizza slice) and I agree that the pizza slice seat was my favorite of all of them (although the kiss on the cheek from Lucas Steele was A+). Right in the middle of everything but unlike TP and TR, I never had dancers in front of me blocking my view.

 

Updated On: 8/23/17 at 03:28 PM

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 8:58pm

Anyone see Dave tonight? Really debating whether to get one more ticket to see Dave. That way I'll have seen all four Pierres.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 9:23pm

You just gotta see Dave. He's extraordinary in the role, and this will be an unbelievable final 2 weeks he has with it. Especially if youve seen the others, his is a real treat.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 9:29pm

VotePeron said: "You just gotta see Dave. He's extraordinary in the role, and this will be an unbelievable final 2 weeks he has with it. Especially if youve seen the others, his is a real treat.

"

Well that sealed it. I just bought a front mezz seat for next Tuesday. Gulp at what my credit card looks like right now having just bought Hamilton tickets too.

I hope Lucas Steele is there the night I see it. For me he's the biggest dealbreaker for the show. What he does every night in that show is extraordinary and while I think there could have been a number of Natashas, Pierres, and Sonyas who could have done well as replacements I don't know if they could ever find a replacement that would match Lucas Steele.

 

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 9:54pm

Bear88, with respect to your San Fran theater goer who hated GC, I would've asked her what her favorite TV shows were.  Oftentimes I've found that some folks just need simplistic entertainment.  I agree that the cast looks like they're just running around, but if the SanFran lady bothered to look into the show's plot, or study up a bit, as the opening number suggests, she might've thought otherwise.

My 34yr old niece lives in SanFran. She loved the Ham CD I sent her, but she was too lazy to get on the cancel line or sign up for the lottery out there.  She expected me to come out there to buy her & her other tkts. Told her if she wanted to see Ham or anything else, she needed to "study up a bit" and get on a cancel line.  Some folks just want it spoon fed to them.

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 10:19pm

Hi HMPH, I've seen all three...Denee, Shoba, Lauren....  I liked the way Shoba & Lauren gave a hug to the patron who toted the "letter" up to Natasha, especially since some of the patrons were reluctant. I never saw Denee do that.  I though that was kind and encouraging.  

I thought both alternates, Shoba & Lauren, were terrific.  If I had to lean toward a preference, I think I'd lean toward Shoba b/c of her voice, tho Lauren is operatic....correct me if I'm wrong.    However, I wondered if Lauren and Lucas were an item b/c that prolonged kiss had me wondering if we should've yelled, "get a room!"

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 10:21pm

Haterobics said,  Oak was supposed to go through 9/3, then Mandy was supposed to go through 9/3, and now Dave is going through 9/3. Seems like the problem was not knowing what to do after 9/3..."

Thanks for the laugh.  That's what I've been saying. They announced Oak last Feb?, but never announced an Oak replacement until they announced the show's exit.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 10:33pm

^they should have done what DEH is doing right now. Mandy could have been the Noah of the situation, and oak would have been the Taylor. 

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 10:41pm

BwayConcierage said, "Call_me_jorge said: "I wonder why they didn't ask Ben Stiller to be in the show.""

Okay, I know it sounds nuts, but 30 years ago Weird Al Yankovic (sp?) goofed Michael Jackson's "Beat It," with "Eat It."   Michael loved it.

Need a guy who can sing and play accordion?   Weird Al.  Malloy said the show is weird.  So?????

Guess it's before everyone's time.

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 11:07pm

PoisonIvy said, "while I think there could have been a number of Natashas, Pierres, and Sonyas who could have done well as replacements I don't know if they could ever find a replacement that would match Lucas Steele."

Ah yes, Poison read my mind. I saw the show Wed., 8/23 at 2pm.   Lucas was not there as Anatole, but Blaine Krauss was. Lucas was in the banquet seats trying to hide himself (without success).  I wondered if Lucas was there to give Blaine support.  Another theater person said that when shows close, understudies try to get a shot.  Either way, Blaine pronounced the lyrics more clearly b/c he didn't try to put on an accent.

What was funny.  I was at a table on stage. At intermission, a guy walked across the stage wearing a baseball hat with his hoodie over that.  Everyone squawked, "look at him."  Come on, Lucas, if you want to hide, don't walk across the stage wearing a baseball hat with a hoodie over it and you trying to hide your face by pulling the hoodie over your face. You only drew attention to yourself.

Lucas was in the banquets (I call the bleachers) far end seat further up. I wondered if he was there to coach Blaine on his performance.

I enjoyed it.

As for Pierre, I have to go: Josh, Scott, Dave, Oak

No one has a voice like Josh so I consider him beyond reach.  From there, I thought it was Scott, Dave, Oak.

It 's not that Oak couldn't do it, but both Dave & Scott had more time to develop the character over the years.

My prob with Oak was in the final scene when it was spoken w/o music.  He spoke so softly that I couldn't understand him in the orchestra or on the stage. It was like he whispered.

Perhaps he was just done and wanted out.

I blame the powers that be to let this fiasco happen.
 

 

[Eliza2]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 11:16pm

^^^

Lucas used a personal day at the matinee so he could be in the audience and watch the show. After being in the cast since the very first workshop at Ars Nova, today he saw the show for the first time. I'm glad he got to experience that. Some of the cast members said it was a lot of fun to have him in the audience.

 

Updated On: 8/23/17 at 11:16 PM

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 11:32pm

Eliza2 said: "^^^

Lucas used a personal day at the matinee so he could be in the audience and watch the show. After being in the cast since the very first workshop at Ars Nova, today he saw the show for the first time. I'm glad he got to experience that. Some of the cast members said it was a lot of fun to have him in the audience.
 

 

"

Wow. Hard to remember that Lucas has been with this show for 5 years. What a commitment on his part and the amount of energy he puts into each performance says so much about his work ethic.

When I go for the final time next Tuesday I'll be shouting my lungs out for Lucas. I know this is just the beginning of great things for him though.

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 12:04am

JayElle said: "I wondered if he was there to coach Blaine on his performance."

Blaine's done the role a bunch of times, and not sure why he would need a coach with 12 shows left.

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 12:10am

poisonivy2 said: "Anyone see Dave tonight? Really debating whether to get one more ticket to see Dave. That way I'll have seen all four Pierres."

I've seen all 4. I like Dave the best.

[schubox]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 1:49am

haterobics said: "JayElle said: "I wondered if he was there to coach Blaine on his performance."

Blaine's done the role a bunch of times, and not sure why he would need a coach with 12 shows left.

 

"

Yeah I saw him in July and he was great as Anatole