THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Off-Broadway) - Previews

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 9:27am

Very interested in hearing thoughts about the production, especially Betsy Wolfe. Anyone plan on seeing the show soon?

[Lefou]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 9:29am

I was there for the invited dress...and let me tell you...ya'll will NOT be disappointed.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 12:37pm

I'll be there tonight! I am ecstatic!

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 1:32pm

How many tickets can you get with student rush?

[cannison101]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 1:43pm

Any predictions on how student rush will be for tonight's first preview, or this weekend?

[LuminousBeing]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 2:13pm

Why is this limited only to April 28th? That seems like such a short engagement! Hopefully, it'll extend so I can see it!

[Kbradstein]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 4:07pm

i will be there tomorrow night! can't wait!!!!

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 5:41pm

Student rush will be very limited. The guy at the box office told me it was almost sold out, but that they will do a wait list.

I bought a ticket yesterday for tonight. I intended to get 30 under 30 but they weren't even offering it for tonight or tomorrow (those were the only days I asked about because I could only go those days, so they might not be offering it for even longer).

[mschwager]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 6:35pm

I have a 30 under 30 ticket for next Wednesday. But my friend who tried to buy one 2 days after me (I bought it a month ago), had no luck. Obviously it is selling very quickly.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 6:56pm

I was told by a friend who's involved that it is in fact selling VERY quickly and student options will be limited.

I got a pair of 30 under 30 tickets about two weeks ago for mid-March but there don't seem to be any left available for the date I chose now.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 7:02pm

Update: The website now states that Youth tickets will only be available for April 1st and 7th at 7PM, and the 23rd through the 28th.

The 23rd seems to already be sold out of these tickets though, unless I'm clicking on something wrong.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 7:58pm

Bit the bullet and got tix for 4/1 since it's the next available $30 under 30. I did student tix for Dogfight and those box seats suuuuuck so didn't wanna get stuck there. This thing has got to extend again. I feel like the damn is insane.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 8:06pm

Broadway box has a ridiculous 12% off discount code that I can actually not even get to work, so yes, this must be selling very well. Tonight there were no tickets, even without the code. I know nothing about this show. Can someone who has seen a previous production post thoughts on what the big deal is here?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 8:13pm

How do you access the 30 Under 30 tickets online?

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 8:17pm

WickedRocks, when you click the date you want, select the 2nd orchestra seating section, Row M through whatever it is, and then there should be an option to select "youth" seating, along with "senior", and regular.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 8:25pm

This youth ticketing crap is starting to become like age discrimination. Is the assumption that everyone between thirty and death is independently wealthy?

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 8:28pm

What else are they supposed to do? If inexpensive tickets like this were available without any restrictions, what motivation is there to pay full price? Student discounts are hardly a new thing and hardly exclusive to theatre. Museums, movie theaters, even some clothing stores offer discounts for those under a certain age or who are full-time students.

The purpose, in my mind, is to make theatre affordable and accessible to young people so they can be exposed to it and be able to attend if they wouldn't normally be interested or able. We have to remember that discounted tickets are essentially "welfare" tickets, subsidized by those paying full price, and theaters need to offer them in a way that gives them the most tangible non-monetary "return" in exchange. Young people also tend to be more active on social media so if they talk about the show, that's publicity.

Whether it's fair is a different debate, but there are many reasons for it.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 8:34pm

Good points. And appreciated. It's just annoying for someone who doesn't qualify for youth or senior discounts and does not have unlimited ticket money available.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 8:37pm

I definitely agree that theaters should explore more avenues in terms of trying to find ways to offer lower-priced tickets without undermining their ability to make money. Anyone who wants to theatre should be able to, nobody should feel excluded by price. It's just about finding practical solutions and a happy medium that helps as many people as possible.

Also just to post this in this thread: Morgan Weed and Zachary Prince are the understudies for Cathy and Jamie.

Updated On: 3/7/13 at 08:37 PM

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 9:02pm

Damn... I just bought box seats. Are they really that bad?

[chrisampm2]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 9:12pm

Has anyone said the box seats are terrible? It's a two person show with, I presume, minimal sets. The seats should be fine.

[jbm2]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 11:44pm

Did anyone see this show tonight

[getatme]

Posted: 3/7/13 at 11:52pm

I was there this evening. Sittin in one of the youth seats in row M.

I was really very impressed by the entire production, especially for a first preview. There's a couple of set issues that need to be worked out and I think there needs to be some sort of motion or movement done to show that Cathy is moving backwards as Jamie moves forwards. There's a moment at the start where Jamie walks away from Cathy after they kiss and then "Still Hurting" begins, but it seems like this was done under the assumption everyone knows how the show is written.

The set is very minimal, different pieces come on for each song, a small dock, a Christmas tree, a dressing room table, etc. The band is placed on scaffolding on the back, one instrument per platform. There are two rows of windows that come down at different times and can be placed at different levels. Then there are three larger windows that come down further downstage that have television screens placed in them that project the scenes outside during "The Schmuel Song" and the water during "The Next Ten Minutes."

Adam Kantor really blew me away. I was impressed by the preview videos, but in the scheme of the show, he really seemed confident and comfortable with every choice that he was making. His voice isn't as full and strong as Norbert's, sure, and I do think he riffs a little bit too much at times, but largely I thought he sounded wonderful and I don't think Jamie came off as rough as he could have, which made it easier to sympathize with both halves of the couple.

Betsy Wolfe was beyond words, though. She's been my dream Cathy since this production was announced, but her performance was truly beyond anything I could have even hoped it to be. She was heartbreaking and stunning and awkward and goofy, and really just a full and fleshed out Cathy. After "Shiksa Goddess," it seemed like Adam might walk off with the show, but Betsy met him match for match and by "A Summer in Ohio," she had the entire audience on board with her. She was hysterical and goofy and her songs really became the highlights of a beautiful night at the theatre.

There are definitely some kinks to work out and as much as I loved both performers, I do think there's room for growth but for a first preview, I was thoroughly impressed.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/8/13 at 12:01am

I was there.

It's sung incredibly. Betsy Wolfe has a triumphant voice. Adam Kantor has great control.

My chief complaint was that there was no chemistry. Individually, they were great, but I never for a second believed that they were ever into each other (even in the middle of their relationship). It felt like they were singing about someone else in their lives, not the person that they're acting with.

Individually they both had their moments, but ultimately, I wasn't moved. I didn't care about either of them. I didn't root for them to be together and I wasn't sad that they were separated. A quick 90 minutes just went by, I sat in my seat, and I was left unaffected.

It was an evening of great music that was sung well and played by a gorgeous small orchestra.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/8/13 at 12:16am

Thanks, Kelly!

A lack of chemistry in a show that pretty heavily relies on good rapport/strong chemistry seems like a pretty big issue.