THE MUSIC MAN Reviews- Page 5

[UrNotAMachine]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 4:20pm

I gave Jesse Green a lot of flack for his review of Company, and I still think in that instance he failed to adequately justify his opinions (Vulture's mixed review of the production was a much more substantial and interesting critique of the piece-- even if I still don't agree with many of its points). But it's hard to fault Green on this one as it's pretty close to the general consensus I've sen.

That being said, I don't know if I agree with the sentiment that The Music Man should have been an easy slam dunk. Despite its beloved status, it's a bit of an odd show to get right. Also, I do think there's some truth to Green's claim that sanding down all of the edges (presumably an overcorrection after the whole Rudin fiasco) subdued some of its charms.

Updated On: 2/11/22 at 04:20 PM

[austinyourface]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 4:27pm

I find it hard to buy the theory that Rudin’s downfall caused an over correction here- the production had been workshopping for quite a while, even prior to the pandemic. It’s clear this production was conceived with changes to the material in mind. 

 

Updated On: 2/11/22 at 04:27 PM

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 4:31pm

I think it;s a hard show to get right because Harold Hill is one of those MT roles extremely wedded to its originator. It was so associated with Robert Preston (a bit like TKAI and Yul Brynner) that it's hard for anyone to follow up.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 4:34pm

poisonivy2 said: "I think it;s a hard show to get right because Harold Hill is one of those MT roles extremely wedded to its originator. It was so associated with Robert Preston (a bit like TKAI and Yul Brynner) that it's hard for anyone to follow up."

Maybe for older audiences, but I've no clue who Robert Preston is. I don't think younger generations are going to compare Hugh to anyone. It's just whether the show is good or not. To me, a whole lot of dancing and a bad set make me disinterested in seeing the show. If I'm paying $200+ I want some Sunset Blvd type sets not just a bunch of flats. 

I just think this show really lacked in the "wow" department. There's plenty that could have been done but they went by-the-books and people are just not interested in that as much. 

I suspect it will do fine, but will probably lower their prices.

[willep]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 4:53pm

poisonivy2 said: "I think it;s a hard show to get right because Harold Hill is one of those MT roles extremely wedded to its originator. It was so associated with Robert Preston (a bit like TKAI and Yul Brynner) that it's hard for anyone to follow up."

I think that is definitely something Hugh has to contend with, but it’s not something the production or show has to contend with. One of the reviewers made an observation that I agreed with in noting that Hugh tries very hard to make songs like Ya Got Trouble his own, sometimes at the sacrifice of certain oomph or punch. I haven’t listened to the Craig Bierko album in a long while, but as I recall he went to way of being more similar to Robert Preston’s performance.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 5:45pm

Craig Bierko sounds alarmingly similar to Robert Preston.

I don't think I realized just how much this revival cost. DOLLY cost $15.9M; this is capitalized for up to $24M, which certainly makes it the most expensive revival in Broadway history.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 5:47pm

Well, at least I have all the reviews to point to when people don’t believe me when I tell them it’s a total dud. 

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 6:00pm

I will say, it's really nice that the show gets to have a presence on social media. Unlike Dolly, the clips, BTS things, and press is really fun to see. I can't wait to see the show.

[mamaleh2]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 6:02pm

I agree with Rosanna Scotto—

https://www.fox5ny.com/video/1033858
-

and The Guardian, The Wrap, Associated Press and especially Marilyn Stasio’s Variety review. THOSE were spot-on, not what reads like the result of an undigested sourball. 
 

https://variety.com/2022/legit/reviews/music-man-review-hugh-jackman-broadway-1235177555/amp/

Updated On: 2/11/22 at 06:02 PM

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 6:05pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Craig Bierko sounds alarmingly similar to Robert Preston.

I don't think I realized just how much this revival cost. DOLLY cost $15.9M; this is capitalized for up to $24M, which certainly makes it the most expensive revival in Broadway history."

Do you have a source for the 15.9M figure? Nytimes reported the Music Man budget, but I can't find verification for the Dolly budget.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 6:22pm

Synecdoche2 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Craig Bierko sounds alarmingly similar to Robert Preston.

I don't think I realized just how much this revival cost. DOLLY cost $15.9M; this is capitalized for up to $24M, which certainly makes it the most expensive revival in Broadway history."

Do you have a source for the 15.9M figure? Nytimes reported the Music Man budget, but I can't find verification for the Dolly budget."

An extensive article about the Hello Dolly! revival is here:

http://broadwayjournal.com/lavish-dolly-earns-modest-returns/

15.9 million budget, but an extremely expensive weekly nut made for very modest returns for investors.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 6:46pm

poisonivy beat me to it.

And just to be clear –– $15.9 isn't a modest price by musical standards, either. So considering the financial situation of DOLLY, it's kind of bizarre that MM ballooned out so much. Curious to know how much the Covid delays and Rudin's departure added to the cost. I believe David Geffen & Barry Diller put up the majority of the money themselves.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 6:55pm

Hugh Jackman I'd imagine is not cheap.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 7:07pm

poisonivy2 said: "Hugh Jackman I'd imagine is not cheap."

His salary/profit participation % is all part of the weekly operating cost, which is entirely separate from the $24 mil capitalization. Weekly operating cost is surely more than $1M per week, and he's probably getting at least $200K. Weekly operating cost also includes the actor salaries, orchestra, crew, weekly advertising, royalties, rent, etc.

The $24M capitalization covers building the physical production, rehearsals/workshops, advance fees to the creative team, advertising before previews start, insurance, legal fees, GM/producer office fees, Opening Night expenses, etc.

Updated On: 2/11/22 at 07:07 PM

[luvbrdway]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 11:07pm

I saw the show last week. All I know is I couldn’t stop smiling.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/11/22 at 11:32pm

Preface: Nobody knows anything.

Educated guess: Music Man will remain a respectable hit, but not Hello, Dolly! Tickets will be available. The model may be more, say, second year To Kill a Mockingbird. Discounts will be assiduously avoided to serve the brand, but prices may creep down.

Even so, the reviews we're parsing may be irrelevant a month from now. Or by summer. They have pull quotes, and money will be spent. Oh, much money will be spent telling us how good it is.

In closing: Nobody knows anything.

[topcateast]

Posted: 2/12/22 at 12:14am

luvbrdway said: "I saw the show last week. All I know is I couldn’t stop smiling."

After what we’ve all been through for the past 23 months, that is sure nice to hear. THAT makes me want to go see this show. (And from what I’ve heard, there are a lot of smiling faces leaving the Winter Garden every night, so you aren’t alone, luvbrdway!)

[JayElle]

Posted: 2/12/22 at 6:17am

BwayStarlette said: "I love the Music Man. I love love love Hugh and Sutton. But when I saw this a month ago... my heart was crushed. It's is boring, and the reviews are accurate. I thought maybe they were both still sick, tbh, because it was at once high energy and very sleepy."

Saw it more than once.   While the performances improved post illness, the show still had boring moments.  Performances in front of curtain was like a variety review of different acts ala Ed Sullivan,  though this gave them opportunity to get scenery and cast in place  for next scene.  Majority of reviews were not great.

The Daily Beast got it.  "...Sometimes it is like he is dancing in another of his one-man shows rather than with a company. His glance, his smile, his leer, his mugging is all aimed at us. He is always center stage."

Felt like the cast was nothing more than the feathered costumed background singers/dancers of a Vegas show.  His Trouble and 76 Trombones were blah with Robert Preston turning in his grave.  Thought Mrs Paroo Mullen) too old to be Winthrop's mother and nothing special about her performance.  Enjoyed dance scenes but unsure why handstand and flip acrobatics were needed.

It was fun to watch kids. Costumes were amazingly gorgeous.  The last time I saw it, Hugh and Sutton hammed it up more when Hugh forgot lyrics.  Overall a good show, but not great for the prices commanded.

[JayElle]

Posted: 2/12/22 at 6:55am

 

"BROADWAY REVIEW: A ‘Music Man’ scared of its own trombones"

Hysterical headline from the NY Daily news.  Review isn't much better, but funny.

"Marian discovers sex for the first time; her longed for White Knight had better be good in the hay. And she has Hugh Jackman for her motivation. You’d think she could not go wrong. But somehow, the stalks of corn refuse to smolder. Heck, it’s the core of the show! What else you gonna do in a River City after you’ve picked a little and talked a little?"

https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/broadway/ny-broadway-music-man-hugh-jackman-20220211-w43rkaapvnamxdvej6gtdoxte4-story.html

Updated On: 2/12/22 at 06:55 AM

[Wick3]

Posted: 2/12/22 at 8:52am

Auggie27 said: "Preface: Nobody knows anything.

Educated guess: Music Man will remain a respectable hit, but not Hello, Dolly! Tickets will be available. The model may be more, say, second year To Kill a Mockingbird. Discounts will be assiduously avoided to serve the brand, but prices may creep down.

Even so, the reviews we're parsing may be irrelevant a month from now. Or by summer. They have pull quotes, and money will be spent. Oh, much money will be spent telling us how good it is.

In closing: Nobody knows anything."

Will it recoup its initial investment of $24M though? I hope it will but the weekly nut seems high given the large cast and 2 big leads. I love Sutton but I do think had the producers had gone with an unknown as Marian the weekly nut would have been lower (yet people would still flock to the show thanks to Hugh Jackman.)

I recall investors questioned why Rudin was spending a ton of money in marketing/advertisements for Hello Dolly! after the Tony awards when people already knew she was starring in the show. Bette Midler earned around $150k/week so I'd think Hugh is probably making around that amount.

I'm not a fan of the Music Man plot but I still watched this show twice since I'm a fan of Hugh Jackman and the first time I saw it back in December Sutton was out. Thankfully both Hugh and Sutton performed the second time I watched it.

[austinyourface]

Posted: 2/12/22 at 11:39am

The Music Man has also stacked its supporting roles with Tony winners who are being paid premium, as well. Heck, even recognizable folks like Rema Webb could probably have negotiated better rates for themselves. 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 2/12/22 at 1:04pm

Wick3 said: "Auggie27 said: "Preface: Nobody knows anything.

Educated guess: Music Man will remain a respectable hit, but not Hello, Dolly! Tickets will be available. The model may be more, say, second year To Kill a Mockingbird. Discounts will be assiduously avoided to serve the brand, but prices may creep down.

Even so, the reviews we're parsing may be irrelevant a month from now. Or by summer. They have pull quotes, and money will be spent. Oh, much money will be spent telling us how good it is.

In closing: Nobody knows anything."

Will it recoup its initial investment of $24M though? I hope it will but the weekly nut seems high given the large cast and 2 big leads. I love Sutton but I do think had the producers had gone with an unknown as Marian the weekly nut would have been lower (yet people would still flock to the show thanks to Hugh Jackman.)

I recall investors questioned why Rudin was spending a ton of money in marketing/advertisements for Hello Dolly! after the Tony awards when people already knew she was starring in the show. Bette Midler earned around $150k/week so I'd think Hugh is probably making around that amount.

I'm not a fan of the Music Man plot but I still watched this show twice since I'm a fan of Hugh Jackman and the first time I saw it back in December Sutton was out. Thankfully both Hugh and Sutton performed the second time I watched it."

From what I understand, not only did Bette charge an arm and a leg, so did Jerry Herman, which accounted for the high weekly nut of Hello, Dolly!

[bk]

Posted: 2/12/22 at 5:38pm

RippedMan said: "poisonivy2 said: "I think it;s a hard show to get right because Harold Hill is one of those MT roles extremely wedded to its originator. It was so associated with Robert Preston (a bit like TKAI and Yul Brynner) that it's hard for anyone to follow up."

Maybe for older audiences, but I've no clue who Robert Preston is. I don't think younger generations are going to compare Hugh to anyone. It's just whether the show is good or not. To me, a whole lot of dancing and a bad set make me disinterested in seeing the show. If I'm paying $200+ I want some Sunset Blvd type sets not just a bunch of flats.

I just think this show really lacked in the "wow" department. There's plenty that could have been done but they went by-the-books and people are just not interested in that as much.

I suspect it will do fine, but will probably lower their prices."

You have no idea who Robert Preston is. I just sit and scratch my head.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 2/12/22 at 6:00pm

austinyourface said: "The Music Man has also stacked its supporting roles with Tony winners who are being paid premium, as well. Heck, even recognizable folks like Rema Webb could probably have negotiated better rates for themselves."

Uhh... no.

[luvbrdway]

Posted: 2/12/22 at 6:24pm

Updated On: 2/12/22 at 06:24 PM