I am in NYC for a wedding. Saw this last night.
At one point, Brooks A. refers to Mickey and Judy, I think in reference to preparing for the second prom. I thought it amusing because that is how I felt about the show. A bunch of people saying 'let's put on a show'. It just seemed pretty amateurish to me overall.
POSITIVES:
-- I actually enjoyed the show overall, but I think I would only recommend it to people who attend the theatre regularly. I thought the book was very amusing although, even in a silly comedy, I found it unbelievable that Dee Dee would bargain away her Hampton's house so the girl (I can't remember he name) could be interviewed. But I did have a smile my face frequently, mainly because of the book and...
-- The performances were all terrific, but I would single out Brooks A as the standout. Beth L was not having a great night with the big notes...a little shrill a little too often, but she was funny and played the later pathos very well.
NEGATIVES:
-- The score was overall mediocre, as were the lyrics. The phrases they kept repeating that rhymed dress rehearsal with something else was just not good to me to begin with, and then to be repeated another 20 times just emphasized the poorness of the lyrics.
-- The orchestra was just too small...sounded like a Summer Stock band. I know they were trying to keep costs down, but I would be offended if I paid $179 plus fees for a ticket, and had that sound coming from the pit. (I only played $109 plus fees).
-- I personally didn't think much of the choreography...it was just very repetitive to me, probably not helped much by the poor score; there was one number, 'i guess it was at the Prom, where it looked like a hooker's convention rather than a high school prom.
-- I was in Row G of the mezzanine. It should have been a terrific seat, but the grade is awful / non-existent to the point where it should have been classified as a partial view seat. This didn't help.
Despite all the complaining, I still had a smile on my face a lot of the time, due solely to the book and the performances by the four Broadway visitors. The smile went away frequently when the musical numbers began, not a good thing.
I cant imagine this ending up a hit. At Broadway prices, it is way overpriced; at discounted prices, it has too uphill a battle. I do imagine it will have a solid after-life in regional theatre, Summer 'stock, colleges, and progressive high schools (certainly not in Indiana).
