THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES musical will have pre-Bway tryout this summer in Boston- Page 8

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 7/28/24 at 11:52am

Some Jewish friends of mine who saw the show mentioned that they thought the show focused on some negative stereotypes of Jewish people.  I didn't pick up on that when I saw it, but I can see where that is coming from. I'm wondering if others felt the same.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/28/24 at 12:59pm

There was one funny joke about her becoming a billionaire and Jewish in the same day that made me laugh but what bothered them? That he was frugal in his spending when they lost everything? I can’t think of anything else it could be. 

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 7/28/24 at 1:45pm

Jordan Catalano said: "There was one funny joke about her becoming a billionaire and Jewish in the same day that made me laugh but what bothered them? That he was frugal in his spending when they lost everything? I can’t think of anything else it could be."

I remember that line, and it was pretty funny. I don't know their specific concerns. I'm assuming it has to do with themes of frugality and greed. I didn't pick up on it, but it was the first thing my friends mentioned after seeing the show.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/28/24 at 1:56pm

Well as a Jew, there was absolutely nothing in there that struck me as even slightly negative or stereotypical. 

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 7/28/24 at 2:07pm

EricMontreal22 said: "...
I saw the musical Schwartz did for VBW productions in Vienna with Trevor Nunn, Schikaneder back in 2016. I absolutely loved the production and the score which leans very much into mostly what I'd call light opera pastiche. (To be fair, I know others who didn't love it nearly as much.) And thought it was the best thing either man has done in ages (I can't really comment on Schwartz' lyrics though as I've only heard some brief demo excerpts--in the theatre, of course, they were in German with English surtitles that were often, as expected, a bit awkward.) I only bring this up because Schikaneder was the librettist of The Magic Flute for Mozart, and a larger than life theatre person from that era, and that era overlaps with Marie Antoinette and that era in Versailles, so I think Schwartz would be up for the challenge. (There's still some talk about an English production of the musical--right now the completely awful working title is Making Magic--but I think the fear is just that Schikaneder himself is too obscure a figure outside--arguably--of Austria.)"

First off, I'm jealous you got to see Schikaneder! I watched a German documentary about the making of the musical (ironically, which concerns the making of an opera), which included snippets of rehearsal and the final production, and it looked super interesting! Your comment jogged my memory of watching the doc, and certainly influenced where my comment was coming from. Based on what I saw, it certainly feels too ...European a musical (for lack of a better term) for broader audiences, but it's a fascinating story and time period. 

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 7/28/24 at 6:36pm

There aren't any discount codes floating around, are there?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/28/24 at 7:04pm

i dont Know about discount codes but they were offering 50% off tickets last week at the ticket booth next to Faneuil Hall.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/28/24 at 7:21pm

Another Jew weighing in.   I saw/felt nothing that felt like Jewish stereotypes.   

[Voter]

Posted: 7/29/24 at 10:39am

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-ApO0Puuxk/?igsh=MXVpMGlpaXN6Z2k0MA==

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 7/29/24 at 10:57am

Confirmed for 25/26.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/29/24 at 11:10am

Smart of them to sit out this season, take time to work on the show, and avoid the Best Actress bloodbath.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 7/29/24 at 12:07pm

They’re saying 2025.  The show could be long gone before Tony’s 2026 hurting Kristin’s chances.  There is no bloodbath this season.  If Teeth comes in, it’s game over for all of the ladies. 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/29/24 at 5:05pm

Teeth isn’t transferring to Broadway after NWS. They’re smart and know it’ll never fill a commercial Broadway house, so that’s that on them competing for Tonys.

On paper, this season’s Best Actress in a Musical race is already very much stacked. Audra McDonald, Nicole Scherzinger, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Idina Menzel, Sutton Foster, Katie Brayben, and Adrienne Warren will all be vying for a nomination if their performances are well-received. And those are just the names I can think of off the top of my head.

The producers of Queen of Versailles are smart to let Kristin be the one to watch in the following season, and also give themselves time to work on the show in earnest rather than rush an unfinished product.

Updated On: 7/29/24 at 05:05 PM

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 7/29/24 at 5:27pm

Teeth is coming to Broadway. It’s not if, it’s when

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/29/24 at 9:45pm

TheatreMonkey said: "EricMontreal22 said: "...
I saw the musical Schwartz did for VBW productions in Vienna with Trevor Nunn, Schikaneder back in 2016. I absolutely loved the production and the score which leans very much into mostly what I'd call light opera pastiche. (To be fair, I know others who didn't love it nearly as much.) And thought it was the best thing either man has done in ages (I can't really comment on Schwartz' lyrics though as I've only heard some brief demo excerpts--in the theatre, of course, they were in German with English surtitles that were often, as expected, a bit awkward.) I only bring this up because Schikaneder was the librettist of The Magic Flute for Mozart, and a larger than life theatre person from that era, and that era overlaps with Marie Antoinette and that era in Versailles, so I think Schwartz would be up for the challenge. (There's still some talk about an English production of the musical--right now the completely awful working title is Making Magic--but I think the fear is just that Schikaneder himself is too obscure a figure outside--arguably--of Austria.)"

First off, I'm jealous you got to seeSchikaneder! I watched a German documentary about the making of the musical (ironically, which concerns the making of an opera), which included snippets of rehearsal and the final production, and it looked super interesting! Your comment jogged my memory of watching the doc, and certainly influenced where my comment was coming from. Based on what I saw, it certainly feels too ...European a musical (for lack of a better term) for broader audiences, but it's a fascinating story and time period."

It was interesting because it's not nearly as "Euro" a musical as VBW usually does, or that I've seen from them (their biggest hits include Elisabeth, a huge guilty pleasure of mine, and Dance of the Vampires and Rebecca.)  Those shows are big Euroschlock spectacles (and I use that term with great affection)--all seemingly inspired on taking Evita and Les Miz to the ninth level and have very pop scores.  Schikanader is more of a musical that "we" would be used to seeing (one reason probably why it underperformed in Vienna, though it initially did well.)  But it DOES have a lot of music (the cast album is a double disc release) and of course the subject matter is very European.  I think it might have more of a chance in London than Broadway (and there was talk of bringing dreamboat Vienna musical star Mark Seibert to do it in London, but those seem to have died.)  It was also the kind of production that Trevor Nunn was known for in the West End megamusical days that I'm not sure any London or Broadway company could support--and without that full company and especially orchestra, I think it would lose a lot of its power 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYNt-6UsKeY

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/1/24 at 1:36am

I saw this tonight, with 6 other people.  All had generally the same reaction.  Why did anyone think that the Siegels and their particular undertaking warranted a musical?  Although they tried early in the show to humanize Jackie, by demonstrating that she was a bright, hard working high school student / college student with multiple jobs, the only reason anyone in the theatre cared at all about her was because she was played by Kristin Chenoweth.  She just came across as a vapid, obsessed person...who didn't warrant a musical.  

Interestingly, I thought it was a waste of a lot of talented people, but I was rarely bored or incensed the way I have been with some other pretty awful musicals.  There was enough visual stimulation to keep me focused and Chenoweth was terrific, even if she wasn't given the best material.  I generally thought the music was forgettable, but there were a few songs that entertained.

There has been some complaining about the time given to the daughter and niece.  I disagree.  They were the only characters with any humanity.  If they had not been in the show, it would have been irredeemable. 

Random thoughts:

• It is a terrible shame that KC's first new musical in over 20 years is this.  She is such a great performer and deserves so much better.  She gives it her all from beginning to end.
• The French revolution scenes didn't add anything, other than providing a humorous moment that enabled KC to sing some notes that highlighted her singing strength in ways the songs she was given did not.  There was a scene referencing the French aristocrats going to the galleys...I think they could have made more of that premise, as it (should have been applied to the Siegels).
• The director didn't think much of F Murray Abraham's age when he had him walking up and down a lot of stairs.  Abraham was fine in not much of a role, and actually sang more than I expected.
• A lot of money was spent on scenery.  The big reveal towards the end received no applause, which I imagine the creatives expected.
• Michael Arden's direction made no impression on me.  He loves his video screens and I thought they were used effectively.
• KC received the biggest entrance applause I have heard in years, more than Bette or Hugh or Glenn in the last SB revival.  The audience loved her.  The applause at the curtain call were very loud, which led me to assume that the audience enjoyed the show.
• I cannot figure out what they think their target audience is, beyond KC fans.  If it does make it to Broadway in a year -- I'll bet it never does -- a lot of work will be required, starting with 'what do we need to do to make the audience care about this woman'.

 

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/2/24 at 9:21am

TheaterMania review is up and pretty negative:

Review: Kristin Chenoweth-Led The Queen of Versailles Has Curb Appeal but Not Much Else

[Musigamist]

Posted: 8/2/24 at 9:29am

I was at the opening last night and there was a definite difference in reaction between the entrance applause (which was thunderous) and the curtain call (which was tentative relatively). A lot of people were muttering about amazing performers with less than amazing material.

The main problem I had with it was that it never makes us care for Jackie as a person—her rise to wealth happens almost immediately, so we see her mainly as rich and out-of-touch. Furthermore, the entire Act 1 goes by without there being any real conflict/villain so there are no stakes other than “when is the house getting finished?” The second act does have some moments, but they then feel contrived because we all know the ending, and Jackie’s dreams while supposedly crushed never feel that way to the audience.

The key problem though, in my opinion, is that you don’t know how to feel about Jackie. By the end, I was questioning whether I was supposed to abhor her, feel sorry for her, realize some political viewpoint, or identify with her. The performances, costumes, scenic design, camera work and all of the creative elements are quite good, but the book especially needs work if this is going to succeed in the future.

Updated On: 8/2/24 at 09:29 AM

[PridelandsNYC]

Posted: 8/2/24 at 12:49pm

On paper, this season’s Best Actress in a Musical race is already very much stacked. Audra McDonald, Nicole Scherzinger, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Idina Menzel, Sutton Foster, Katie Brayben, and Adrienne Warren will all be vying for a nomination if their performances are well-received. And those are just the names I can think of off the top of my head.

I'd add Robyn Hurder and even possibly Jasmine Amy Rogers to the list. The number of incredible leading lady performances this season is off the charts.

Updated On: 8/2/24 at 12:49 PM

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 8/2/24 at 1:28pm

TheaterMania.com

https://www.theatermania.com/news/review-kristin-chenoweth-led-the-queen-of-versailles-has-curb-appeal-but-not-much-else_1746667/

"Schwartz’s ability to craft a catchy tune remains unparalleled, and Jackie’s first act “Caviar Dreams” will surely join “Corner of the Sky” and “The Wizard and I” in his pantheon of infectious “I Want” songs. The problem is that the score never really develops from there."

"Director Michael Arden finds some balance between the superficial spectacle and hardscrabble reality as the center of the Siegels’ world, but the overall production feels flabby and disjointed, with myriad ideas thrown into the mix to see what will stick. A necessary sense of vulgar luxury remains missing from Dane Laffrey’s scenic design and Christian Cowan’s costumes. An over-reliance on video projections (also by Laffrey) seem designed to evoke the constant presence of a documentary camera, but their continued use throughout the second act, when the filming has ostensibly stopped, feels incongruous and alienating.

The Siegels ultimately regained their fortune, their status, and their Versailles, but in a telling postscript, the home remains unfinished as of today. What appears to be the height of grandeur from the outside is ultimately a façade. The same can be said for The Queen of Versailles, a project awash in talent that’s ultimately as artificial as a replica of the Ambassadors’ Staircase."

Theatrely.com

https://www.theatrely.com/post/kristin-chenoweth-soars-in-the-queen-of-versailles-review

"What could help is a clear direction in tone of the piece; we currently have quite a few in its current iteration. We jump from high camp production numbers to extremely serious direct addresses about death, drug abuse, and the ruins of financial disasters. On top of that, the show has introduced intriguing flashbacks to Paris in the 18th century with Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette, stylishly correlating the two women with a passion for opulence separated by centuries. What we get is a borderline case of whiplash, which some streamlining of the show as a whole could greatly alleviate."

"All this to say, this show is fun with a capital F and Chenoweth knows how to take charge of any audience and keep them with her till the curtain drops."


"Schwartz’s score is filled with contemporary musical theatre melodies that are a jaunt to listen too, but nothing supremely sticks as an earworm as in most of his beloved musicals."

Variety

https://variety.com/2024/legit/reviews/the-queen-of-versailles-review-kristin-chenoweth-musical-boston-1236094159/

‘The Queen of Versailles’ Review: Kristin Chenoweth Shines in a Lavish New Musical With a Social Satire Bite"

Tony-winning director Michael Arden (“Parade&rdquo is too much the showman not to recognize that, at almost three hours, the piece begs to be tightened. A couple of songs and reprises could go (though one number seems oddly missing, a ballad for the exquisite Melody Butiu in which she can rationalize nannying for the Siegel brood while separated from her real family in the Philippines). More importantly, the audience gets ahead of the storytelling several times in Act 2, a sure way to set patrons to checking their watches."

"When he does, I trust the social satire won’t have its teeth pulled. Chenoweth is courageous and skillful in presenting a protagonist of utter folly, who never quite fathoms where she went wrong. We do, though, and the lesson of false values comes across like a whipcrack. Given a choice, Jackie’s story asks, who wouldn’t give everything to have everything, at whatever cost to the soul?"

Updated On: 8/2/24 at 01:28 PM

[BETTY22]

Posted: 8/2/24 at 4:16pm

I was hoping the reviews would be stronger.....i assume lots and lots of changes will occur before the show comes to Broadway.

Fingers crossed. 

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 8/2/24 at 4:17pm

Variety is certainly generous. I would never have called Abraham's sleepy preview performance "staggeringly good."

Time Out likes the cast.

"You don’t need to have seen the film to follow the plot, but doing so will deepen your appreciation of how fully Chenoweth fills her larger-than-life character’s sparkly shoes. Her Jackie is tenacious to a fault, brilliantly oscillating between out of touch and in on the joke. She’s likable yet cringe: a symbol of unchecked capitalism but also an uncompromising mom who will do anything to secure her family’s future."

Review: Kristin Chenoweth in The Queen of Versailles (★★★★) (timeout.com)

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/2/24 at 4:36pm

BETTY22 said: "I was hoping the reviews would be stronger.....i assume lots and lots of changes will occur before the show comes to Broadway.

Fingers crossed."

The reviews are better than the show.  I cannot invision anyone liking it without Chenoweth in the lead.  This is right now an old-fashioned vehicle that does not have a clue re what it wants us to think about Jackie.  In the absence of that, larger than life Kristen Chenoweth helps.

[DaveyG]

Posted: 8/2/24 at 7:18pm

Mixed from the Boston Globe:

Chenoweth charms, but Broadway-bound ‘The Queen of Versailles’ is a mixed bag

In its world premiere at the Emerson Colonial, the musical’s high notes soared, but there’s still some work to do

By Terry Byrne Globe correspondent

Kristin Chenoweth doesn’t just perform. She enchants audiences and enhances her character with sly gestures and asides that are uniquely hers, daring us to resist her charms.

Don’t bother trying.

Every moment Chenoweth is on stage in “The Queen of Versailles” she commands our attention — not only as Jackie Siegel, the woman obsessed with conspicuous consumption at the center of this new musical, but also as herself: a musical theater diva capable of stunning us with both her vocal prowess and comic timing.

“The Queen of Versailles,” which is having its world premiere at the Emerson Colonial Theatre before heading to Broadway, is based on the 2012 documentary that followed Siegel’s determination to build the biggest home in America, modeled on the palace of Versailles (with, of course, a nod to Vegas). Her slightly twisted version of the American Dream is derailed by the economic collapse of 2008, when her seemingly bottomless budget, fueled by her husband David’s timeshare empire, is threatened. Lauren Greenfield’s film captured Jackie’s conviction that “more and more and more” is always better, and while we never sympathize with her, there was a sharp sense of sadness that, while surrounded by so much, her life was so empty.

Multi-award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz, who worked with Chenoweth on “Wicked,” teams up with her again on this broader — if not deeper — dive into the lives of Jackie and David Siegel. Schwartz taps all of his musical theater brilliance, with a breathtaking opening production number, “Because We Can,” a memorable Chenoweth solo, “Caviar Dreams,” and the final number, “This Time, Next Year.”

Chenoweth never fails to dazzle as she sashays up, down, and all around Dane Laffrey’s very busy set (scaffolding, stairs, video screens, and scenic pieces move in and out at a dizzying pace), wearing an endless number of costume designer Christian Cowan’s outfits, ranging from a Juicy Couture tracksuit to a closetful of form-fitting minidresses, nearly all completed by terrifyingly tall platform shoes.

Award-winning film, TV, and stage actor F. Murray Abraham plays Jackie’s husband David with an air of bemused aloofness. To be fair, in the documentary, David Siegel was essentially a bit player, and that hasn’t changed here, but Abraham seems utterly surprised to find himself on stage in this musical.

Lindsey Ferrentino, a playwright known for ability to craft believable individuals who wrestle with often-overwhelming issues (Ugly Lies the Bone, Amy and the Orphans), tackles the challenge of finding the elusive heart of this privileged family. She is most successful with the secondary characters — Jackie’s daughter from her first marriage, Victoria, and Jonquil, the niece she adopts when Jonquil is a teenager. In fact, two of the most heartfelt numbers in the show feature Nina White as Victoria, who struggles with meeting her mother’s expectations for her: “Pretty Always Wins” and “The Book of Random.” Later, White and Tatum Grace Hopkins (Jonquil) explore the tension created by mashing two teenage cousins together without warning and expecting them to act as sisters. They find a tender moment of connection in the sad but funny “Pavane for a Dead Lizard.”

The creative team has broadened the story to emphasize Jackie’s roots and her inspiration, the original palace of Versailles. The musical cleverly threads moments with King Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette, and their subjects into the 21st-century construction site in Orlando. The Act II opening number, “The Royal We,” a duet with Jackie’s role model Marie Antoinette (Cassondra James) on her little farm (Le Hameau de la Reine), where everything is “faux,” is hilarious, not to mention vocally impressive, as the two “queens” nail operatic trills. But the pointed political comment as Marie heads to her untimely end in the musical’s penultimate scene felt garish and a bit on the nose.

But like the Queen of Versailles herself, director Michael Arden has taken Jackie’s motto of “more is better” too much to heart. The constant referencing of the documentary, with characters speaking directly into the camera, is occasionally clever but overused, allowing us to disconnect from the story, let alone the characters’ emotional arcs. Some judicious pruning of scenes is also needed, especially in the first act, which sags before Chenoweth supercharges it with the almost desperate “This Is Not the Way.”

“The Queen of Versailles” also needs to loosen its grip on the documentary and amp up the dramatic tension. Although the stakes seem high — an economic downturn could leave them with nothing — the Siegels recover with nary a penny pinched. Although there is a moment when Jackie and her daughter Victoria consider a more modest life, it never feels sincere. When Jackie suffers a tragic loss, we have barely a moment of grief before she turns it into another economic opportunity. And while Jackie’s utter lack of self-awareness is central to her character, as an audience we need to feel something, if not someone has been changed by this experience.

Chenoweth’s star power may be thrilling, but it can’t blind us to the need for this musical to dig a little deeper into the characters and tighten up its running time before heading to Broadway.

Updated On: 8/2/24 at 07:18 PM

[Capeguy]

Posted: 8/4/24 at 9:16am

I saw it yesterday—enjoyed it but didn't love it. They have plenty of time to work on it. I felt it was a bit bloated. The "Louis XIV" stuff just didn't work for me and they could cut a few songs. I think it could become a success.
On a positive note, KC was great and the entire cast is giving it their best. The sets are quite good and show moves along at a brisk pace.
I have not seen the documentary so I can't judge the characters. The audience seemed to love it. The standing ovation began the second Kristin sang her last note.