TODAY Show "Best of Broadway" Week 2023- Page 2

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 3/24/23 at 12:33pm

Durand sounds incredible, and the song isnt bad by any stretch. Just confused why they'd showcase an earnest forlorn country song when the show is an uproarious comedy?

[Kad]

Posted: 3/24/23 at 12:47pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "Durand sounds incredible, and the song isnt bad by any stretch. Just confused why they'd showcase an earnest forlorn country song when the show is an uproarious comedy?"

I agree it’s not the best representation of what the show is, but all of the show’s funniest / most raucous numbers are too large for Today’s stage. 
 

And I have to imagine that a solid pop-country song like this- which does sound like it could be on the radio- will appeal to a lot of folks. 

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 3/24/23 at 1:20pm

I haven't seen Shucked yet, but this performance/song has me super excited to see it next month. This is the type of song you can hear on the radio. These smaller, more intimate performances work so much better in these TV settings (opposed to the Bad Cinderella performance.......)

[bear88]

Posted: 3/24/23 at 2:12pm

As someone who was scouting possible shows, or alternatives, for my recent New York City trip, I was struck by how poorly many of the shows presented themselves on TV appearances. Some Like It Hot, & Juliet, I’m looking at you. Bad Cinderella didn’t promote the show well earlier this week in its Today show spot. I know that these sorts of appearances don’t necessarily reflect how much fun the performances will be in the theater, but every national TV appearance is an opportunity - or a lost opportunity.

Shucked, which I ended up seeing last week, didn’t make that mistake today.

Durand’s song is the best ballad in the show. There’s no humor in it, but for the show to succeed, it’s going to have to appeal to our-of-town tourists who like pop-country songs like this. Alex Newell gives the most showstopping solo performance in the musical, but Durand - no slouch as a vocalist - has the best of the straightforward ballads.

The problem for Shucked, in my view, is that most of the ballads don’t serve the story as well as they could. But if you have a national TV slot to promote your show to tourists, you could do a lot worse than this.

The funnier songs in the show probably wouldn’t translate as well in the sterile Today Show setting.

I thought Parade did a good job earlier this week too.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 3/24/23 at 2:55pm

Im not knocking Durand or the show- this absolutely confirmed my intent to see this. I just foresee a mismatch between the expectations generated by this performance and the actual show. 

[bear88]

Posted: 3/24/23 at 4:12pm

No one will accuse the songwriters - whose background is writing hit country tunes - of writing perfect rhymes fit for a traditional Broadway musical.

But the goal of an appearance like this is to promote a show without stars to possible ticket buyers.

There’s a mismatch between pretty but hokey songs like this and the joke-filled book, but that’s the show. It’s not going to survive on deep discounts forever. The Shucked producers and creatives had one job: Promote the musical, given the limitations of a morning talk show, and at least don’t scare anyone away.

Bad Cinderella failed. Parade and Shucked succeeded. Ragtime did well too, but that’s a different situation.