TOOTSIE the Musical: PREVIEWS START- Page 2

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 9:27am

Setting it on Broadway didn't work for me. We've got the "Curtains" problem of too many bad numbers from the flop show-within-a-show. In both cases the lead supposedly "fixes" the show but the numbers we sit through are just as bad.

Updated On: 3/26/19 at 09:27 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 10:34am

Didn't realize they changed it from soap opera to Broadway.  There are obvious reasons for the change,  And I can see how the change could work.  But a little sad about it.  So much of what was fun in the movie was the conventions of soaps.  And Michael's creation, Dorothy, becoming a national pop sensation - which was just believable enough in the movie.  

What kind of show is the show within a show?  What kind of character does Dorothy - if that is still her name - play in the show within a show?  Is there a feminist angle to the portrayal as there is in the soap within the movie?

I'm equal parts excited and disappointed to learn of this change - in other words, keeping an open mind.  But I'm suddenly very curious how the librettists adapted for this change. 

[Kad]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 10:51am

I think it's a smart shift- especially since I think many shows that centerpiece or lampoon the conventions of the screen are often unsuccessful at depicting that entirely different medium. 

[John Adams]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 12:19pm

Although the show has many, many laugh out loud moments, too many of them are not driven by the plot or the characters (with the exception of Max Van Horn, my favorite character in the show). Similarly, IMO, I didn't see Michael's change onstage; I was told about them by other characters (predominantly Jeff).

I also found that most of the #metoo-type elements of the script felt like pandering. 

I LOVE the movie, and I (especially after some time to reflect on what I saw in Chicago), am disappointed in the musical. In the movie, the audience has many opportunities to see Micheal placed in situations that force him to learn respect for women.

We see what a self-centered womanizer her is, in the beginning (best example - the party scene when he's talking with a woman, and compliments her blouse. As he speaks the compliment, he physically tossles the neckline of the blouse, allowing him to look down at her breasts.) In the movie, we see him forced to be a mother, forced to endure misogeny in the workplace, unwanted advances from men, etc. He's also placed in situations where he has to be intimate with Julie without being sexual. Those movie elements that allow Michael to learn, discover and change are, for the most part, absent from the musical.

In the movie, his conversations with Jeff (and finally, Julie's dad) demonstrate  that he recognizes the newly found observations about himself. He realizes the value of acknowledging that side of himself, and that when he allowed himself to express those aspects of his own personality, he became a better person, and a better potential partner in a relationship with Julie. 

In the musical, in his 11th hour song he sings to, and thanks Dorothy as if she were a third, outside party. He doesn't demonstrate that he realizes IS Dorothy. He sings about Dorothy as if she were an outside catalyst. Also, in the musical, Jeff has an Act II song where he has to tell Michael who he is. Neither of those elements worked for me.

There are other plot and character elements that I was also disappointed in, but I don't want to go into details for fear of spoilers.

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 12:50pm

Henrikegerman, regarding the show-within-a-show:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

It is a musical version of Romeo and Juliet. The cast wears Renaissance costumes, Juliet sings gospel and Romeo’s a hunk who keeps ripping off his shirt. Less Kiss Me Kate. More Something Rotten. We see about three numbers from this production.

 

When “Dorothy” is cast as The Nurse she improvs a scene seducing Romeo, convinces the producer that this is somehow “feminist,” and re-sets the show in the 1940’s costumes for… reasons. We see a montage of numbers from the revised production. It’s allegedly a huge hit.

 

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 12:58pm

John Adams said: "...
We see what a self-centered womanizer her is, in the beginning (best example - the party scene when he's talking with a woman, and compliments her blouse. As he speaks the compliment, he physically tossles the neckline of the blouse, allowing him to look down at her breasts.) ...

During the Chicago tryout, this scene was changed. Michael no longer chatted briefly with the woman, but he instead regaled 4 others about auditions.

 

 

Updated On: 3/26/19 at 12:58 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 1:31pm

ArtMan said: "n2nbaby said: "Just got tickets to see it Saturday night via TDF, thanks for the heads up!

Has anyone sat in the mezz at this theatre, I’m assuming that’s where TDF will be looking at availability."

The view is very good in the mezz. What you need to watch out for the further you are towards the back, the ushers and customers do not open and shut the doors quietly, especially when people come back late from intermission. They are big metal doors and unless they have addressed the problem, make a loud noise. Also the ushers tend to talk very loudly during the performance."

[John Adams]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 1:43pm

BalconyClub said: "During the Chicago tryout, this scene was changed.Michael no longer chattedbriefly with the woman, but he instead regaled4 others about auditions."

I saw the final show in Chicago. I do remember what you describe, but (for me) the conversations about auditions weren't as strong as the scene that I described (which was from the movie) in terms of establishing him as a womanizer.

My feeling was that the conversations about auditions established him as a pompous actor, but didn't also establish him as being someone who saw women as sex objects (sans relationship).

[Rogerdellibovi]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 3:53pm

John Adams I find you analysis very interesting. I agree some of the moments felt like pandering. To me it was because instead of women talking about their experiences it was mostly Jeff and Michael saying quick “feminist” things that didn’t actually fit into the plot.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Example being Jeff’s “you’re stealing a woman’s job” in the restaurant scene and Michael and his audition and his first rehearsal.

On the other hand, I felt like his scenes with Julie were much better perspective and plot wise. 

I also 100% agree that most of the humor comes from one-liners or cultural/theater references rather than from the plot and characters. The only joke they seemed to come up with for the whole ridiculous situation is ‘its funny cause he has a penis’ jokes and they milk that hard. For example, someone said they hope Michael McGath gets to do more and I hope so too because I didn’t laugh once during his scenes. The best laughs are all from the characters who get to drop the one liners (Sandy, the producer, the director) and the characters that dont just end up being less funny. 

[Warren Hoffman]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 5:26pm

I agree with this assessment 100%. I saw the show in Chicago and while there was a lot to love (one of the funniest books of a musical I've seen in a long time), the show within the show is bad. Not so bad as to be entertaining in "purposely terrible way," just mediocre which means that we have to sit through so-so numbers. I hope they fixed them, either punching them up or making them even purposely more atrocious so that we laugh at them. Also, Fontana's needs a much better Act 1 opener and a much better 11 o'clock number. I'm a huge fan of David Yazbeck, but this just isn't his strongest work.

[AngusN]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 7:32pm

I’m really not a fan of Yazbeck’s music: I found it rather dull and uninspiring. From what I’ve heard from this show, I’m confused by the style of the songs; they don’t seem in keeping with the premise of the original narrative. Maybe they’ll make more sense in the context of the show.

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 3/28/19 at 6:54pm

Does anyone know if there was/is an invited dress today? Anyone planning on going?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 5:37pm

Setting it on Broadway didn't work for me. We've got the "Curtains" problem of too many bad numbers from the flop show-within-a-show.

They really only show one number in rehearsal and part of another number in the auditions and in the montage.  It's musical comedy and the show-within-a-show was never the point.  We learn that the show is a huge success due to Dorothy's ideas from the actors, director and producer.  That's all we need to know.  They don't have to literally show us every number of the musical and every single change they made.  We get the costume ideas (which Dorothy explains) for visual effect during the rehearsal montage (I believe the song is called something like "What She's Doing".  It's not like Curtains where we watch the creators detail the "fixing" of an entire musical throughout the show.  In fact, we really don't see or hear much of the final product, or even hardly any of the show, at all, so I'm not sure how you reach the conclusion that it's still bad.

I saw the show in Chicago and while there was a lot to love (one of the funniest books of a musical I've seen in a long time), the show within the show is bad. Not so bad as to be entertaining in "purposely terrible way," just mediocre which means that we have to sit through so-so numbers.

How many number did you have to sit through?  There "I'm Alive", which is quite obviously played as hilariously bad for comedic effect (probably my favorite number in the show with an infectious 60s frug-vibe melody and delightful choreography) and then snippets of "I Won't Let You Down" that we see in the audition and in "What She's Doing".  That's it.

Updated On: 3/29/19 at 05:37 PM

[Clyde15]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 7:50pm

Got to my seat. Let me just say that the lobby was a mess with all sorts of different lines attempting to keep people organized but not enough people doing the organizing. is that how the Marquis theatre always is!

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 7:55pm

Excited to hear reports on this! There are definitely some things I hope they've changed since the first Chicago tryout performance, and a lot I hope they've kept.

One lyric change I hope is solved: during Sandy's panic attack song, she sings "Next thing I know I'm in Taco Bell stuffing my face with wings", and I'm not sure that Taco Bell sells or has ever sold wings.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 9:36pm

Clyde15 said: "Got to my seat. Let me just say that the lobby was a mess with all sorts of different lines attempting to keep people organized but not enough people doing the organizing. is that how the Marquis theatre always is!"

Yup because people don't line up to enter as the Theater entry is the second level lobby of the hotel...once you go up the elevator or escalator everyone just waits as one large mass of people till you slowly file in to the ticket takers...it is what it is but you're about to have a lot of fun tonight once inside!

Updated On: 3/29/19 at 09:36 PM

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 9:39pm

Charley Kringas Inc said: "Excited to hear reports on this! There are definitely some things I hope they've changed since the first Chicago tryout performance, and a lot I hope they've kept.

One lyric change I hope is solved: during Sandy's panic attack song, she sings "Next thing I know I'm in Taco Bell stuffing my face with wings", and I'm not sure that Taco Bell sells or has ever sold wings."

I think the line was "...stuffing my face with meat."

[Clyde15]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 11:00pm

The show just ended at 10:50. Here are my immediate thoughts.

-The show is 20 minutes too long
-The Book is far far stronger than the score
-Lilli Cooper has the strongest song but there was no song list so I couldn’t tell you what they are
-Sarah Stiles deserves at least a Tony nomination
-Hadestown is going to win best musical

Reactions from the people in front of me were that the show was torture to watch and the people next to me felt it deserved all of the Tonys. I think overall it’s a fun show but I wouldn’t have paid more than the $40 I spent on my rush ticket

Updated On: 3/29/19 at 11:00 PM

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 11:02pm

Clyde15 said: "The show just ended at 10:50. Here are my immediate thoughts.

-Steph Stiles deserves at least a Tony nomination"

Don't you mean Sarah Stiles? Stephanie Styles is in Kiss Me, Kate.

[Clyde15]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 11:04pm

Yes I do! Sorry typing while walking through Times Square was not easy

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 11:06pm

Clyde15 said: "Yes I do! Sorry typing while walking through Times Square was not easy"

 

And Santino???

[getupngo]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 11:07pm

guys... this was ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS!!! few thoughts:

-I loved the show. thought it was great. but I agree with Clyde its about 15 min too long.

-Lilli was way better than I thought she would be, but Sarah def. outshines her.

-Sarah steals every single scene she is in. She's a strong contender for supporting.

-Santino is amazing and will probably win the tony.

-Lots of broadway in jokes. including a reference to Michael being in the bathroom.

-the whole group around me thought it was hilarious. 

-Santino slipped and fell in one scene and the way he played it off was really funny.

-the ending was a little like "oh thats it?" it didn't really feel like an ending to me? idk

id love to hear other peoples thoughts on this.

Updated On: 3/29/19 at 11:07 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 11:08pm

getupngo said: "guys... this was ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS!!! few thoughts:

-I loved the show. thought it was great. butI agree with Clydeits about 15 min too long.

-Lilli was way better than I thought she would be, but Sarah def. outshines her.

-Sarah steals every single scene she is in. She's a strong contender for supporting.

-Lots of broadway in jokes. including a reference to Michael being in the bathroom.

-the whole group around me thought it was hilarious.

-Santino slipped and fell in one scene and the way he played it off was really funny.

-the ending was a little like "oh thats it?" it didn't really feel like an ending to me? idk

id love to hear other peoples thoughts on this."

 

 

How was Santino? This show is all about him ~ Dorothy?

[all_that_jazz]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 11:08pm

Whatever goodwill Act 1 tries to build, Act 2 quickly murders. The entire second act needs to be scrapped. Nothing there bit lame joke after lame joke. Preachy social justice inserts and songs that went nowhere. The couple next to me were getting as bored as I was. The best part of act 2 was Santinos fall and subsequent recovery. Now that should be put it it was the only honest moment.
Music is generic, lyrics forgettable,  nothin special.


Its not a great show but wont matter it will have a healthy run. Its not worth more than $40 rush ticket.

And it will get nominated for musical because well we need 4 but definately not in the running to win.

Updated On: 3/29/19 at 11:08 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 11:10pm

getupngo said: "guys... this was ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS!!! few thoughts:

-I loved the show. thought it was great. butI agree with Clydeits about 15 min too long.

-Lilli was way better than I thought she would be, but Sarah def. outshines her.

-Sarah steals every single scene she is in. She's a strong contender for supporting.

-Santino is amazing and will probably win the tony.

-Lots of broadway in jokes. including a reference to Michael being in the bathroom.

-the whole group around me thought it was hilarious.

-Santino slipped and fell in one scene and the way he played it off was really funny.

-the ending was a little like "oh thats it?" it didn't really feel like an ending to me? idk

id love to hear other peoples thoughts on this."

 

 

How's the score, choreography and design elements?