Teenagers invited to the opening dress of 13?- Page 4

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 7:16pm

I'm waiting online and these tweens are driving me crazy. Should be interesting...

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 9:08pm

Its intermission and its a total trainwreck so far.

[Broadwaynerd101]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 9:10pm

Aww.

Sorry to hear!! What's wrong with it?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 9:14pm

Practically everything. The score is pretty awful, the book is trying way too hard to be young and hip, the cast is very very bland, the choreoghraphy is routine, the sets are minimal and boring, and the direction is high school level at best.

All of the tweens love it. Its basically like a musicalized episode of Drake and Josh or something like that. The jokes are awful and its just NOT working at all. Its the worst thing I've seen in a while. But I'm staying for Act Two... Updated On: 9/13/08 at 09:14 PM

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 9:22pm

Shameful.

Be that as it may, I'm still rather intrigued. I'm a fan of Jason's, and I'll happily back any of his works. Opinions are just that ... Everyone's entitled. Considering WiCkED wasn't even looking forward to the show in the first place, I'm a little less disheartened with the comments thus far.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 9:23pm

I loved the show at Goodspeed, and can't wait to see it at the Jacobs!

I'm jealous of all of the teenagers at the theatre right now!

(I just got a text that it's bedlam there.)

[Broadwaynerd101]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 10:00pm

I bet it is!!

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 10:25pm

Okay, let's have those reviews!!!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 10:54pm

It was really bad. The plot was predictable and underdeveloped, the cast was mediocre (they couldn't find a more talented tennage boy to play Evan, the lead? Sorry if people find that mean but its true.). The best link of the cast was Elizabeth Egan Gillies as Lucy. Every part was underwritten, the relationships were not believable and hard to care about, and my biggest complaint is that the show and all of its pieces are trying way to hard to be hip (awkward mentions of iPods, texting, sex, religion, YouTube, and even scientology just fell flat.)

The show doesn't even address most of the issues kids go through at thirteen. Puberty is basically not touched upon, besides the mentions of sex and hooking up which are cringingly awkward. School isn't mentioned at all basically unless its a backdrop for the "plot" to move on.

The score is really forgettable and banal. Only the opening song registers. The book is really forced and pedestrian at best. The direction was particularly hard to judge because there really wasn't any. A lot of awkward hand gestures when they were standing in place because, mainly, the direction was terrible, giving the cast nothing to do.

The choreography was really bad. Repetitive and anticlimactic.

And if you don't trust me, head to the theater and see it for yourself. I won't be there. I could live without seeing or hearing music from it ever again. Its going to get eaten alive by the critics, mark my words.

The idea and concepts are there the execution (in nearly every aspect) is sloppy and really boring. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come for this season.

I'd give it 1/2 of a ****.

And I went in with no idea of what to expect, without any real preconcieved notion of how it would be. I've gone into shows without being excited to see them and LOVED them. That played no part in my criticisms.

Updated On: 9/13/08 at 10:54 PM

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 10:58pm

Just out of curiousity alone, how old are you?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:05pm

Eighteen.

Oh also there's a character named Archie who has some kind of degenerative bone disease or something and he and Evan actually sing an upbeat song that is meant to be funny but is borderline offensive about terminal illness.

C. R. I. N. G. E.

[pli1018]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:07pm

Alright so just got back and generally, I'm not a fan.

Choreography was particularly stale, and the DDR thing at the end of Act I? Honestly? It was so out of place and random, not to mention unnecessary. Only the choreography in the bows song "Brand New Day" was at least mildly entertaining. It had some tap-dancing, which again was SO out of place and random!

The score was pretty mediocre. So many of those songs were pointless. I only liked "What It Means to Be A Friend" and "Brand New Day"

The kids were really energetic, but most don't seem ready for Broadway. Only the actors playing Patrice and Evan kind of stood-out. The girl playing Lucy and the kid playing Richie had really great voices. The kid playing Brett was particularly obnoxious. I give them credit for making the effort, at least.

The book was very inconsistent. Some pretty strange jokes that again were out of place and random. There was also somewhat of a shocker in the movie theater scene that I won't reveal, but I was surprised it happened.

I really tried to like it. Hopefully they can fix up the show or it won't be lasting too long.

[Trekkie2]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:10pm

yeah, I was pretty much expecting that reaction. This looks 100% awful.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:11pm

If there is a song titled "What It Means to Be a Friend" I know I'm not gonna like it.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:12pm

I really enjoyed it... I thought it was funny at times and I loved the music but I can't remember any of it. I thought Allie Trimm (Who plays Patrice) was wonderful. She has an amazing voice. I thought they all had great voices but the acting was mediocre. It was just all so... awkward. You could tell they felt really uncomfortable. I will write more tomorrow. And the crowd was a great crowd, it was just weird for me. I felt like I was at school with a bunch of theater geeks.

[pli1018]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:12pm

It was a VERY cliche song, but only 1 of 2 songs I can remember!

[Broadwaynerd101]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:13pm

Did they have playbills?

[pli1018]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:14pm

No Playbills and we did not get to keep our tickets. All they gave out was a little slip with the cast list, musical numbers and the creative team.

[Broadwaynerd101]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:18pm

How lame!!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:18pm

I might be being too harsh on it because kids between the ages of twelve and fifteen or even kids older than that who have never seen a Broadway show before will probably like it. But then again, they want to see the big musicals like LION KING, WICKED, and LITTLE MERMAID.

I really don't think it's going to last very long though...it's a very small demographic they're aiming at and these reviews are not going to be good.

And its weird because you can tell that everyone involved has talent...sometimes that much talent can breed a masterpiece or even a stupid but fun show...and sometimes, it breeds something like THIRTEEN.

Bottom line: it might find life with high school and middle school productions once it closes, but it is NOT ready for Broadway. Updated On: 9/13/08 at 11:18 PM

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:20pm

I for one LOVED it! That has nothing to do with me being front row center. The only part i could do without was the terminal illness song, but besides that, it was cramazing! I'll post more when I get home.

[pli1018]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 11:26pm

They should just broadcast it on Disney Channel or Nickelodeon, then I see this show picking up momentum.

It wasn't AWFUL, it was at least bearable, but it is not something I would make a return visit to.

[JudasIscariot]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:23am

It wasn't great, it wasn't terrible. I'll post my review tomorrow. There were a few songs that struck me as memorable, but I think that the book was really lacking.

[sweeneytodd2]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:26am

I feel like the entire target demographic would have been at tonight's performance. Though most people there seemed to be friends with a member of the cast.

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:27am

Why am i feeling a GLORY DAYS pt 2?