The Man in the Ceiling - Andrew Lippa Musical

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 5/30/17 at 11:22am

Previews begin tonight for The Man in the Ceiling at the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor. Will anyone from the board be attending?

I have fond memories of Jules Feiffer's book. My closeted teen self identified with the young cartoonist and his musical writing uncle who face disapproval from the rest of the family. Looking back the uncle's musical has a lot in common with Alan Menkin's Weird Romance. 

https://www.playbill.com/article/andrew-lippa-stars-in-world-premiere-of-his-man-in-the-ceiling-musical-beginning-may-30

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Flash-Andrew-Lippa-and-More-in-Rehearsal-for-THE-MAN-IN-THE-CEILING-at-Bay-Street-Theater-20170502

 

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 2:07pm

First reviews.

27 East. Mixed.
"musically the show doesn’t rise to Mr. Feiffer’s contributions... Except for the haunting ballad “Disappear,” sung movingly by both Ms. Parker and Mr. Binstock to each other, the first act with seven other songs has too many times when the performers are singing different lines at each other making the lyrics especially difficult to understand...The unfortunate result is at times cacophony. Things brighten considerably in the second act with several numbers that lift the ballast "

http://www.27east.com/news/article.cfm/Sag-Harbor/521362/Theater-Review-The-Man-In-The-Ceiling-Is-High-Voltage-Until-Its-Exuberant-End

 

Hamptons.com. Positive.

"The collaborations of Jules Feiffer(author of the book The Man in the Ceiling) along with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa (Rent), and director Jeffrey Seller (who produced Hamilton) bring an innovative and retro dynamic to this bold musical production. The stage design and lighting along with a live orchestra adds a unique panache to this show. "


http://www.hamptons.com/mobile/The-Arts/Performing-Arts/23394/Hamptons-Summer-Theater-Review-Bay-Street.html#.WTg_5WgrKyI

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 2:11pm

I feel like I should be excited for this, but I'm tired of being disappointed by Lippa.  After Big Fish and The Addams Family, I'm not that excited for anything else of his.

[remark]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 3:09pm

MrsSallyAdams said: "...along with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa (Rent)..."

excuse me?

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 3:21pm

Lippa is a total hack who keeps being handed infinitely promising source material, and turning it into the most generic possible sludge. Won't be seeing or listening to this at any point, though I'm very fond of Feiffer. I've given this composer so many tries. 

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 6/7/17 at 7:41pm

Did another search on this and found some songs in a concert. Lippa cast himself in the role of the uncle who writes flop musicals. The meta aspect is interesting. The song itself didn't make an impression on a first listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwCJ9L47j-A

Though I did laugh when Lippa sang "Do I look like a guy who fixes cars?"

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 6/8/17 at 9:21pm

Another review.

Sag Harbor Express. Mixed.

With a team like that, it’s hard to go wrong, and rest assured, this is a polished piece of theater with solid acting, a terrific score and tons of creativity, thanks to an enthusiastic and talented cast and crew..... Ultimately what’s missing here is the real gravitas necessary to make the adults in the play become fully realized characters. The lack of complexity in their development leaves the supporting roles nearly as one dimensional as Jimmy Jibbett’s cartoons.

http://sagharborexpress.com/review-man-ceiling-stays-course/

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/8/17 at 10:26pm

His WILD PARTY is so good though. And yet...and yet....the rest is so bad. I don't know. It's just all so uninteresting. 

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 6/9/17 at 1:52pm

I'm getting strong Fun Home vibes from this footage.  

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/VIDEO-Watch-Highlights-of-Jonah-Broscow-Andrew-Lippa-and-More-in-THE-MAN-IN-THE-CEILING-at-Bay-Street-Theater-20170609

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 6/9/17 at 8:08pm

The variety review was brutal 

 

http://variety.com/2017/legit/reviews/the-man-in-ceiling-review-musical-1202456128/