The Official Kennedy Center FOLLIES Thread- Page 26

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 2:45am

I love Phyllis Rogers Stone, especially the BWW Phyllis Rogers Stone. <3

[wickedfan11]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 6:21am

Also, if anyone is wondering, Danny, Terri, Regine, Susan, and Elaine signed after the matinee.

[Mamie]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 12:20pm

“The discussions of if we will ever see the definitive FOLLIES are moot. We who were lucky and old enough to see the original will say we saw the definitive version, but by no means should they stop trying,”

“I don't know why everyone is so obsessed with "keeping FOLLIES" as it was. I mean, I'm old enough to have seen many classic and cult favorites on Broadway, and while I want EVERY production I see to be "astonishing," I don't think it has to be 100% faithful to the original to be worthwhile. The director's job is to bring his or her perspective and vision to a piece. Isn't that the point?”

Follies premiered on Broadway on April 4, 1971. The show closed on July 1, 1972 after 522 performances and 12 previews. According to Variety Magazine, the show was a "total financial failure, with a cumulative loss of $792,000."

It's quite possible that the people who pay for this production are trying to get a production that isn't a total financial failure. And that every director who gets his hands on it isn't going to try to find a way to sell this fabulous idea and incredible score in a manner that will appeal to the general ticket-buying public. As disgusting as it may sound - it IS a business and I can't imagine any investor being willing to shell out their money to a production that's already been proven to be a failure.

Just a thought....

[TheBatBoy]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 12:37pm

If they can shell out millions of dollars for pieces of crap like "Spider Man", "In My Life", and "Wonderbland", they can shell out millions of dollars for this show.

[Mamie]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 12:45pm

....none of which were PROVEN failures in their original theatrical incarnations (Don't remind me that there were no original theatrical incarnations. I'm aware of that. I'm trying to make a point here.)

[TheBatBoy]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 1:12pm

Oh, my apologies. Was just trying to say that investors SHOULD be throwing millions of dollars at this show.

But please keep going.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 1:29pm

"It's quite possible that the people who pay for this production are trying to get a production that isn't a total financial failure. And that every director who gets his hands on it isn't going to try to find a way to sell this fabulous idea and incredible score in a manner that will appeal to the general ticket-buying public."





(That's not really a dig at you, Mamie, as you acknowledge the idea's disgustingness.)

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 1:35pm

Mamie makes an excellent point.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 1:43pm

Oh, also, saw the matinee on Sunday!

I had forgotten how the show doesn't even begin to coalesce until well into the second act.

8/10

And, boy, that Régine looked like she wanted off the stage pronto after subbing "Da da da da da da / Da da da da" for "Carlsbad is where you're cured / After you have toured." She also looked like she resented the audience for her messing up, like a woman who wants out of a contract.

The red dress illustrates a perfectly acceptable interpretation of Sally.

Bernie grew on me, but it did take nearly the whole show. Her "Losing My Mind" is a perfect thing. Raines is a bore with a gorgeous voice, Maxwell deserves the praise (though maybe not the out-and-out raves) for her psychologically astute Phyllis (her "Could I Leave You?" is also a perfect thing and goes exactly where I've always thought that song should go), and D.B., for my money, got more out of Goldman's book than any actor has a right to. Paige may be hindered by some funky blocking, but overall I loved the slow build of her "I'm Still Here," and Lavin's take on "Broadway Baby" surprised me, made me suspicious, and ultimately thrilled me, all in three minutes. The lighting was appropriate if one-note, the costumes lackluster, and the set design without nuance.

But I did find myself feeling very Brantley-esque for most of the first act, going, "Oh, boy... THIS is what I drove 4 1/2 hours for?" By the show's finale, I wasn't feeling too guilty about coming to my feet. That might be the nature of the show, though, and not this production.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 1:44pm

That's why it works better without an intermission, like PalJoey mentioned earlier. The entire show is barreling toward "Loveland" and an intermission screws with the momentum.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 1:51pm

Absolutely. I saw it with a friend who knew next to nothing about the show and found myself apologizing to him at intermission for the intermissoin's existence. What a shame. What a shame.

Updated On: 6/9/11 at 01:51 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 2:03pm

HOWEVER...

This would require some rewriting of the book, but I've always thought that, if there HAS to be an intermission, a perfect thematic place to put it would be as follows:

* Bring the first-act curtain down at the end of "Who's That Woman?" (And send the audience out cheering.)

* Open the second act with "I'm Still Here"--the last-minute song that perfectly sums up the entire musical, the way the last-minute songs Sondheim wrote for Sunday and Into the Woods sum them up.

I don't remember if they ever tried this. I'll have to check Chapin's book to see if they did.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 2:06pm

I believe Chapin says at one point during previews the intermission came after "Who's that Woman?" with act two starting with a brief reprise of the song.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 2:10pm

That's sounds a perfectly acceptable and equivalent alternative to what exists now, methinks, but still the most effective choice is no intermission at all.

AT ALL, GUYS.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 2:13pm

Yeah, I don't that idea. It's like playing a trick on the audience.

The part that I like is coming in fresh and getting Carlotta, alone.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 2:17pm

That's hot.

Also, P.J., it required a good deal of self-control to not snatch up a pillow. Your having one is enough for me. But they are fabulous, and I haven't been intrigued by merch since '98.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 6:53pm

If there must be an intermission, I agree with PJ. In fact, it makes SO MUCH sense, I would be very surprised if it hadn't been tried by Hal Prince--at least once.

I'm re-reading the Chapin book now. If I find anything out, I'll report back.

[lizabombs]

Posted: 6/13/11 at 4:55pm

I agree about the intermission. They need to rethink it, because getting back into the show before "The Right Girl" is just...all wrong. I'm still here might be a good opening, but then we'd have to start Act II with that dreary Bed/Phyllis, Buddy/Sally fight before it. Also not good.

Saw it Saturday. I loved it, particularly Jan Maxwell, Bernadette Peters, and especially Danny Burstein. I've never felt much for Buddy until this production. Maxwell was pitch perfect, and I enjoyed Bernadette maybe a smidgen less than I wanted to. I think she has a perfectly valid approach, though. A friend said she wished she had been a bit more bug-eyed crazy in Act 2, and that's valid.

The whole business about her red dress is silly, I think, since it's obvious that her dress is far, far less fancy than those on the women surrounding her.

The staging: eh, especially in the second act. The Roundabout production, for all its faults, staged the second act sequence before and after One More Kiss far more effectively, with all the parties onstage (or so I remember) and attention focusing back and forth between them, like a dream. At Kennedy Center, it was just: actors on, scene, actors off; repeat. Boring.

Who's That Woman was thrilling. I especially enjoyed the choreography, which I feared would disappoint. Elaine Page's conversational tone during I'm Still Here was bizarre. She belted the last note like I wished she had belted the whole song, and I wish she hadn't had a smile on her face for the whole second half.

Rain on the Roof/Ah, Paris/Broadway Baby just don't work without the montage ending, or an ending like they did in Follies in Concert. Why are they trotting out these folks to do three songs in a row? And the way its staged here makes it worse. There needs to be something tying it all together.

Buddy's Blues was phenomenal, Lucy and Jessie super fun (even though it was clear Jan Maxwell was less than confident). The Loveland transformation was way too abrupt. Did they even do the trumpet fanfare that usually comes after the drumroll? I didn't hear it.

And can someone explain why I've read here that the way "Too Many Mornings" is staged, Sally's "green dress" line makes no sense? I don't understand.
Updated On: 6/13/11 at 04:55 PM

[chatter]

Posted: 6/13/11 at 7:31pm

I wasn't so impressed with the pillow. I did buy a poster.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/13/11 at 7:52pm

"Story/plot" wise, I think the intermission is in the most effective spot. Sally and Ben get lost in the past. Sally finally gets her wish - being kissed by Ben in his arms. Buddy (and Young Buddy at Kennedy Center) walks in, and is betrayed by the past and present. It's the right moment, in my opinion.

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 6/13/11 at 8:33pm

I just finished "Everything Was Possible" about a month ago, and there was never an intermission after "Who's That Woman". I think that what Phyllis is thinking of is that at one point, the second act started with a reprise on "Too Many Mornings" to show that no time had passed during the intermission.

I can only hope that there will be no intermission in the Chicago production this fall...

Some posters seem to have skipped over the phrase "rewriting of the book" in PalJoey's post--I would think it obvious that some scenes and/or songs would be moved earlier.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/13/11 at 8:40pm

Page 271

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 6/13/11 at 9:48pm

How long is the running time of the show usually? Sorry if this was already answered.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/13/11 at 9:49pm

About 2.5 hours.

[KCInsider2]

Posted: 6/15/11 at 11:51am

The Kennedy Center Gift Shops has gotten a number of last minute calls for the souvenir Follies pillows. Based on the requests (and because Miss Holly looked so cute in her picture) the Shops have placed one last re-order for the pillow. So if you are interested please place your order today. Supplies are limited. Please allow two weeks for delivery.
Order Follies Pillow