The Official Kennedy Center FOLLIES Thread- Page 5

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 10:49am

This official opening night is May 21. So yes, these are previews right now.

[Simon4]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 10:52am

The official "opening," I believe, is May 21; these first two weeks are considered previews, though they weren't advertised as such.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 10:59am

Thanks guys, I didn't realize that.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:00am

I felt like a larger portion of the audience than usual there last night weren't subscription holders. A significant amount were, yes, but I overheard many many people also who had traveled down from NYC to see the show. Most of the convos I overheard were from people who seemed incredibly familiar with the show & Bernadette Peters in general. It was quite the gathering of super-affectionados. People were aready breaking down how Loveland would go at intermission. But yes, those left seats were most likely due to stodgy subscriptioners.


idk- I really wasn't impressed with 'Ah, Paris!' and not just for the lyrics flub. It's a small number shoved in a front of a very big one, yes, but I think there should be more to do with it than what was there.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:07am

Do they repeat the last verse of Too Many Mornings after intermission as was done in the OBC previews out of town to show that no time has passed?

I think Susan Watson is in her 70s (72 or 73).

How is Michael Hayes as Roscoe ("Beautiful Girls")? He's got such a great song. I have never heard of him, is he good?

[GatorNY]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:20am

Hayes was excellent, big voice, pitch perfect, nails every note. I'm sorry though, I respect the fact that Regine was the first dj in the history of the world, I thank her for that. However, she is surrounded by others that are so good, and she just wasn't on the same level. Don't know whether she can't or if she just didn't bring it last night. She seemed relieved when her song was over. Sorry.

Updated On: 5/8/11 at 11:20 AM

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:26am

GatorNY, that's funny, because the original production had so many problems with Fifi D'Orsay, maybe the role is cursed? Lol.

I say give it a week--or even a day. If it was this good their first performance in front of an audience, I cant imagine how amazing it will be in a day, now that they have less nerves, especially in a week or 2
Updated On: 5/8/11 at 11:26 AM

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:28am

Also - since people are saying Bernadette had some vocal issues with teh high notes, I am guessing they did not transpose anything then from the original production? Anyone who knows the show well -- were any keys noticeably changed? And were there any cuts within songs?

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 12:16pm

AND - (SORRY for all the questions)
Does Ron Raines have a beard for this one? (just curious........)

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 12:32pm

I really don't know if I can wait 6 more days!

[choitoy]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 2:37pm

Aaahhhh! I'm so sad that I'm not going to get a chance to see this now (I'm using my vacation money this year to go down to San Francisco to see "Tales of the City" instead). I am so jealous because one of my co-workers and his husband are going to trek across the country to see this (and "Side by Side by Sondheim"). Now I wish I could go with them.

I guess I'll always have the memories of seeing the Seattle production back in '95 (though I was a teenager back then, and even though I had a wonderful time, I don't think I appreciated it as much as I could have).

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 3:56pm

Ron Raines DOES have a beard.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 4:00pm

Gator, when the man you were chatting with said he'd waited 30 years for this, perhaps he meant a "good" revival of the show! (Although many people rave about the Papermill production, which I did not see.)

Or maybe he meant a "Kennedy Center production" of the show. Just guessin'.

[Fred Casely]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 5:01pm

I'm on my way out the door to see the production. If you see a good looking older gentleman in a blue sports coat and large white moustache, that's me. Say hello.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 5:20pm

Has anyone here sat in the very back orchestra at the Eisenhower? How is the view from there?

[everythingISpossible]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 5:58pm

I got a last minute ticket to the closing performance of Ragtime at the Kennedy Center. My seat was in the last row all the way off to the side and I didn't miss anything. When I saw the same production on Broadway my seat was in the front row. I definitely preferred the last row seating of the two.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 10:30pm

Thats good...and Sondheim was in Row W last night so that must be a decent seat (though I know he likes being at the back of the house in case he needs to leave). I am in Row R so I guess that should be a great seat!!

[Katurian2]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:13pm

The Eisenhower goes up, rather than back, so it has an abundance of good seats, especially in the orchestra level. In this case, it's better to go back and low than high and up front (imo).

Still can't even handle that I missed Sondheim 7 rows back from me. If I had actual plates and not just crappy plastic ones, I'd be breaking them right about now. This gif will have to suffice. It's still a cool thought to have been watching a Sondheim show with Sondheim in the audience. Even if I was completely oblivious to it at the time!

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:23pm

LOL

well...Sondheim probably either left the building or went backstage right after Act 1 and left right after the show, so I doubt many people saw him...

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:28pm

Yes, but going forward, every time you talk about the time you saw Follies in DC you can say, "You know, Sondheim was in the audience that night."

[Simon4]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:29pm

LOL, also -

But for the sake of accuracy ... I saw Sondheim go backstage after the show through the stage door outside, and then leave about a half hour later.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:39pm

hahah, This is true. I will just call upon the powers of omission and not add to the story that I completely missed seeing him because I was breaking down the Playbill word by word and trying to take discrete pics of the stage with my phone.

Yeah, I feel I would have noticed if there was a big hoopla, so he must have disappeared quite fast and gotten away from the rabid theatre fans. Probably good I didn't have the opportunity to approach. I would have started kissing his feet or something and made a big spectacle. I don't think my bf would have much appreciated that. Nor would have Sondheim for that matter.

Updated On: 5/8/11 at 11:39 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:49pm

I ordered the goddamn pillow. This better be good.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 5/8/11 at 11:54pm

HAH- They actually looked pretty high quality. I didn't pick one up, but as random a piece of merch as they were, they seemed nice & had a classy texture to them. I'm also a huge fan of the new logo, and it looked great on the pillows.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 5/9/11 at 7:43am

At one point during "Losing My Mind" Bernadette looked exactly like the image that is used in the new artwork. She was beautiful.