"The Producers" @ Hollywood Bowl. Reviews and Dish

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 1:30pm

Open dress should be on its way. And opening is tonight. Even if interest in this for me is kind of low I am still curious to hear how it went.

Updated On: 7/27/12 at 01:30 PM

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 4:25pm

Just got some word. Betrayed is cut. Second act looks under rehearsed. Ulla can't sing. Jesse is ok. Richard is bland. The whole affair mildly entertaining. Will know more in a little bit. And again.. I WAS NOT THERE.

Updated On: 7/27/12 at 04:25 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 4:27pm

...How the hell can they cut "Betrayed"? It's the 11 o'clock number.

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 4:31pm

Thats what I was just told. But my friend called it "the number in the jail". So I am interested in hearing what other people say. I have three friends at the run thru today and I have only heard from one. I imagine because they are still driving out of there.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 4:34pm

You, You cannot cut "Betrayed". Like Kad said, it is Max's big Act 2 number and in my book is Max's big number of the show.

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 4:35pm

I agree.

[showchoirguy]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 5:34pm

How is Cook? We haven't seen or heard anything about his "Franz"

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 6:41pm

I was just told "Betrayed" was NOT in the run thru. Anyone else there today?

[willep]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 6:43pm

I can't believe they would cut "Betrayed"...

Other than that, what you're hearing sounds about what I was expecting from this cast/production, sadly.

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 6:46pm

I wonder if it was just for the run thru?

[hairspraydude1962]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 6:57pm

...what?

That is all.

[showchoirguy]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 10:52pm

Show should be starting soon! Can't wait to read the news in the morning!

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 7/27/12 at 11:56pm

I wonder if people will not be kind to Dane Cook after his recent ill timed joke about the CO shooting...

[SweeneyPhanatic]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 12:17am

An old friend of mine from high school is in the ensemble of this production. I'm looking forward to reading some more detailed reviews of this later, but it's a shame what's been posted already isn't enthusiastic.

[kidbroadway2]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 12:50am

Richard Kind is a one type actor. He finally has a shot at getting real potential recognition and he blows it. Womp womp. Stick to one line movie parts dude.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 12:56am

"You cannot cut "Betrayed". Like Kad said, it is Max's big Act 2 number and in my book is Max's big number of the show."

"Betrayed" only existed as an olio number for a scenery change and as a vanity piece for Nathan Lane. It is totally unnecessary to the show in concert version.

[theaternut]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 1:24am

For whatever reason it was created.. it is a HUGE part of the show. Sorry. But if it is cut.. IT IS A SHAME.

[NotAnotherSN]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 1:43am

But ghostlight, the show ISN'T in concert, it's a fully staged version. That said, it BAFFLES me as to why Stro would choose to cut "Betrayed." It's a showstopper and often the audience's favorite number.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 2:28am

Just got back from the Hollywood Bowl. I thought it was a very good production, in fact it was pretty much the same direction as the broadway version. Richard Kind was very good as Max. I have previously seen Nathan Lane and Jason Alexander as Max and I thought Richard held his own - just not as big a name as the others I'd seen. Jesse was good, not great. Nevertheless I wasn't disappointed with his performance. Rebecca as Ulla cannot belt. She was not great in her solo song but bless her heart, she did try. She was good in all her other scenes and acted well. No need to review Roger and Gary. They weren't nominated for Tony's for nothing. Now, going into this I wanted to hate Dane Cook, especially after his insensitive Aurora joke. However, he was actually quite good. His 2nd act solo received loud applause. He gave it his all and sang pretty well. I was amazed at how Wagner was able to adapt his sets for the Bowl such that they actually had scene changes.

I noticed that the scene where Franz fires his gun and when Max instructs Franz to shoot the actors was quite uncomfortable given recent events. It was palpable in my section of the audience.

There were some language edits (Who do you have to schtoop in this town...) and cuts. Yes, "Betrayed" was cut along with Max's part during the courtroom scene (due to the Bowl's necessary 11:00 cut time). While I was aware they were gone, they were not missed. These made the whole production feel more like an ensemble piece rather than a showcase for whomever was playing Max. I liked this production more than the previous two Broadway musicals the Hollywood Bowl has put on.

[NotAnotherSN]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 2:56am

The "schtoop" line was the standard edit for the more "conservative" stops on tour (amongst other lines), and since the Bowl is a little more "family affair," I'm not surprised they made those types of changes.

[Leadingplayer]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 2:59am

yes kidbroadway, a production of an old Bway show at the Hollywood Bowl is probably his big break...as opposed to the obscurity of long running sitcoms like Mad About You and Spin City. You are an idiot.

[mc1227]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 8:55am

Perhaps Stro felt Richard could not pull of "Betrayed" but personally, I never liked that number anyway. Always thought that 11 o'clock number should have been Leo and Ula realizing that they screwed over Max rather than Max lamenting that he was screwed over.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 9:33am

Betrayed, as performed by Nathan Lane at least, was a comic tour de force. The two times I saw it performed by other actors (Ray Wills and Brad Oscar), not so much.

[wonkit]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 9:44am

I saw Brad Oscar, and thought his "Betrayed" was fabulous.

[carousel94]

Posted: 7/28/12 at 10:16am

I saw Richard Kind in this twice back in 2005, he was fantastic and definitely made the role his own. And he did great work with Betrayed, I don't think it was cut for lack of ability. His Leo, Alan Ruck, was also pretty great.