I saw it last month in Baltimore after having seen it on Broadway 7 times, and yes, I'm a big fan. The tour set was a bit toned down (no elevator), and the orchestrations just weren't quite the same, but Darcie Roberts and the rest of the cast were very good, and of course, the Martin Pakledinaz costumes are still briliant! Enjoy the show, and remember, "No tapping in lobby".
I saw the tour with its original cast early on in the tour and thought it was a disgrace to the Broadway show. (With the exception of the charming Diana Kaarina and a tolerable ensemble) I hope that's since changed.
I saw the original touring cast a year ago in Houston, and it was pretty good. I'm seeing it again when it comes to my hometown in late January, so I'll let you know then.
I've actually Met the new cast (My uncle is the lyricists) and they are WONDERFUL!
"I?ve been singing since I was born.
It?s something I do everywhere I go.
In the shower, walking down the street.
I don?t need any impetus to do it.
I just sing." - Idina Menzel
I don't make comotions,I am one- Idina Menzel as Elphie
Defying Gravity for the last time 1:09:05
--not the same with out you!--
Galinda-I'll call you...elphie..is that okay??
Elphaba-well it's a little perky-
Galinda-and you can call me..Galinda-
I saw the original touring cast last year after seeing the Broadway show with Sutton 5 times, and I thought it was decent enough. It was still lots of fun, it just didn't have the same spark that the Broadway show had. I think it was a mix of lacking Sutton (don't get me wrong, Darcie was great, I was just so accustomed to watching Sutton in the role) and some small things that had to be changed for the tour. It is worth seeing though. I am seeing it again at the end of January (I haven't seen it for a whole year..thats a record for me )
i also saw the original touring cast last january in houston. i didnt like it nearly as much as the broadway production but that was mainly because as people have said, it lacked sutton. Also, I didnt get to see Darcie; i saw Juliana Hansen (yes journal juliana..haha). I think you will like it though.
It seems like I'm alone in this, but I preferred Darcie Roberts' Millie to Sutton Foster's. I found Sutton a bit over-the-top, like she was struggling for each and every laugh and bit of applause, while I felt that Darcie was more trusting of the material, and was a hoot without appearing to work as hard as Sutton. (Roberts is also an exceptionally tall woman, which made the office chair bit particularly hysterical).
I'm looking forward to be seeing the show for the 1st time in Rochester NY...don't know when haha. But I know Ms.Stephanie Pope is in the tour! I'm looking forward to her performance,since I met her a while back when she was Velma in CHICAGO at the Shubert. Yes, I'm saddened I won't see Diana kaarina in the show, although I saw her wonderful performance as Eponine in Les Miserables.
I saw it last Thursday at the Kennedy Center! I haven't seen it on Broadway, so i don't have anything to compare it to, but I thought it was great. I'd say it's definetly worth seeing.
"This is what I trained to do, and this is what I love about theater. What I love about being an actress is being able to really look into myself and understand another human being. And out my own self, to shape and form and fashion a real human being--and to present that in such a way that people see something of themselves or their own understanding in that human being."
--Phylicia Rashad
I only saw the Broadway show once with Sutton, and am curious to see the touring cast. Unfortunately, I don't think it is coming near my hometown anytime soon, or at all. I looked up on the tour website (http://www.modernmillietour.com) and saw that the last day was in Tempe, AZ on May 8, 2005. I'm not sure if there are going to be plans for more tour dates, but I don't see any reason why they would add more.
"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611
My roommate and I saw it in Baltimore as well and we both loved it. But I never saw it on Broadway so I went in with a completely blank slate. The tap dancing blew me away.
~Jessica
"If you start from a place of joy and charm, you can get away with a lot in the second act. It may be that that's my life. I'm not sure."
~Roger Bart
"We got a picture with the cast for BC/EFA but I can't find it..."
So did I in November of 2003 and cannot find the camera. It was with Darcie in her red dress/wig and some other leading ladies. I am pissed. Atleast the money went somewhere wonderful.
I saw the original national tour and also, like BroadwayGirl107, thought it was a disgrace to the original Broadway cast production. I saw TMM one last time on Broadway shortly before Sutton left to have "good memories of the show".
"Why do you care what people might say? Why try to fit into their design?" (Side Show)
See, it pisses me off when people say it was a disgrace to the original Broadway company. It was not THAT bad. You make it sound like it was so dreadful. Of course it is not going to be as good as the OBC starring Sutton Foster. You have to tell yourself that when you walk into the theatre.
I never said it was dreadful. I just did not enjoy it but my friend who never saw the show before loved it. As far as your thought "of course it was not up to OBC standards" and how I should have known that, I've seen tours that WERE better than the OBC in some cases. There is nothing wrong with comparing a tour to the OBC. I did not go in expecting it to be just like the OBC, but I was expecting it to have the same energy level, and vocal power that the OBC had, especially in the leads. I really enjoyed the ensemble.
"Why do you care what people might say? Why try to fit into their design?" (Side Show)