WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest
WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest
WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#0
Posted: 7/17/05 at 12:46pm
Frank Wildhorn's latest musical, WAITING FOR THE MOON, previously titled SCOTT & ZELDA: THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE, opens today at the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center in Marlton, New Jersey.
Jarrod Emick and Lauren Kennedy star as Scott & Zelda in the "american love story."
I can proudly say that I saw the reading of the show and the book, music and lyrics are all strong. This is definitely one of Frank Wildhorn's best scores. Jack Murphy has done a great job handling the book and lyrics and has created some wonderful scenes that take the audience on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
Here is an article with all of the information on the show, below:
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/94040.html
I would love to hear BWWers reviews of the show.
Thank you!
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#1
Posted: 7/17/05 at 12:55pm
I was supposed to see this...have been dying to.
But it wasn't written in the stars for me to see it.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#2
Posted: 7/17/05 at 2:40pmWell, I've heard that they're making a recording of this one. Supposedly Frank is/ has been recording all of his material with "studio casts" but is waiting to find a company to release the albums. This goes for the DRACULA studio CD with James Barbour and Kate Schindle as well.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#3
Posted: 7/17/05 at 3:45pmHow much does this have to do with real history? I mean, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda didn't exactly have a happy little romance.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#4
Posted: 7/17/05 at 4:13pm
You're right. The musical follows their life very closely, but it's not a biography of their lives together. As I said, Jack Murphy did an incredible job writing the script.
Jack Murphy set the musical in Zelda's mind. Throughout the play we switch from 1918 to 1922 and several other periods in time and then reality settles in. It's a very smart play and the ending took me by suprise. No, they did not have a happy ending to their relationship, but in Zelda's mind, she wanted nothing more.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#5
Posted: 7/17/05 at 5:16pmOh, I misunderstood. I thought this was about Captain_Obvious and was more of a Boy Gets Car (Zelda), Boy Loses Car (Zelda), Boy Dreams of Having a Boyfriend (Waiting for the moon).
Understudy Joined: 10/7/04
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#6
Posted: 7/17/05 at 7:28pmThree Cheers for Wildhorn! Here's hoping that this latest show of his isn't pronounced dead on arrival by critics and that the producers don't reduce his latest show to the dull likes of Dracula, which had amazing potential. I think this guy deserves a break -- he writes some great stuff -- and I hope this latest effort of his proves successful.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#7
Posted: 7/17/05 at 11:00pm
It is in previews or as they're calling it "dress rehearsal/run through until opening night this Wed. 7/20, which I will cover for BWW.
A TB'er went tonight. Here is his take...
http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat/d.php?id=152244
I have spent a bit of time with Wildhorn/Murphy as they did a pre-show introduction last week. Jack Murphy is a talented and pretty funny guy who told the story and sang, yes sang, both roles. Frank just smiles a lot and plays piano. Murphy seems very passionate about Scott & Zelda and Frank seems just happy to get another personal project out there. I am especially happy forour local director Vincent Marini, who has come a long way since he opened the doors at Lenape a few years ago.
It should be interesting to see what direction this will go.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#8
Posted: 7/18/05 at 8:22am
Thank you PB for the information! I recognize you from the LE messageboard. 
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#9
Posted: 7/18/05 at 8:32amWife and I will also be there Wed night. Going since it's Wildhorn (loved Pimpernel, thought Dracula was OK) and Jarod Emick (from Boy From Oz) is in it.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/15/03
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#10
Posted: 7/18/05 at 12:22pm
Saw the Sunday afternoon "invited dress rehearsal" - the first full run-through after much, much rewriting and restaging over the past two weeks and a problematic Saturday night - and the cancelled previews. Mentioned at the post-performance seminar that the changes were so hectic that no scene was rehearsed twice the same way!
I am totally against "reviewing" works-in-progress particularly from a dress rehearsal let alone from previews. It is unethical and unfair to the actors and creative team. And I don't like being either the perpetrator nor the recipient of such premature judgments.
However, I must comment that this is Wildhorn's most melodic and wonderful score --- very much in the fashion of the greats of the Golden Age of Broadway Musicals --- Kern, Coleman, Berlin,
Gershwin, Rodgers & Hart, Porter, etc. Every song a winner.
The best two lines (written by lyricist) Murphy describing the business of Hollywood that I think I've ever heard : to paraphrase, you "take the praise, and shift the blame" --- that's Hollywood in a nutshell!
A lavish, complex (even when the sets don't work and Jarrod peaks out from behind a mal-functioning set with an impish grin to connect to the audience), and a very moving and effective show. Simply terrific even in this very early, somewhat rough state. With the polishing and tweaking they intend to do, this one is in line to be a blockbuster. Completely enjoyable and stirring.
The typewriter dance is brilliant (tap dancing counterpointed to F. Scott tapping on his typewriter)...and so are many, many other moments. Great projections and scenic inventiveness.
Jarrod's solos rip off the roof (so do Lauren's). He is dressed beautifully (so is she)... and, as always, he acts with assurance, nuance, and downright dazzling brilliance - to make F. Scott actually somebody you are interested in rather than some dead writer from the ether.
We have all heard the story of Scott and Zelda so often that it could descend into cliche... so it is amazing that, as done here, it can still be so interesting and refreshingly new at this late date.
Chemistry between Jarrod and Lauren is WOW!
Wait, I'm not supposed to be reviewing.
Sorry, got carried away!
If I went sceptical...all I can say is that I loved it and can't wait for repeat visits.
A VERY pleasant surprise!
The seminar with creative team, Jarrod, & Lauren was informative and apparently very helpful to the team in fine-tuning - since some aspects of the production may have seemed muddled to some audience members and some of the concepts & through-line not fully clear and still being worked on.
A couple of these seminars could be very helpful and Wildhorn's speech (mentioned elsewhere on this message board) about being on the journey of creation of a new musical along with them --- plus his support of regional theater in the development process---- was quite inspiring and really got the audience involved and participating (lots of kids there for this dress rehearsal matinee...and that was nice).
With only two (count 'em two) weeks of rehearsal for a very large, intricate musical, this was a miracle in the making (actually, it was a disaster in the making which turned out to be a miracle!)
Congrats to all involved...keep at it!
This is NOT a review...it's a bouquet.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#11
Posted: 7/18/05 at 12:28pm
Gah, are tickets still available.
I have been waiting lord knows how long!
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?lastpage=on&thread=847062&dt=042105112639
Updated On: 7/18/05 at 12:28 PM
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#12
Posted: 7/18/05 at 12:47pm
I was also there on sat and let me say that this was an amazing dress rehearsal! The chemistry, as stated by others, between members of the cast was amazing. I stayed after and talked with everyone one on and one and they are all so excited about the project.
Currently Frank stated that the HAVE NOT recorded this show yet but was trying to convince Vince that they need to spend the money and make a concept cast recording. Also, he made a joke about coming up with 8.5million to bring the show to broadway. So they are in the works for both and hopefully tis show will have the long future that it deserves. The score is Frank's most well rounded show, I am looking forward to seeing it again.
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#13
Posted: 7/18/05 at 12:56pmI'm looking forward to seeing it Wednesday (opening night) here in the Garden State!!
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#14
Posted: 7/18/05 at 2:08pm
enjoy it! I'm trying to decide what day I am going back to see it! 
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#15
Posted: 7/18/05 at 2:10pm
AKH!
Sometimes I hate living in NY.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#16
Posted: 7/18/05 at 2:14pmWhere in Ny are you? I live in NY and drove down. It's only a 1.5-2 hour drive from nyc! Definitely worth the drive too!
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#17
Posted: 7/18/05 at 3:53pmThank you all for your reviews. I love the music to this show. I think it's Frank's best score to date.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#18
Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:40pmIs it my imagination or does Wildhorn have an ability to pop out show after show rather quickly? As soon as one of his show starts it always seems to be on the heels of one that just came out. Didn't Dracula just close ,like yesterday?
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#19
Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:41pm
No, it didn't just close yesterday.
And he started J&H while in college...so I'm sure he did other stuff before J&H came out.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#20
Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:56pmHe always has many projects going at the same time. He has been working on the music to Scott and Zelda for years with Jack Murphy.
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#21
Posted: 7/18/05 at 5:00pmOf course it didnt close yesterday. It just seems he is always working on something that's about to come out. Where as Sondheim or Webber seem to take several years after their last project.
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#22
Posted: 7/18/05 at 5:08pm
Really?
Yes Sondheim takes longer, but he is also 75 and not writing as much as he used to.
Composers are always working on more then 1 project at a time.
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#23
Posted: 7/18/05 at 5:44pmWhat kid's show did he (Webber) recently open in NY? Im not familiar with that one...
re: WAITING FOR THE MOON - Wildhorn's Latest#24
Posted: 7/18/05 at 5:45pmSorry I'm a spazz and was thinking of Schwartz.
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
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