WAR PAINT - Pre-Broadway Thread — Page 2

you party poopers

Count me in ! I've been looking forward to this for months. We'll be there in Row B Seats 15-17. Please stop by and say Hello.

How's Patti and Christine??

Give us a full detailed review from your seat and predict the future success of this show based on act one of the first out of town tryout!!!!!!!

Jordan Catalano said: "Give us a full detailed review from your seat and predict the future success of this show based on act one of the first out of town tryout!!!!!!!



"

LOLOL.

Liza's Headband said: "Relax. A transfer is happening and you'll get your Cast Recording!"

I had a mental block on Ebersole's twitter / anti-vax positions. 2016 is going to be quite the year isn't it!

Jordan Catalano said: "Give us a full detailed review from your seat and predict the future success of this show based on act one of the first out of town tryout!!!!!!!



"

Yes

Well, we finally have the musical that will have every gay man in New York City sleeping on the sidewalk for 96 hours to see! Frankel, Korie, Wright, Greif and of course Ms Ebersole and La LuPone give us everything we want and a few things we didn't even know we need. There is only one number per act that doesn't involve at least one of the leading ladies, and only LuPone and Ebersole receive solos (2 each) as well as 5(!!!!) duets. Act one ends with a thriller, chill-giver called "Face to Face" that has our two heroines planted in back to back 3/4 turn outs to the audience, I Will Never Leave You-ing one of their major musical motifs.



The score is, in a word, smashing. It's smart, melodic, hauntingly gorgeous and the lyrics are sophisticated and witty. Patti gets some choice lyrics in her act two ballad, "Now You Know" in which she gets to nouveau riche pretender with return to sender. In this same number the music keeps swelling and building with Patti reaching maximum belting capacity and then right when you think she's going to Rainbow High the last note from here to kingdom come she she hushes and floats a ppp note like she's Monserrat fricking Caballe. It's ballsy and stunning.



Ebersole scores big with her 11 o'clock number called "Pink." Arden is the more restrained character, but Frankel and Korie finally let her pull down the mask here and she nails it.



Catherine Zuber's costumes, ranging from the 1930s to the 60s are real winners; not a dime was spared creating these dresses and magnificent hats. The set is simple and could maybe be beefed up a little for Broadway, but I liked the impressionistic nature of it and the way lighting directed your attention around the stage.



It's a little long, but I think that had to do more with pacing and scene changes than needing to cut stuff.



All in all this show is in terrific shape, far better than half the musicals that make to Broadway on opening night. I really, really enjoyed it and look forward to seeing again in New York!

You've got me looking at flights haha.

Just got back from the show.

My general impression is the authors are still trying to find the story they are telling. The few but genuine sparks are when the two ladies clash - while staying in their respective corners. They don't meet, but they are always thinking of the other. They imagine what they other is thinking, doing, plotting, stealing.. and the obsession informs what actions they take. There is a lovely sentiment towards the end of Act One when the ladies are in need of a friend who understands, but they realize the only other person who would truly understand is her enemy. That mostly act one.



Act Two is more this happened, then this happened, then this happened - no overarching dramatic tension.. and SPOILER BELOW:



The authors create a moment when the two ladies meet and have a bitchy moment, a talking shop moment, a reflective moment and sing about beauty and question their influence on women.

The scene gave the audience a brief but superficial satisfaction. I wish they had been more daring and stuck to the truth that the two women never met. I think it would have been more emotionally challenging for the audience and just more interesting.

Ebersole shines as expected. LuPone actually surprised me with her relatively less mannered performance. There were times when she nailed Rubenstein..I always love seeing her perform, but this time her acting chops were not playing second fiddle to her singing.

Oh.. the title song and a song called Dinosaurs are strangely out of place.

I look forward to seeing how the show develops.

Updated On: 6/29/16 at 12:28 AM

Whizzer, you've made me so very happy with your review. La LuPone (perhaps my favorite Broadway diva, but why choose?) and Christine Ebsersole (who breaks my heart regularly through the Grey Gardens cast recording) together in a musical by Frankel and Korie (whose score to Far From Heaven and even Happiness are better than most other Broadway/Off-Broadway fair)? It seemed too good to be true. Like Women on the Verge (which I enjoy through the recording, but most agree could have been much better), I thought something had to go wrong. But now I'm ecstatic and hoping for a speedy Broadway transfer and cast recording. This is very, very exciting!

Is the music in the same vein as Grey Gardens or Far From Heaven - or something completely different?