WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN begins previews TONIGHT!- Page 21

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 2:44am

Totally random but, I cannot believe CZJ was an early choice for Pepa. I think she made the right choice by not auditioning, as she was offered Night Music (and won a Tony) as a result. The role just seems tailored to Sherie now. I cannot really picture CZJ playing it.

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/item_BdfZoqqFHpiOf4f1PIY9hI
Updated On: 10/17/10 at 02:44 AM

[americanboy99]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 2:48am

Oh, ljay. CZJ would've been FAB.

Although... d'Aziza would've looked a bit ridiculous "competing" with CZJ for the guy. No comparison. She's a bombshell.

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 2:52am

I am really not sure CZJ could have handled the score. When not at her best, she sometimes struggled with the singing in Night Music. I don't think anyone can deny that she made the absolute right choice by going with Night Music.

Now I am very curious about d'Aziza as Pepa. I would like to see her if she ever goes on.
Updated On: 10/17/10 at 02:52 AM

[americanboy99]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 3:03am

Oh, well obviously she did! There's no way Pepa- as written, at least- is a strong enough role to garner a Tony.

[jamiekennywicked]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 11:07am

Anyone production photos yet?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 11:30am

Before Catherine Z. Jones, Salma Hayek played workshopped the role so there's been other people involved. I'm curious if she decided this was not for her either.

[fredric47]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 1:30pm

As a former drama critic in Syracuse and Philadelphia, I must tell you of my opinion of "Women..." based upon Saturday night Oct. 16th's sold out performance at the Belasco Theatre. I am at a great disadvantage in that I never saw the original Almodovar film; and you really should see the film first before commenting on this stage version monstrosity; but to put it mildly, it is a total mess.
Let's start with the seats at the Belasco Theatre. If you have legs, you need to get an aisle seat. Otherwise you will be in constant pain because the space between the rows is very, very cramped. Who needs to be in pain while watching a group of talented actors waste their talents in a musical that relies heavily upon special effects to camouflage the fact that this is a story about very little, with songs that don't matter, choreography that is minimalistic, and a waste of millions of dollars that could be far better spent on another production entirely.
I had high expectations for Patti LuPone, who is amusing at times; Brian Stokes Mitchell, who is in splendid voice; and by their previous reputation (having never seen the next two women I am about to refer to before on stage) Sherie Rene Scott, Laura Benanti(who apparently knows how to act dippy and seemingly idotic without even trying hard); and Danny Burstein (who is like a dog with his master apparently willing to do any role he is offered by the director Bartlett Sherr for the sheer opportunity of working with him);but the only cast member to come out unscathed because so little was expected by me of him in his Broadway debut is Justin Guarini. He is on stage much more than Patti LuPone and is equally competent in his performance as she and the other stars.
David Yazbeck should never again be hired to write another score for a Broadway musical. I endured his songs for "The Full Monty" and sorta enjoyed his work on "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." This score shows no ability as a composer which each song sounding like the one before it in his effort to compose Latin music. No effort is made in rhyming lyrics. The orchestra drowns out the singers for about 50% per cent of the time. So at least I am saving money by knowing now that I won't be purchasing this cast c.d. when it gets released.
This was my 58th birthday present to myself. When I started seeing shows as a child, I was taken to see as my first experience, "Gypsy," starring Ethel Merman in its pre-Broadway tryout. Thank god for my treasured memories of 51 years of avid theatregoing because "Women..." will go down among the worst evenings I have ever spent in a theatre from someone who has seen his share of flops. "Breakfast at Tiffany's" with Mary Tyler Moore, Richard Chamberlain, and Sally Kellerman was a smash hit compared to this abomination. Those already having tickets for "Women..." should list them as a tax loss on their 2010 IRS statement since they cannot be returned or refunded.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 1:59pm

:::As a former drama critic in Syracuse and Philadelphia, I must tell you of my opinion of "Women...":::

I am unclear how and why the former is related to the latter?

"This was my 58th birthday present to myself."

I really think you should find a way to treat yourself better. If somebody else gets us a present that isn't quite right, we forgive them because it was kind of them to think of us at all on our special occasion. Why on earth would you "treat" yourself to a musical featuring songs by a composer you have only previously "endured" or "sorta enjoyed"? You should have treated yourself to something more suited to your tastes, given that nobody knows your own tastes better than you.

When I turned 45 I treated myself to a Rolling Stones concert on the special day. If there had been such a thing at the time, I would not have chosen to go instead to an Adam Lambert concert, whose music I endure and who has had one song I once sorta enjoyed. Even if you weren't consciously setting yourself up to be miserable, clearly the fact that you were physically uncomfortable in the seats (which is the case in MOST Broadway theaters built in the 20th century) contributed to your overall anger that manifests itself in your post.

If you couldn't understand half of the lyrics, how do you know they didn't rhyme?

[Sleeper2]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 2:03pm

ok, ok, I didn't like it either but I'm not sure I agree with the trainwreck described above. My worst nights at the theater are marked Festen and The Frogs.

A couple of things puzzled me about WOMEN:

(1) there was no standing ovation the night I saw it, and I thought standing o's are basically obligatory these days especially when that much Bway star power is on the stage.

(2) why is there a choreographer, an associate choreographer, and two assistant choreographers? wtf did they all do??

[StageManager2]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 2:07pm

Namo, stop trying to make WOMEN ON THE VERGE happen!

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 2:52pm

"A couple of things puzzled me about WOMEN: (1) there was no standing ovation the night I saw it"

The show is a mess. It barely deserves applause IMO. It is no fault of the amazing actors. The book and score are atrocious. They can't fix the score enough during previews to save the show. Hopefully they can flesh out Pepa and make the story more linear.

[Sleeper2]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 3:02pm

Agree, bettyb, but I've seen audiences leap to their feet for much worse dreck.

The night I saw it there was barely polite applause.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 3:03pm

There were standers in the mezz when I saw it.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 3:06pm

There was polite applause the day I saw it. The only people standing were the ones leaving during the curtain calls. Benanti got hoots and hollers but that was about it.

I agree Sleeper, It was surprising people did not jump to their feet for the talent involved, but I think having that much talent involved actually makes the stakes higher. I dont think the audience enjoyed themselves enough to consider standing.

[Sleeper2]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 3:10pm

and they weren't even drama critics in Syracuse.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 4:19pm

As someone who has neither seen the show or the movie, I'd like to make a few comments:

Some people are trashing Yazbek's writing in general. DRS actually has one of my all-time favorite scores and would have won the Tony had Piazza's score not been so stunning. I'm not terribly familiar with his other work (I've enjoyed what I've heard from Full Monty), but if Verge's score is as good as his other work, how bad can it be?

Also, some shows just don't require big belting ballads, and this sounds like one of them. Sure, if I were a composer and had Stokes, Patti, Benanti, and SRS in my show, I'd write them songs that showcase their amazing voices. That doesn't mean that SRS should be belting a high Z# just for the sake of it.

Considering the fact that I would see this cast read the phone book, I'm kind of surprised that people came out of the show not enjoying it. Even if a show is "a mess," it should still be enjoyable. It sounds like people are going in expecting Kiss Me, Kate and are surprised when what they get is closer to Legally Blonde. Maybe if they changed their expectations, they would have fun.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 4:57pm

My biggest problem, at least with Stokes' songs, was how his voice was too powerful for them.

[mikem]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 5:54pm

Obviously, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but I wanted to make some comments.

Are the seats in the Belasco closer than in other Broadway theaters? That isn't my impression.

"Laura Benanti(who apparently knows how to act dippy and seemingly idotic without even trying hard)"
-Actually, I think playing dumb can be very hard. You say you haven't seen Benanti in other shows; that isn't her typical stage persona. I think she does a great job in making the role seem effortless, but I'm guessing that it's really not as easy as she makes it seem.

"Danny Burstein (who is like a dog with his master apparently willing to do any role he is offered by the director Bartlett Sherr for the sheer opportunity of working with him)"
-Hasn't Danny Burstein only done one other show with Sher? And why do you think Burstein's motivations for doing the show are different than for any other cast member?

[kyle4]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 7:49pm

someone upthread said... "Considering the fact that I would see this cast read the phone book..."

i SWEAR this was one of my prayers during ACT I --

"dear lord, can someone please pass out phone books

AND stop the conveyor belts

AND open some windows (i can't breathe, lord! there are propane-oriented fumes entering my lungs! i am frightened, lord!)

AND save these talented people

AND grant them rest (they are tired, lord! the director came out and told me!!! GRANT THEM REST, please!)

AND, since there is propane available, can it be used to move the taxi across the stage faster

AND, finally lord, please remove this show from the memory of anyone who has encountered it... life is challenging enough here on earth... we are all trying our best... we are innocent... we buy theater tickets to experience joy, fun, artistic achievements... have mercy on us all....

and lord, while i have your attention, please forgive all the people who keep chanting the frightening phrase.... ITS A WORK IN PROGRESS!!!!

they are blind, help them see!!!!

AMEN!!!

[kyle4]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 7:51pm

how often do threads reach over 100,000 views? just curious!!

[HBP]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 8:24pm

relax. that does not make you famous.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 8:46pm

Has this thread been on Entertainment Weekly yet?

[kyle4]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 9:03pm

when the paparazzi descend... let them know i can be contacted through here! thanks everyone!!!

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 9:56pm

As a long time fan of Pedro Almodovar's work I was very excited when it was announced that Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown was being adapted into a musical and that it would star such a talented cast.

It was too good to be true. What's playing at the Belasco is an abomination of not only Almodovar's classic film but of the musical genre as well.

[Donthatecongratulate]

Posted: 10/17/10 at 9:57pm

I think we all know by now that kyle4 is a bitter reject who probably wanted to make it into the show but didn't. Hopefully those propane fumes can still take effect. Maybe you'll book a job & find happiness one day when you stop being so hateful.

As far as CZJ, she would have made a terrible Pepa. Pepa's not supposed to be a plastic tit bobble head doll (her impression of a bird on The Tony Awards anyone?), rather a beautiful everyday woman like SRS. Pedro Almodovar apparently had the final say on casting so please, by all means, tell the man who made the movie himself, that he does not know what he's doing.

Regardless of what anyone thinks, the bottom line is that people are going to pay to see stars, the show will run as long as the actors want to do it, and $5mil is a drop of piss in the ocean to Lincoln Center. Sherri, Patti, Laura, and Danny will all get Tony nods, and their careers will only continue to blossom.

Have a wonderful evening!