What is Lestat about?

[theminutepast]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 2:02pm

I'm new to musical theater. I've been addicted to Les Mis for quite a while, but I'm now expanding my knowledge to other musicals to be fair.

I keep seeing threads about Lestat. What's the relation to the book, Interview with the Vampire? Why's the musical so popular?
Updated On: 4/29/06 at 02:02 PM

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 2:03pm

Why's the musical so popular

it's not. look AT the threads.

[Renthead#1]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 2:05pm

This Musical is not poular really. Ok Lestat is about a man who turns into a vampire and then moves to New Orleans. The storyline is very hard to follow, may be to hard for you to understand.

Updated On: 4/29/06 at 02:05 PM

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 2:06pm

I think that is the most confusing thing about the show. It doesn't know what it is about. I'm sure the books know... but it isn't an anthology. You need to read "The Season".

lates

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 2:09pm

If you're gonna expand your knowledge, leaping from Les Miz down to Lestat is not a good idea.

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 2:10pm

I agree with LizzieCurry, NOT a good idea. Lestat isn't popular because it's good, it's popular because it's a total mess.

Edit: If you can call discussing why it's so horrible often "popularity." Updated On: 4/29/06 at 02:10 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 2:11pm

Lol, Lizze. Yeah if you're curious to know more about musical theatre, Lestat wouldn't be a good reference point. Start with a classic.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 2:41pm

"What is Lestat about?"

About 2 hours and 40 minutes with intermission.

See "Hairspray" or "Sweeney Todd" instead.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 2:44pm

Oh, my mistake. From your thread title, I thought you'd already SEEN Lestat.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 3:04pm

Hahahahaha!

[Renthead#1]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 4:29pm

See "Rent" instead.

[Phantomerik15]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 6:13pm

Most people who have seen it don't even know what it's about. But supposedly, it's about a guy named Lestat who becomes a vampire. During his eternal life, he meets people some whom he makes into vampires as companions, others whom he just kills. There's nothing much to it...just that.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 6:17pm

I heard it was about gay vampires.

[acrocksyo]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 6:33pm

Anne Rice's books are about gay Vampires, or gay witches. Now she writes about Jesus.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 4/29/06 at 6:43pm

She should combine the two, and write about gay Jesus. Now there's a musical!

Oh, but ALW beat her to it...

[SteveWilson]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 1:42am

Hi -

Great question. I don't want to give anything away about the plot, and I imagine that by asking "What is Lestat about?" you were wondering what is it REALLY about? In answering that I think we can also answer the question as to the popularity of Anne Rice's books and, yes, the (increasingly) positive reaction to our show.

Anne Rice has created characters who, as they become vampires, inherit an immortal existence. In order to live forever, they must 1) drink blood, preferably that of humans, 2) avoid the sun and blazing fires, and 3) keep from losing their minds as they journey along through eternity.

These conditions differ greatly from the way most humans lives their lives, and raise important questions:

1. If I must kill to survive, am I evil?
2. What is the point of eternal life if I must forever lurk in shadows, watching all those I ever know and love perish?
3. Just because I have the POWER to bestow this (dark) gift of eternal life to others, does that mean I have the RIGHT to do so?
4. What is more important, forgiveness from God or finding my own peace with who I am?

Pretty heady stuff, but part of the genius of Ms. Rice's story is that only through embracing his nature as a vampire does Lestat finally find redemption through his innate humanity.

Again, these are themes - but I hope this is what you were asking. The plot, without giving anything away, is pretty epic, spanning hundreds of years and a couple of continents. We try our best to keep it moving and present it in a way that is as faithful to Ms. Rice's books while still making the necessary concessions to the demands of live theatre. The story, as her sales will attest, is proven, the music is unique and has moments of grandeur, and the cast loves the privilege of performing this new musical every night.

No doubt you have filtered through the thousands of opinions "Lestat" has inspired on boards like these. I hope you will come down and see us so you can form your own - we want to do this show for you.

Thanks for your question - if you get to see "Lestat", hang out by the stage door afterwards, we would love to meet you.

All the best,
Steve

Updated On: 4/30/06 at 01:42 AM

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 1:46am

Nicely put, Steve.

Posted: 4/30/06 at 2:02am

You can also go to it's official website at www.lestat.com to learn more about the production. Thanks Steve for that explanation! I do hope people see the good in the show instead of magnifying the bad. Ah, but that is life.

~Rosalynn

[allofmylife]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 2:38am

It's about three hours of your life you will never get back again and will spend all the time regretting that you had not gone to see The Drowsy Chaperone or Sweeney Todd.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 3:30am

the show is not that bad! i didn't love it or hate it. why are you telling him to go to see other shows? if someone wants to see it...they should go to see it...i enjoyed the show. great performance by hugh panaro.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 10:36am

Wait.
How does Dracula fit into all this?

[NickHyper]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 10:55am

Ok... so I saw Lestat last night. I went in knowing all of the reviews, and I admit it was my last choice for the night as I didn't get Student Tickets for Jersey Boys and didn't win Avenue Q and Drowsy Chaperone lottery, so I went over because I figured there would be Student Tickets left for that.
I was surprised. I have to say I liked the music. It was quite good. However, my problem with it was the subject matter. You have a vampire singing pop music mixing vampire and normal people problems. It was cheesy.
However, I agree with what Steve had to say. The story is about heavy stuff. I don't know if the cast can't see it because they're in it, but different parts come off as pretty damn cheesy because you know he's a vampire yet he's singing Elton John tunes.
The cast was amazing. They were definitely putting their all into it. I have to say I followed and enjoyed the storyline for the most part. And I liked the music. It definitely wasn't my favorite show, and I see both sides of why people have liked it and I definitely understand why most people hate it.
The major problem was the cheesiness(sp?) :)

[acrocksyo]

Posted: 5/2/06 at 2:16am

BroadwayChica what about a gay Jesus vampire that does magic? Now that would get people talking!