Where did Lestat go wrong?

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 7/11/06 at 7:06pm

I've been watching some bootleg numbers on YouTube from Lestat. The music, for me, sounds great. But the book and acting are extremely melodramatic and instead of Anne Rice's characters coming to life, they look more like caricatures. Would anyone say that this is some of the stuff that caused the downfall of Lestat?

[Wildcard]

Posted: 7/11/06 at 7:13pm

I think the main reason for the downfall of Lestat is the director. I don't think he had the correct vision for the musical, nor knew the means of getting there.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 7/11/06 at 7:18pm

You're probably right. Let's face it, when you're doing a musical, YOU DON'T KEEP A BUNCH OF YOUR CHARACTERS OFFSTAGE UNTIL ACT 2. And if you're gonna show your characters for only one act and then bring one of them back at the very end, don't cast Carolee Carmello, as amazing as she is. Cast an unknown. And God, they barely had an ensemble. And those projections...Lestat is a period piece. Go crazy with the sets. It was like watching a Brechtian version of Dracula.

[Gingersnap]

Posted: 7/11/06 at 7:42pm

Things went wrong long before the first notes of music were played on December 17 in SF and long before the reviews were written.

I, for one, liked the show. It did have some flaws. But I honestly believe that, even if it were the most perfect show ever written, things wouldn't have played out differently.

I dealt...or, more accurately tried, to deal with the PR firm from late October onward. I couldn't even get a form letter reply until March. When I did deal with them...it was a joke. I felt that most of the PR they did for the show was more like an afterthought. I know whenever I talked to Hugh about it, the PR...or lack of it...was one of his big concerns.

I could go on for hours about the shortcomings of the producers and WB Theatrical Ventures.

But that part is water under the bridge and b****ing about it isn't going to help.

Updated On: 7/11/06 at 07:42 PM

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 7/11/06 at 8:51pm

Gingersnap what dose PR mean?

[zzannahk]

Posted: 7/11/06 at 8:55pm

i would assume public relations

[Fiction Writer]

Posted: 7/11/06 at 8:56pm

Public relations.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/11/06 at 9:13pm

Bad book...bad music (except one or two songs)....bad directing....wolf killer....not enough sexuality....etc, etc.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 7/11/06 at 9:47pm

IMO, the real problem was the composer NOT being on site for changes and not willing to make them. Orchestrations are not going to fix a score that is not working. Change the book or direction all you want, if you can't adapt the score with the changes, you are screwed!

I saw the show; not near as bad as people imagine. If the composer were more involved (he bragged about writing it in 3 weeks or so), the show might have had a better chance. (Don't get me wrong--I truly admire Sir Elton)

With such a great cast and source material, it was a shame it didn't work out!

[Max4903]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 12:10am

The book was the shows central problem..

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 12:14am

For some reason, Elton John doesnt really sing out "LESTAT MUSIC" to me.

[Parks]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 12:14am

Well, people were watching the bootlegs on YouTube and that created the problem of not enough ticket sales. It's all your fault, Mattbrain. You're the reason for Lestat's closing.

[Gingersnap]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 12:19am

Actually, those videos were posted after in closed. So...can't blame Mattbrain this time.

[Parks]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 12:22am

aw...come on. Can I just this one time??

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 12:23am

So bootlegs aren't considered illegal after a show closes?

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 12:25am

Been there, done that
Lestat, the Why

[Parks]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 12:36am

Apparently not, Sally. The 5th word in the original post of this thread was "bootleg" and look--16 replies and it's STILL here.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 11:49am

Ok, I didn't create the bootlegs. I just watched them. Frankly, I just watched the finale and I'm gonna give the show a pass altogether. The finale has absolutely no singing. Just some offstage choral vocalizing and a whole lotta dialogue. Buh-bye, Lestat. And good luck, Ms. Fischer. Hope you find a better show cause God knows, this wasn't it.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 11:53am

Oh my god, this "Shhhh! Bootleg!!!!" attitude is so frustrating.

Repeat after me:

"My name is _________, I am a Broadway fan, and I own hundreds of bootleg videos."

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 11:57am

There was no nudity.
Look what it did for DRACULA.
oh wait...

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:04pm

Where did it go wrong you ask.

It opened. That's where. Despite scathing reviews in it's out of town tryout, it still went on to Broadway (unlike "The Mambo Kings" which had the good sense to close out of town).

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:28pm

IMO it did not go wrong. So there

Na Na Na Na Na Na - I want to be adult about this

[RentHead2]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:43pm

Okay since I saw this one as well, and I was one of many who was outside during intermission cursing the day I ever bought tickets to this I will answer. The only great part about this was the following:

The little girl playing Claudia and the sound/visual effects.

I really think this is the worst musical I have ever seen. The songs didn't do it for me, and I don't think half of the audience knew Lestat was gay (because we heard, "Is he gay..." and it goes a little deeper than that why it didn't work. Why was Lestat making out with his mother? Thats where I think alot of confusion surfaced.

[leefowler]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:50pm

Whenever a musical is in developement for years and years and years...Look out. The creative team loses perspective, and concentrates its energy on the wrong things. What most struck me about the Broadway show was how exhausted it seemed.

The same could be said about Aida, which originally had the same creative team as Lestat, and had something like 5 workshops before it limped into Atlanta...where the entire creative team was fired.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:53pm

Renthead 2, you are right on the money.

I think that if they felt the need to bring this story to the stage, it might have fared better had it been told from Claudia's viewpoint. She was the best part of a horrible show.