White Noise - Thoughts?

[dexter3]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 8:24pm

Anyone in Chicago see the show? Thoughts?

Pics look cool

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/149701-PHOTO-CALL-A-First-Look-at-White-Noise-With-MacKenzie-Mauzy-and-Emily-Padgett-in-Chicago

(couldn't find the broadwayorld photo press release)

I have heard absolutely nothing about this show from anyone. Only the press releases...

Updated On: 4/8/11 at 08:24 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 8:27pm

Really want to see this, just not sure when.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 8:44pm

I saw it the other night. I think the show has potential but will need some rewrites before heading to Broadway (which I guess it probably will, since no one's going to stop Whoopi).

One of the main problems is that an oddly cast Douglas Sills has little of interest to do as the male lead, and the role of the mother is very underwritten. More importantly, the "coding" of the racist music doesn't really add up. Changing "N****** suck" to "Mondays suck" isn't coding. It's rewriting a song. There is nothing "buried" underneith, as the racism has been removed.

Mackenzie Mauzy and Emily Padgett are fantastic as the Neo-Nazi girls though, and the supporting cast is solid. It'd like to see it get developed further.

[flossie2]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 8:53am

I saw two readings of it a few years ago. Since then the original people that wrote it are no longer a part of it. I would be curious to know how it changed. At the reading the girls looked very innocent so the racist words were shocking coming from them. In these photos from the new show they look like hard rockers so I wonder if it has the same effect. At the readings Robert Cuccioli played the producer/manager and I remember thinking that I hoped he would not stay with it as the part was small. I thought maybe they expanded it when I saw Doug Sills name but from what you say I guess not.

[holdyourbatboy]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 1:11pm

Saw it with 2 friends last night. This show is a hot mess - unfortunately. We were very excited to see a new, fresh musical, and what we saw was a disaster. The book was like a high school theater troupe's experiment with making a musical about race, fame, and the media in America.

It ended up being extremely campy - you have to see it to believe it. And not in the way I was hoping.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 1:49pm

Oh come on, it's not that bad. I wouldn't say it's bad at all, just...a work in progress. It has potential, but does need work. It's at least an intriguing idea for a musical.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 1:59pm

I also saw it last night and enjoyed it. The book does need work and some fleshing out to add more dimension and depth to the story and characters, but I found the subject interesting and compelling. Sills was in his element and gave a terrific performance. With some tweaking in the writing and direction, his character could be developed into one less two-dimensional if we could see more of the thought process behind his manipulation of the other characters. He is far more interesting as a man who has a more admirable moral compass, but chooses to abandon it rather than being a stock character purely compelled by greed. The entire cast delivered strong performances. Luba Mason is definitely underused, especially musically. I thought most of the songs were interesting and some quite catchy. The lyrics are the weakest element of the score. The genre-specific performance songs (Mondays Suck, N.G.S., Showtime), don't really land as convincing radio play chart toppers. And I do agree with Baritone about the "coding" of Mondays Suck. It's a misfire that more easily reminds me of Manic Monday than a song with a hidden political message. I will say that the fluff number Hip Hop Country was a blast and brilliantly performed and choreographed. It was a show-stopper and the audience did not want to stop applauding. I found myself humming some of the melodies when I left. I would definitely buy a CD. I think the show has great potential, especially Off-Broadway or in London. I was never bored, especially when the sisters sang, which was flawless. When the book doesn't leap into stock soap opera melodrama, it's fun to watch. I hope they keep working on it.

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 5:00pm

Saw this years ago at NYMF and didn't think much of it, but now it sounds like a bad musical variation of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.

[crc03772]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 5:53pm

I will be in Chicago May 3-8 and am already seeing Next To Normal, I was thinking of seeing this...do you think it would be worth seeing? Other suggestions of what to see there? (besides Spring Awakening, i've already seen that and that's on the bottom of my list if there are other things are a must to see)...

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 6:07pm

See stuff that's real Chicago theater, not tours you can catch anywhere -- especially since you're already seeing Next to Normal, do yourself a favor and skip Spring Awakening in favor of something you can't see elsewhere.

I haven't seen it yet, but Sean Graney's Woyzeck should be cool, his work is imaginative and interesting. Chicago Shakes is doing Alan Bennett's new play (I think it's new?) There's so much to choose from. Check www.chicagoplays.com and just pick stuff that interests you!

[crc03772]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 6:15pm

I know what you are saying :) The only reason i'm seeing Next To Normal is that it isn't travelling to my city, I didn't see in on Broadway and it happens to be there when I am. Thank you for the suggestions!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 6:20pm

If you've never seen it before you are excused.