"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
"Sometimes on the strip, the dreams you come in with, ain't the dreams you leave with" ~Rock of Ages
"I'm a butterfly, trivial and small, and in the greater scheme of things, I don't mean much at all." ~The Story of My Life
"Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss." ~Rent
i was at the final dress tonight...it just re-ignited my love for this show.
"Sometimes on the strip, the dreams you come in with, ain't the dreams you leave with" ~Rock of Ages
"I'm a butterfly, trivial and small, and in the greater scheme of things, I don't mean much at all." ~The Story of My Life
"Forget Regret, or life is yours to miss." ~Rent
You might enjoy the Playbill article that just came up on the Playbill website. The buzz about this show here on the West Coast has been great. We are all excited and anxious to get to NYC to see it. Glad you were able to see it tonite and thank you for your postings. I can see why the two actors who play the leads are proud of this show. The article goes into some background about the show's history.
Unfortunately, I'm not seeing it until 2/21. Until then, I've got Music in the Air, Speed the Plow and Garden of Earthly Delights to keep my theatre fix in check. Afterwards, there's Happiness!
I heard that both Will Chase and Malcolm Gets deliver first rate performances on every level. I also heard outstanding comments about the orchestrations by Tunick. One friend seems to think many of the musicians are playing several different instruments at different times and it made them feel the time shifts and progressions in a very beautiful way. Preview audience members are lucky to be able to be there tonight. Let us know what your impressions are. So far, I have heard nothing but excellent comments and I can't wait to get to NYC to see this first hand. I'm happy they selected the Booth theatre for STORY because most audience members are going to feel fairly close to the stage and this theatre should be just right for this new musical.
Loved it. But I have for a long time. A little sappy, but overall a sweet, smart little show that really... gets to a writer's heart, but is perfectly accessible to people who aren't writers, too.
Thank you to luvtheEmcee for your first preview comments. Was there any mention in the Playbill about an original cast recording of this show being prepared? Sometimes it will be on the main title page where thye list the actors, producers, writers and designers. They sometimes say something like "original cast recording on Sony". Also, how did the orchestrations by Tunick sound to you? Thank you.
I'm sorry I didn't comment more extensively. I feel like I've known the show for so long that I don't really know how to do a real "review" of it, per se. But it's a lovely piece and even though I think it will be a tough sell because putting it on Broadway is an attempt to put a square into a circle, I wish it well, and hope it finds an audience. Didn't see anything about a cast recording, no, but I hope it gets one. It's probably too soon to say. Loved the orchestrations -- hadn't previously heard it with an orchestra!
Orchestra looked reasonably full, with some patches of empty seats toward the back. I wasn't really paying attention; I have some stuff going on right now and was honestly just pleased that I wasn't too distracted to enjoy the show. Hopefully someone else took note and will have an answer.
I know a couple, maybe three, tech-type guys, not easily moved, not all that interested in "emotional" stories -- kinda stereotypes in a certain way...
[potential SPOILER alert] LOOK OUT; DON'T READ IF YOU don't want any clues...
Each of them found themselves drawn into this show, swept away, if you ask me, and although they were upset at the end that they had been made to care about these characters, etc. etc. they were moved, and upset anyway, as they should have been, by the story, the music, -- this production.
And I have heard more than once that Jonathan Tunick's orchestration, using an unbelievably small number of musicians, is, well, lush.
So, hmmmm. I don't want to believe that an unassuming, tho important show could be ignored by an intelligent, curious theatre audience. I hope that this beautiful Work has a chance.
Remember, Xanadu? How long did that run, again? And we think that this terrific little show can't make it?
I really hope this show succeeds. We need a small musical to succeed on Broadway.
But.
Remember, Xanadu? How long did that run, again? And we think that this terrific little show can't make it?
Let's put this out there, for the record. XANADU was not successful.
Yes, it ran a lot longer than most people thought it would (some even thought it would close in a week). However, it closed having lost almost its entire investment.
And this might not seem like a big difference, until you consider that CARRIE could have run for a long time if the producers had enough money to burn.
"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
Thank you to every person who took the time to post their comments about tonight's first preview. It pretty much confirms every comment I've heard from people who saw it either in Toronto or more recently at Goodspeed. They all said they really enjoyed it on several levels and more than any show they have seen recently they hoped like hell that this show has a successful and long run so it will have a chance to gain an audience. The buzz about this show on the West Coast was consistent. Sure hope an original cast recording is made. Many thanks to you first nighters!
