Why no Cinderella posts recently?

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 2/20/13 at 2:38pm

During the first two weeks of previews, there seemed to be posts every five minutes, but in recent days, virtually nothing about the show. I wonder why. The last week was completely sold out, as we saw yesterday, so it's not as if no one is seeing it. (see the attached link to Healy's NYT story today.)

I would love to hear comments from any of you who saw an early preview and have gone back recently, as the changes that have been put in seem to be generating much better feedback.


NYT story on Cinderella cracking $1 million

Updated On: 2/20/13 at 02:38 PM

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 2/20/13 at 3:29pm

Going to tonight will post after. Extremely excited

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 2/20/13 at 4:57pm

I haven't seen it yet although nothing I've heard makes me look forward to it (although I am seeing it this week along with a few other things)

BUT saying they 100% "sold out" the Broadway theatre is a bit of misleading ploy. They have curtained off about 300 seats and are pretending like they aren't there. ANNIE would have had a different capacity to if they just decided not to include their balcony.

[Gink]

Posted: 2/20/13 at 5:56pm

I posted this elsewhere, but we saw the show on the 5th, we all were ??? about the choices they made--we did not enjoy what we saw. My friend saw it last Friday, it's her favorite musical, and she loved it. We had told her about what we saw and she wasn't looking foward to it, but apparently they made enough changes for this die-hard Cinderella fan. Her family loved it too--one teen and one twenty-something girl. After what I saw I wouldn't go again if someone gave me free tickets but I'm glad they made enough changes that they had a fantastic time.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 2/20/13 at 6:03pm

Well, calling it a ploy is a bit judgmental, so if you want to stick to facts, they were selling 1484 seats per performance and they sold them all out. That's still an impressive number to me, and the show did break $1 million, something very few musicals have ever done in previews.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 2/20/13 at 6:53pm

Well, I saw it Saturday night and enjoyed it for what it was worth! I thought Josh Rhodes' choreography was fantastic, just wish there were more numbers like, "The Prince is Giving a Ball." Laura and Victoria Clark were fantastic in their roles. Ann Harada was hysterical and she really does make up for a big portion of the show's pure entertainment factors. I thought the whole "not-so-mean" step family aspect was okay, but it wasn't consistent. There were times when I didn't really know what to feel about Harriet Harris's role, but I do think that the concept worked very well for Marla Mindelle. Of course, I wanted to see Marla show off her big/funny personality, but it was definitely nice to see her play a role like how they created Gabrielle.

Santino Fontana worked for me! The thing is, this prince isn't really supposed to be dashing or perfect or else the ball scene with Ann Harada dancing with him wouldn't be funny, and the plot wouldn't make as much sense. If he was a perfect prince, then sure, it would be interesting to see his journey on figuring out who he is, but this makes him much more normal and puts him on the same plane as the townspeople for the ending scenes when they confront him.

I also didn't have a problem with Jean-Michel, and Greg Hildreth was great. I did, though, think that there were pages missing in the updated script as they didn't resolve the *SPOILERS* plot lines of the vote for prime minister between Jean-Michel and Sebastian, which also lead to not knowing if Jean-Michel and Garbielle ever got married (as the condition for their marriage according to JM was that he wins the vote for prime minister first). *END SPOILER*

The little dance number with the prince trying to find Cinderella when the Driver and Footman creatures are tumbling in the forest wasn't as long as people had been saying, and was very interesting. Doesn't hurt that Cody Williams and Andy Mills are fantastic dancers and have great gymnastic abilities. I loved the different personalities of the ensemble to. The girls especially are very funny during The Step Sister's Lament.

As far as the creative aspects go, I think the set really worked and the scene changes were pretty cool. When Marie/Fairy Godmother transforms everything right before Cinderella goes to the ball, the effects are amazing and you could hear that the audience was impressed! Costumes all worked for me, but tin the first scene when the knights were fighting the Woodland creature, they would drop swords and they sounded like cheap plastic, which kind of ruined any drama that could have existed there. Woodland creature had a cool costume, though!

Overall, I enjoyed it. Do they have some major problems to fix? Yes. Could they do it in time for opening? Absolutely. I didn't see an empty seat in the house (which reigned true according to the grosses), but did see Nathan Johnson in the audience as well as the 4 swings/dance captains taking notes. If you have any questions please ask!!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/20/13 at 6:56pm

There's been plenty of discussion about it. Why just last night Just_John freaked out like a wet cat over the rush policy.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 2/20/13 at 8:07pm

To the original poster:

If there have been fewer posts on it, it is probably because everyone who posts reviews regularly on here has already seen it and posted their very important opinions of early previews, and they are now busy sharpening their butcher knives for Matilda, Kinky Boots, and others.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 2/20/13 at 8:43pm

Matt, I think you're probably right.

[AntV]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 3:25am

The cast was scheduled to perform this past Tuesday on Letterman but looks like that got nixed and hasn't been rescheduled yet. Wonder why?

[Bueo]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 4:05am

Okay I will change what I said its getting mixed reviews on this board. Everyone is mixed by the book Updated On: 2/21/13 at 04:05 AM

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 7:19am

Wow, Bueo, you joined BWW yesterday just so you could post that?

Thanks so much.

Will we ever hear from you again?

[slmlbl]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 11:19am

I was there on Tuesday and think the show has amazing potential, but will agree with most reports that the book needs tightening.

SPOILERS? The opening threw me a little with the offstage singing chorus, it reminds me of the old school Disney movies where an ensemble sings over the titles. Why did this throw me off? Because I thought they would want to distance themselves from the disney version and in the opening moment of the show, they are playing to that connection. I dunno..
The election seems forced and the kindness scene seems labored. There are also a number of characters who need a bit more specificity to them. I will say I did not mind the "political" storylines much at all, in fact, i was okay with them. Except for the election, and there my dislike was merely because of how preachy it was. In general though i like the way it is set up now as it mirrors Perrault's tale a little bit more.
I love the changes to the prince to make him a more formed character.
I love the idea of the stepsisters, i think it just needs to be formed a bit more.
Charlotte and the revised Stepsisters Lament were great, however i felt Gabrielle needed a little more bit to her and with Marla Mindelle playing her was waiting for her "moment" but it kind of whimpered by when it came.
I think if they can tighten up the book a little bit more (ease up on the election, resolve Prime Minister story a bit more and clean up some other spots), They'll be in amazing shape.

While the new R&H trunk songs may not be showstoppers, they do add an excitement to the piece of not knowing every tune. I loved the few Medley's/ reprises and tags added as well.

What I like about this version is the appeal it has for licensing. It adds a lot more to the ensemble than the other two licensable versions have and that is a good good thing and could give it a healthy life with schools.

The set really worked well for me, except for when it didn't.
When it didn't work for me was the village which i felt they literally dragged on from BATB national tour. Get it on a track, please. Its also so slightly made that there's a wobble to it at times.
The exterior of the Cinderellas house also reminded me of Belle's house but i suppose that can't be helped too much when you're going for that bavarian Disney look.

Laura Osnes is born for this role, she IS Cinderella and remains an exciting and compelling actress.
Victoria Clark is perfection as well.
I think Fontana is the perfect prince for this production.
Harriet Harris is wonderful, but i want more for her to do.
Ann Harada is wonderful and slaughters Stepsisters lament.

My favorite parts were all of the transformations (beautiful, impressive, exciting) and the chase sequence. I thought it was an exciting addition.
To me the moment where this show shows all it could be its in the act 1 finale (SPOILER) when she retracts the shoe. In that moment they seem to be saying. You think you know this story, and you do, but here are a few exciting twists. If they can get to a place where all these twists have the excitement of that one, they'll be in great shape. I think it's totally do-able to. With just a little bit more tightening.

[Buddy Plummer2]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 1:31pm

My personal thoughts from an early preview through to what i've heard of the updates:

My frustrations stems from how on the brink of smash success they are. They have SO MANY wonderful moments and story lines that can be expanded upon and tightened: Cinderella being a more empowered female protagonist, the one step sister being sympathetic to Cinderella's wants, even the revolting peasants prove an obstacle that is set up but never truly resolved.
There's so much potential from the changes they set up, I spent Act One in extreme excitement and anticipation, yet Act Two in disappointment when they didn't happen:

They set up that the peasants are becoming bitter, jaded, and seeking an opportunity to revolt. Well... why don't they? Why don't they over throw the kingdom by kidnapping the prince? Then, have Cinderella be the one to rescue him. This not only gives Jean-Michel a far more interesting arc (having to go from extreme hatred of the prince, to a more even understanding), but fulfills one of the things mentioned in EVERY press release about this production: Cinderella (as a now fully empowered female protagonist) having to save the prince.
Plus, I find a revolution and rescue scene a HELL of a lot more interesting than an election.

Then, once Cinderella saves the prince and is the one to stick up for him in his time of need, the slipper search begins, as Topher searches for the girl who saved his life.

Also, remove the unnecessary mask bit/ Gabrielle being set up as the "chosen" bride for the prince. Not only is it a plot point rendered moot by the arrival of Cinderella without a mask, but it makes Charlotte not recognizing the prince all the more hysterical.

Like I said, awesome, awesome potential. And the peasant's revolting can work as a way to expand the story, it just needs to be as exciting as the rest of the show.

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 2:50pm

Was there last night and I along with 19 other women I went with (ages 25-65)loved loved it. We all have our favorite Cinderella (mine is the 1965 version) and this revisits a time in our lives when we were innocent and impressionable. I never looked at my watch or playbill once. I did not want it to end. It was enchanting (save some of the corny jokes) but it is CINDERELLA and Laura plays it perfectly.

The transformations are stunning and worth the ticket alone. The 8 year olds dressed in their gowns and tiaras were precious (as were some of the older girls also).

This is a feel good show and that's just what it did to me. Made me feel good.

This will br a HUGE SMASHING HIT regardless of critical reviews.

[michellek45]

Posted: 2/21/13 at 6:56pm

Buddy Plummer, I really like that idea. It would have been better than the vague, sort of "the peasants might revolt" thing they have in there now. I was also disappointed because reading the press releases around the time DCB was announced as book writer, everything said this is was going to be a more "feminist" take. And I guess it was, but considering how un-feminist the original was, that's not saying too much. Cinderella didn't have too much of an arc (really wanted them to play up the animosity between her and the stepmother), and most of her scenes revolved around dreaming about marrying the prince or trying to help him be a better person.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 2/23/13 at 10:58am

I nominate Buddy as the dramaturg.

I love his plot ideas.

Saw it Thursday. I was enamored of its parts but as a whole... not so much.

The sets, The costumes, the cast, the lush overture with wonderful R and H music, the score sung so well. Even some funny one liners from Mr. Beane.

The cast is a delight across the board. Ann Harada is a standout and finally used to her best advantage after being wasted in Smash and 9 to 5.. Sebastian Fortino is quirkily charming. Laura is a good Cinderella but preferred her as the bad girl in Bonnie and Clyde. The cute ingenue is too obvious a fit to make it totally interesting ---but she does well with it.

Then there's the show where I kept thinking "Speed it up!" The Prince is having a ball. Then the prince is having a banquet. What next.. a bah mitzvah?
And then were some unnecessary numbers that slowed the evening down.

The parts are so good.. I wish the whole would add up
Hire Buddy as dramaturg...fast!!!!!

Updated On: 2/23/13 at 10:58 AM

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 2/23/13 at 4:37pm

Is Sebastian Fortino Santino Fontana's evil twin? Or perhaps his parallel universe double?

[KeepCool]

Posted: 2/23/13 at 5:22pm

I think all the criticism is making me even more curious to see it, maybe not the intended effect but definitely picking up a cheap ticket sometime soon.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 2/23/13 at 5:37pm

Cool, I think you might be overstating the level of the criticism. I would guess that the overwhelming majority of feedback on the show has been positive. Even most who criticize elements of the book seem to have positive comments as well.

I haven't seen it yet myself but hope to go within the next few weeks.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 2/23/13 at 5:52pm

Well you know who I meant.
Potato. Potatah. Fortino Fortada.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 2/24/13 at 9:53am

"Potatah."

PO TA TA?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 12:32pm

For those who saw this, I have a couple questions... How exactly do the transformations work? Especially from the rags to the ball gown?

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 12:38pm

Bwayphreak, let me ask you a question. I have not seen the show yet, I hope to go soon. But doesn't your question ask for information that might truly spoil the "magic" of these transformations, as I've heard them described? Would you have wanted to know the answer to your question before you saw the show.

By the way, if you PM me, I'll give you an idea of what I think might be involved, based on some other experience I have.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/25/13 at 1:48pm

^ I am weird in that I LOVE spoilers