bare The Complete Studio Recording- Page 26

[pippin2]

Posted: 11/27/07 at 1:44pm

As a huge fan of the NYC production, it shocks me to hear the indifference with which it is met by the creators and some of the cast. That said, would anyone be willing to PM me and help me get my hands on a recording of the LA production? I've never heard it and would love to hear the beginnings of the piece.

[brainlessorwise]

Posted: 11/27/07 at 1:49pm

Well, I've finally given this a full listening to and I have a few thoughts. I'm not really bothered by the lyric changes as much as people seem to be. "Look into these big blue eyes..." works the same as "Feel the beat of my racing heart..." for me. "Dash another..." Same thing. It's not saying anything different. It's just subtlely different ways of saying the same thing. Putting Bare before Queen Mab works better for me. The lyric changes in Bare were the toughest to swallow for me because they were so different. Birthday, Bitch! is a bit of a mess and the only place I can see where Matt Doyle lacks in the acting. He sounds remarkably sober in the end.

Regarding the performances; Matt Doyle's voice is beautiful and I have no idea how people can't hear the emotion in it. He's fabulous. James Snyder is so dynamic as Jason, he is perfect and I would love to see him actually perform the role. Keili Lefkovitz is Amazing as Nadia. I don't find her grating. I think her voice is quite lovely. Jenna, I don't think this was the best representation of her. I didn't really like her voice at all on the CD, but live, she's amazing.?. Stephanie Anderson, I'm with the majority that there was something lacking there. CJ as Matt---I got nothing. He sounds 12. Kaitlin Hopkins is just perfect. The rest of the ensemble sounded great!

Overall, its a keeper. I'm glad it was recorded and it was worth the wait and all of the drama.

[DaneSaw]

Posted: 11/27/07 at 2:06pm

I suppose I'm in the minority of people who preferred the New York production on this board. It's quite alright with me, I prefer shows that aren't "rough around the edges" and that flow and sound good. "Forever and ever and ever, amen" sounds wretched, it just doesn't fit the piece well, and it's severely lacking with Matt Doyle singing "Jason come with me...we can leave this all behind!", etc. like he's whispering in Jason's ear. There's something so horrifying, so dramatic about "To love and to cherish 'til death do you part", as well as the "right choice" lyrics combined with Peter's whailing that make NY's "Wedding Bells" absolutely chilling.

And as for "Dream a dream, then dash another"..."dash" is just an absurd word, it sounds like someone tried to get a bit too poetic/artistic. When's the last time a majority of people here heard the word "dash" in conversation, aside from in the context of running? Come on now.

[brainlessorwise]

Posted: 11/27/07 at 3:08pm

Danesaw, I think I agree with you to a certain extent, I just think that if Michael Arden were on the CD, it would be the same sort of vocal arrangment, just with Michael singing it. I think anyone who's seen Michael perform knows he puts his heart and soul into everything and his facial expressions are priceless. Those "Magical" things can never be on a CD. I've seen Matt Doyle perform only in Spring Awakening and he blew me away. Maybe there's some benefit to seeing him perform anything live, even if its not bare, and being able to incorperate that into his performance on the CD.

I can't say I prefer LA or NY because I only saw it in NY and you all have way better memories than I do, because I don't remember all the specifics. That could be why the changes didn't effect me as much.

[DaneSaw]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 4:03pm

Well, the NY cast was the first I'd ever seen of the show, and the recording of that cast has been playing in my car forever. It's what pulled me in, it's the material I fell in love with. The arrangements, the harmonies, the passion put into those performances. "Epiphany", "One", "Wedding Bells", "All Grown Up", "Bare" and "No Voice" sent literal chills down my spine and tears to my eyes upon hearing them, and to hear some of the arrangements and lyrics completely changed (to what I think are less effective) is just irritating.

Not nearly enough to make me not like this recording of the show. I'm just saying, as someone who's now been exposed to the LA cast, the NY production and now the "definitive" recording, I prefer what was done in New York much more.

And for the record, I love Matt Doyle, and I don't think he did poorly on this thing at all. When I mentioned the end of "Wedding Bells" lacking, I was more referring to the fact that the arrangement and key of the latter half of the song (as opposed to "The Right Choice" in NY) is just weak, and Matt's lines, "Jason come with me, it's time to change your mind," etc. donn't seem effective at all, mostly because the key and his voice are very low at a time when I think the song needs to be higher and more dramatic.
Updated On: 11/28/07 at 04:03 PM

[outovfashion07]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 4:06pm

I am in final talks to mount a production next april!

[RyToast1]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 4:16pm

outovfashion....where would your production be?

[outovfashion07]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 4:26pm

Northeastern Ohio, in the Cleveland area.

[RyToast1]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 4:35pm

I'll be sure to check it out, I'm moving back home (to Erie, PA) in a couple months!! If you need any help, just holler!

[outovfashion07]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 4:38pm

Yes, it will be well worth your drive. I am very excited to begin work on the project.

[Rentheadut]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 4:40pm

In "Are You There" during the chorus, does Peter sing the lower part or does Matt?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 4:48pm

I'm having trouble figuring that out myself. The DVD makes it look like Matt (the character not Matt Doyle) is singing the higher part.

[thibodeaux]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 6:14pm

I'm pretty sure he does; Peter sings lower and Matt sings upper. (As far as I can tell.) But there's a lot of switching around.

So my question is... (and apologies if this has been discussed but there are a whole lotta pages on this thread!!)... Claire mentions that Peter met Jason after sending him to boarding school. So when was that? The Priest at the beginning makes it sound like it was just for high school---"you've spent four years at St. Cecelia's..." but then Peter mentions in "You & I" that Jason hasn't played baseball "since we were twelve"...

How long have Jason & Peter been together? Does anyone know? I'm figuring that the answer is blatantly obvious, but...I can't quite figure it out. If they make reference to it in the songs I obviously haven't caught it, haha.

I'm loving it though!! Finally watched the DVD last night and while some people thing Damon may be diva-ish, I think he's got every right to question changes when the LA version worked so well. I would love to see this piece. Or be in it.

Let's rally up some BWWers and do it! :)

[brainlessorwise]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 6:56pm

I noticed those little timeline errors as well. The best guess is that its a Catholic Boarding school with all 12 grades, but St. Cecilia's is the highschool part?

[Sinfonia2001]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 7:00pm

Well just listen to the NY version instead. It doesn't say 4 years, probably cuz they knew peopl ewould ask these questions.

Regarding ARE YOU THERE, Peter always sings the lower harmony during both Choruses but then jumps to the high harmony on "But I don't know where I'm going. . ."

[tourboi]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 7:02pm

Just because Peter knows Jason played baseball when he was twelve doesn't mean he knew Jason when he was twelve. Just means that he knows that fact about Jason.

[brainlessorwise]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 7:09pm

Peter says, "You haven't played since we were twelve." Leading one to believe that he was there. He could have said "You haven't played since [you] were twelve."

[outovfashion07]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 9:12pm

I always thought that it was just something he knew about Jason and while I agree it is odd wording it is something that can be figured out and we don't really need to be nit-pickey about it.

[Jess1483]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 9:23pm

I seem to have gotten two DVDs and not been charged for either...hm... I'm so confused (not that i'm complaining, unless, of course, i get charged for both).

[brainlessorwise]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 9:24pm

I don't think its being nit-picky. There was a question about it and people are giving their opinions. I don't think anyone intends to jump off a bridge over it. Its just a discussion.

[BroadwayBaby21]

Posted: 11/28/07 at 9:51pm

I finally got mine two days ago, and have been able to listen to the cd, but not gotten the chance to watch the dvd.
I love it. I love finally being able to have an actual recording and not a bootleg.
There are a few things I don't like, and much of it echoes what everyone else has said.

Lyric changes: I had seen the NJ production of bare this summer, and that show had all most of the lyric changes in it (I believe it had at least the You & I change, the Bare changes, and the Nadia/Jason part during Promise). For the most part, they don't really bother me. The only one that does is Bare. I loved the lyrics from the NY production, and these, while still good, I believe are lacking.

Casting:
Matt and James are amazing. Bare gives me chills, and I love their voices. Kelli is great. Jenna is ok... She was amazing in NY, but somehow this recording doesn't show this. The guy who played Matt was ok as well... I'm just an Aaron Lohr fan, and always will be. :) Sister Chantelle was lacking a bit for me too.

Overall, I loved it. It was well worth the wait. Now I need to watch the DVD. :)

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 2:18am

Since we're asking questions I have one that came to mind today. I apologize if this has been discussed before. Is the cast performing in a musical version of Romeo and Juliet or is it just because Bare is like an opera that some of the passages are set to music?

[timote316]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 2:29am

I think its a musical version, or at least a version with music, going by Sister Chantelle running the music rehearsals, and saying that the starting note is a C natural.

[crushgroove]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 4:03am

I was wondering, for all of us who either have not received the set or gotten to order it yet...what is the DVD like? What is the running time, what is the structure? Be as detailed as you like
Thanks.

[another_reprise]

Posted: 11/29/07 at 5:17am

I just got mine yesterday after ordering it a few hours after they went on sale. I emailed them when they were a week late sending the shipping confirmation, and never got a reply. Then, about 2 weeks later, it shows up at my house, no shipping confirmation. Just hang in there if you haven't gotten it yet.

Now I just need to wait another three weeks before I can listen to it... grr.