Broadway musicals

[Artistic Skaters]

Our Broadway Across America series featured School of Rock. I didn't pay much attention to this one & was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I started laughing during the first song & it continued through most of the show especially Stick it to the Man, & I even liked the ballad Where Did the Rock Go. The young girl who played the bass did such a great job, I couldn't take my eyes off her. Heart needs a new band member while Ann Wilson takes a break.

Fun Home is still the one I like best so far this season, but it's off to a good start. Next is the show I've been waiting to see - Waitress.

 

[Erin]

My next show is Waitress too, in about a month - looking forward to it!

I saw the touring version of Aladdin with my boyfriend who loves the movie (and pretty much all cartoons) about a week and a half ago. I thought it was pretty well done, with one criticism that the end was a bit of an anti-climax, although this bothered my boyfriend more than me. I think the part with Jafar at the end was very rushed compared to the movie but by the time we got to that point I was ready for it to be wrapped up, whereas I think he wanted it to be more like the movie. The best bits were anything involving the genie, Aladdin was great and sounded very much like the guy in the movie, and I liked the nod to how sexist the entire plot around Jasmine is (as did the rest of the audience). Also, I spent much of the time being super jealous of Jasmine's amazing hair.

 

[oleada]

I have Miss Saigon tickets for the beginning of December

 

[aliceanne]

Just an update, but Warpaint is closing Nov. 5, as Patti Lupone needs hip surgery.

 

[MacMadame]

We got tickets to The Book of Morman for Mini-Mac's birthday. She'll get them this weekend but I think she suspects. Hopefully she'll still be excited!

 

[Tinami Amori]

My Fair Lady would be hilarious under these constraints . . . Maybe Henry would learn how to work for a living from Eliza so he could be a functional member of society ...

If you mean the plot converted to "soviet reality"... then there actually are such movies from the 50’s and 60’s. “Pygmalion a la Sovetiko” was a popular theme, in general, back then – a responsible citizen converts an irresponsible one into a model of responsibility. The only difference is the responsible one is usually a woman, who converts a lost-cause man (a drunk, a poor worker, an ignoramus). I can think of 2 such, off top of my head.

“Spring on Zerchnaya Street”. A female teacher is sent to teach an after hour classes for adult factory workers (in their late 20’s and 30’s) who never finished their high-school education and are lacking a graduation certificate. Without this certificate many of them will not be allowed to do more complicated assembly work. She is met with most resistance from one young man. Her associates advise her that he is a hopeless case. She challenges them. She tries, almost gives up but then succeeds. Elements of “romance” is between these two. Towards the end he decides that “he is just an academic project” for her and disappears. She misses him, finds him at the factory where he works, and learns from his coworkers what a great smart worker he is and a good loyal friend. All ends well.

- The other one, can’t think of the name, is also about a group of workers (men and women) at an industrial factory. Good worker – woman; bad worker – man (he is not tardy, not serious about work, his group does not meet the quota/weekly production plan, etc.). Management wants to fire him. The woman asks to give her chance to set him straight. Management does not believe she can do it. She challenges them and proceeds. All ends well… together this man and the woman invent a gadget which expedites production line output.

(if you understand Russian i can give you youtube links to the full movies)

 

[VGThuy]

Speaking of Soviet films, sorry for going OT everyone else, Tinami, I recently saw the movie Moscow Doesn't Believe in Tears and I wanted to know what you thought of it.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Speaking of Soviet films, sorry for going OT everyone else, Tinami, I recently saw the movie Moscow Doesn't Believe in Tears and I wanted to know what you thought of it.

So that I don’t make it too long, given it’s OT. On a scale from 1 to 10.

Acting: 7-9 (but these actors are not doing anything unique, acting wise, given their other roles/characters)
Plot (as far as “interesting” for mass consumption): 6-7
Aesthetics: 6-7
Camera work: 6-7
Editing: 7-8
Realistic story (given times and place): 7-8
Comparing quality to other int’l films of that decade: 5-6
Comparing quality to other Soviet films of that decade: 7-8

Do I like it? I like it enough to watch a few times more, just to see the “good old days, the houses, the apartments, the society”. EXCEPT one part: where the plot becomes a message “a woman needs a man, all her accomplishments mean nothing without a partner, and the man is right to be offended that she is higher in ranking at work and makes more money, so the woman has to make gestures to show him that he is the boss”. I watched the movie in full 2x. The following times I turn it off when Batalov is upset when he learns that he is paid less than her….

 

[Tinami Amori]

@ VIETgrlTerifa. How did you like the movie, over all, or in parts?

 

[VGThuy]

@ VIETgrlTerifa. How did you like the movie, over all, or in parts?

I think I agreed with everything you said. I tried not to judge that last moral of the story too much because it was a 1980s film and I don't know how much of my thinking was due to my Western contemporary ideas. That said, I found the film to be a great historical piece in that it gave a glimpse of life in the at the time modern-day Soviet-era Moscow that I am not familiar with at all. Just for that alone I seriously enjoyed it.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I think I agreed with everything you said. I tried not to judge that last moral of the story too much because it was a 1980s film and I don't know how much of my thinking was due to my Western contemporary ideas. That said, I found the film to be a great historical piece in that it gave a glimpse of life in the at the time modern-day Soviet-era Moscow that I am not familiar with at all. Just for that alone I seriously enjoyed it.

To be honest, while the director could not change too much the “soviet settings” (apartments, streets, work and public places, which are relatively accurate and realistic although embelished), he certainly sweetened and sugar-coated the characters and interactions. The movie was obviously made for international consumption, not just domestic, and certain elements were not realistic.

- Usually when a drunkard ex-husband would visit his ex-wife to ask for money for a “half-liter of vodka”, all neighbors would have a police number ready on the dial. Such spats usually ended in grotesque verbal and/or physical fights sometimes mixed with attempts to make up and kisses. A wife would not usually hand him last 5 rubles, and he would quietly leave. That scene was laughable. I quickly found a more realistic video of such encounter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1Oi5AUIHCM

- The main female character is too refined for a girl (in late 1950’s) from a remote town who came to Moscow to study on “quota/limited admissions/limita”. The boy’s family would never mistake such a girl (in real life) for a Professor’s daughter even with a posh apartment, because such “limita” girls usually had a very distinct “country side/small town” dialects (depending on where they came from) and very different demeanor and manners. https://i.mycdn.me/image?id=849591596231&t=35&plc=WEB&tkn=*D6pJ6mbFIKtZwTMwLClC5JKQYMI

The other characters do look provincial enough, but not the main girl.
http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/garibalda/34408804/358373/358373_900.jpg

- The singles’ dating agency, as it is shown in the movie, is a director’s invention. There were small-room offices to place “a widow/widower looking for a spouse to spend remaining years with a companion” newspaper adverts, but not clubs for “singles”. It was not cool to advertise openly that you’re single, looking for a mate. It was done, but much more discretely, through friends or at public gatherings which did not advertise as “singles meeting events”.

- The “student dormitory” in the beginning of the film is a mental reminisce of early soviet propaganda about “happy communal student life”. Student dormitories for out-of-towners were not so happy and comfy.
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/29/136187900.28/0_6d004_d04a6914_L.jpg
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/maxim_nm/51556845/2673174/2673174_original.jpg
http://ura-inform.com/img/newses/campus-two-03(500x500)[66115].jpg

- The boys would NEVER start a fight near or inside the arches of an apartment complex, for several reasons. The fight can be seen from all angles by tenants and police would be called right away. Police would have access from both sides of the arches, and boys would have no place to run. When you wanted to beat up another someone, you lure or drag him inside the “garage row” which had garages on both ends and no view from the apartments.
https://i.ss.com/gallery/2/299/74599/garages-riga-bolderaya-14919606.800.jpg


But! if you have time and if you still want some “soviet realism” of 70/80’s, do watch “Little Vera”…. Here is a perfectly legitimate youtube set of the film, in 9 segments (consecutive) with very good English subtitles. I strongly recommend if you want “an art movie and soviet realism”. It's kind of like "Soviet Smithereens", even the main actress looks similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab9XnGaA46M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d66pf3KgNo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zhmj63ADxU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqtyH4tYFdE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eV2biLGClA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7p6ACSPyPs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3rd-rctHqM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJu88JxW45k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kiGM5m7oco

 

[VGThuy]

To be honest, while the director could not change too much the “soviet settings” (apartments, streets, work and public places, which are relatively accurate and realistic although embelished), he certainly sweetened and sugar-coated the characters and interactions. The movie was obviously made for international consumption, not just domestic, and certain elements were not realistic.

- Usually when a drunkard ex-husband would visit his ex-wife to ask for money for a “half-liter of vodka”, all neighbors would have a police number ready on the dial. Such spats usually ended in grotesque verbal and/or physical fights sometimes mixed with attempts to make up and kisses. A wife would not usually hand him last 5 rubles, and he would quietly leave. That scene was laughable. I quickly found a more realistic video of such encounter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1Oi5AUIHCM

- The main female character is too refined for a girl (in late 1950’s) from a remote town who came to Moscow to study on “quota/limited admissions/limita”. The boy’s family would never mistake such a girl (in real life) for a Professor’s daughter even with a posh apartment, because such “limita” girls usually had a very distinct “country side/small town” dialects (depending on where they came from) and very different demeanor and manners. https://i.mycdn.me/image?id=849591596231&t=35&plc=WEB&tkn=*D6pJ6mbFIKtZwTMwLClC5JKQYMI

The other characters do look provincial enough, but not the main girl.
http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/garibalda/34408804/358373/358373_900.jpg

- The singles’ dating agency, as it is shown in the movie, is a director’s invention. There were small-room offices to place “a widow/widower looking for a spouse to spend remaining years with a companion” newspaper adverts, but not clubs for “singles”. It was not cool to advertise openly that you’re single, looking for a mate. It was done, but much more discretely, through friends or at public gatherings which did not advertise as “singles meeting events”.

- The “student dormitory” in the beginning of the film is a mental reminisce of early soviet propaganda about “happy communal student life”. Student dormitories for out-of-towners were not so happy and comfy.
http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/29/136187900.28/0_6d004_d04a6914_L.jpg
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/maxim_nm/51556845/2673174/2673174_original.jpg
http://ura-inform.com/img/newses/campus-two-03(500x500)[66115].jpg

- The boys would NEVER start a fight near or inside the arches of an apartment complex, for several reasons. The fight can be seen from all angles by tenants and police would be called right away. Police would have access from both sides of the arches, and boys would have no place to run. When you wanted to beat up another someone, you lure or drag him inside the “garage row” which had garages on both ends and no view from the apartments.
https://i.ss.com/gallery/2/299/74599/garages-riga-bolderaya-14919606.800.jpg


But! if you have time and if you still want some “soviet realism” of 70/80’s, do watch “Little Vera”…. Here is a perfectly legitimate youtube set of the film, in 9 segments (consecutive) with very good English subtitles. I strongly recommend if you want “an art movie and soviet realism”. It's kind of like "Soviet Smithereens", even the main actress looks similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab9XnGaA46M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d66pf3KgNo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zhmj63ADxU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqtyH4tYFdE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eV2biLGClA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7p6ACSPyPs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3rd-rctHqM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJu88JxW45k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kiGM5m7oco

Thank you for all of this. I will definitely watch Little Vera and give you my thoughts.

 

[screech]

Just a reminder that "She Loves Me" (starring Gavin Creel, Laura Benanti, Zachary Levi, and Jane Krakowski) is airing tonight on PBS. It was nominated for 8 Tonys in 2016 winning one.

Also in Broadway news, Andrew Rannells and Jane Lynch were on last night's "Will and Grace" as a conversion camp counsellors. It was a fantastic episode - Sean Hayes was absolutely brilliant (I wouldn't be surprised if he gets an Emmy nod next year for this episode). Jane and especially Andrew were hilarious in their roles.

And if you missed it, Ben Platt was on the show 2 weeks ago, and Anthony Ramos (Hamilton) has a recurring role this season.

 

[screech]

Musical comedy "The Prom" will open on Broadway in November, 2018.

Synopsis: The Prom takes place in a small Indiana town, where a prom is canceled after the high school forbids a female student from bringing her girlfriend. When a group of eccentric Broadway actors hear her story, they travel to the community in an earnest—if possibly misguided—attempt to correct the injustice.

 

[screech]

Just a reminder that tomorrow night "Falsettos" is airing on PBS.

 

[oleada]

I'm debating getting tickets to take my mom to a show for her birthday. She's going to be here in mid November, which is right after her birthday. She has everything, so events are a good thing. We've seen Phantom and Les Mis together and she loved them both. English isn't her first language and she's not fluent, so knowing the story (as in, there's been a movie or a book) is a big plus. I am thinking Lion King or Aladdin. I think she will enjoy either but is there a reason to pick one over the other?

 

[Wyliefan]

I'm debating getting tickets to take my mom to a show for her birthday. She's going to be here in mid November, which is right after her birthday. She has everything, so events are a good thing. We've seen Phantom and Les Mis together and she loved them both. English isn't her first language and she's not fluent, so knowing the story (as in, there's been a movie or a book) is a big plus. I am thinking Lion King or Aladdin. I think she will enjoy either but is there a reason to pick one over the other?

I haven't seen either, but just going by what I've heard about them, I'd say Lion King. The design, with the puppets and everything, is said to be spectacular.

 

[Erin]

@oleada I've seen both shows and would pick Lion King by a mile. Aladdin is very good but not spectacular. Lion King OTOH is something special. I would agree with @Wyliefan that the way they do the animals is really the highlight. I've seen it three times in three different cities and would consider seeing it again.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I'm debating getting tickets to take my mom to a show for her birthday. She's going to be here in mid November, which is right after her birthday. She has everything, so events are a good thing. We've seen Phantom and Les Mis together and she loved them both. English isn't her first language and she's not fluent, so knowing the story (as in, there's been a movie or a book) is a big plus. I am thinking Lion King or Aladdin. I think she will enjoy either but is there a reason to pick one over the other?

Lion King and Aladdin both need no language pretty much and both are visually interesting. But Lion King is more unique visually, more 'atypical"....
Have you considered "Anastasia"? it is also visually very nice, easy to understand without language, and music is "more melodic" for a "mother"... (at least for my mother... )

 

[oleada]

Lion King and Aladdin both need no language pretty much and both are visually interesting. But Lion King is more unique visually, more 'atypical"....
Have you considered "Anastasia"? it is also visually very nice, easy to understand without language, and music is "more melodic" for a "mother"... (at least for my mother... )

I actually did think of this one! But I'm personally more interested in Lion King, which I've never seen, so I am being a bit selfish here

 

[Tinami Amori]

I actually did think of this one! But I'm personally more interested in Lion King, which I've never seen, so I am being a bit selfish here

If i figured correctly where your mother is from, she will like the music in "Anastasia" much better, and might find "Lion King" a-tonal but visually impressive. Take her to both!....

 

[screech]

So they're working on a stage musical version of Moulin Rouge. The 'lab' stage just started yesterday in NYC, and is running for a month. Aaron Tveit (Next to Normal, Catch Me If You Can, Grease Live) is Christian, and Karen Olivio (who won a Tony for the 2009 revival of West Side Story) is Satine.

Aaron Tveit also just received rave reviews for his run as Bobby in 'Company' in the Berskhires this summer (apparently reviews said that if it was on Broadway, he'd likely be up for a Tony). He hasn't been on Broadway since Catch Me If You Can in 2011, so if this gets him back there, I'm all for it!

 

[oleada]

So they're working on a stage musical version of Moulin Rouge. The 'lab' stage just started yesterday in NYC, and is running for a month. Aaron Tveit (Next to Normal, Catch Me If You Can, Grease Live) is Christian, and Karen Olivio (who won a Tony for the 2009 revival of West Side Story) is Satine.

Aaron Tveit also just received rave reviews for his run as Bobby in 'Company' in the Berskhires this summer (apparently reviews said that if it was on Broadway, he'd likely be up for a Tony). He hasn't been on Broadway since Catch Me If You Can in 2011, so if this gets him back there, I'm all for it!

I came here to post this
A whole new version of Moulin Rouge for skaters to use. But I actually love Aaron Tveit and like the movie so I'll go see it.

 

[screech]

Another broadway announcement (not a musical, though involving musical actors), "The Boys in the Band" which was a Broadway play in 1968 will be returning to Broadway for its 50th anniversary. Matt Bomer will make his Broadway debut, and will costar with Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto and Andrew Rannells. Ryan Murphy will be a producer. It will begin previews April 30 and run through August 12. Its official opening night will be too late for the 17/18 Tony season, so it will be eligible for 18/19 (but as a limited run, and so freaking early in the season, will likely not be too successful at the awards).

 

[skatesindreams]

Lin-Manuel Miranda will return to "Hamilton"; in San Juan, PR., Jan. 2019:
https://twitter.com/i/moments/928320243327471616

 

[skatesindreams]

More information:

On Wednesday, he announced he'll return in the lead role in "Hamilton" for a three-week run at the University of Puerto Rico in January 2019.

"It's weird; just yesterday the Smithsonian announced that I donated my act two costume to the Smithsonian. I need it back!" he laughed. "Just three weeks!"

"Aren't you too young to be donating things to the Smithsonian?" Begnaud laughed.

"Well, yeah, I think so too."

Thousands of tickets will be sold for just $10, though more expensive travel packages will be offered for sale to help bring tourism back to this home away from home.

Lin-Manuel returned to Puerto Rico to announce more relief efforts.

 

[DannyCurry]

Dear Evan Hansen's "You Will Be Found" on ice !

Funny, I had been choreographing (or rather just imagining) some program to that song every time I listened to it. I think this music could be effective for a synchro or ballet program (just with more difficult steps). Of course, I guess they didn't have time to put a jammed number (plus it would be exhausting for the skaters who have several numbers on the show) but I did have in mind a split jump too for Alana's "There's a place where we don't have to feel unknown".
Though I pictured it a tiny bit earlier, it still cool to see skaters actually perform it.

 

[VGThuy]

So it looks like both My Fair Lady and Harry Potter opened to extremely positive to rave reviews on Broadway this week. Harry Potter must be something one has to see live to appreciate because I really did not enjoy reading that play. I saw My Fair Lady and am happy to agree with the rave reviews. It took one of my favorite musicals with a somewhat problematic in the 21st Century concept and ending and turned it on its head while still keeping the same exact book and songs.

 

[missing]

I'll be seeing My Fair Lady at the end of May with two friends. I saw Carousel a couple of weeks ago (in preview) with my friend Bookseller, and spent this afternoon seeing The Iceman Cometh (people sing it in, so I can justify calling it a musical for the sake of this thread) with Denzel Washington absolutely brilliant as Hickey.

Carousel definitely had that problem of early 20th century attitudes about the treatment of women not working well in 21st century America. To a certain extent Iceman had similar issues. I don't know if it says something about which classic American works are being chosen for revival or if it says something about my taste in Broadway shows. I'll ponder that when I'm not quite so exhausted (New York City is really crowded these days).

 

[VGThuy]

I think Carousel can work with today's audiences if they don't shy away from those aspects in the book itself and actually highlight it. From what I read of the reviews, it seems like this production sort of swept it under the rug.

Even though this thread is called Broadway musicals, I'd love to talk about plays here as well. Considering the new musicals that have come out this season, I'm all about the plays, revivals, and off-Broadway showings this year.