Broadway musicals

[Inessence]

I saw Love Never Dies on PBS and was incredibly glad that I never wasted my money seeing it live.

I have season tickets and even skipped that one.

 

[DannyCurry]

Not quite a Broadway production, but while I was on a Disney cruise last month, I saw Beauty & the Beast. Apart from the transformation scene (which I found underwhelming) it was absolutely fantastic and of the best quality !! I was totally blown away. (Too bad an annoying kid was making noise eating loudly and kicking her toy behind me. When I asked her to tell her kid to stop, the mom said "Shut **, we're not on Broadway". People are so disrespectful...). Anyway, you can find the whole show on YT. I haven't watched it but as always, I don't think the vid does justice to the show. And it was all the more impressive, considering that there were two other great shows on the same stage during the week: the Golden Mickey's and Believe, which both have some great scenes too !

It was also in stark contrast with Beauty & the Beast at Disney's Hollywood studios. When I first saw it 8 years ago, I thought the show was alright but this year, despite some improved Beast costume, I think most of the other costumes really need an update. (Plus, a dance captain going onstage before the show in his civilian Nike clothes was very unprofessional in my opinion.)

Two other (not quite) 'musicals' but still good shows : Festival of the Lion King and Nemo at Disney's Animal Kingdom. While I still prefer the Festival of the Lion King of Hong-Kong Disneyland (it has the best "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" !), the Floridian version is still ok. And while I had already seen Nemo, I got goosebumps again this time and was again super impressed by the quality of the performers. I love it.

So yeah, no Broadway production for me this year, but what can I do ?!

Oh and I'm not even sure if I posted it already, but this summer I saw Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Even though I stated I wanted to avoid French productions, I still went for it because there was a good deal on tickets and because I love the movie (one of my favorites). Overall I loved it. It was so much fun. (Now if only there could be some AC in old French theaters, it'd sure help to enjoy the shows even more !)

 

[Sarah]

So I saw Love Never Dies on Sunday and going in with the lowest of low expectations, it wasn't as bad as I expected. That said, it was pretty terrible. Having said that, the cast was wonderful (the boy, Gustave, was incredible), the music/score was actually decent. The book and story? OMG! AWFUL. I was completely unmoved. Since when was Christine completely in love with the Phantom? Since when was the Phantom anything other then a stalker? Just needed to get that out there... I feel better now.

I also need to say, I hated Phantom of the Opera...

 

[peibeck]

NBC will air "A Very 'Wicked' Halloween" on Monday, October 29th at 10 EST as the Broadway show marks its 15th anniversary.

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth perform (and, I believe, host) along with pop stars Ariana Grande, Adam Lambert, the group Pentatonix and the current Broadway cast.

 

[screech]

Cool! I'd rather see other past cast members (Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Aaron Tveit, Stephanie J Block, Megan Hilty...) than Pentatonix, or Ariana Grande, but alas.

In other Broadway news, I'd had no idea there was a King Kong musical currently in previews! And the Pretty Woman soundtrack is coming out next week.

And Daniel Radcliffe is back on Broadway, this time for a play "The Lifespan of a Fact" alongside fellow stage and screen veterans Cherry Jones and Bobby Canavale. The New Yorker has an article where to get into character, Radcliffe actually tried fact checking for an article, which he said made him more nervous than going on stage. (And then kind of funnily, a fact checker called to fact check the authenticity of the article on his fact checking lol).
Emma Watson may, in some ways, be more famous than Radcliffe, but in my opinion, he's done the absolute best of all the Harry Potter kids of showing variety in his work.

 

[hanca]

I saw the tour of "Love Never Dies," the "Phantom of the Opera" sequel last week. The cast was very talented, the sets, lighting and costumes were amazing, but what a disaster of a show itself. The story was beyond bleak and completely turned how the characters were established in the original musical on their heads. I don't think I've ever heard such tepid applause at the end of a big-blockbuster scale show before. A complete miss. Now I wish we'd swapped the show out as part of our subscription series for something - ANYTHING - that would have been better.

I liked it... yes, the story is a bit weaker, but so is in many other musicals, e.g. the stories in We will rock you, or Mama mia. What I liked was the music.

 

[DannyCurry]

Last week, I saw a coworker reading Wicked during her breaks. We ended up talking about musicals and she told me that Dear Evan Hansen would come to London next year ! So, that's at least one good reason to go to the UK, even after Brexit

 

[Yehudi]

Yesterday was my first foray into Broadway Roulette. I ended up with The Play That Goes Wrong and lower right Mezzanine seats. Not a bad deal. I’ve heard people getting upper balcony seats with obstructed views for the shows they won so I guess it is a gamble as it suggests.

 

[VGThuy]

Yesterday was my first foray into Broadway Roulette. I ended up with The Play That Goes Wrong and lower right Mezzanine seats. Not a bad deal. I’ve heard people getting upper balcony seats with obstructed views for the shows they won so I guess it is a gamble as it suggests.

Did you enjoy it? I was in a badish mood when I saw it and it definitely lifted my spirits big time.

 

[screech]

I'm considering seeing it when it comes to Toronto in January. Is it as good as I hope it is?

 

[VGThuy]

I'm considering seeing it when it comes to Toronto in January. Is it as good as I hope it is?

I don't want to build it up too much in case you don't like it, but it honestly was one of my highlights last season. I had an incredibly fun time.

 

[Wyliefan]

I saw it on Broadway too and got a big kick out of it. If you like farce, you'll have a great time!

 

[screech]

Great! I just may get tickets, then!
I think Mirvish Productions (who runs the big shows when they come to Toronto) will be getting a fair bit of money from me this theatre season...

 

[NinjaTurtles]

I'm contemplating getting tickets to Beetlejuice during its pre-Broadway engagement in DC. I heard through the grapevine that there was quite a bit of pausing during the first couple of shows due to malfunctioning sets/props. Hoping that if I go for a later ticket the kinks will be worked out.

 

[VGThuy]

I'm contemplating getting tickets to Beetlejuice during its pre-Broadway engagement in DC. I heard through the grapevine that there was quite a bit of pausing during the first couple of shows due to malfunctioning sets/props. Hoping that if I go for a later ticket the kinks will be worked out.

I'm interested in seeing that one as well. I have very fond memories of the movie and I think seeing how they adapt the special effects to the stage would be worth the price of the ticket.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

I'm interested in seeing that one as well. I have very fond memories of the movie and I think seeing how they adapt the special effects to the stage would be worth the price of the ticket.

Yes, Beetlejuice is a sentimental favorite. I'll report back in roughly a month!

 

[screech]

So Moulin Rouge has set its Broadway opening date. It will begin previews at the Al Hirschfield theatre on June 28, with an official opening set for July 25. Pre-sales begin November 21.
The Boston cast will be returning (Aaron Tveit as Christian, Karen Olivo as Satine, and Danny Burstein as Harold Zidler).

 

[personwhoishere]

So Moulin Rouge has set its Broadway opening date. It will begin previews at the Al Hirschfield theatre on June 28, with an official opening set for July 25. Pre-sales begin November 21.
The Boston cast will be returning (Aaron Tveit as Christian, Karen Olivo as Satine, and Danny Burstein as Harold Zidler).

Saw it in Boston and it was absolutely wonderful. Aaron Tveit is

 

[screech]

Oooh, and in further Broadway-related news, a miniseries is coming to FX in 2019 called Fosse/Verdon, focused on the romantic and creative partnership between Bob Fosse (Sam Rockwell) and Gwen Verdon (Michelle Williams), and the collaborators they meet along the way.
The miniseries will also include two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz as Paddy Chayefsky, two-time Tony nominee Laura Osnes as Shirley MacLaine, Tony nominee Ethan Slater as Joel Grey, Kelli Barrett as Liza Minnelli, Bianca Marroquin as Chita Rivera, Nate Corddry as Neil Simon, Evan Handler as Hal Prince, Emmy nominee Paul Reiser as Cy Feuer, and more!

It's being produced Lin-Manuel Miranda and Andy Blankenbuehler, the pilot episode is directed by Thomas Kail (all 3 from Hamilton), and the showrunner and scriptwriter is Steven Levenson (Dear Evan Hanson)

Definitely seems like something I'll have to check out!

 

[NinjaTurtles]

Yes, Beetlejuice is a sentimental favorite. I'll report back in roughly a month!

I overall enjoyed the show, but I have some pretty grave criticisms. I felt the story was fine and wasn't seriously put off by deviations from the film. The Beetlejuice/Lydia relationship reminded me a bit of the cartoon series. The acting was good. I think the meta and adult jokes were generally pretty funny and fit the subject. I didn't love everything about how the Lydia character was adapted into a modern teenage goth, but that's getting a little petty.

The musical composition is....bad. The genres are all over the place, so it lacks serious cohesion as a whole production. Maybe even worse, no individual number is particularly a stand out. It's all very forgettable. What is strange is that the lyrics aren't necessarily bad; there are a lot of creative highlights, but I can't imagine listening to the soundtrack as a stand alone experience.

The set design and technical production saved the whole experience for me -it's really top notch.

 

[4skating]

Oooh, and in further Broadway-related news, a miniseries is coming to FX in 2019 called Fosse/Verdon, focused on the romantic and creative partnership between Bob Fosse (Sam Rockwell) and Gwen Verdon (Michelle Williams), and the collaborators they meet along the way.
The miniseries will also include two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz as Paddy Chayefsky, two-time Tony nominee Laura Osnes as Shirley MacLaine, Tony nominee Ethan Slater as Joel Grey, Kelli Barrett as Liza Minnelli, Bianca Marroquin as Chita Rivera, Nate Corddry as Neil Simon, Evan Handler as Hal Prince, Emmy nominee Paul Reiser as Cy Feuer, and more!

It's being produced Lin-Manuel Miranda and Andy Blankenbuehler, the pilot episode is directed by Thomas Kail (all 3 from Hamilton), and the showrunner and scriptwriter is Steven Levenson (Dear Evan Hanson)

Definitely seems like something I'll have to check out!

That's some cast! I'm looking forward to it.

 

[personwhoishere]

Speaking of opening shows, what have the reviews for Pretty Woman been like? I know Julia Roberts recently went to one of the shows, that was honouring Garry Marshall, and that she seemingly enjoyed it. I hope it does well, because I found Samantha Barks very under-appreciated in the Les Miserables movie (where she was one of the best performers), and I want good things for Andy Karl and Orfeh (and the late, great Garry Marshall).

Internet reviews I've seen have been mixed, but I'm seeing it tomorrow! Les Mis made me into a Samantha Barks uber and I'm so excited to see her live!

 

[Yehudi]

I’ve also used Broadway Roulette which is good if you are a casual theatre goer and aren’t particularly picky. I’ve used it twice. I ended up with lower mezz for The Play That Goes Wrong and left Orchestra for Kinky Boots.

 

[clairecloutier]

This isn't exactly a Broadway musical question, but has anyone seen Shen Yun, the Chinese dance & music stage show? Is it good/worth the money? It's coming to Boston this winter.

 

[oleada]

So Moulin Rouge has set its Broadway opening date. It will begin previews at the Al Hirschfield theatre on June 28, with an official opening set for July 25. Pre-sales begin November 21.
The Boston cast will be returning (Aaron Tveit as Christian, Karen Olivo as Satine, and Danny Burstein as Harold Zidler).

Saw it in Boston and it was absolutely wonderful. Aaron Tveit is

Met up with a friend and his boyfriend who saw it in Boston and they absolutely raved about it so I just treated myself to tickets for August

 

[screech]

This isn't exactly a Broadway musical question, but has anyone seen Shen Yun, the Chinese dance & music stage show? Is it good/worth the money? It's coming to Boston this winter.

I haven't seen it, but I've heard that it's kind of propaganda-ish.

 

[VGThuy]

I've been catching up on reviews of The Cher Show and Entertainment Weekly stated it's basically a Wikipedia page set to music. NY Times basically said there was no real craft or art behind it. Ouch.

 

[ross_hy]

Anybody watching Rent:Live? Thoughts?

 

[TalentedButHumble]

I'm not a big "Rent" fan, I was kind of "meh" on the NotLive TV production. It didn't help that the audio mix was so weird. Not sure if that had to do with it being the recorded rehearsal instead of an actual "live" show. Also, live audience, it's not a rock concert. This is why I've never gotten around to watching all of last year's "JC Superstar" - the part I watched was so hyper.

OTOH not knowing the show well or these performers, I didn't have strong preconceived opinions on how the roles should be played. So while net posters were criticizing the drag artist who played Angel, I thought their performance was sassy and OK The guy playing Roger (aka no don't actually Break-a-Leg) was boring IMO. "Mark" was a good performer, but his character is a bit dull to me. Mixed feeling about Mimi and the rest. Hudgens was maybe OTT but at least had a lot of energy. (Of course, this gets back to whether people were giving only 75 percent cos it was dress, which they had no idea was going to end up broadcast.)

Although I've now seen the show twice, I'd missed until the mention after the funeral that "Angel" killed the landlord's dog. WTF? Another example of why I find the story/characters oddly pretentious.

Tho it does make me feel old when Youths on the Net were saying the themes of the show seem outdated" and call it a period piece. WHAT?! The late 80s/ early 90s were like 5 minutes ago.

My theory is that "Rent" is Gen X's show, as "A Chorus Line" 20 years earlier was my late baby-boomer's show and "Hamilton" 20 years later is the millennial one.

Also, despite my "eh" reactions to this and some of the other recent TV musicals, I hope the networks keep doing them! I'd say my favorites have been "The Wiz," with I guess "Grease" second. I think "Cabaret" would make a good live TV production.

 

[Jimena]

Not that related, but I thought I should share. I saw Hamilton in Puerto Rico. I hadn't seen it before and I had purposely kept away from the soundtrack so that I could be surprised when I watched it live. Boy oh boy. What an incredible show. Unbelievable.