Broadway Banter - Spring 2011
Mar 18th, 2011, 04:18 PM
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Broadway Banter - Spring 2011
It's just about spring, a time of rebirth and Broadway too is about to explode with new offerings. emd3 is blooming with 'Anything Goes' and I'm ready to follow her! Welcome to all things Broadway!
Mar 18th, 2011, 04:25 PM
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Last night I saw a preview of 'Motherf**ker with the Hat.' Why? Because I got real cheap tickets. I liked it. The dialogue is done so well, much is funny until you realize how sad the characters are, but I felt connected to them at the end. Elizabeth Rodriguez (B'way debut) and Bobby Cannavale (nominated for a Tony in 'Mauritius') were especially good.
Worth $130 full price? Never!
Worth $130 full price? Never!
Mar 18th, 2011, 06:28 PM
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Since not too many people will scroll down the prior long Bway Banter thread, I am cutting and pasting my comments on Anything goes here on the new thread...
emd3 on Mar 18, 11 at 1:54pm
I saw Anything Goes two nights ago.
I have three words to say about it.
GET TICKETS IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!!
This show is phenomenal. Sutton Foster is amazing. Sutton Foster = TONY nomination for sure for this one. Joel Grey is fun. Sutton Foster is A+++++++. After the last song/dance of Act I (anything goes), I couldn't believe Foster can do this show once a day, much less when there are matinees. It is by far THE highest energy show I have ever seen.
Jessica Walters and John McMartin are great also.
The Cole Porter music, the choreography, the tap dancing, the fun the frolic, the acting, the sets, the period and very cool costumes, it is all there.
GET DISCOUNT TICKETS NOW BEFORE THE SHOW OPENS AND THE REVIEWS COME OUT.
I can recommend this musical/dance production over any other I have seen in the past 30 yrs. (And that includes 42nd St. which I saw in the early 80s, South Pacific, Oklahoma, and everything else.)
It is amazing and if it disappoints you, well, are you sure you're breathing?
There are some rehearsal videos here, including the Anything Goes number.
http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/bro...oes/sights.htm
One thing bout the Sondheim theater, which I had not been to before. We were in the orchestra row N in themiddle. I thought this would be pretty far back, but the rows in this theater start rising at about row L. So we were slightly raised above the 3-4 rows in front of us and the entire orchestra in front of them. It was as if we were in the 5th-6th row because of this - GREAT SEATS, discounted ones also for $89 a piece.
I can't get this show off my mind. Have to go again.
The bad economy, Japan, it is all awful. This show is perfect for forgetting the blues and it will pump you up.
emd3 on Mar 18, 11 at 1:54pm
I saw Anything Goes two nights ago.
I have three words to say about it.
GET TICKETS IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!!
This show is phenomenal. Sutton Foster is amazing. Sutton Foster = TONY nomination for sure for this one. Joel Grey is fun. Sutton Foster is A+++++++. After the last song/dance of Act I (anything goes), I couldn't believe Foster can do this show once a day, much less when there are matinees. It is by far THE highest energy show I have ever seen.
Jessica Walters and John McMartin are great also.
The Cole Porter music, the choreography, the tap dancing, the fun the frolic, the acting, the sets, the period and very cool costumes, it is all there.
GET DISCOUNT TICKETS NOW BEFORE THE SHOW OPENS AND THE REVIEWS COME OUT.
I can recommend this musical/dance production over any other I have seen in the past 30 yrs. (And that includes 42nd St. which I saw in the early 80s, South Pacific, Oklahoma, and everything else.)
It is amazing and if it disappoints you, well, are you sure you're breathing?
There are some rehearsal videos here, including the Anything Goes number.
http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/bro...oes/sights.htm
One thing bout the Sondheim theater, which I had not been to before. We were in the orchestra row N in themiddle. I thought this would be pretty far back, but the rows in this theater start rising at about row L. So we were slightly raised above the 3-4 rows in front of us and the entire orchestra in front of them. It was as if we were in the 5th-6th row because of this - GREAT SEATS, discounted ones also for $89 a piece.
I can't get this show off my mind. Have to go again.
The bad economy, Japan, it is all awful. This show is perfect for forgetting the blues and it will pump you up.
Mar 18th, 2011, 06:30 PM
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CPG, thanks for starting this Spring thread!
I bought a discounted ticket for War Horse for mid-April. I may have time for another show or 2, but I honestly don't know what's good and what I actually want to see. I probably prefer plays over musicals... just looking for some suggestions for April.
I bought a discounted ticket for War Horse for mid-April. I may have time for another show or 2, but I honestly don't know what's good and what I actually want to see. I probably prefer plays over musicals... just looking for some suggestions for April.
Mar 18th, 2011, 07:19 PM
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I'll be spending the whole month of May in NYC so plan to see a lot. I've seen War Horse and Priscilla both twice in London. Anyone who loves true theatre should rush to get tickets to WarHorse.
Have my tickets to Anything Goes and Wonderland and Sister Act (I found this surprisingly good in London -- Patina Miller is sensational, and I look forward to Victoria Clark as the Mother Superior.)
Off Broadway, I'm really looking forward to By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.
And can't wait to see Frances McDormand in Good People. yk, that would be my main suggestion for you!
The current production of Arcadia seems to be getting mixed to lukewarm reviews and I was excited about it, but now I think I'm losing interest.
And House of Blue Leaves is one of my favorite plays -- the new revival with Ben Stiller, Edie Falco and others should be very good.
Have my tickets to Anything Goes and Wonderland and Sister Act (I found this surprisingly good in London -- Patina Miller is sensational, and I look forward to Victoria Clark as the Mother Superior.)
Off Broadway, I'm really looking forward to By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.
And can't wait to see Frances McDormand in Good People. yk, that would be my main suggestion for you!
The current production of Arcadia seems to be getting mixed to lukewarm reviews and I was excited about it, but now I think I'm losing interest.
And House of Blue Leaves is one of my favorite plays -- the new revival with Ben Stiller, Edie Falco and others should be very good.
Mar 19th, 2011, 07:41 AM
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I saw "Good People and "The Importance of Being Earnest" earlier this month. Yes, I tend to prefer plays to musicals.
Can't really say enough positive things about "Earnest". I already knew the play very well, and I loved what they did with it. Brian Bedford was unbelievable as Lady Bracknell. Highly recommend.
"Good People" is a "small" play for a Broadway stage. The first few scenes needed to be edited down, some of the actors looked nervous, and there was a bit of fumbling for lines. It picked up from there, both in the writing of the play and the quality of the performances. I liked the ending, although I heard some people say they objected to it. Overall, even though Frances McDormand is one of my favorite film actresses, I liked the production but it didn't "wow" me.
Can't really say enough positive things about "Earnest". I already knew the play very well, and I loved what they did with it. Brian Bedford was unbelievable as Lady Bracknell. Highly recommend.
"Good People" is a "small" play for a Broadway stage. The first few scenes needed to be edited down, some of the actors looked nervous, and there was a bit of fumbling for lines. It picked up from there, both in the writing of the play and the quality of the performances. I liked the ending, although I heard some people say they objected to it. Overall, even though Frances McDormand is one of my favorite film actresses, I liked the production but it didn't "wow" me.
Mar 19th, 2011, 09:31 AM
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I'm seeing Where's Charley at Encores tonight and this week I saw Theo & Co -- off off Broadway - it will be playing next week as well. Lots of fun - a 1916 English musical that never played in the states.
http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/expl...-28-41011.html
http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/expl...-28-41011.html
Mar 19th, 2011, 11:01 AM
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Thanks for the ideas. I'll keep checking this thread for more suggestions. The thing is, I'm always debating between plays vs operas. I have a few nights free right now so if I decide against opera, I'll go to the TKTS office and see what is offered. So, having multiple options will be good in case some shows are not available at TKTS.
Mar 19th, 2011, 11:42 AM
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cpg, I'm curious which reviews of Arcadia you read.
I read a full round up of them which almost all said the production totally misses its mark. Although Ben Brantley of the Times raves on and on about what a brilliant play it is (and who would argue with that?) even he calls it a "half-terrific" production, but his review is probably the most favorable I read. Here are just a few of the typical highlights from other reviews of this production. Still, I'd suggest if you've never seen a great production of Arcadia -- this one is worth seeing -- it truly is a brilliant play, if not production.
"Arcadia is a play with marvelous potential to amuse, delight and stir the brain, but this misjudged revival doesn't really crack the equation"
"You don't have to be a physicist, much less a philosopher, to see what Mr. Stoppard is up to, so long as "Arcadia" is staged and the lines spoken with complete clarity and correct emphasis. This, alas, is where Mr. Leveaux and his cast go wrong. Time and again Mr. Stoppard's punch lines go astray or get thrown away, and the trouble starts as soon as the curtain goes up.'
".in order for us to feel something for the characters, the actors must suggest the passions behind all the theorizing. Only half of Leveaux's cast is up to that task"
""Arcadia" is a play with marvelous potential to amuse, delight and inspire intellectual discussion late into the night, but this misjudged revival doesn't really crack the equation."
I read a full round up of them which almost all said the production totally misses its mark. Although Ben Brantley of the Times raves on and on about what a brilliant play it is (and who would argue with that?) even he calls it a "half-terrific" production, but his review is probably the most favorable I read. Here are just a few of the typical highlights from other reviews of this production. Still, I'd suggest if you've never seen a great production of Arcadia -- this one is worth seeing -- it truly is a brilliant play, if not production.
"Arcadia is a play with marvelous potential to amuse, delight and stir the brain, but this misjudged revival doesn't really crack the equation"
"You don't have to be a physicist, much less a philosopher, to see what Mr. Stoppard is up to, so long as "Arcadia" is staged and the lines spoken with complete clarity and correct emphasis. This, alas, is where Mr. Leveaux and his cast go wrong. Time and again Mr. Stoppard's punch lines go astray or get thrown away, and the trouble starts as soon as the curtain goes up.'
".in order for us to feel something for the characters, the actors must suggest the passions behind all the theorizing. Only half of Leveaux's cast is up to that task"
""Arcadia" is a play with marvelous potential to amuse, delight and inspire intellectual discussion late into the night, but this misjudged revival doesn't really crack the equation."
Mar 20th, 2011, 07:12 AM
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To answer emd3, Estelle Parsons was a standout. She brought tons of energy to the stage whenever she appeared. On the night I was there, the audience gave her a very enthusiastic response at curtain call, so much so that I felt a little bad for some of the other actors.
Mar 20th, 2011, 08:08 AM
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I'm most concerned that the reviews all highlight that you can't tell what the actors are saying.with arcadia especially that MAKES A HUGE difference, as well as the fact that its a pet peeve that they hire movie actors who can't enunciate.
Mar 20th, 2011, 11:03 AM
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Although thee title of this thread features " Broadway", savvy theatergoers are aware that some of the best and most creative theater is to be found Off Broadway. A good example of that is: Peter and the Starcatchers at New York Theater Workshop in the East Village. Not only good theater -- but -- you have the choice of great dining in that area at reasonable prices (something hardly available in the Theater District)
Mar 20th, 2011, 11:04 AM
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Although thee title of this thread features " Broadway", savvy theatergoers are aware that some of the best and most creative theater is to be found Off Broadway. A good example of that is: Peter and the Starcatchers at New York Theater Workshop in the East Village. Not only good theater -- but -- you have the choice of great dining in that area at reasonable prices (something hardly available in the Theater District)
