Light on the Piazza
 

Any reviews / comments for those who saw it on Broadway?

Thinking of going Starrsy?

Yep. I'm gonna go. What about you?

Prolly not. All my money will go to Thrashers tickets :D

You go to the ice. I'll go to Tuscany (via the stage).

If I come across free Thrasher tix, do you want them? I have "a source".

Always! Thanks for the offer!

First of all, it's A Light IN the Piazza.
As for the enjoyment factor, women seem to enjoy more than men. (For example, my wife and the female half of our friends who went with us loved. We two men thought it was just "okay." And that seems to be a frequent pattern.)

It's the first musical since West Side Story where I found myself listening to the orchestrations -- they are beautiful. But perhaps that's also because I wasn't so taken with what was going on onstage. Magnificent stylized scenery. Wonderful costumes except for the idea of the son of a wealthy haberdasher in Florence in the 1950's who has a shirt with unbuttoned cuffs hanging 4 inches too long -- what was that all about?
A few pretty songs (none that you'll be humming going out), but a rather predictable and simple plot and dialogue.

Thanks Howard and Neo,

Just the input I was looking for. I may go solo then. There's a front row center seat available now. It sounds like my guest may not be wowed by it - and I want to enjoy Tuscany by default that week without worrying about someone else!

PS - HowardR - that's what I get for posting so late at night. I also changed my computer password in the early am - and couldn't remember it for the longest time this morning. THAT was scary! :-)

starrsville, it's called "the aging process."
In fairness to the show, the sets were magnificent and well deserving of the Tony.

:-) HowardR -
JUST had that conversation with a customer (between posts). We just don't retain as much as we used to, do we?

It's a choice of front row center (solo) or East Bumblewad (for two). Since this is the closest I'm going to get to Tuscany for this milestone birthday, I'm going to treat myself in the middle of the week - and not worry if someone else is enjoying the show. I will be in heaven, I'm sure!

If you like precious, pretentious, and arty, you may like Piazza.

Well, how Perfect then! :-)

I may even wear Pink!
Pink capri pants with ballet flats perhaps?
Pearls. Yes, of course, Pearls.

Oh, where is Muffinpink? She would be so Pleased!

I "saw" the Lincoln Center production on PBS and loved it. I did shed more than a few tears though, so was glad I was in the privacy of my own home! :) I can easily see why women might relate to it more than men, especially mothers, and mothers of daughters even more so. LOL Happy Birthday MsStarrs! Bring a hankie. The story line is simple but it didn't diminish it for me. Perhaps I especially needed a feel good story that day and from the sounds of FFRR, you might as well.

I saw this with my daughter and my brother last year. We all thought the plot was extremely silly. For one thing, as my brother pointed out "What Italian family in the fifties would have a problem with a daughter-in-law- who was beautiful, childlike and compliant?" The music was forgettable IMO.

Suki, is that what you thought the play was about? Or that was what the girl was like?
Ouch.

I have only seen it on PBS, as I live on the other side of the country. The only reason it's not called an "opera" is that producers consider that word box-office poison. But that's really what it is. The music is beautiful, lushly orchestrated, and very much invokes the locale and emotions. The score is "unmemorable" and "unhummable" only because it's not made of simple 32-bar show tunes endlessly reprised. It becomes memorable after you've either seen it a few times (unfortunately more practical with a taped TV show than with costly theatre tickets) or listened to the even more luminous cast recording. Guettel is like Sondheim in that regard.

If you're looking for spectacular no-brainer entertainment, go elsewhere. But if you want an engaging, thoughtful play with great music (and you aren't averse to opera) it's well worth seeing. And it's not just for women.

I'm not sure that's the ONLY reason it's not called an opera. Generally operas are completely sung -- all music. This show has lots and lots of simple dialogue between the numbers. Doesn't it? Or have I forgotten it already?

I'm with you on this one, Neopolitan. A Light in the Piazza is far from being an opera.
And, sorry, JBHapgood, but I don't at all agree with you. It's a stretch--a big stretch--to equate Guettel with Sondheim. The former has a long way to go before reaching the Sondheim level of excellence!