| Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview | |
| Posted by: | pianojohn 08:06 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| Beautiful score and staging. Reminded me a lot of A Light in the Piazza which makes sense since it's the same director and Kelli O'Hara are in both productions. Small issue when a rolling cart fell into the orchestra pit early on in Act 1, but no injuries or damages and the show went on. Standing ovation at end which I hear is typical for most shows now on Broadway. It will be interesting to see how the best score Tony awards compete this year. My bets are on this, If/Then, Rocky, Violet (since it was only done off Broadway), and possibly Big Fish. | |
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| re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview | |
| Posted by: | mendacity 11:37 am EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - pianojohn 08:06 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| At this point, I believe eligible best score contenders will be: Big Fish The Bridges of Madison County First Date A Gentleman's Guide To Love and Murder If/Then Rocky | |
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| Certainly better than two seasons ago | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 12:27 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - mendacity 11:37 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| When two plays with scores (2gov1man & Peter) were nominated. | |
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| Aladdin if over 50% new material for stage | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 12:05 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - mendacity 11:37 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| Disney seems to reach that level with each film to stage adaptation. | |
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| I am guessing there will be ..... | |
| Posted by: | jdm 03:15 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Aladdin if over 50% new material for stage - dramedy 12:05 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| Animated movies usually have such few songs in them, I think they just about have to write enough new songs to reach that 50% mark. And sadly, the new songs are usually inferior! :-( Jim | |
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| re: I am guessing there will be ..... | |
| Posted by: | MikeR 03:33 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | I am guessing there will be ..... - jdm 03:15 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| The movie only has five songs (six, if you include a reprise): Arabian Nights, One Jump Ahead, Friend Like Me, A Whole New World, and Prince Ali. So it's hard to imagine that the musical's score won't be at least 50% new. Alan Menken has written the music for the new songs, with lyrics by Chad Beguelin (who also wrote the book). I haven't been able to find a song list online. | |
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| re: I am guessing there will be ..... | |
| Posted by: | theaterbear 09:27 am EST 01/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: I am guessing there will be ..... - MikeR 03:33 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| Aladdin the film had a few side plots, characters (Aladdin's mother/friends) and themes dropped during development. One song, written for Jasmine, was later added to the stage version at Disney's California Adventure - are these originally cut songs considered part of the existing 50% as they were intended for the film? Even if they were ultimately cut? I've always been curious about that. It seems to me they would NOT be considered part of the new 50% because they were written specifically for the stage. | |
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| Wiki has a list | |
| Posted by: | dramedy 04:59 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | re: I am guessing there will be ..... - MikeR 03:33 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| Not sure if it is current for broadway. Some of the songs were deleted from movie, so I'm not sure if that will be factored in the equation. | |
| Link | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aladdin_(2011_musical) |
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| re: Wiki has a list | |
| Posted by: | MikeR 06:22 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Wiki has a list - dramedy 04:59 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| Don't know why I didn't think to check Wikipedia. Thanks for the link. Yeah... at least two of those songs ("Proud of Your Boy" and "High Adventure") were written for the original film, but cut. I don't know if the Tony committee would consider those new or not. If those two plus the five that were in the movie are the only previously-existing songs, that leaves five Menken/Beguelin songs written for this production (assuming that the score doesn't change between now and opening night on Broadway). That looks like less than 50% new to me... but then again it's not my opinion that matters. | |
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| re: Wiki has a list | |
| Posted by: | Singapore/Fling 08:56 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Wiki has a list - MikeR 06:22 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| If the songs were written for the film - even if they weren't used in it - then they would not be eligible. I say that with about as much definitiveness as one ever can when discussing Tony rules. That being said, I don't think it will matter either way, based on the other shows this year. I'd say the four noms will be: If/Then Rocky Madison County Gentleman's Guide | |
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| I think that will indeed be the nominees ..... | |
| Posted by: | jdm 05:58 am EST 01/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Wiki has a list - Singapore/Fling 08:56 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| I do not think Big Fish will make it nor Aladdin, and I am pretty sure that First Date does not have a chance. Jim | |
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| re: I think that will indeed be the nominees ..... | |
| Posted by: | bwaydiva1 09:12 am EST 01/19/14 |
| In reply to: | I think that will indeed be the nominees ..... - jdm 05:58 am EST 01/19/14 |
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| Are you certain Violet might not be considered eligible for best score? (trying to remember if any classic musical examples were-the show has never been on Broadway; other classic musicals have been eligible for best book, so I'm wondering if Violet might just make the cut for book and score. I know it seems strange, but stranger things have happened.) | |
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| re: I think that will indeed be the nominees ..... | |
| Posted by: | Ann 09:31 am EST 01/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: I think that will indeed be the nominees ..... - bwaydiva1 09:12 am EST 01/19/14 |
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| Oh, they could do anything (protected by the "in its sole discretion" room-for-exception caveat) - and have ;) I wouldn't be surprised either - to find the score and/or the book eligible. Compared to Cinderella, the score is not that classic. Violet has been performed regionally, but I don't think it's been done a lot (I don't know if that's a consideration). For those who haven't seen it, here's the applicable paragraph from the (last season's) Tony Awards rules. It doesn't say anything about the score and book: 2(g) Classics. A play or musical that is determined by the Tony Awards Administration Committee (in its sole discretion) to be a “classic” or in the historical or popular repertoire shall not be eligible for an Award in the Best Play or Best Musical category but may be eligible in the appropriate Best Revival category, if any, provided it meets all other eligibility requirements set forth in these Rules. === There are also two questions on the eligibility application pertaining to the score: 2. Has the script or in the case of a musical the score, been previously produced in any manner that would suggest that it has become a “classic” or has entered into the historical or popular repertoire, regardless of whether it has previously played in what was then an “eligible Broadway theatre” as defined in the Tony Rules for the applicable season? Please check one: Yes_____ No_____ 3. Does the score for the Production contain only original music and lyrics written for this Production? If not, please approximate the percentage of material that is newly written for this Production and the percentage drawn from other sources: Newly Written ______% Drawn from other Sources _______% N/A (No Score)_______ | |
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| re: I think that will indeed be the nominees ..... | |
| Posted by: | mikem 03:28 pm EST 01/19/14 |
| In reply to: | re: I think that will indeed be the nominees ..... - Ann 09:31 am EST 01/19/14 |
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| The only classic shows that have had a Tony nom for Best Book are those for which the book was re-written. If Violet isn't being re-written, I'm pretty sure it will be nominated as revival and ineligible for book and score. (Of course, that's assuming that Tony categories are related to logic, which is a risky assumption.) | |
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| re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview | |
| Posted by: | ilw 11:33 am EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - pianojohn 08:06 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| Another Light in the Piazza connection: Steven Pasquale was in the original cast before it moved to Broadway. Also, both shows deal with the meeting of American and Italian cultures. In Bridges, the Italian flavor of Francesca's (Kelli O'Hara) songs contrast with the country flavor of her husband's (Hunter Foster) songs, but ultimately blend with the American folk quality of her lover's (Steven Pasquale) songs, a perfect metaphor for the story. The score is orchestrated by JRB (to get back to an earlier discussion of composers who do their own orchestrations) for 10 musicians, mostly strings. Francesca has a haunting cello theme that starts the show and is repeated periodically. In a 92nd St Y presentation a couple of weeks ago, Bart Sher talked about using the previews as a way to determine what material to cut, and last night's first act felt too long (even accounting for the delay after the stage mishap). The second act builds momentum as we watch Francesca being torn between a kind of love that she's never known and her loyalty to a loving family, as expressed in the spectacular duet between Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale "Before and After You"/"One Second & a Million Miles." (You can see the press presentation of this sequence at the link below.) My main problem with the show is that it's saddled with a cliched romantic fantasy figure: the handsome, artistic, strong yet sensitive loner. The bookwriter Marsha Norman does what she can to minimize the pretension of the book, but I can't help but wonder if JRB and Marsha Norman should have found better source material for their "La Traviata," as they've been calling it. Of course, without the popular source material they chose, they might not have been able to get the show produced in the first place. | |
| Link | press presentation of BRIDGES song |
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| re:press photographers | |
| Posted by: | SidL 01:12 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - ilw 11:33 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| In the press presentation video, I don't get it why the photographers are clicking away non-stop throughout the entire song. It's not as if there was a change in the scene. As a photographer, I get the "one more please" reminds me of the time I was on the street in NYC for some event near Carnegie Hall - photographed Paul Newman walking with Joanne Woodward - he "snapped" at me when I took a second shot "wasn't one enough???" I was surprised considering Mr. Newman was also a director. And yes, the second pic turned out better than the first one. and speaking of theatrical photography - I really wish Playbill.Com would take up the LESS is MORE philosophy and trim down their opening night coverage by a least a third - so many variations of the same image | |
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| re: re:press photographers | |
| Posted by: | MikeR 02:15 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | re:press photographers - SidL 01:12 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| In my experience with production photos (and I haven't worked at anything near the level of Broadway), they keep taking shot after shot for a couple reasons: First, the digital revolution means that the only limit they have is storage space, so why not shoot as much as possible. Second, shooting under theatrical lighting while people are singing or speaking is challenging at best. You're going to get a lot of shots where the lighting doesn't look right and/or the actors look like they're making weird faces. Best to take as many shots as possible to maximize the possibility of getting a few good ones. | |
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| re: re:press photographers | |
| Posted by: | SidL 02:21 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | re: re:press photographers - MikeR 02:15 pm EST 01/18/14 |
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| yes, similar to a White House press conference - just seems to upstage the video , perhaps the performers could pose for a solid minute - and then let the videographers do their thing | |
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| re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview | |
| Posted by: | Ann 11:40 am EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - ilw 11:33 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| I look forward to hearing more about how they have treated the story in the book, as the novel and the movie were extremely sappy to me. Looking forward to the score, though. | |
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| re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview | |
| Posted by: | WaymanWong 11:07 am EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - pianojohn 08:06 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| I'm guessing the Tonys will rule ''Violet'' a revival, so its score wouldn't be eligible. You've listed 5 possibilities, but there are only 4 slots. Also, don't forget ''A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder'' and ''Aladdin,'' assuming it has enough new material and meets the 50% threshold. (Does it?) And for the record, there's ''First Date.'' What a shame that ''Bullets Over Broadway'' doesn't have an original score. Years ago, Marvin Hamlisch and Craig Carnelia were announced to be working on it. Did they ever actually write any tunes? What happened there? | |
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| re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview | |
| Posted by: | huskyital (huskyital) 09:58 am EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - pianojohn 08:06 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| I saw it last night also...good score and Kelly O'hars singing is flawless. But it lasted 3 hours and too many scenes had little to do with the main story. At the beginning of Act II there is a long scene at a steer contest where there is lots of singing and a girl doing Irish tap dancing. Also it seems to be a show about moving set pieces. More than a hundred times actors are pushing in or out the scenery. I didn't really feel the passion. It should have the audience in tears at the end. However, the music and the performances make the show worthwhile. | |
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| How does the renovated theater look? n/m | |
| Posted by: | bnyc 08:49 am EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - pianojohn 08:06 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| nm | |
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| re: bathrooms at the Schoenfeld | |
| Posted by: | ilw 03:24 pm EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | How does the renovated theater look? n/m - bnyc 08:49 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| I didn't notice anything striking about the renovation. To my admittedly unobservant eye, it just looked like a well-maintained theater. One thing I did notice was that the men's bathroom on the lower level was small, and that there was a longer line for the men's room than the adjacent women's room. Presumably, the renovated women's room now incorporates part of the old men's room. Creating more women's facilities in renovated theaters is one of the requirements of NYC's Women's Restroom Equity Bill, which was much needed. | |
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| re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview | |
| Posted by: | pianojohn 08:41 am EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - pianojohn 08:06 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| One more thing: JRB should be considered king of the 6/8 song. So many songs in Bridges had that lilting waltz feel that he has done in songs such as "I'd Give It All for You" from Songs for a New World, "If I Didn't Believe in You" from The Last 5 Years, and "All the Wasted Time" from Parade. | |
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| re: Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview | |
| Posted by: | theaterbear 08:37 am EST 01/18/14 |
| In reply to: | Bridges of Madison County: 1st preview - pianojohn 08:06 am EST 01/18/14 |
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| Won't Violet be considered a revival under that "classics" rule they came up with a few years back? The one that deemed Little Shop ineligible for Best Score and Musical. | |
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