| Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | jrjr (joereganjr@yahoo.com) 12:12 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| Despite the announcement that Benanti had the flu, she sang gloriously and there was no evidence in her movements in the dance numbers. It's a part she was born to play. I saw the original production and all the other revivals and two Goodspeed Productions. There are 77 people on stage, and the orchestra numbers 38. Hurley as Tony seemed to be singing without a mike; Heidi Blickenstaff was a great Cleo and her Herman was Jay Armstrong Johnson and their Big D number was sensational. Molaskey sang her operatic arias with ease. Cheyenne sang Joey very sweetly and his tattooed right forearm was very visible. MHF lost all the Tonys to My Fair Lady but I would advise everyone to rush to see this production. You won't hear an orchestra like this ever again on Broadway and the entire cast is wonderful. Don't miss it! When Rosabella falls in love with Tony, their voices soar and you believe the love between them. | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | jmill 02:42 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - jrjr 12:12 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| I was there last night and thought the Encores production was splendid - no scripts used at all, and Casey Nicholaw's production was polished and effective. The growing love between Rosabella and Tony in Act Two worked particularly well - I found myself quite moved, for example, by "How Beautiful the Days." It is thrilling to see such a huge cast onstage - I counted thirty people (with none of the principles) in one production number. "Big D" was a terrific, crowd pleasing show-stopper. The production is a wonderful presentation of Loesser's glorious score, which is overflowing with rich, beautiful melodies. And, I felt the superb cast does justice to all the songs. The Encores orchestra, of course, was exceptional as always - what a pleasure to hear this music played by, I believe, thirty-eight musicians. The cuts to the script did not bother me at all and, if anything, improved the pacing of the musical. I've always had some reservations about the show itself. The mix of arias, recitative, musical theater songs, melodrama, and musical comedy is awkward at times, particularly, to me at least, in the climactic final scene at the Napa Station. But, that doesn't take away from the many glories of MOST HAPPY FELLA, and the Encores mounting may be the best version of this show that I have seen. Overall, I found it to be a marvelous, romantic, rich evening of beautiful music and fine musical theater. | |
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| I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version | |
| Posted by: | PlayWiz 04:57 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - jmill 02:42 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
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| which played the Majestic around 1980. That version was wonderful and also was done without amplification, perhaps the last musical on Broadway to be done like that for its run. If not, I'm sure fact-checkers here will inform me otherwise. The production was also televised on PBS. | |
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| re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 06:47 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version - PlayWiz 04:57 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
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| I wish I'd seen that live, rather than just the PBS telecast, with Tozzi post-dubbing the first act because he was having vocal problems when it was filmed (which I think was in Dallas). I think someone told me recently that despite what has been said, they did end up using some amplification at the Majestic. But I have no idea whether that's true. I'd always heard it was completely unmiked. | |
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| re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version | |
| Posted by: | falcon15 02:18 pm EDT 04/03/14 |
| In reply to: | re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version - AlanScott 06:47 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
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| I believe it was filmed at the Michigan Opera Theatre prior to Broadway. | |
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| re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 12:09 am EDT 04/04/14 |
| In reply to: | re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version - falcon15 02:18 pm EDT 04/03/14 |
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| Thanks! I actually meant to write Houston, but you're right that it was Michigan Opera Theatre. | |
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| re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version | |
| Posted by: | allineedisthegirl 05:19 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version - PlayWiz 04:57 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
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| Yes it was a beautiful production. And the end of an era -- unamplified sound in a broadway musical. I believe it put Richard Muenz on the map, too. db | |
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| running time? | |
| Posted by: | jerseymerle 10:01 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - jrjr 12:12 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| Did anybody note the approximate running time? | |
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| re: running time? | |
| Posted by: | larry13 05:15 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | running time? - jerseymerle 10:01 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| Started approximately 7:40(after Jack Viertel's remarks); ended a few minutes past 10:00. | |
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| re: running time? | |
| Posted by: | jerseymerle 06:05 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: running time? - larry13 05:15 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
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| Thanks! | |
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| Not a book in sight... | |
| Posted by: | seeseveryshow 01:15 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - jrjr 12:12 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| I guess they don't even bother anymore to pretend they're on book. Did I read here that the Equity rule has been changed, and that nobody needs to carry a script onstage anymore? I was at the Dress also and thought the music and singing was grand, and typical of Encores. I don't count the number of musicians, but the orchestra looked about the same as it always does. I never believed that Shuler Hensley (not Hurley as referred to in jrjr's posting) was an old Italian guy - the actor is in fact only 47 and, despite an excellent accent (Ms. O'Hara take note!), does not have typical Italian looks. But, it was refreshing NOT to hear the role of Tony sung by an operatic bass voice. Although there's much to enjoy in this production, overall I preferred the small two-piano revival at the Booth Theatre of some years ago...maybe because the piece was new to me at the time. For the record, everyone I heard from after tonight's show was not just full of praise but wildly enthusiastic, even euphoric, about what they had witnessed. | |
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| re: Not a book in sight... | |
| Posted by: | KingSpeed 11:18 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | Not a book in sight... - seeseveryshow 01:15 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| Tony is not a bass role. It's a high baritone/tenor role. | |
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| re: Not a book in sight... | |
| Posted by: | Chromolume 02:37 am EDT 04/03/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Not a book in sight... - KingSpeed 11:18 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
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| Tony is not a bass role. It's a high baritone/tenor role. That's equally wrong, IMO. Baritone, sure. Tenor, definitely not. (And in the high-profile productions I know of, only one has featured a tenor - Paul Sorvino - and reports generally seemed to be that he was not vocally up to the role.) Tozzi was a true bass. Many of the other famous Tonys have been either baritones or bass-baritones. And also remember that voice classifications are different depending on whether we're talking opera or musical theatre. And that fachs really don't exists in musical theatre at all. Herman and Giuseppe are tenors. Joey and Tony are not. | |
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| re: Not a book in sight... | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 09:44 am EDT 04/03/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Not a book in sight... - Chromolume 02:37 am EDT 04/03/14 |
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| Although Tozzi started as a bass, and arguably was always a bass, he did later sing a few roles that we think of as bass-baritone roles (such as Hans Sachs) and roles like Figaro (in Le Nozze) and Don Giovanni that have been sung by baritones, bass-baritones and basses. Of course, other basses have sung Sachs (and sometimes perhaps run into trouble because of singing the role). | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 01:00 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - jrjr 12:12 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| I wish I was as enthusiastic as you about the production as it was performed tonight. I found it a very mixed bag, with some of the principals delivering solidly and others perhaps not so ideally cast or a bit under the weather. I'm not speaking of Benanti, who did not sound unwell, despite the announcement. But I don't recall ever feeling before that she sings through so much tension as it sounded to me like she was doing tonight so perhaps her illness was the reason, especially since I thought she sounded lovely in the first act, but less good later. It really is a glorious score and it was great to hear it performed with a full orchestra. Of course, it was a dress rehearsal and some of what I wasn't wild about may improve. I certainly was glad to have finally experienced the show with a full orchestra, and I liked it much more than the Goodspeed/LCT production. I know that about a half hour of cuts were made, but I don't know the show well enough to know exactly what was cut. Perhaps a listen to the OBCR or the JAY recording will remind me. | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | Billhaven 09:41 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - AlanScott 01:00 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| If Ms. Benanti was under the weather and an announcement was made about her condition it seems a bit unfair to comment that she sounded as if she were singing through tension and sounded less than lovely in the second act. C'mon Alan, you are usually so even handed about things! | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 09:59 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - Billhaven 09:41 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| You are quite right, and I rather wish I had not posted at all. In my defense, I will say that I posted in response to jrjr writing that she sounded glorious, and I did specifically say that the reason for what I heard as tension in her singing may have been that she was unwell. But if I had it to do over again, I would not have posted. | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | Billhaven 10:05 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - AlanScott 09:59 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| You are one of fairest and reliable people on this board. No joke. | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 10:13 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - Billhaven 10:05 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| Thank you. That is sweet of you. I have tried over the years to tone down my natural propensity for negativity and bitchiness. Sometimes it still slips out. | |
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| wow: this may be the most civil exchange in the history of ATC!!!! | |
| Posted by: | portenopete 12:20 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - AlanScott 10:13 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| what a breath of fresh air to hear two level-headed, intelligent people battle it out for who is the most considerate and polite. would that their equanimity and maturity would bleed over into some of the other posters (myself included). maybe the world ain't such a bad place, after all. | |
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| re: wow: this may be the most civil exchange in the history of ATC!!!! | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 06:44 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | wow: this may be the most civil exchange in the history of ATC!!!! - portenopete 12:20 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
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| On ATC I'm Herman from The Most Happy Fella but in real life I'm Sweeney Todd. ;) | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | larry13 04:31 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - AlanScott 01:00 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| The only(minor)cut I was aware of involved the presence of actual children(or one child?)and related dialogue that leads Tony to sing--before the accident--about his desire to have children. I'm sure there were other small cuts but, finally, Encores is giving the respect to the book that it always accords to the orchestra. I agree with your comments about the performance. Unlike another poster, however, I do think Tony calls for an operatic baritone--not bass--and one who can easily reach the many high notes written for the part. Of course the Tony should not perform in an artificial("operatic?")style but this has not been my experience with earlier productions nor how I find Robert Weede's incomparable interpretation on the OBCR. Furthermore, Tony should be, if not the "old man" Rosabella grimly sings, a man who appears considerably older than she does. This is the crux of the story. Tony's physical appearance is as integral to this musical as Fosca's repellant look is to PASSION. This is one show that I do not think lends itself to a small(e.g. two piano)version. Finally, one--again minor--deviation from the book involved Marie's staying onstage after the scuffle near the end and the--silent--sympathetic interpretation accorded her(by the director presumably)before she did finally exit. | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 05:33 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - larry13 04:31 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| I agree that you really want an operatic high baritone for Tony. With a bass, as with Spiro Malas, transpositions are necessary and it just doesn't have the same effect. On the other hand, it's certainly true that opera baritones who can provide the mix of heart, acting skill and voice that Robert Weede seems to have provided (visible in several television clips of him in the role, as well as audible on the cast recording) are rare indeed. I have wondered for some time what Placido Domingo might be like in the role, and of course now he has moved into baritone roles. But I guess that's not to be. Re the scuffle at the end: The staging for the most part worked well, but that scuffle made no sense. And it made Herman seem like he was suddenly a sort of irrational aggressor. I think they did not want to do what the script calls for, which I don't altogether blame them for, but what they substituted was not a good solution. There was not much of a scuffle between Marie — who is not only unusually sympathetic and vulnerable in Jessica Molaskey's lovely performance, but also very slight and seemingly no physical threat to anyone here (because that's Molaskey) — and the heftier (and excellent) Heidi Blickenstaff as Cleo. So very quickly, after virtually nothing of a scuffle, they're both on the floor. Herman goes over to Cleo, seemingly to help her get up. Pasquale goes over to Marie, seemingly for no other purpose than to help her get up. And suddenly Herman punches him hard on the chin. Why? Because he was helping Marie up? Did I miss something? That's what it looked like to me. I suppose the audience may think this is just fine because of how hateful Pasquale has been to Herman earlier in the show, but still Herman needs a specific reason to punch Pasquale. It needs to be in defense of Cleo. That's why she sings "Herman, my hero!" I hope they do something about this. The script calls for a very physical fight between Cleo and Marie. Pasquale tries to separate them, and unintentionally pushes Cleo too hard, knocking her to the floor. Herman sees this and that's why he hits Pasquale. Pasquale entered after Herman here, didn't he? Re the two-piano reduction: Something that I don't think was ever mentioned at the time of the Goodspeed-LCT production is that it was first used in a bus-and-truck tour in 1959. | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | Delvino 10:11 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - AlanScott 05:33 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| I agree about the voice. Something is different, perhaps lost, if it isn't a baritone. Malas wasn't my favorite Tony, though I enjoyed that production. Is there a phrase in all of musical theater as heartbreaking in its emotional resonance and yet simplicity as the "I don't know nothin' about you..." plea of Tony's? It always moves me to tears, without fail (bass or baritone.) | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | enoch10 12:32 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - jrjr 12:12 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| >> I saw the original production and all the other revivals and two Goodspeed Productions. thank god encores has snatched this from the jaws of obscurity. | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | owk 12:51 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - enoch10 12:32 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| What a band! What a score! What orchestrations! A straightforward version of the show, but with all the required elements in place, acting, singing, staging, which almost never happens any more. And the second couple are a wonderful, funny jolt of energy too. Don't miss it. | |
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| re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal | |
| Posted by: | MarjorieMae 08:31 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - owk 12:51 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| NYCO's production sounded glorious thanks to its fine orchestra. | |
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| re: Benanti and the flu | |
| Posted by: | lowwriter 10:08 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - MarjorieMae 08:31 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| I'm seeing this show on Friday and Sunday. How is Benanti going to make through all these performances? | |
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| re: Benanti and the flu | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 10:11 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Benanti and the flu - lowwriter 10:08 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| FWIW, I do not recall Viertel saying she had the flu. He said that something was running through the cast, but I was thinking he meant a cold. But perhaps he did say flu and I missed it as people were getting settled around me. | |
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| No kissing | |
| Posted by: | seeseveryshow 10:58 am EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Benanti and the flu - AlanScott 10:11 am EDT 04/02/14 |
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| Viertel did not say she had the flu. He just referred to something running through the cast and made an allusion to other illnesses in other previewing Broadway shows. I think the purpose of his announcement was to explain why Benanti would not be kissing anyone during the show. There were a couple of places (Act 1 finale especially) where she should be lip-locked with either Joey or Tony, but instead we saw only hugging last night. Viertel expected the kissing to be back in tonight. Benanti looked and sounded fine throughout. Viertel said she made it through many performances of INTO THE WOODS with a broken neck, so performing with a cold or something was cake for her. | |
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