| No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | TheOtherOne 06:45 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| We usually hear about Encores productions before the first official performance, which I believe is tonight. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | Budinsky 08:32 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
| In reply to: | No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - TheOtherOne 06:45 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| It's a very good production of a mediocre (at best) musical. The Encores! presentation of ZORBA was my first encounter with the work and I thought the book was weak and the score largely self-derivative. Fontana and Wanamaker give lovely performances and Mazzie is terrific -- particularly her opening number. Turturro, however, didn't strike me as an ideal Zorba; a more low-key than larger-than-life characterization. While it has much to recommend it, this ZORBA is one of those Encores! productions that provides evidence as to why the show wasn't originally successful. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | Kimmelhisway 02:16 am EDT 05/07/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - Budinsky 08:32 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| So, it's your first encounter with Zorba, but rather than consider the possibility that the production itself and its casting might be the problem, it's easier to just blame the show. This sadly happens ALL the time here. Zorba, in its original production, was a terrific show, but then again it had a terrific cast, a terrific director and a terrific choreographer. There was nothing terribly original about it, but it was very entertaining. Every time there's a new production of something older and its not a good production or well cast, people just automatically blame the show itself. But if it were a production that served the material well no one would be blaming the show, just raving about it. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | Budinsky 08:31 am EDT 05/07/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - Kimmelhisway 02:16 am EDT 05/07/15 |
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| It's "easier to blame the show" when the story is not engaging and the music not distinguished. The cast, by and large, was more than capable and the director and choreographer both did good, solid work. Since I didn't see the original production, I can't compare it to the Encores! presentation. As far as I'm concerned, that doesn't make my opinion any less valid than yours. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | Delvino 08:02 am EDT 05/07/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - Kimmelhisway 02:16 am EDT 05/07/15 |
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| I fully agree, with one exception: I thought the framing motif, the realistically rendered bousouki circle, gave the show a brilliantly delineated contemporary point of reference (see my post above, under the one about the LA production 10 years ago). I think the show is weakened without it, because it tethered the Zorba tale to contemporary setting, and in making modern players our point and means of access, gave the story proper more dimension, invited us to participate in its lessons from a modern perspective. And, frankly, Prince's handling of that opening was simply stunning. Even from the last row of the Imperial mezz, where I saw it, it made an indelible impression on me. The story that unfolds is certainly more traditional. But the evening as a whole was remarkable for that unforgettable launch and conclusion. | |
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| I saw the "Zorba!" tour ... | |
| Posted by: | flaguy 08:28 am EDT 05/07/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - Delvino 08:02 am EDT 05/07/15 |
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| It must've been ... early 1970, winter, at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit, MI. Starring John Raitt, Chita Rivera and Barbara Baxley. It was ... wonderful. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | TheOtherOne 10:07 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - Budinsky 08:32 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| Personally, I love its score. It's OBCR is one of my very favorites. And I saw a stock production of it many years ago and never considered its book weak. It's a show that never did go over commercially but was liked very much by those who liked it. I love Turturro. I found him a promising choice for the role but a bit of a risk, in that it's such a different venture for him he would surely benefit from a preview period which he can not get with Encores. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | mikem 09:38 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - Budinsky 08:32 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| It can be a bit tricky to judge the book by how it's presented at Encores, since the book is often trimmed considerably. Broadway World is saying that the show was 2 hrs and 15 mins. I don't know how long the show normally is. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | MikeR 10:19 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - mikem 09:38 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| When I did the show, if I recall correctly, it ran about 2:30 - and we might have made some cuts as well (I don't know for sure). | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | student_rush 06:55 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
| In reply to: | No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - TheOtherOne 06:45 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| Is this allowed? If so, it's a beautiful production. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | Delvino 08:32 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - student_rush 06:55 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| Oh, I'm so pleased to hear. Going Sunday afternoon. It's actually the event I've looked forward to the most this season, along with the SIDE SHOW revival. But, full disclosure, it was my first B'way show (not a touring company, i.e. in NYC), last row of Imperial mezz, June 1969. Unforgettable. The score is one of my 3-4 favorites, ever. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | MikeR 07:57 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - student_rush 06:55 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| Since tickets are sold to the general public, the admins have allowed discussion of Encores! final dress rehearsals. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | PlayWiz 11:12 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - MikeR 07:57 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| I don't think they are sold as much as they are distributed to school groups, etc. in the general public. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | Ann 08:03 am EDT 05/07/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - PlayWiz 11:12 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| I was under the impression that people could have that night as their subscription performance. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | PlayWiz 12:05 pm EDT 05/07/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - Ann 08:03 am EDT 05/07/15 |
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| It's possible, but there are also school groups, senior groups, etc. who had been given blocks of tickets. | |
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| re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? | |
| Posted by: | TheOtherOne 06:57 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
| In reply to: | re: No word on the "Zorba!" final dress? - student_rush 06:55 pm EDT 05/06/15 |
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| Thank you! I can't wait to see it. | |
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