Threaded Order Chronological Order
| re: Bandstand - WOW | |
| Posted by: ShowGoer 04:58 pm EDT 07/08/17 | |
| In reply to: Bandstand - WOW - Shutterbug 04:00 pm EDT 07/08/17 | |
|
|
|
| I'm even more baffled by some of the love for this show on here than I was all the hosannas that Come From Away received. Come From Away at least is clearly the work of musical theatre professionals across the board, with deserved Tony-winning direction, a terrific cast, and a feel-good message we could all use now – if I still don't quite understand how it was ever supposed to be in serious contention for big awards (never mind how that music and lyrics got nominated for Best Score over War Paint, Anastasia and even A Bronx Tale), I at least had a good time while watching it and recognize its clear status as a crowd-pleaser. Bandstand, on the other hand, I thought was one of the more excruciating evenings I've spent on Broadway in some time. Never mind Groundhog Day and the other shows I mentioned above, I honestly preferred In Transit and Amelie to this one, flaws and all. Blankenbuhler's work aside, I thought this came off as a vanity project on Broadway, every bit as much as things like Amazing Grace and Scandalous and Soul Doctor. Cott and Osnes are killing themselves up there, as is much of the cast – but to no avail. And the atrocious miking bumps up every number to try to beat the audience into a submissive ovation that the songs wouldn't receive any other way. I don't get this one. |
|
| reply to this message |
| Oberacker's work? | |
| Posted by: Delvino 08:32 am EDT 07/09/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Bandstand - WOW - ShowGoer 04:58 pm EDT 07/08/17 | |
|
|
|
| I'm intrigued that you found Richard Oberacker's music indicative of a vanity project. Whatever "Bandstand's flaws -- and I get them, especially some of its second act feel good-ness, shoehorned into a dark story -- Oberacker's driving, emotion enhancing score just lifts the work as much as Blankenbuhler's. That synergy -- the direction and choreography, gorgeously arranged music, and hard-working cast -- compensates for me. I certainly see how any number of producers or others could consider this B'way worthy. The show may have marketing issues, but its not a thrown-together, derivative piece. The thought and care are all on display -- and taste, in the design decisions by Korins and Young -- and make this more worthy than any vanity production I've seen. Including two of the ones you mention, which I can't related to "Bandstand" in the same sentence | |
| reply to this message |
| re: Bandstand - WOW | |
| Posted by: lowwriter 12:46 am EDT 07/09/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Bandstand - WOW - ShowGoer 04:58 pm EDT 07/08/17 | |
|
|
|
| Atrocious miking? I have no idea what you're talking about. And In Transit has to be the most mediocre musical produced on Broadway in years. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Bandstand - WOW | |
| Posted by: sirpupnyc 08:55 am EDT 07/09/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Bandstand - WOW - lowwriter 12:46 am EDT 07/09/17 | |
|
|
|
| I don't know if it's what ShowGoer means, but the sound design seemed to me to have two settings: loud and louder. Making a sonic difference between when the band is performing and when they're not makes sense, but it was just louder and boomier than what was already plenty loud. I was fairly close on the right side of the orchestra, so maybe that's just a bad spot for the effect, but it still seemed to have started from a bad case of typical musical sound design: loud, loud, loud, and don't let anything sound like it's coming from the stage. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Bandstand - WOW | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 09:23 am EDT 07/09/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Bandstand - WOW - sirpupnyc 08:55 am EDT 07/09/17 | |
|
|
|
| On 5/17/17 I sat in the front mezzanine center C 114, which was ideal for this show. I had no problem with the sound. I heard every word clearly. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Bandstand - WOW | |
| Posted by: lowwriter 11:13 am EDT 07/09/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Bandstand - WOW - BroadwayTonyJ 09:23 am EDT 07/09/17 | |
|
|
|
| I saw the show from the front mezz twice and I guess that's the best place to see the show sound and dance wise. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Bandstand - WOW (MILD SPOILER) | |
| Posted by: Delvino 11:51 am EDT 07/09/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Bandstand - WOW - lowwriter 11:13 am EDT 07/09/17 | |
|
|
|
| I was in row D of the front mezz, and found the seats just about ideal, for Korins' work and the choreography. STAGING SPOILER When the characters' dreams begin to be realized, the extremem naturalism in the Korins designs vanish, the stage deepens, and the only realistic working set piece is a hotel door. It's a brilliant conceit for a show that's all about the tropes of MGM musicals and their deconstruction (see the authors' Playbill annotations of the score). But the show's designs -- like its dances -- are just stunning from the mezz, where both the downstage (most of act one) and then the far reaches of the upstage in act two are revealed. |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| I guess you could call these two posts mixed reviews n/m | |
| Posted by: broadwaybacker 05:19 pm EDT 07/08/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Bandstand - WOW - ShowGoer 04:58 pm EDT 07/08/17 | |
|
|
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
Time to render: 0.035878 seconds.