Threaded Order Chronological Order
| Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Posted by: showbuzz 06:46 pm EST 02/11/18 | |
|
|
|
| Thanks to several in here who suggested going if you hadn't booked! I took their advice and what a sweet afternoon I had...Most of these shows were shows from my youth and I really enjoyed reveling in the performances. 1st Bob Martin (The Man In The Chair from DROWSY CHAPERONE) narrated the event with such tongue in cheek humor! He was his usual frenetic excited self! If you're a Musical Theatre officianado it felt like he was talking directly to you If more people had told me about the wonderful selections of Overtures...I would have booked weeks ago. The house was not full...what a shame! But I am sure the weather was a deterrent. What I liked: THE OVERTURES especially WILDCAT/SUBWAYS ARE FOR SLEEPING and MACK & MABEL Bob Martin's quips and political snipes.....all very good natured even if you are a Conservative. The main reason I went: Bebe Neuwirth's selections in SAIL AWAY WILDCAT was the 1st cast album I ever owned...and I saw a tour w/Martha Raye a few years later.......back to my childhood! So the WILDCAT scenes and OIL! were absolute joys I was very touched by ONCE UPON A TIME....".once upon a time/Never comes again" MACK & MABEL.....ok...time to do this....great audience response.....Doug Sills is a perfect 'Mack' and what a joy Alexandra Socha was ......a hilarious and frenetic Mabel OK....the uneven parts.....GREENWILLOW! No wonder like Brigadoon it disappeared into the mist! Painful to sit through it! INDEPENDENCE DAY HORA......not particularly inspiring choreography GEORGE M! ......I luv the show,I've done the show BUT it needs brilliant choreography and a charismatic leading man!......and a better set up for the post bows MISS LIBERTY moment AS THEY SING IN follies "I'm so glad I came"! but it was really only a B or B + |
|
| reply to this message |
| re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Posted by: gcarl44 09:04 pm EST 02/13/18 | |
| In reply to: Sunday at City Center in the rain! - showbuzz 06:46 pm EST 02/11/18 | |
|
|
|
| I thought it was a wonderful recreation of past musical performances; the numbers (for the most part) were well chosen and wonderfully performed. Any theater geek who like 60s musicals would be happy to be able to have seen these recreations. While I enjoyed the performances of Wildcat and Greenwillow, I do think some other properties would have been better choices. I find it strange that no one has mentioned Vanessa Williams' turn. I love the score for Jamaica (it was my first cast album), and I was wary of the choice of her for Jamaica to begin with. I feel that, for me, the sequence was the jarring note that stuck out in the show. It seemed to be all about her and not the music or the show. It seemed like a diva turn, and I wonder if she agreed to do the show only if she would be the centerpiece and make it all about her. In all the other numbers, the songs were presented in context of what was happening in the story and more or less how they were done originally. The Jamaica numbers were presented without any context, and they were not done as they were in the show (Push De Button was a big production number, while here she just had four chorus boys to frame HER). I think her entrance said it all; she just came to sing her way. (If that was a directorial choice, I feel it was a poor one, given the staging of the rest of the show. ) | |
| reply to this message |
| re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Posted by: StageManager 11:53 am EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: Sunday at City Center in the rain! - showbuzz 06:46 pm EST 02/11/18 | |
|
|
|
| "Once Upon a Time" was the high point for me - and the fun and brassy "Hey Look me Over" (Who knew Reed Birny could sing?) Give them props for not trotting out "Time Heals Everything" and "I won't send Roses" but showcasing some maybe lesser known songs from M & M. Always heard it said that Jerry Herman won't license his shows for "Encores" - holding out for full Broadway production - anybody know if that's true? |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Posted by: 37Rubydog 01:00 am EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: Sunday at City Center in the rain! - showbuzz 06:46 pm EST 02/11/18 | |
|
|
|
| I was very happy to see the show -- and enjoyed it much more than I would have expected based on the reviews. I squeed at George M - but not going to say why. I also confirmed my belief that Milk and Honey should never be revived....even for Encores. I have added Greenwillow to my list of shows I never hope to see revived -- even with Clifton Duncan - possibly the best discovery at Encores (although I saw him in Assassins) since Chenoweth so many years ago. |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Posted by: JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 12:24 pm EST 02/13/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! - 37Rubydog 01:00 am EST 02/12/18 | |
|
|
|
| I agree with you about MILK AND HONEY. I was even mildly uncomfortable with the snippet presented as part of HEY LOOK ME OVER. A stage full of Israelis singing lyrics like "this land is mine," just evokes too many headlines. How do you present that sentiment and NOT also include the perspective of displaced Palestinians (which I'm only assuming the show doesn't...I've never seen a production, but it doesn't seem like that kind of show)? I think the 24 hour news cycle and a greater knowledge of the nuances of what's going on in the world have killed MILK AND HONEY. It would have to be a terribly good show to overcome all that, and I think, if it was, it would have had more of a life up to now. |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 12:32 pm EST 02/13/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! - JereNYC 12:24 pm EST 02/13/18 | |
|
|
|
| "A stage full of Israelis singing lyrics like "this land is mine," just evokes too many headlines." I haven't seen the show, but have in the past listened to the OCR. Couldn't a modern production have Palestinians sing a chorus with "this land is mine" and by the final chorus have everyone sing "this land is OURS"? |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Posted by: jmill 10:47 am EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! - 37Rubydog 01:00 am EST 02/12/18 | |
|
|
|
| While I agree with what you say about GREENWILLOW, I would disagree about MILK AND HONEY; I understand why it is highly unlikely to get a Broadway revival. But why do you think it should not even be revived for Encores? I saw it at the York as part of its Mufti series last year and thought it was wonderful. Any issue about some sentiments not being politically correct or appropriate today can be taken care of with a few minor cuts, as was done this weekend with the title number. The score is excellent and sophisticated, and, to me, and I know to a few other friends, it seems perfect for a full Encores production. In fact, of all the shows on display in HEY LOOK ME OVER, my personal thought is that MILK AND HONEY is one of the few that could still merit a full Encores production. While the MACK AND MABEL segment this weekend was terrific and a true gem, the book, no matter how often they attempt to improve it, has never worked. At the York last year, the MILK AND HONEY book, much to my surprise, held up well and played with dramatic strength and power. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Posted by: 37Rubydog 05:51 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! - jmill 10:47 am EST 02/12/18 | |
|
|
|
| I performed in it many years ago -- still undergoing therapy...but maybe it's a Catholic thing. To me, it seems a cross between Do I hear a Waltz and Candide...although I like both of those shows. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Posted by: CCentero 11:13 am EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! - jmill 10:47 am EST 02/12/18 | |
|
|
|
| It's funny, I saw Milk and Honey at the York and had exactly the opposite reaction. I'm glad they did it, and while I particularly liked the younger people in the show, I thought the story of the two leads was completely flat and uninteresting. The leads seemed to be re-enacting a far less compelling and convincing version of South Pacific and Most Happy Fella. I found their songs repetitive and can't imagine that any dancing at Encores would be anything more than the happy villager variety. I say this as one of the biggest Jerry Herman fans out there and someone who is happy to see Chin Up, Ladies over and over again. Congratulations as always to Jim Morgan for getting these shows up on their feet and seen again. Mack and Mabel however has one of the most admired scores of any failed musical and at least three great lead parts that could certainly fill the stage at City Center. There would be huge interest in this show. It's something that fully justifies the sound of the big orchestra at Encores. |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Posted by: jmill 11:45 am EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! - CCentero 11:13 am EST 02/12/18 | |
|
|
|
| I understand your reaction to MILK AND HONEY; I had seen it at Musicals Tonight several years ago and reacted the same way you did to the York production. But, for whatever reason, MILK AND HONEY worked for me at the York; I even saw it twice, knowing it's not a show we get to see very often. I've always been fond of Herman's score, which is almost operatic at times, but quite beautiful. The adult romance was touching, as were the choices the younger characters were facing. And, I join you in congratulating Jim Morgan for giving theatergoers a chance to see shows that otherwise wouldn't be done any more. I very much agree with you about the MACK AND MABEL score - it is outstanding. But, and unfortunately it's a big but, the book just doesn't work. I've seen over the years three different M & M productions, all with revised books in one form or another. As a fan of the score and of Herman's work, I very much want the whole show to live up to the promise of its score, but it doesn't. The fifteen to twenty minutes we got this weekend in HEY LOOK ME OVER were magical; but the whole show just isn't (IMO) as good or worthy as that segment makes it appear. All that said, I'd welcome the chance to see it again via a full Encores mounting. |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! | |
| Last Edit: CCentero 12:03 pm EST 02/12/18 | |
| Posted by: CCentero 11:58 am EST 02/12/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday at City Center in the rain! - jmill 11:45 am EST 02/12/18 | |
|
|
|
| The whole show of Mack and Mabel isn't as good or worthy as just the score, but I think that's one of the reasons why Encores was established in the first place. My guess is that audiences are going to be enthused more by M&M warts and all, than something like Applause, which just sort of sat there despite Christine Ebersole. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
Time to render: 0.027846 seconds.