| re: The Life...utterly shameful. | |
| Posted by: BroadwayJunky 06:33 pm EDT 03/19/22 | |
| In reply to: The Life...and the Death of Encores - StageStruckLad 04:17 pm EDT 03/19/22 | |
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| I couldn't agree with you more. This production was shameful, vulgar, obscene and a desecration to the loving memories of Cy Coleman, Ira Gasman and David Newman. If Billy Porter and James Sampliner hated THE LIFE as much as they did, then why the hell didn't they just write an original show of their own? The amount of utter disrespect Sampliner gave to Cy's music is downright egregious. I'm amazed there aren't lawsuits abound. And what an absolute INSULT to the great Harold Wheeler and Don Sebesky. How could anyone do such a thing to one of the theatre's most legendary tunesmiths? Not only did he NOT "re-arrange", or "re-orchestrate" - he REWROTE and altered and changed Cy's unmistakable harmonic brilliance. The cast could barely keep up - because most of the chord progressions were silenced. Shameful. And well, there's no doubt that Billy Porter is talented; but a book writer, he is not. His version of "The Life" - is not "challenging" any theatre goer - and in interviews, that seems to be his mission statement. But to whom does he want to "challenge"? He answers: rich, white people. This is a sad day not only for City Center, but for the preservation of shows that were written in different periods of time. I had always believed that City Center would honor shows. Not rewrite them. Here's the thing: if you dislike the source material THAT much, know what? LEAVE IT ALONE. How depressing. My heart aches for those 3 gentlemen up in heaven. |
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