The Broadway show thread where we discuss all things Broadway

[L&Lfan]

Exactly how I feel ( and it ain’t pretty!).
No thanks to this one act PC WSS!

 

[WDWJDS]

Since they’re still in previews, they continue to tweak things. Last I heard, they’re trying to go back to the original choreography. We’ll see how that works. As it is, I haven’t heard good things about it (and I sooo want to see it).

 

[Imzadi]

Since they’re still in previews, they continue to tweak things. Last I heard, they’re trying to go back to the original choreography. We’ll see how that works. As it is, I haven’t heard good things about it (and I sooo want to see it).

If one wanted to see a production where they changed up some things and did non-Jerome Robbins choreography, one can Google and find any community theatre or high school doing it. And for $15 instead of $150. And it would probably be a great production. No one expects them to be doing a revival or getting things even close to the original production. In fact, I did see a great community theatre production of it.

I get bringing a show back to Broadway and changing some things, even as a revival. Les Mis shortened up the production when it came back. They shortened it some more for the movie. (Although they could have gotten rid of Russell Crowe too. ) When Sunset Boulevard came over from London, Patty Lupone was fired and replaced with Glenn Close who won the Tony, and by all accounts, is much pleasanter to work with.

But, this show, WSS, coming back to Broadway - where Jerome Robbins WON the Tony Award for this show, WHY of all things, change THAT???

This production now sounds like a farce. One can't "bring back the original choreography," after one had already had a totally different concept and hired dancers who probably excel at the different style of choreography that he envisioned, but maybe NOT excellent at Jerome Robbins style. Sure they could "ape" the moves & choreography. But, if Robbins-style dancing isn't in their soul and their expertise, as some other Broadway gypsies, who spend day after day, in dance classes, still, honing different dance styles and Robbins is one they LOVE, these dancers are not going to have the same energy, precision and execution.

I saw part of a production of the Nutcracker on PBS-TV last month. They also totally updated the Nutcracker. Instead of doing Tchaikovsky's songs to traditional ballet, they totally changed it to a hip-hop version. It was really interesting, inventive and modern. It was performed at the NJ Performing Arts Center, and I think they made sure to advertise it as a hip-hop version, so people would be well warned ahead of time, if they had wanted to see the ballet version.

I can't imagine being in previews and finding out the hip-hop version isn't working or isn't well received and trying the change the choreography back to ballet with the accomplished hip-hop dancers, who aren't good at ballet.

 

[Ericcartmanfan23]

I saw the movie version of Cats and it was awesome!

 

[minnie1012]

Anyone seen the West Side Story revival yet?

2 of my daughter's friends saw it and they both hated it. They are only 17 but they felt it was just too different. They are drama kids so they know the original and see a lot of shows. They were shooting things with cameras on stage and projecting onto screens. They said it was so odd they couldn't even explain it. They said they didn't want to see a movie they wanted to see a show. There was a scene where it was raining and everyone was slipping (it was still previews though)

 

[Ericcartmanfan23]

I never told you this, but I’m an actress at a community theater, and they do Off-Broadway productions. Ever since 6th grade, I had a passion for acting.

 

[siren0119]

I never told you this, but I’m an actress at a community theater, and they do Off-Broadway productions. Ever since 6th grade, I had a passion for acting.

LOL there are many of us on here that are active performers welcome to the club! I'm currently rehearsing Rock of Ages with one of our community theater groups in RI

 

[Kaleidodad]

I never told you this, but I’m an actress at a community theater, and they do Off-Broadway productions. Ever since 6th grade, I had a passion for acting.

 

[superme80]

Another community theater nut here too!!! Currently I a a teacher at a local dance studio. I also perform with them as well.

 

[Ericcartmanfan23]

Another community theater nut here too!!! Currently I a a teacher at a local dance studio. I also perform with them as well.

I’m a dancer too!

 

[WDWJDS]

Actor/dancer here! Also wife of actor and mother of actor.

 

[Ericcartmanfan23]

Actor/dancer here! Also wife of actor and mother of actor.

We’re kinda the same. I’m 20 years old and a hip hop dancer.

 

[NJlauren]

2 of my daughter's friends saw it and they both hated it. They are only 17 but they felt it was just too different. They are drama kids so they know the original and see a lot of shows. They were shooting things with cameras on stage and projecting onto screens. They said it was so odd they couldn't even explain it. They said they didn't want to see a movie they wanted to see a show. There was a scene where it was raining and everyone was slipping (it was still previews though)

Feels like they are trying to take some
Oklahoma style maybe? I haven’t seen it but I do have some desire as I love the original, I like to see what they do sometimes but I won’t be paying top dollar as this seems a mess!

 

[Imzadi]

Feels like they are trying to take some
Oklahoma style maybe? I haven’t seen it but I do have some desire as I love the original, I like to see what they do sometimes but I won’t be paying top dollar as this seems a mess!

Yes, for experimental "revivals" do it at The Public Theatre or one of the other off-Broadway theatres that do stuff like that. And don't charge us an arm & a leg for it. A female Hamlet was done at The Public, a few decades ago. (Also a female Macbeth, I think.) I recall the reviews for the female version of Hamlet, saying it was daring & different.

 

[L&Lfan]

WSS revival sounds like a real stinkeroo!

 

[superme80]

Yes, for experimental "revivals" do it at The Public Theatre or one of the other off-Broadway theatres that do stuff like that. And don't charge us an arm & a leg for it. A female Hamlet was done at The Public, a few decades ago. (Also a female Macbeth, I think.) I recall the reviews for the female version of Hamlet, saying it was daring & different.

I saw community theater production of an All Female MacBeth. It was really good. Not sure how well it would do on Broadway, but it was an amazing production. I am not opposed to the new West Side Story, but I already know it is not something I would see.

 

[Ericcartmanfan23]

I saw community theater production of an All Female MacBeth. It was really good. Not sure how well it would do on Broadway, but it was an amazing production. I am not opposed to the new West Side Story, but I already know it is not something I would see.

The modern day MacBeth movie scared me when I was in high school.

 

[superme80]

The modern day MacBeth movie scared me when I was in high school.

I have read the play several times, one of my favorites, but never watched any of the movies.

 

[Imzadi]

Did anyone see Macbeth when Alan Cummings did it a couple years off-Broadway? I wanted to, but didn't get a chance. And suddenly it was gone. I like Alan Cummings as an actor. And since he is Scottish, it would've been interesting to actually see a real Scot in "the Scottish play," and how he interpreted Macbeth.

 

[superme80]

Just saw a high school production of "Be More Chill". It was actually really good. I knew the girl playing the Squip, and she was really good. It was clearly a high school production, but a REALLY good high school version. Clearly there were some adjustments for high school, but it didn't hurt the show in any way.