Theatre Talk: In Our Own Little Corner

[aradia22]

Michael John LaChiusa musical about Graciela Daniele, The Gardens of Anuncia currently playing at the Old Globe in San Diego

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interview-Andra-Burns-Talks-THE-GARDENS-OF-ANUNCIA-at-The-Old-Globe-20210917

Broadway might not be in the picture unless it gets raves but perhaps off-Broadway at the Public or something if we're lucky?

[aradia22]

Just waiting for the day someone makes a Cicada, Cicada compilation for me to watch on youtube. 

[aradia22]

I miss the dynamic of tall Elphaba and short Galinda. Good vocals but I honestly wasn't that impressed by the acting. Lindsay was slightly better than Ginna in that regard.

There's something I don't totally love about Lindsay's choices. It's like the singing is... too healthy? She's not marking but she lacks the exciting riffs and vocal tone of other Elphabas. She picks moments but overall it doesn't overwhelm the way Elphaba's big numbers are supposed to.

[aradia22]

Honestly, not as cringe as I expected from the description

 

Edited September 19, 2021 by aradia22

[thosme]

I'm worried about going back to the theater.  I have already paid for season tickets in my small city and even for shows postponed from the last season.  I am retired and really don't go out much.  I've gone to grocery stores, the dog park, and doctors.  Last year not even that.  The theater will require vaccination proof and masks but I still am nervous about everything.  Shows are supposed to start soon. There are some I don't care about that I will probably skip but some I'd like to see.  Any advice?

[aradia22]

@thosme I would check your theater's return/exchange policy so you know in advance what your options are if there's an increase in covid cases or some other worrying development around your show dates. If you are able to get one, I would wear a stronger mask for self-protection. Personally, I will avoiding eating/drinking and anything that will require me to remove my mask in the theater. If it helps, maybe call customer service and ask them to describe what steps they've taken to keep patrons safe. 

[dbklmt]

On 9/17/2021 at 6:56 PM, aradia22 said:

Michael John LaChiusa musical about Graciela Daniele, The Gardens of Anuncia currently playing at the Old Globe in San Diego

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interview-Andra-Burns-Talks-THE-GARDENS-OF-ANUNCIA-at-The-Old-Globe-20210917

Broadway might not be in the picture unless it gets raves but perhaps off-Broadway at the Public or something if we're lucky?

I'm going on Sunday afternoon.  I saw LaChiusa's musical "Rain" there with Eden Espinosa playing Sadie Thompson.  She's back playing Mami singing and dancing to  "Magdalena".  Looking forward to seeing this.  

[aradia22]

Still an * (asterisk) Tony Awards but I'm honestly not mad at these wins under the circumstances beyond Diablo Cody. Lots of personal faves winning acting awards tonight. I will have to look up Danny Burstein's speech.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/The-2020-Tony-Awards-Winners-List--Updating-Live-20210926

[DisneyBoy]

I totally missed the Tony broadcast tonight. Is it re-airing online somewhere non-Americans can access it?

[Scarlett45]

On 9/17/2021 at 2:07 PM, aradia22 said:

This might be the most chaotic bio I've seen dropped into a Broadway announcement article.

Anyway... Paradise Square is coming to Broadway.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Joaquina-Kalukango-Will-Star-in-PARADISE-SQUARE-Opening-on-Broadway-March-20-20210607

My Mom and I are going to see Paradise Square in November! (Broadway in Chicago)

A friend is also taking me to see Rent for my bday on its farewell tour. To think this will be the last time in a long time I will be able to see Rent live.

[aradia22]

There's still something so raw and amazing about the way she performs this. It's without vanity but it's not like that movie singing where people need to actually cry and ruin their vocals to convey emotion.

 

[aradia22]

Sometimes I love CHAOS

 

[aradia22]

I know it's trash and the script is SO bad for this adaptation but I can't deny the appeal of the set and costumes. It is #Aesthetic. If you're going to be style without substance, then be this stylish.

 

[aradia22]

She is SO TALENTED. I highly doubt I'll manage to see her before she leaves at the end of October but I know her Tony was well-deserved. I've wanted to see her since this was in London.

 

[Dr.OO7]

On 8/28/2021 at 9:46 AM, aradia22 said:

This may be a hot take but I do think there are musical roles that should only be played by white actors. Glinda/Galinda, Elle Woods, Regina George, Heather Chandler, Patrick Bateman, Melchior Gabor, Johanna in Sweeney Todd, Daddy Warbucks, Raoul in Phantom, Nellie Forbush, Sandy in Grease, J. Pierpont Finch, Henry Higgins, etc. YMMV on each of them but I think their privilege and whiteness are intrinsic to their characters. Non-traditional casting in these roles isn't bad but you lose a component of the storytelling.

I don't agree with you about this, but it does make me think of the time that Miss Saigon cast an Asian actress, Margaret Ann Gates, as Ellen, the woman Chris marries after going home. (Towards the end of the show's first Broadway run) A lot of people pointed out that instead of moving on with his life the way he insisted that he had, it now looked like Chris married Ellen only because she reminded of him of Kim. And the normally reviled Ellen became more sympathetic--the scenes where she wonders if Chris even loves her at all carried a lot more weight.

[aradia22]

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BREAKING-Courtney-Reed-Conor-Ryan-To-Star-as-Satine-Christian-in-MOULIN-ROUGE-THE-MUSICAL-North-American-Tour-20210929

Ooh, interesting. I saw her in Aladdin and I saw him in Desperate Measures. Her voice doesn't seem to fit the role for me but I did find her singing in the Jasmine keys to be a little artificial so maybe this will actually be a better fit. His voice is pretty. I'm interested to see if there is positive word of mouth though I don't know if they'd transfer him to Broadway. The show would really have to be doing well and not in need of stunt casting. 

[Spartan Girl]

1 hour ago, aradia22 said:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BREAKING-Courtney-Reed-Conor-Ryan-To-Star-as-Satine-Christian-in-MOULIN-ROUGE-THE-MUSICAL-North-American-Tour-20210929

Ooh, interesting. I saw her in Aladdin and I saw him in Desperate Measures. Her voice doesn't seem to fit the role for me but I did find her singing in the Jasmine keys to be a little artificial so maybe this will actually be a better fit. His voice is pretty. I'm interested to see if there is positive word of mouth though I don't know if they'd transfer him to Broadway. The show would really have to be doing well and not in need of stunt casting. 

I’m so hoping we get the Moulin Rouge tour next season at Wharton Center. I don’t care if it’s crap, I’ve sat through worse.

After that beautiful performance of “Wheels of A Dream” at the Tony Awards, can we PLEASE get a Ragtime revival? Or a filmed version?! I’m not picky, I’ll take either!!!!

[aradia22]

I'm still trying to hunt down the Ragtime performance, but if I can find it, I'll post it. I would love a revival. Curious if they'll reschedule the Actors Fund benefit reunion concert that was cancelled.

As for the Moulin Rouge tour, I would love to hear reports. I'm especially curious how they'll manage the set for a tour. Though there are plenty of scenes with a very boring set up. 

[Milburn Stone]

On 9/29/2021 at 7:49 AM, Dr.OO7 said:

I don't agree with you about this, but it does make me think of the time that Miss Saigon cast an Asian actress, Margaret Ann Gates, as Ellen, the woman Chris marries after going home. (Towards the end of the show's first Broadway run) A lot of people pointed out that instead of moving on with his life the way he insisted that he had, it now looked like Chris married Ellen only because she reminded of him of Kim. And the normally reviled Ellen became more sympathetic--the scenes where she wonders if Chris even loves her at all carried a lot more weight.

This eloquently makes a case that goes even beyond the already-good case for race-blind casting, by showing that purpose-driven "race-different" casting can actually improve a piece.

 

 

[aradia22]

Quote

I don't agree with you about this, but it does make me think of the time that Miss Saigon cast an Asian actress, Margaret Ann Gates, as Ellen, the woman Chris marries after going home. 

Personally, I think my original comment doesn't contradict yours. By defining which characters are written as white (e.g. Chris), it opens up the question of which characters can be cast with non-white actors. So for all my previous examples... Elphaba, Fiyero, Emmett, Janis, Damien, Wendla, Moritz, Anthony, Annie, Miss Hannigan, Christine, Phantom/Eric, (South Pacific already has appropriate casting because it owns the characters' privilege and racism), Danny, Rizzo, Eliza, etc.

I didn't name all the characters but implied is that many of the other characters in these shows don't have to be cast as white. 

[aradia22]

Quote

Just yesterday, following its Tuesday night reopening, Disney's Aladdin on Broadway was forced to cancel its Wednesday evening performance due to breakthrough Covid-19 cases detected within the company. This marked the first Broadway production to cancel a performance due to Covid-19 since reopening began.

BroadwayWorld has just learned that the show will resume performances tonight, Thursday, September 30th at 7pm at The New Amsterdam Theatre.

The official statement reads: "Our extensive protocol system to test our employees and identify positive cases worked, and allowed us to act immediately to contain those cases. Given the thoroughness of our Covid protocols and a vaccinated workforce, we remain confident that the environment is safe for our guests, cast, crew and musicians.

Members of Disney Theatrical's companies are required to be fully vaccinated.

In the last 24 hours, two more rounds of testing- one rapid PCR and one lab based-PCR - have shown no new breakthrough cases in the Aladdin cast.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/ALADDIN-Will-Resume-Performances-Tonight-with-COVID-Protocols-in-Place-20210930

[aradia22]

Shoba is so pretty. I hope we somehow get more performance clips of her from press things. You didn't get to hear much of her. 

I was so confused by Frozen until I realized they were showing off the tour. I guess Caroline Bowman is only in her early 30's but I think of her as doing Wicked forever ago. 

This was a chaotic medley but it had its moments. It did make me want to see Frozen and Aladdin. 

[Spartan Girl]

4 hours ago, aradia22 said:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/ALADDIN-Will-Resume-Performances-Tonight-with-COVID-Protocols-in-Place-20210930

I really hate how morons were on social media using this as an excuse that the vaccines don’t work, or worse, snarking about Broadway “not being back after all”. They can go fuck themselves.

Anyway, I’m glad they’ve resumed performances and hope the cast members are ok. For all we know they might be false positives like what happened on The View.

Edited October 1, 2021 by Spartan Girl

[Dr.OO7]

9 hours ago, aradia22 said:

didn't name all the characters but implied is that many of the other characters in these shows don't have to be cast as white. 

And technically, they don't. I don't deny the possibility of the Black Vikings trope, but personally, anytime an actor of color has portrayed someone usually portrayed by a white actor/actress, it hasn't been distracting or diminished the quality of the show for me in the slightest.  The "Miss Saigon" example I cited earlier is the only time that I can think of that the Race Lift trope had a significant impact on the show's narrative.

[aradia22]

@Dr.OO7 I think it's hard to argue outside of theory because BIPOC actors are so rarely afforded the opportunity to play starring roles in established productions (outside of productions in other countries like South Korea or Mexico). The chances of them then being cast in these specific roles I named is even slimmer. Off the top of my head for the "Changing the Majority" trope, I can think of Jordan Donica and Christian Dante White in My Fair Lady, Jordan Donica in Phantom, Christian Dante White in Hello, Dolly!, and Joshua Henry and Lindsay Mendez and (not saying his name) in Carousel. You could sort of make the argument about MFL and Phantom but Freddy and Raoul are such minor characters, it's not that important. And none of the other characters' stories are about whiteness. 

It's not about Black Vikings for me. I think a great example outside of theater is the TV show Pose. The white characters in season 1 needed to be white. It wouldn't have been "distracting or diminished the quality of the show" if they weren't, but as I said in my original comment "you lose a component of the storytelling." I picked stories about power dynamics and characters with intersecting privilege that plays into those power dynamics. 

[Spartan Girl]

Anyone going to watch Diana: The Musical on Netflix?

[theatremouse]

Not worth the two hours, unless you want to geek out at the impressiveness of the costumes and wigs.

[angora]

On 9/29/2021 at 4:43 PM, aradia22 said:

I'm still trying to hunt down the Ragtime performance, but if I can find it, I'll post it. I would love a revival. Curious if they'll reschedule the Actors Fund benefit reunion concert that was cancelled.

Here's the whole "iconic duets" performance: Idina Menzel & Kristin Chenoweth, Anthony Rapp & Adam Pascal, and Brian Stokes Mitchell & Audra McDonald. I swear, each new duo that stepped out onstage was leveling up so much; I was grinning through tears the entire time.

 

[bosawks]

54 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Anyone going to watch Diana: The Musical on Netflix?

Sure, I don’t see why not and I always find Erin Davie interesting.

[PRgal]

14 hours ago, aradia22 said:

@Dr.OO7 I think it's hard to argue outside of theory because BIPOC actors are so rarely afforded the opportunity to play starring roles in established productions (outside of productions in other countries like South Korea or Mexico). The chances of them then being cast in these specific roles I named is even slimmer. Off the top of my head for the "Changing the Majority" trope, I can think of Jordan Donica and Christian Dante White in My Fair Lady, Jordan Donica in Phantom, Christian Dante White in Hello, Dolly!, and Joshua Henry and Lindsay Mendez and (not saying his name) in Carousel. You could sort of make the argument about MFL and Phantom but Freddy and Raoul are such minor characters, it's not that important. And none of the other characters' stories are about whiteness. 

It's not about Black Vikings for me. I think a great example outside of theater is the TV show Pose. The white characters in season 1 needed to be white. It wouldn't have been "distracting or diminished the quality of the show" if they weren't, but as I said in my original comment "you lose a component of the storytelling." I picked stories about power dynamics and characters with intersecting privilege that plays into those power dynamics. 

Regarding MFL:  We often forget that there WERE black people in the UK a century ago and it isn't a thing of the mid-20th century when there was mass immigration from the Caribbean.  Whether there were many who'd be mingling with people like Higgins, I'm not sure, but the very fact the current US touring production is acknowledging their existence is a positive thing.  

[aradia22]

Quote

Anyone going to watch Diana: The Musical on Netflix?

Yes... when I'm feeling catty and snarky. 

Quote

Sure, I don’t see why not and I always find Erin Davie interesting.

That's true. I've loved her since A Little Night Music.

[Spartan Girl]

Watched Diana and wow, it’s like what would have happened if The Crown did a musical episode complete with all the campy silliness.

Kind of liked the 80s rock opera music, along with the staff serving as the Greek chorus. It doesn’t get full-blown ridiculous until Act 2: I kid you not, there is a whole song about Diana’s F-You Dress. 

We didn’t need a Diana musical, but still nowhere near as bad as Love Never Dies. I don’t know how long it’s going to last on Broadway.

Edited October 2, 2021 by Spartan Girl

[aradia22]

Quote

We didn’t need a Diana musical, but still nowhere near as bad as Love Never Dies. 

1) You a brave soul (for sitting through Love Never Dies)

2) I don't know if that should be our standard 😂

I would assume that people would just watch it on Netflix instead of seeing it in person, especially with the pandemic. Even if you wanted to see something, wouldn't you rather see a show you could only experience in the theater? But I also didn't predict Beetlejuice coming back so Diana could run for years. Idk.

[theatremouse]

Diana was getting panned in previews right before lockdown, so I can't imagine it'll last long. That said some people are obsessed with the royals so there might be a baked in audience. It's hard to tell. I assume the Netflix deal was to try to recoup some cash and it's a weird coincidence it dropped the same week Broadway reopened.

[aradia22]

I honestly can't...

Edited October 2, 2021 by aradia22

[lurkerbee]

6 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Watched Diana and wow, it’s like what would have happened if The Crown did a musical episode complete with all the campy silliness.

Kind of liked the 80s rock opera music, along with the staff serving as the Greek chorus. It doesn’t get full-blown ridiculous until Act 2: I kid you not, there is a whole song about Diana’s F-You Dress. 

We didn’t need a Diana musical, but still nowhere near as bad as Love Never Dies. I don’t know how long it’s going to last on Broadway.

Nothing will ever be as bad as Love Never Dies. My friends and I laughed all the way home at how awful it was. Had it not been in our subscription package, I'd never have seen it. This Diana musical sounds like a trainwreck though.

Edited October 2, 2021 by lurkerbee

[Spartan Girl]

1 hour ago, lurkerbee said:

Nothing will ever be as bad as Love Never Dies. My friends and I laughed all the way home at how awful it was. Had it not been in our subscription package, I'd never have seen it. This Diana musical sounds like a trainwreck though.

It was, for all the reasons listed in the other posts.

I feel sorry for the cast. Their singing was good, if nothing else. But hey there have been other flops on Broadway.

Edited October 3, 2021 by Spartan Girl

[SomeTameGazelle]

2 hours ago, aradia22 said:

I honestly can't...

Please tell me it includes the dance with John Travolta. 

[ancslove]

Oh, Diana!  What can I say?  The melodies are unmemorable for the most part, and the lyrics are absolutely atrociously awful.  It's not quite as hagiographic as some Diana shows/specials, because it at least attempts to give a POV to Charles, Camilla, and the Queen.  And somehow, Diana is the least interesting principal in this show.  The show keeps wanting to really be about Charles and Camilla's enduring love story.

It doesn't say anything new or fresh, but then, are people who go to see a musical about Diana's life necessarily looking for a new or fresh insight or perspective?  

Some of the big crowd songs are fun and engaging - Snap, Click; Pretty, Pretty Girl, the Andrew Morton Book song.  Although the paparazzi all swooshing their trench coats around made me wonder if they were supposed to double as Chippendales.  

The James Hewitt song that opens Act II (I'm assuming there's normally an intermission between PPG and James Hewitt introduction) is completely bonkers, worse than Old Gumbie Cat from the 2019 movie.

The absolute best song in the show is Judy Kaye's An Officer's Wife.  She's stunning, and it's much more compelling than anything Diana did in the previous 2 hours.

I can't predict whether the stage show will soar or flop.  If it takes off, though, between the Queen/Barbara Courtland (?), Camilla, and to a lesser extent Sarah Spencer McCorquodale, it will be a good showcase for older (read: non Christine Daae, Cosette, Elphaba/Glinda) actresses.

It is not in any way better than Love Never Dies.  James Hewitt cannot compare to Beneath a Moonless Sky and Beauty Underneath!  It might be better than Netflix's Prom.

3 hours ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

Please tell me it includes the dance with John Travolta. 

It includes the dress, but not John Travolta.

It does include the dance with Wayne Sleep.  And I'm sorry, but I still want to know what possessed the actual Diana to think that would be a gift her husband would appreciate.  

It does not include Diana's private performance of All I Ask of You, sadly.

[SomeTameGazelle]

23 minutes ago, ancslove said:

It includes the dress, but not John Travolta.

Pity. I was amusing myself by picturing it as the hand jive from Grease.

I watched the "This is How Your People Dance" number and I don't understand why they aren't trying harder at this point in the story to make me understand why she married Charles in the first place even if it turned out badly later. It seems like a bad idea to make her so aware of how little she likes him from the start.

I love the Guardian review for mentioning Elephant! from The Tall Guy.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/oct/01/diana-the-musical-review-broadway-show-netflix

 

 

[shoregirl]

I don't know if I'll watch the Diana musical it looks really bad  but I did watch Come From Away on Apple. I loved it.  I can't fully judge because I haven't watched Dear Evan Hansen just listened to the soundtrack and read the synopsis but how did Come From Away  lose to Dear Evan Hansen.

[Spartan Girl]

10 hours ago, ancslove said:

It is not in any way better than Love Never Dies.  James Hewitt cannot compare to Beneath a Moonless Sky and Beauty Underneath!

Oh hell no, I still cannot bleach “Beneath a Moonless Sky” out of my brain. Bleh.

I still can’t believe they had a whole number about Diana’s fuck-you dress. I mean, it was a great dress, but seriously?!

9 hours ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

I don't understand why they aren't trying harder at this point in the story to make me understand why she married Charles in the first place even if it turned out badly later

He was the freaking prince, and she was 19 years old. She didn’t put two and two together about Camilla until they were engaged, and her sister really did say “your face is on the tea towels, it’s too late to change your mind.”

[SomeTameGazelle]

59 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

He was the freaking prince, and she was 19 years old. She didn’t put two and two together about Camilla until they were engaged, and her sister really did say “your face is on the tea towels, it’s too late to change your mind.”

I know all that in reality, but in the number they have Diana wanting to "sock" Camilla already. If they had leaned harder into the part where Diana wonders "perhaps his girl could turn him into a rocker" I think it would have served the story better. As it is it feels like they think they have to show Diana being right about everything, which leaves no room for the story to play out. 

[ancslove]

Come From Away was so good!  Really fun and cleverly done, and "Prayer" was an absolute standout.  Little surprised they used the full hymn of Make Me a Channel of Your Peace.

[aradia22]

Quote

how did Come From Away  lose to Dear Evan Hansen.

These are just my personal feelings. I do think DEH had more tug on your heartstrings melodrama and a couple of big songs while CFA really just has the Beverley Bass song. Also, I think there was a lot of momentum behind anointing Pasek and Paul as the next big thing. Personally, I think they should have BOTH lost to Great Comet. 

[RedElf]

The musical "Diana" will be shown on October 6 on Netflix.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/01/entertainment/diana-the-musical-review/index.html

 

[EtheltoTillie]

9 hours ago, RedElf said:

The musical "Diana" will be shown on October 6 on Netflix.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/01/entertainment/diana-the-musical-review/index.html

 

It actually started on Oct 1. I watched about half so far, and I am really enjoying it for the cheese fest that it is. I know and love Judy Kaye only as the reader for my fave audiobook series—Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone.  I didn’t know she was such a big musical star. 

[aradia22]

Quote

Beanie Feldstein will be joined by Ramin Karimloo as 'Nick Arnstein,'  Jane Lynch as 'Mrs. Rosie Brice' and Jared Grimes as 'Eddie Ryan' in the first Broadway revival of FUNNY GIRL.

None of the casting choices (including Beanie) would be my first choice but they all make a kind of sense. I'm curious to see how this production is received and if it's going to be doing something different or sticking faithfully to the original.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/FUNNY-GIRL-Adds-Ramin-Karimloo-Jane-Lynch-Jared-Grimes-Previews-Begin-This-March-At-the-August-Wilson-Theatre-20211006

[SomeTameGazelle]

17 hours ago, RedElf said:

The musical "Diana" will be shown on October 6 on Netflix.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/01/entertainment/diana-the-musical-review/index.html

 

The thing I can't get past in this review is "dutifully recounting Princess Diana's story". Did they see James Hewitt? 

The Pop Culture Happy Hour review seems more on the mark:

"It's part camp, part sincerity, part morality tale, part Wikipedia entry, and part Waiting For Guffman. Or, I should say, part Red, White, and Blaine, the show they're putting on in Waiting For Guffman."

[theatremouse]

What's weird is that when this was in development, the people involved kept pushing how it was all based on recordings of interviews with Diana, so it's her own words, as if to imply they couldn't be accused of misrepresenting anything. But the end result is so ridiculous and so silly, I'm like, yeah your source material could've been Entertainment Tonight for all I care. They made it sound like they were intending to make something like Evita but what they actually made is more like Xanadu.