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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2018 11:31:03 GMT
I am hearing wonderful things. I am guessing this will take home the TONY next year
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Post by ali973 on Sept 13, 2018 17:05:26 GMT
I'm seeing it in about two weeks. After the uneven mess that was The Cher Show, I'm glad Chicago is getting a worthy pre-Broadway musical.
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Post by ali973 on Oct 6, 2018 4:23:27 GMT
Just saw this tonight. Well, just your everyday story of a mean man who dresses up as a woman to take a woman's job and does it better than her only to be forgiven and to become a better man at the end. This is clearly a show that was in development prior to #MeToo and #TimeIsUp, which explains why so many moral one-liners have been shoe-horned to tick a box.
It starts with the cast performing what the audience discovers, is a rehearsal for a bad musical. Funny enough, but I'm done with writers spoofing the genre. I enjoyed the first half of act one but was nervous and cautious that it would go downhill because of the premise of the play. Things go downhill after Dorothy's first appearance. and starts becoming flat, cringeworthy at times, and gets desperate with the Act I finale that shows posters of Dorothy in classic plays and musicals.
It picks up again with a terrific Act I opening with Michael's roommate (Andy Grotelueschen) telling him how he f*cked up (that's the name of the song). Lilly Cooper has a good number (Bats in a Cave?) on a set that is a nod to 54 Below, which is an improvement from her Act I song about why she chose to be a performer (because she fell in love with a boy). Sara Stiles as Michael's sort of girl on the side IS the star of the show and has a patter number akin to Model Behavior. Other standouts are John Bellman as the dumb as a doorknob and ripped lead in the play within a play, and Julie Halston as the producer. Santino Fontana is of course the undisputed stars of the show and is pretty much in every single scene and owns the stage every moment, although his Dorothy is a Dustin Hoffman impersonation.
The score is very Yazbeck. Has some great classic musical theatre moments, very schticky, very New York, very Jewish, and works great, but there are some other numbers, especially the ones that are supposed to capture emotional moments that are totally flat. Set design looks very '90s musical comedy.
It's a bit long and could use some trimming, but as tone-deaf as it is, I think it will be a hit on Broadway. Just looking at the audience I don't think this would attract an audience that would reject it for being so out of touch, and I think the New York critics would praise it for its classic musical comedy look and sound in the sea of pop musicals.
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Post by raider80 on Dec 1, 2018 21:03:11 GMT
The marquee has been put up on Broadway. More like programmed in because The Marquis uses an LED marquee. The logo has been changed since Chicago and honestly it doesn't look great to me, to basic for my liking, nothing that pops.
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438 posts
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Tootsie
Dec 2, 2018 12:27:00 GMT
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Post by Rukaya on Dec 2, 2018 12:27:00 GMT
That FB post wasn't showing for me so thought I'd add the pic in. Super unimaginative marquee, can't see how anyone would look at that and think "Yes! That's the show I want to see!", plus the dot above i looks a bit like sperm???
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Tootsie
Dec 2, 2018 14:56:04 GMT
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Post by talkstageytome on Dec 2, 2018 14:56:04 GMT
Yeah, it doesn't give much away, does it?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2018 21:48:18 GMT
Hope this gets to the UK eventually, seems like a great idea to turn into a musical. Could be great if the score is up to David Yazbek's usual standard.
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Post by ali973 on Dec 3, 2018 6:58:36 GMT
The score is good. It's a bad idea, to be honest. A man takes a woman's job to play a caricature of a woman, and does it better than a woman while also lying to everyone including his love interest and gets away with it at the end. It's tone-deaf and at times totally cringeworthy.
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Post by raider80 on Dec 6, 2018 20:28:33 GMT
First production shot is out and, it comes out looking a little tone deaf to me.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2019 0:32:37 GMT
Got my tickets. I don't know I feel it's not going to be camp. The overture didn't inspire me. Debbie Downer.
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Post by 49thand8th on May 16, 2019 22:06:29 GMT
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Post by ali973 on May 17, 2019 12:10:32 GMT
This show is getting zero traction on this board.
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Tootsie
May 17, 2019 13:58:40 GMT
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Post by musicalmarge on May 17, 2019 13:58:40 GMT
^Why would it? We are a UK board. Broadway isn't a place most of us can afford to visit, the show doesn't contain a British star, and hasn't confirmed a West End transfer. Once it ticks those latter two boxes, I'm sure it'll be of interest. That’s absolutely NONSENSE. I think many of us can afford to go to New York. Just it opened a week or so ago, so most of us haven’t seen it!
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Post by 49thand8th on May 17, 2019 14:08:07 GMT
^Why would it? We are a UK board. Broadway isn't a place most of us can afford to visit, the show doesn't contain a British star, and hasn't confirmed a West End transfer. Once it ticks those latter two boxes, I'm sure it'll be of interest. That’s absolutely NONSENSE. I think many of us can afford to go to New York. Just it opened a week or so ago, so most of us haven’t seen it! It opened on April 23. Previews began March 29. www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/tootsie-519394
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Post by ali973 on May 17, 2019 14:56:20 GMT
^Why would it? We are a UK board. Broadway isn't a place most of us can afford to visit, the show doesn't contain a British star, and hasn't confirmed a West End transfer. Once it ticks those latter two boxes, I'm sure it'll be of interest. There was a lot of Dear Evan Hansen love before it transferred. People were also very familiar with Waitress before it transferred. Hamilton? I could go on with examples. The one thing I'll say is that UK interest tends to peak after a cast recording is released.
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Post by 49thand8th on May 17, 2019 16:24:32 GMT
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 18, 2019 8:13:11 GMT
That’s absolutely NONSENSE. I think many of us can afford to go to New York I'd bet a vote on here would have it otherwise. I can't, for a kick off, and I'm sure I'm in the majority. Not just cash, also time. Even if I could, it would be very much a "one-off" never repeated and not some sort of regular bus trip down the road. Not just a case of can’t, but also won’t. We all make choices about what we spend our money on and going to New York to see shows which will eventually most likely land in the WE (if it’s any good) ain’t one of them for me. Also the hassle of it all is a major turn off. The trouble that people go to to get seats at discounted prices because the prices are extortionate.... sorry can’t be bothered with it. Everything about Broadway seems to saying “don’t come”. So I’m not 🙂
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Post by craig on May 18, 2019 10:42:46 GMT
This show is very much on my radar, and I've been hearing great reviews from friends in NYC. Until I hear more of the score, however, I don't really have much to say about it!
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Post by 49thand8th on May 18, 2019 17:22:59 GMT
This show is very much on my radar, and I've been hearing great reviews from friends in NYC. Until I hear more of the score, however, I don't really have much to say about it! I saw the last preview. I had a great time. The score isn't the highlight, though — that's for sure!
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Post by raider80 on May 18, 2019 17:27:22 GMT
This show is very much on my radar, and I've been hearing great reviews from friends in NYC. Until I hear more of the score, however, I don't really have much to say about it! The score is serviceable. The book makes up for any shortcomings though.
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2,761 posts
Member is Online
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Post by n1david on May 23, 2019 22:44:49 GMT
Well, it's on my agenda. Going the day after WorldPride/Stonewall 50. Seems like appropriate in tone.
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2019 9:50:36 GMT
That’s absolutely NONSENSE. I think many of us can afford to go to New York I'd bet a vote on here would have it otherwise. I can't, for a kick off, and I'm sure I'm in the majority. Not just cash, also time. Even if I could, it would be very much a "one-off" never repeated and not some sort of regular bus trip down the road. Cant afford an overnight trip to London let alone New York.
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Post by ali973 on Jun 3, 2019 16:35:50 GMT
They haven't done any fanfare with their cast recording announcement. It comes out on Friday and I Won't Let You Down is already out.
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Post by Sven on Jun 5, 2019 8:06:39 GMT
Saw it last Saturday eve. Got online lottery tickets in the Orchestra for $45.00. What a bargain! I just loved the show. All the leads were on. They are all so well cast. Not a weak link to be found. Fontana steals every scene and shines like a diamond. Great timing, fantastic singing. I loved John Behlmann too. Spot on! The book is full of hilarious oneliners. The audience was howling with laughter. The music is OK, but nothing more. This should win a lot of the Tony's. And Fontana is playing the role of a lifetime. Go see it!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2019 15:31:33 GMT
I'd bet a vote on here would have it otherwise. I can't, for a kick off, and I'm sure I'm in the majority. Not just cash, also time. Even if I could, it would be very much a "one-off" never repeated and not some sort of regular bus trip down the road. Not just a case of can’t, but also won’t. We all make choices about what we spend our money on and going to New York to see shows which will eventually most likely land in the WE (if it’s any good) ain’t one of them for me. Also the hassle of it all is a major turn off. The trouble that people go to to get seats at discounted prices because the prices are extortionate.... sorry can’t be bothered with it. Everything about Broadway seems to saying “don’t come”. So I’m not 🙂 I totally agree. I could afford NYC with some sacrifices. Just! But I'd much rather spend my money on other things. I find morally the prices there are wrong. And we have everything and more in London. Over the years there has been virtually nothing that has been on Broadway that I have been desperate to see that hasn't come here (or more likely STARTED here). (There's probably a few more, but off the top of my head all I can think of is Aida and Anastasia - and I could see the latter in Germany or Spain). And totally, the hassle is unbearable (God I sound old now). I don't wanna book an expensive trip to not know what I am seeing and where I am sitting with rush/discount etc. So you are left with advance booking at full price. Which is beyond extortionate. Just has the feel of a rich man's exclusive club. No thanks! Been once. Can't see myself going again.
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