With a box office of about 38% of potential grosses (and declining), fans of Broadway musicals and Kelli O'Hara sounds about right to me in terms of the audience this is drawing, LOL.
In all seriousness, I wish this were doing better; although I won't see it until next week, I do love what I've heard of the score. Maybe it can hold on until the Tonys and the box office will pick up after than, but 38% of potential grosses is a pretty deep hole to dig yourself out of.
"I understand why some feel Brown and Guettel are stylistically similar but no-musically they really aren't. "
I feel that their music is quite similar: drab, dull, and melodically inert. The voices singing their songs may soar, but the music remains stubbornly earthbound.
I find his music to be rather lovely and definitely suites the Broadway/Pop mix. But he knows what to write and the style appropriate for each show. PARADE and THE LAST FIVE YEARS are brilliant, but IMO, both a incredibly different in terms of style.
"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."
Representatives of the original author of BRIDGES contacted James Lapine but he turned it down. They contacted Marsha and said they were trying to "monetize" the property and 'extend the brand' (interesting that, despite the outcome, this is a typical example of trying to make money by turning something 'well-known' into a musical). Marsha contacted JRB, who replied: "You know it's not a good book [Marsha]", Marsha: "You're right it's not, but there is something really strong here".
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Omg, JRB's dissing of "State Road 21" is so juicy. Also, JRB is incredibly funny.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000