The Broadway show thread where we discuss all things Broadway

[jdb in AZ]

Phantom of the Opera is returning to Broadway in July, re-imagined under the name "Masquerade." Andrew Lloyd Webber has been seen coming and going from the "new" theatre. Does anyone know anything about the changes?

 

[Realgrumpy]

Saw Dead Outlaw last night. Loved it!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Has anyone seen or heard of the off-Broadway play "Here there are Blueberries"? I saw a segment on "60 Minutes" about it-it's about an album of pictures of ordinary moments (like a man shaking his dog's paw, secretaries eating blueberries) at Aushwitz. I think it's on national tour right now.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Phantom of the Opera is returning to Broadway in July, re-imagined under the name "Masquerade." Andrew Lloyd Webber has been seen coming and going from the "new" theatre. Does anyone know anything about the changes?

Just saw this post. My son lives in NYC and has been hearing a lot about Masquerade. It will be less of a traditional show and more of an immersive experience (a bit like Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club). Guests will be required to wear costume-style masks. If you don't bring one, you will be required to purchase one there. Elegant clothing is required. High-heels are discouraged due to uneven terrain (possibly like a brick alley way that leads into the theater). Strobe lights and haze effects will be used. You select a password when you purchase your ticket and that's how you will get in to the event. There's a website you can access to see the details. I also hear that it will be quite expensive!

 

[jdb in AZ]

Just saw this post. My son lives in NYC and has been hearing a lot about Masquerade. It will be less of a traditional show and more of an immersive experience (a bit like Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club). Guests will be required to wear costume-style masks. If you don't bring one, you will be required to purchase one there. Elegant clothing is required. High-heels are discouraged due to uneven terrain (possibly like a brick alley way that leads into the theater). Strobe lights and haze effects will be used. You select a password when you purchase your ticket and that's how you will get in to the event. There's a website you can access to see the details. I also hear that it will be quite expensive!

Thanks. The ticket sales seem to be doing quite well. Since stilettos are discouraged, will there be handicap access? We have a disabled family member who's quite the Phantom fan. I'll be interested to read the reviews after the official premiere. The "propaganda" (hype) accompanying the e-mail to buy tickets says they want you to dress "extravagantly" in black, white, or silver. Tickets are over $200 and include a flute of champagne or sparkling cider. No one under age 18 will be admitted, which is a bummer because we introduced our kids to musical theatre when they were about eight. Both of them enjoyed Phantom, and we'd like to take the grand kids. If Masquerade does well I assume the producers will eventually have a touring company, but the whole immersive aspect would be a challenge..

 

[rebeccam31]

Saw Dead Outlaw last night. Loved it!

I saw this just before the closing announcement. What a wonderful show! It’s such a shame.

 

[Lewisc]

masqueradenyc.com/

Tickets are on sale for the preview. The preview is 21+ for most shows 16+ for matinees. ADA accessible. Free masks will be available. AFAIK dress code applies only to previews.

They give you a password day before. Photo ID.

A stage version of Phantom will be touring. This version can't really tour.

 

[elgerber]

We are back, from seeing The Outsiders Saturday evening. I cannot even put into words how I feel about the experience. Magical, surreal, perfect. I am still on cloud nine. And we had every single principal cast member, only one US for a background character! I was so afraid Brody Grant or Brent Comer would be out, but they were all there! I managed to choke down my tears in the first few minutes, out of the pure joy of what I was seeing. But Act 2 comes, and well. When Stay Gold started, I lost it completely. There was an old man sitting next to me, in his sport jacket and his slightly slow shuffling walk, who was crying almost as hard as I was. He started digging his pocket, and pulled out a napkin to wipe his face, and he pulled out two and handed one to me. It was so sweet. I can't believe I didn't take kleenex. I knew I would cry, but I didn't realize half the theater would be sobbing also.
We did dinner at The Perfect Pint before the show, on the roof. That was good, we enjoyed. I am NOT a night owl, but after the show I was too wired, so we went back to the roof for a couple more drinks, and went back to our room about 1. So not me, but I just didn't want to night to end. It was so perfect and I will forever be grateful I was able to see the full original cast on Broadway.
Came home with two tshirts, a magnet and a mug (and I don't drink coffee LOL).

And my one and only trip to NYC just for a show, is now a two and only trip. I am going back to see The Outsiders again in 4 weeks!!! Man it's expensive, but we did not get it in our MPLS season and I told my dh I cannot wait two year between viewings. We were going to go to a different tour city, but he said if we just do a quick in and out, we can do the Broadway show instead!

 

[jdb in AZ]

masqueradenyc.com/

Tickets are on sale for the preview. The preview is 21+ for most shows 16+ for matinees. ADA accessible. Free masks will be available. AFAIK dress code applies only to previews.

They give you a password day before. Photo ID.

A stage version of Phantom will be touring. This version can't really tour.

Nearly forty years ago we saw Phantom in Los Angeles before they started touring. I hope they'll do Masquerade at a semi-permanent theatre like that.

Is the music for Masquerade the same as Phantom?

 

[Lewisc]

Is the music for Masquerade the same as Phantom?

Masquerade hasn't had a single preview.

ALW is behind it. Hugh Panaro, one of the performers, played Phantom for over 2,000 performances. Other performers had experience in Phantom. I have to think at least some of the original music will be a part of the experience

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Evita in London

Thought the Broadway folks might be interested in this:

I was in London a few weeks ago and saw a preview of Evita with Rachel Zegler. It's a reimagined version of the musical directed by Jamie Lloyd. If you saw his version of Sunset Blvd with Nichole Scherzinger, it's a similar concept with minimal sets and costumes, use of cameras (although not as much as Sunset) and, of course, the lead actor ending up in his underwear covered in blood (and paint in this case).

My review (without giving too much away): Rachel Zegler was fabulous. This show demanded a lot of Evita, both vocally and physically. She danced along with the ensemble while singing her lungs out, running up and down stairs and truly expressing the desires of the character at each point in the show. I know she gets a lot of hate on social media but, based on that her performance, she really belongs in that role. Diego Andres Rodriguez is also fabulous as Che. He played Artie in Sunset and left that production early to start rehearsing Evita in London. He's a great Che, both vocally and physically. The ensemble is a powerhouse of sound and movement! They put together an amazing group of dancers and singers that were a joy to watch.

The balcony scene where Evita sings Don't Cry for me Argentina has become a source of controversy on social media. At the beginning of Act 2, the audience sees a live video of her leaving the theater and walking out onto a balcony on the front of the theater. It's much like Joe's outdoor walk as he sings Sunset Blvd and the audience watches on a screen. She sings live to a crowd of non-ticket buyers that gathers each evening and waits for her to appear. I've seen a lot of comments saying it's not fair to ticket buyers who have to watch her sing the most iconic song on video, while passers-by get a free live performance. Most of these comments come from people who did not experience the show from inside the theater. I did not feel the least bit slighted by seeing her on a screen. The fact that she was singing to a live crowd below made the scene much more authentic (even though you could sometimes see the Five Guys sign in the background!). We got to see close-ups of her face and expressions that we would not have seen if she was singing on stage. I thought it was a very effective sequence. My DH and DS decided to go back the next night and watch the scene from outside, which I suspect many people do after seeing the show.

So, that's my take. It was a great show and we were happy that our trip happened to line up with the first week of previews. After seeing Sunset in New York earlier this year, it was interesting to see Jamie Lloyd's take on another Andrew Lloyd Weber show. It will be interesting to see what they do next.