OKLAHOMA! Previews- Page 11

[getupngo]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 2:44pm

JudyDenmark said: "With the exception of any audience members dealing with PTSD... then I might think twice. But if you don't typically have an issue with gunshots, it's nothing."

im an army vet and I was fine. its very jarring. especially because the first one happens in almost pitch black darkness, but its not that bad.

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 2:47pm

This revival, from the sounds of it, sounds like the epitome of a revival focusing in directly on their material. While other shows try and expand and give us more, this gives us what we need from the text. God I can't wait to see this! 

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 2:49pm

JayElle said: "...
I was stunned when Jud was delivering his line to Curly or the peddler in the first half. Between his lines, Jud interjected 'TURN OFF YOUR PHONE." He was looking up toward me and angrily. I learned at intermission that the cel phone belonging to thegirl in front of me started ringing. I didn't hear it b/c I had the headset. I use the headset not b/c I can't hear, but b/c it drowns out all the peripheral noise in the theater. I was amazed at how he meshed it into his lines."

I just want to know what provider they have--I can never receive anything in CItS. I need to go to the lobby to get email during intermission to check on the kid

 

Oh, I loved Patrick Vail's Jud. Both menacing and sympathetic

and I agree with Lindsay is a goddess. Not necessarily with anything they said, just with their name.

[LxGstv]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 3:20pm

I wrote saying that it feels like a Quentin Tarantino production, it got bunched up as a negative critique. I guess it depends on your opinion of Tarantino, but my comment wasn’t meant to me negative in any way, I think this production is bloody brilliant!

I used the word experimental, that probably wasn’t the most appropriate word for it. I do think this production is meant to make you uncomfortable at times, but that’s not a bad thing.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

One of the main reason I linked this production to Tarantino is because seeing Laurey in her wedding dress covered in blood while performing the title song made it impossible for me not to think of Kill Bill and the bride of that movie.

edit to add the spoiler box.

Updated On: 4/10/19 at 03:20 PM

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 3:33pm

Thanks for the reply, Kad. It was very helpful. I enjoy Oklahoma! but it's not one of those scores where I feel like it would be disappointing to hear it sung a different style. I was just getting so concerned after all the word of mouth about how bad it sounded. As long as it's not an issue of the notes being outside of an actor's range or singing breathily because they don't have the vocal power to sing properly, I'm fine with a different interpretation. It was confusing because I think of Mary Testa, Ali Stroker, and Rebecca Naomi Jones as singers with big voices. 

Anyway, I'm going to try my best to see this later in the summer after hopefully revisiting Waitress and My Fair Lady. (I know, broken record.) 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 4:08pm

Vintage, I think you quoted me saying it was differently and unusually sung (it is!), but that necessarily mean that “unusual” will translate to “bad.” They just don’t sing it in R&H style.

The actors are good singers, but it’s like if Beverly Sills had been hired to sing Wagner. Well, she’s not a Wagnerian singer and her Brünnhilde would have be no Brigit Nilsson. It’s not that Sills couldn’t sing the notes, but her voice type and style is not what one typically associates with the role. Still, if she were forced to do it, at the very least she would have given an intelligent interpretation of the role.

Going to Oklahoma, you would expect someone to sing Laurey the way Kelli O’Hara would. Long, legato lines and a round, warm tone that fills the room. That is the usual. Rebecca Naomi Jones does not do this, nor does anyone else in the cast. This is the unusual approach. The Beverly Sills sings Wagner approach.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 4:21pm

Haha, great analogy, Whizzer. Thanks for clarifying. I'm one of the people who had less than favorable opinion of Lauren Ambrose in My Fair Lady. She always seemed to be struggling like she could only just manage the demands of the vocals. And to a lesser extent, I found Will Chase disappointing in Kiss Me, Kate as a tenor trying to sound more like a baritone. Maybe the fact that they aren't trying to sing Oklahoma! the traditional will actually make it more enjoyable. 

Also, let me know if you'd like to talk opera sometime. With this theater season being what it was, I think I spent more nights at the Met than Broadway this season.

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 5:48pm

In a segment they did on the show on NY1, Damon Daunno mentioned that he listened to a lot of Hank Williams* to get inspired for the role. They're definitely aiming for a down home country sound rather than traditional musical theatre... so if someone was expecting the latter, yeah it's gonna be terrible, haha. But as a country score, I thought it was perfect. Really, really looking forward to this recording. 

(*Blanking now if it was actually Hank Williams... but someone old-school country like that.) 

Not sure if it's already been shared in this long thread, but here's 90 seconds of "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" from the St. Ann's marketing, if it helps anyone who's on the fence. Ended up as sort of a hybrid between that kind of Hank Williams sound and more 21st century indie singer-songwriter country, imho, but it says "cowboy" to me more than any other Oklahoma I've heard.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ozS9j8bWh4 

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 6:48pm

So my mom and her gang of lady friends went to the matinee, and she reported back that she, along with her friends and a lot of the audience hated it. I'm not surprised, I can imagine the Wednesday matinee crowds, with likely an older crowd who probably bought tickets based on the name alone, will have the hardest time receiving the new version.

(I did warn her that even though I loved it, to prepare themselves for something different from what they might be expecting.)

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 8:32pm

I was at the matinee this afternoon. Overall I really liked it, although I did not like the dream ballet. Full review here:

https://humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com/2019/04/oklahoma-violence-as-american-as-chili.html

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 9:02pm

And just as a matter of reference, I saw the last Broadway revival of Oklahoma!, have seen the film, and have listened to the original Alfred Drake recording, and never really developed much love for the show. Not sure this revival will make me love the show but it does make me think about it.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/10/19 at 11:21pm

poisonivy2 said: "And just as a matter of reference, I saw the last Broadway revival of Oklahoma!, have seen the film, and have listened to the original Alfred Drake recording, and never really developed much love for the show. Not sure this revival will make me love the show but it does make me think about it."

I feel you on this!

I only saw the movie once and really had no desire to see it again. However i have always loved the music. Listened to it a lot over the years but never needed to see a stage production. I felt I should have because it is a classic but just never did.

Got invited to see this production and, honestly, decided to go because of the hype and it was an invite. I was floored. They turned the show inside out and it is brilliant. It is the one show this season that i hope to see again. The new bluegrass arrangements are just stellar and I can't wait for the cast recording.

 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/11/19 at 12:34am

uncageg said: "poisonivy2 said: "And just as a matter of reference, I saw the last Broadway revival of Oklahoma!, have seen the film, and have listened to the original Alfred Drake recording, and never really developed much love for the show. Not sure this revival will make me love the show but it does make me think about it."

I feel you on this!

I only saw the movie once and really had no desire to see it again. However i have always loved the music. Listened to it a lot over the years but never needed to see a stage production. I felt I should have because it is a classic but just never did.

Got invited to see this production and, honestly, decided to go because of the hype and it was an invite. I was floored. They turned the show inside out and it is brilliant. It is the one show this season that i hope to see again. The new bluegrass arrangements are just stellar and I can't wait for the cast recording.

"

The Broadway revival with Patrick Wilson was actually very good. I love Patrick Wilson. But I don't remember much about anyone else. I too am looking forward to the cast recording. That moment when Damon Daunno takes the mike to sing "People Will Say We;re In Love" gave me goosebumps.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/11/19 at 8:43pm

I also hope that Patrick Vail wins Tony for Best Supporting Actor. He deserves it. 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 4/19/19 at 7:23pm

Miles2Go2 said: "It’s really going to blow your mind then when I tell you that I’ve never seen The Sound of Music. Not even the movie! "

Thought I’d let you know I just finished watching The Sound of Music on my flights thanks to Delta Studio. I liked it more than I expected. 

[Danielle49]

Posted: 4/19/19 at 10:01pm

poisonivy2 said: "That moment when Damon Daunno takes the mike to sing "People Will Say We;re In Love" gave me goosebumps."

Saw this on Thursday and WOW. It’s brilliant. Wish I would’ve gone at St. Ann’s, but grateful the tickets for Broadway weren’t absurdly priced when they went on sale. While Rebecca Naomi Jones didn’t do a lot for me as Lauren, her scenes and chemistry with Damon Daunno were downright steamy. I’ve been skimming through the Tony predictions thread, and I would love to see Daunno pull a win for this. Even in fantastic company (loved Ali Stroker and James Davis), he’s living in that role, and doing some nuanced, gorgeous work. Definitely a huge standout from this season for me.

Updated On: 4/19/19 at 10:01 PM

[JayElle]

Posted: 4/20/19 at 1:21am

LxGstv said: "I wrote saying that it feels like a Quentin Tarantino production, it got bunched up as a negative critique. I guess it depends on your opinion of Tarantino, but my comment wasn’t meant to me negative in any way, I think this production is bloody brilliant!

I used the word experimental, that probably wasn’t the most appropriate word for it. I do think this production is meant to make you uncomfortable at times, but that’s not a bad thing. 

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

One of the main reason I linked this production to Tarantino is because seeing Laurey in her wedding dress covered in blood while performing the title song made it impossible for me not to think of Kill Bill and the bride of that movie.

I added the bolding emphasis. Yes, the blasted show made me uncomfortable and not b/c of the Tarantino goof.  I hated the house lights being on for most of the show. It was too visually distracting. I don't want to look at folks in the bleacher seats across the way eating chili, reading playbills, texting, etc.. So the press said it was to look like a barn or school gym. Well, they succeeded.  If I want to see a show in a gym, I'd pay $10 to the local school.  

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 4/20/19 at 6:31am

^ I agree about the lights on. Found myself too invested in other people’s reactions to the show. In some ways, I thought it made people be better audience members when they knew the cast could look at them at any moment, but it wasn’t my favorite of the changes.

[LxGstv]

Posted: 4/20/19 at 7:47am

I was actually referring to the lights being on when I said it’s made to make people uncomfortable at times, not the ending and the blood.
It reminded me of the latest revival of The Glass Menagerie that kept the house lights on for the first 20 minutes, but in Oklahoma! it actually made sense. I’m not a fan of a lot of choices in this production, but I’m really glad it is exactly the way it is.

[Damiensta]

Posted: 4/20/19 at 7:49pm

Just saw matinee
After reading all the comments here. I have to say I’m sad that I saw Jud understudy
Jud understudy was good but from comments here sounds like regular actor it’s great
I mostly liked show
However , that dream ballet. Ouch , and it feels like it goes on forever. If I wanted to watch a modern dance , I could of walked few blocks to Alvin Alley studio.
Also was not a fan of the dark scenes. I just wanted to sleep in total darkness.
The cast is great except Jones. There was no emotion or spark or anything there. You couldn’t understand why anyone would want her . She was giving noting.
I have to agree with Whizzer that Corn bread was delicious.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 4/21/19 at 12:26am

I feel like many are misinterpreting Jones’s very conflicted Laurey as one-note. I saw a woman so deeply at odds about what she needed/wanted to do that it paralyzed her emotionally.

[bk]

Posted: 4/21/19 at 1:05am

"I saw a woman so deeply at odds about what she needed/wanted to do that it paralyzed her emotionally."  I should think it would be painfully obvious by now that people see what they want to see.  You see it that way, others see nothing.  And around and around it goes...

[Kad]

Posted: 4/21/19 at 10:25am

Don’t believe it was shared here, but Decca Broadway is back (!!) and will be releasing the cast album later this year:

http://www.playbill.com/article/theatrical-record-label-decca-broadway-to-relaunch-with-oklahoma-and-tootsie-cast-albums

[binau]

Posted: 4/21/19 at 6:05pm

Incredible. I am in awe. I don’t understand how they did this and I will never, ever see another production again. I am so sad for anyone that couldn’t get into it - you are missing out! The typical middle aged Americans behind me: “I hate it”. “This isn’t the real show”. Needless to say they gave a standing ovation - just shows how pointless they are.

This is one of those shows where afterwards I feel I just need to curl up into a ball in a corner and think about what I have seen.

[Danielle49]

Posted: 4/21/19 at 7:35pm

qolbinau said: "This is one of those shows where afterwards I feel I just need to curl up into a ball in a corner and think about what I have seen. "

Absolutely. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I saw it last week. I wasn’t even particularly excited to see the show (not a huge Oklahoma! fan), just intrigued by the buzz and fact that it was brought from St. Ann’s. It’s such a brilliant piece. This and Gary are the only shows this season, on Broadway or off, that have truly moved me. Go, go, go.