Sondheim and Ives' HERE WE ARE at The Shed- Page 60

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/22/24 at 12:30pm

One of the things that i realized yesterday was that the more I saw the show, the less “unfinished” it seemed to me. Obviously it would have been different had Sondheim lived, but I found it interesting how my view on that shifted. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/22/24 at 12:43pm

So no possible Broadway transfer? Was thinking this could fit into The Booth for a short summer engagement.

[inception]

Posted: 1/22/24 at 1:08pm

When I saw it I didn't think it felt unfinished. Perhaps because I had watched Exterminaing Angel & could see how this followed (& diverted) from that.

Jordan Catalano said: "One of the things that i realized yesterday was that the more I saw the show, the less “unfinished” it seemed to me. Obviously it would have been different had Sondheim lived, but I found it interesting how my view on that shifted."

 

[berniesb!tch]

Posted: 1/22/24 at 1:18pm

Jordan Catalano said: "One of the things that i realized yesterday was that the more I saw the show, the less “unfinished” it seemed to me. Obviously it would have been different had Sondheim lived, but I found it interesting how my view on that shifted."

I had the same thought - and I never found that unfinished to begin with. 

One question: Did Dennis O'hare's character disappear? Every time they finally left the room, Tracie Bennet was seen staying, but I never saw Dennis. It does strike me odd that he doesn't have more of an end to his arc. But maybe I somehow missed something. 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 1/22/24 at 1:59pm

berniesb!tch said: "Jordan Catalano said: "One of the things that i realized yesterday was that the more I saw the show, the less “unfinished” it seemed to me. Obviously it would have been different had Sondheim lived, but I found it interesting how my view on that shifted."

I had the same thought - and I never found that unfinished to begin with.

One question: Did Dennis O'hare's character disappear? Every time they finally left the room, Tracie Bennet was seen staying, but I never saw Dennis. It does strike me odd that he doesn't have more of an end to his arc. But maybe I somehow missed something."

Same here. Typical Sondheim show, requires multiple viewings. What I previously enjoyed felt richer,  the faults less glaring. And I first noticed Windsor's absence when Raffael mentioned it. Puzzled me as well.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 1/22/24 at 2:18pm

berniesb!tch said: "One question: Did Dennis O'hare's character disappear? Every time they finally left the room, Tracie Bennet was seen staying, but I never saw Dennis. It does strike me odd that he doesn't have more of an end to his arc. But maybe I somehow missed something."

I've seen this as a sort of "he's still out there trying to run the revolution" sort of thing, and that the not knowing where he goes is part of his arc.

In the WNYC interview with Denis O'Hare, this is what he says: 

Inferno, he's the hardest to play because he's both deeply angry, and to my estimation, deeply tragic because he founds his entire life on one idea, the idea of revolution. When the revolution happens, he's not part of it. He's trapped in the room too. He's trying to enact his version of revolution in that room, and he fails. He disappears from the play at the end, which is, I think it's chilling. I know what happens to him, I'm not going to say what happens to him, but it's tragic.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 1/22/24 at 2:23pm

ACL2006 said: "So no possible Broadway transfer? Was thinking this could fit into The Booth for a short summer engagement."

Absolutely zero chance. The producers and creatives have publicly stated multiple times that they had no intention of bringing this to Broadway. They mostly even resigned themselves to not turning a profit. They did it for their love of Sondheim, and I think that showed in the first-rate production.

If this particular production has any further life, it’ll be regionally. Any commercial prospects are for future producers and creative teams to mount.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 8:30am

"Thomas Ades opera “The Exterminating Angel” is receiving something rare in contemporary opera: a new production (GIFT LINK).

"How extraordinary, then, that “The Exterminating Angel” has not only been revived, but has also received something even rarer in opera: a new production, by Calixto Bieito, at the Paris Opera. (It continues through March 23 and is streaming on the company’s platform until Saturday.) And, revised by Adès, with the composer in the pit, it sounds better than ever."

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/15/arts/music/thomas-ades-exterminating-angel-aquifer.html?unlocked_article_code=1.dk0.-OvQ.-6ga_WgvaT9M&smid=url-share

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 11:44am

I think what's sad is this story visually could absolutely be told in a Broadway theatre. 

This isn't one of those shows that loses something in translation to a larger scale.

The reason it actually has no chance is cause the cultural climate of Broadway and it just wouldn't sell. 

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 12:17pm

Not everything has to be on Broadway. And that's ok. 

[Kad]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 12:20pm

Frankly, it’s a miracle it happened at all and that it was as good as it was. 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 12:49pm

dramamama611 said: "Not everything has to be on Broadway. And that's ok."

I feel like we tell ourselves that cause we're so numb and used to how this industry has stopped taking chances.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 12:58pm

Kad said: "Frankly, it’s a miracle it happened at all and that it was as good as it was."

 

This will be high on my list of cherished theatre memories for the rest of my life...anyone who missed it is a fool!

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 1:14pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "dramamama611 said: "Not everything has to be on Broadway. And that's ok."

I feel like we tell ourselves that cause we're so numb and used to how this industry has stopped taking chances."

Or some of us view Off-Broadway as a perfect place for some shows. Broadway may be the most commercially visible place for theatre in this country, if not the world, but Off-Broadway is just as essential to the NYC theatre scene. Always has been.

[bear88]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 1:27pm

Here We Are was such a visually interesting and well-directed show, and it’s one reason I regret that it wasn’t filmed/recorded for anything but the library. The cast recording won’t really do it justice, though I am glad we are getting that.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 1:43pm

Risks? Anytime they open a show they take a risk. 75% of shows fail. It's a business that sometimes makes art. 

 

And let's not forget... Sondheim didn't want this on Bway. (Or so we've been told.)

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 1:54pm

Of course Off Broadway is a perfect place for some shows. I'm not diminishing off broadway for a second. It's our lifeline for interesting theatre thriving.

But I always thought part of that reason stuff is better off broadway was the scope of the story visually, the way the material plays in intimacy, the subject matter, the charm of it all.

But to me there was a broad big larger than life nature to Here We Are. 

It was funny, it was quirky, the world building is strange. 

And for that matter The Shed was not an intimate Off broadway blackbox. 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 3/18/24 at 3:43pm

I heard rumors the Donmar Warehouse in London might be doing it next season.  At some point, producers somewhere will try to bring it to Broadway so it might as well be the original Joe Mantello production.  I saw it twice and could have seen it again and again.  Perhaps the best thing I’ve ever seen. 

[MrBroucek]

Posted: 4/17/24 at 2:37pm

jacobsnchz14 said: "StylishCynic said: "Did anyone attend the dress rehearsal last night?"

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

https://x.com/neilrklein/status/1707220551008239861?s=20

https://x.com/neilrklein/status/1707220552937599276?s=20

@neilrklein

Tonight I got to sit in on the last dress rehearsal of Here We Are (tech tables still out!!) one of the biggest honors of my life in NYC thus far. SO - Whatever you’re expecting, it’s not that - Rachel Bay Jones you are a REVELATION - It’s all for art, the rest is just noise <3

I won’t say more :) EXCEPT I hope the subtle reference to The Frogs was on purpose and just. Ahhh. Thank you Mr. Sondheim and everyone on this production. “We gotta be the luckiest people who ever lived” <333

I am happily revisiting this thread. What was The frogs reference? I think I missed it or it was cut!

 

Thanks 

 

[StylishCynic]

Posted: 4/17/24 at 3:40pm

MrBroucek said: "jacobsnchz14 said: "StylishCynic said: "Did anyone attend the dress rehearsal last night?"

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

https://x.com/neilrklein/status/1707220551008239861?s=20

https://x.com/neilrklein/status/1707220552937599276?s=20

@neilrklein

Tonight I got to sit in on the last dress rehearsal of Here We Are (tech tables still out!!) one of the biggest honors of my life in NYC thus far. SO - Whatever you’re expecting, it’s not that - Rachel Bay Jones you are a REVELATION - It’s all for art, the rest is just noise <3

I won’t say more :) EXCEPT I hope the subtle reference to The Frogs was on purpose and just. Ahhh. Thank you Mr. Sondheim and everyone on this production. “We gotta be the luckiest people who ever lived” <333

 

 

I am happily revisiting this thread. What was The frogs reference? I think I missed it or it was cut!

Thanks"

Perhaps it was the "Toasts", specifically the ones involving wine? 

I understand how that can be perceived as a wink to "Hymn to Dionysos".

Updated On: 4/17/24 at 03:40 PM

[MrBroucek]

Posted: 4/18/24 at 2:39pm

Of course, I'll drink to that (whoops wrong show!) Red, white or pink it's the thing to drink ...