DISers Love Broadway!

[EmJ]

I'm game. Question, I never caught this the first times around on stage, but when Eliza gasps at the end of the show, what's that about?

It was subtle when I saw it on stage, I just assumed she was crying. It was much more pronounced on the B'way stage production on D+. Now I see theories about a) Eliza breaking the 4th wall, b) dying and seeing Alexander in the afterlife, c) ???

Thoughts on this anyone?

I thought she died and was reunited with Alexander. I definitely didn't see it as breaking the fourth wall, but I will go back and watch again. It also gave me a very brief moment of wondering whether she was meant to be the eponymous Hamilton. Actually, I don't think so, but I did find the ending striking, with Eliza as the last actor on stage.

 

[EmJ]

I kind of liked The Producers movie, but I liked the stage production better. Same with Chicago (yay student rush tickets, sat in the FRONT row far extreme stage left...my neck hurt after that, hahah).

Omg, Chicago Did you happen to see the stage production before the movie? I saw it and LOVED it. The courtroom scene and ventriloquist scene both stand out in my memory, and "Chicago Before The Movie" is also in my Top 5 favorite musicals. Then I saw the movie, and I also loved that. It was very different in its production than the stage play, but they were both good because one was a stage performance being a stage performance and the other was a movie being a movie.

Then, last year I think or maybe 2018, a revival Chicago tour came through and I was so excited to share it with DH. And they *wrecked* it. They took the movie and adapted it to the stage, and was just... not good, imo, not compared to the original. I know the film is popular, but they should have left the stage production alone. I was really afraid the same thing would happen with the Rent 25th Anniversary and they would try to "update" it or something, but luckily it was the same.

 

[Miffy]

We've now seen the first 45 minutes of Ham. We stopped only because we started too late and we were both exhausted from a huge long day. Looking forward to seeing the rest although of course I don't want to see him die!!

On the Broadway beat, we have tickets for The Music Man, which was supposed to've opened for previews in September. Our tickets were for November. I just got notified last week that our November tickets are now for June 2021. Here's hoping that's true. This is Hugh Jackman, in case you didn't know, which is why we bought the tickets a year ahead of time. If we really do see it next June, we will have purchased the tickets more than a year and a half in advance.

 

[EmJ]

We've now seen the first 45 minutes of Ham. We stopped only because we started too late and we were both exhausted from a huge long day. Looking forward to seeing the rest although of course I don't want to see him die!!

On the Broadway beat, we have tickets for The Music Man, which was supposed to've opened for previews in September. Our tickets were for November. I just got notified last week that our November tickets are now for June 2021. Here's hoping that's true. This is Hugh Jackman, in case you didn't know, which is why we bought the tickets a year ahead of time. If we really do see it next June, we will have purchased the tickets more than a year and a half in advance.

Oh how fun! I would love to see Hugh Jackman. Our Lion King tickets are a similar story. Originally for May 2020, now rescheduled for December 2021.

Regarding Ham's death, I told DH at the end, "Why am I sad that a guy died in a duel 250 years ago when I already knew that was the ending?" Shows the power of the story and performances, I think!

 

[mentos]

Omg, Chicago Did you happen to see the stage production before the movie? I saw it and LOVED it. The courtroom scene and ventriloquist scene both stand out in my memory, and "Chicago Before The Movie" is also in my Top 5 favorite musicals. Then I saw the movie, and I also loved that. It was very different in its production than the stage play, but they were both good because one was a stage performance being a stage performance and the other was a movie being a movie.

Then, last year I think or maybe 2018, a revival Chicago tour came through and I was so excited to share it with DH. And they *wrecked* it. They took the movie and adapted it to the stage, and was just... not good, imo, not compared to the original. I know the film is popular, but they should have left the stage production alone. I was really afraid the same thing would happen with the Rent 25th Anniversary and they would try to "update" it or something, but luckily it was the same.

Now I have Mr. Cellophane stuck in my head.

Yikes! Oh, what a let down. And no, we saw it at the Ambassador in ~2009(?) long after the movie came out. Apparently, it's still running (aside from the pesky COVID closure). Perhaps a trip to New York to rectify the 2018 revival tour is in order?

I actually now want to do a quick "Hamiltour" of NYC and Philly...ever since musical came out, I started digging more into history (can't bring myself to read the 818 page Chernow book yet - I literally picked it up at B&N one day and went "nope, not today," and put it down) and many of the historical sites still exist. I went to many while living out there, but not with a particularly critical eye.

I did live about 7 blocks from where Hamilton lived in Philadelphia (apparently, also, the site of the Maria Reynolds affair). Man, if that musical were out when I were in school, I guarantee you I would have been walking around town blasting that in my headphones!

 

[mentos]

Regarding Ham's death, I told DH at the end, "Why am I sad that a guy died in a duel 250 years ago when I already knew that was the ending?" Shows the power of the story and performances, I think!

lol, because up until now, the extent of Hamilton/Burr was a "Got Milk?" commercial

 

[Kyjin]

I'm so excited more people get to see it! I was lucky enough to see original cast right after they won the Tony (minus original King George and Peggy because the former changed long before then and the latter was off that night), and I'm really glad people finally get to see what that cast was like. I'm watching it tonight with my boyfriend and his family. It's a little bittersweet because we had tickets for the LA Tour in April which was canceled, and while I bought new tickets for September, I've resigned myself to those being canceled as well...

 

[lorimt]

Now I have Mr. Cellophane stuck in my head.

Yikes! Oh, what a let down. And no, we saw it at the Ambassador in ~2009(?) long after the movie came out. Apparently, it's still running (aside from the pesky COVID closure). Perhaps a trip to New York to rectify the 2018 revival tour is in order?

I saw it at the Ambassador last June and thought it was fabulous.

 

[mouschievous]

Would anyone be interested in a "monthly musical"? I.e., we pick a musical available to stream for free on any of the more popular services (Amazon, Netflix, or Disney+) to watch and chat about? Idk, maybe dumb but I'm bored and I'm excited about all these newly discovered possibilities! July could be Hamilton

Yes! That would be fun.

Question, I never caught this the first times around on stage, but when Eliza gasps at the end of the show, what's that about?

It was subtle when I saw it on stage, I just assumed she was crying. It was much more pronounced on the B'way stage production on D+. Now I see theories about a) Eliza breaking the 4th wall, b) dying and seeing Alexander in the afterlife, c) ???

Agreed that it was more subtle on stage, although they had something like 100 microphones around the stage for the filming so it's possible it was just more pronounced because of that. Phillipa herself has come out and said "yes" to all the theories, that is just kind of depended on the night and the performance as to what was going through Eliza's head at that point.

Part of the breaking the 4th wall theory is that she worked so hard to tell Alexander's story, and now she sees the audience and realizes that she did it - his story has been told, people know who he is. I thought that was really beautiful.

I also didn't realize that Eliza lived to be 97!

I actually now want to do a quick "Hamiltour" of NYC and Philly...ever since musical came out, I started digging more into history (can't bring myself to read the 818 page Chernow book yet - I literally picked it up at B&N one day and went "nope, not today," and put it down) and many of the historical sites still exist. I went to many while living out there, but not with a particularly critical eye.

I've started the Chernow book several times but never gotten very far I do want to finish it but boy howdy, it is dense.

When H and I were in New York in Jan 2019, we ended up at Trinity Church on accident. We were just walking around, not really paying attention to where we were, and lo and behold, there it was. There were all kinds of people there who were clearly doing a "Hamiltour."

@Miffy, I can't decide how I feel about The Musica Man. On the one hand, it's freaking Sutton Foster. On the other hand, it's Scott Rudin, for whom I have great disdain. But Sutton Foster...!

Did anyone else see The Prom? I was so sad when it closed, it deserved a longer run with more eyes on it. Ryan Murphy is making it a film, but I'm devastated about the casting so I don't know if I'll see it.

 

[EmJ]

On the subject of historical books, I have also been inspired to learn more about the Revolutionary era. I feel like I'm pretty solid on American history from about the 1920's forward, but could use some study on the pre-Revolutionary period and the Revolution through Reconstruction.

Although not specifically Hamilton-related, I have these four titles sitting in my Amazon cart for future purchase:

The American Revolution: A History by Gordon Wood
The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution by Robert Middlekauf
and two David McCullough works: 1776 and, of course, John Adams. John Adams in particular gets rave reviews.

 

[EmJ]

Part of the breaking the 4th wall theory is that she worked so hard to tell Alexander's story, and now she sees the audience and realizes that she did it - his story has been told, people know who he is. I thought that was really beautiful.

I love this!

 

[sophy1996]

We just finished our annual July 4 watching of the film version of 1776. A new production was going to be here in October (pre-Broadway, I believe) but now has been postponed to September 2021. Postponed is better than canceled, though!

 

[mouschievous]

We just finished our annual July 4 watching of the film version of 1776. A new production was going to be here in October (pre-Broadway, I believe) but now has been postponed to September 2021. Postponed is better than canceled, though!

Is that the one being done by Roundabout? I would love to see that production. They were very specific in casting female, non-binary and trans actors, as well as actors of color. I'm curious about how that changes the perception of the character and the situations.

 

[mentos]

Agreed that it was more subtle on stage, although they had something like 100 microphones around the stage for the filming so it's possible it was just more pronounced because of that.

I didn't think of that...I think by the end of a 2.5hr+ show, and with all the principals & ensemble on stage, my eyes/ears weren't focused on Eliza until the D+ film focused right in on her during the gasp.

I also didn't realize that Eliza lived to be 97!

I didn't know, either! The fact that she saw California admitted to the union and Japan (force) opened for trading by Commodore Perry is a crazy idea to me.

I've started the Chernow book several times but never gotten very far I do want to finish it but boy howdy, it is dense.

That's much further than the 8 inches I lifted it off the Hamilton table at B&N that one day, hahaaha.

When H and I were in New York in Jan 2019, we ended up at Trinity Church on accident. We were just walking around, not really paying attention to where we were, and lo and behold, there it was. There were all kinds of people there who were clearly doing a "Hamiltour."

Yeah, the film that was in my head when going around Philly/NYC/Boston was another Disney movie.... National Treasure. Ugh.

 

[sophy1996]

Is that the one being done by Roundabout? I would love to see that production. They were very specific in casting female, non-binary and trans actors, as well as actors of color. I'm curious about how that changes the perception of the character and the situations.

Yes, it’s supposed to play here “prior to its Broadway engagement at Roundabout Theatre Company.” I was really looking forward to it. Hopefully next year!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I'm not a fan of the movie, tbh. There are a number of musical films that I enjoy very much (Greatest Showman being the most recent, and I still hold a soft spot for Carol Burnett's Annie--probably my favorite movie as a child),..

So, are you an Aileen Quinn fan? Because Aileen Quinn & the Leapin' Lizards play the DTD Main Stage pretty regularly for swing dancing (or they used to when life was normal...)!

 

[DznyPrnces]

I understand that Hamilton was meant for a theatrical release next year, and, as *the most* in demand theatrical production in the world (and deservedly so), I have to think that Disney lost a lot of potential revenue by releasing it a year early by streaming service instead. Maybe I’m giving them too much credit and there is a secret profit here somewhere, but it really is just so neat and unprecedented, and I still can’t quite put my finger on why Big Corporate did it, that I wanted to give at least a little credit where credit is due. And to anyone who hasn’t watched it yet — you’ve got homework

I realize the thread has taken a different turn, but I saw today that Disney+ had a 70 something % increase in downloads this weekend. While I’m sure that’s a drop in the bucket compared to what they would have gotten had this been released in the theater in normal times, something is better than nothing. And, they come off as looking good for making it accessible to people who otherwise probably wouldn’t have seen it (like me).

As for the Newsies debate, I have yet to see the theater version. I was 13 when the movie came out, and I loved it so much. Still do, I’ve watched it probably 6 times in the last few months. Can’t bring myself to watch the stage show because I’m afraid they ruined it. Lol

 

[mouschievous]

@DznyPrnces , I'm probably biased because stage is my medium (and also because I have a giant crush on Jeremy Jordan, but that's another post), but I think the stage version is better than the movie

 

[EmJ]

So, are you an Aileen Quinn fan? Because Aileen Quinn & the Leapin' Lizards play the DTD Main Stage pretty regularly for swing dancing (or they used to when life was normal...)!

Omg is that a thing? My 10-year-old fangirl heart would totally die I would be very embarrassing, lol. I frequently spend time looking up the biographies and “whatever happened to them”-ies of actors and actresses while watching television. Drives DH nuts, haha. Anyway, I remember looking up Aileen Quinn one time but do not remember anything about a Leapin’ Lizards swing band! Obviously I live in the wrong state and need to move.

Man, whenever we do get to go to California, it is going to be an EVENT. I so want to do this.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Omg is that a thing? My 10-year-old fangirl heart would totally die I would be very embarrassing, lol. I frequently spend time looking up the biographies and “whatever happened to them”-ies of actors and actresses while watching television. Drives DH nuts, haha. Anyway, I remember looking up Aileen Quinn one time but do not remember anything about a Leapin’ Lizards swing band! Obviously I live in the wrong state and need to move.

Man, whenever we do get to go to California, it is going to be an EVENT. I so want to do this.

Oh, you NEED to look up her videos! She doesn't have a regular swing band -- more like rockabilly. They do lots of clubs, like the Whisky on Sunset, and events, like Viva Las Vegas, too. Fun! And she's super nice in person.