All my friends have been screaming about how amazing the show is. I know atleast 10 people who have seen it 5+ times. So, I decided to go see it today & I was really let down. I think it didn't deserve the Broadway trasfer. The score was really boring. I'm sorry, but I didn't like it. It was just boring. No excitment in the music, no "cute" love songs that make you cry, etc. It was just "oh". The book wasn't that great. I mean, I don't really know how to judge a book, but just something didn't "connect" for me. The good things of the show were all the actors. Everyone did a great job.
I don't know why, but just everyone doesn't stop talking about at my school "OMG spring awakening" & now that I saw it, I just feel like "oh i saw it. great".
I haven't seen the show yet, and I will because people keep saying this is something like this generation's musical. But the score is boring boring boring...I'm hoping it will come to live in the theatre more...maybe with some context.
Search for my review of the show on this forum. I think it might better word your feelings - I get what you mean.
Post here how you feel about the show in the coming days.
Immediately after I saw it, I called it overrated. But it HAUNTS you. It's not "perfect" by any means, there are some flaws that should continue to be worked on. Other than that, it's brilliant.
See is SPRING AWAKENING haunts your dreams, too...
With the amount of hype that surrounds this musical it is inevitable that it will fall flat for many people. I did feel that certain things in the show were over hyped. I found the score to be wonderful, but the lyrics to be very "forced." Lea Michele was so hyped up and I found her to be very talented, but the “little girl” act didn't grab me. I felt no sympathy for Melchior or Wendla, and preferred the subplots to the main plot, although most of the subplots were not fully developed. Ilsa in particular, she just pops up out of the blue.
I liked it and was glad I caught it, but I didn't think it was phenomenal or anything. The songs actually interested me the least. The acting was very good, and some of the voices were beautiful. I don't think I'll be rushing back to see it anytime soon.
It's an okay show, but it's nothing special, and certainly not as good as people are saying it is. Charles Isherwood's comments about the show are particularly hyperbolic. The music, while fine, isn't overly theatrical, and the songs don't really aid at all in telling the story.
The cast, for the most part, is solid. I love Lauren Pritchard and John Gallagher, Jr.; liked Lea Michele a lot (her acting isn't anything amazing, but that voice more than makes up for it); hated Jonathan Groff and Jonathan Wright.
I believe it was either David Cote or Patrick Pacheco on NY1 who said it best....something to the effect of "let's hope the unanimously positive reviews don't make people walk out saying "that was it?""
I saw it in previews at the Atlantic before any kind of hype had begun (no one even knew what it was) and while I liked the cast, the design and some of the score, I found other aspects flawed and underrealized (and had basically the same opinion after seeing it again after the Broadway opening). It's a promising work that's worth seeing, but I found myself liking the idea of it, more than how it was actually executed. It deserves to be supported (and I look forward to seeing what Sheik comes up with next for the musical theatre), but, for me at least, it was hardly the brilliant, groundbreaking work that some have claimed it to be.
I believe I saw a video interview with Sheik where he admitted he had no idea what he was doing in writing a musical. I wonder how in the creative process what Sheik's contribution was and what Michael Mayer's contributon was...
I also look forward to Mayer's THE PINK FLAMINGO with music by Henry Krieger.
I've said so in other threads, but I think that the musical is entertaining but overall lacking in emotional impact. I saw it in previews, so I didn't have extraordinary expectations that were let down, either.
I've said this before, but while I really enjoy the CD and appreciated the performances during the show, it fell so emotionally flat for me that I was literally shocked when I saw other people crying.
I figured it was my own personal problem, but it really did nothing for me. I didn't hate it, I just didn't like it.
That is what makes this world so cool. If everyone thought alike, it would be a pretty boring place. I happen to like SA a great deal, as do allot of other people. Of course there will be those who do not like it for one reason or another and that's o.k. I personally thought Gray Gardens was boring, but that doesn’t mean it is not good. I just didn't care for it.
yeah, naturally, not EVERYONE can love any one show :)
I've said this before in other threads,but it DOES surprise me how the biggest thing I've heard against it is that people just didn't feel anything from it. Which is obviously completely fine, its just, its so opposite from how I was. I'm just amazed that aaalmost everyone who I've talked to/heard from that's seen the show seems to have really enjoyed the music and the performances, but that it was boring. I guess maybe you either really connect with the story/characters or you dont at all :)
Immediately after I saw it, I called it overrated. But it HAUNTS you. It's not "perfect" by any means, there are some flaws that should continue to be worked on. Other than that, it's brilliant.
See is SPRING AWAKENING haunts your dreams, too...
that actually describes it PERFECTLY!! It almost doesn't hit you until AFTER the show is done, and you go home and you realize you can't stop thinking about it. That was how it was for me anyway. I mean I felt a lot of emotion DURRING the show too, but its just... I dont know, I think it takes a little while for the ending to really sink in because it all kind of happens so fast
I really, really liked it. I'm am not obsessing over it but I thought it was a great show. There were many flaws and I can see it not apealing to everyone.
People saying they didn't connect doesn't mean they found it boring. Huge difference there. I felt nothing for the characters and therefore felt emotionally isolated from the show, but I was never once bored. The music and the musical performances, for me, was what kept the show exhilirating and fresh and in the end held my attention.
I bought the cast recording because I heard such great things about it and I was really dissapointed. It's pretty much all slow ballads, except for a few. The main part of musicals and Broadway that I like are those jazz-hands, kick-line type of numbers, and SA just doesn't have one of those. Even though I haven't seen the show I really don't think it deserved the Broadway transfer either. It's too indie and not mainstream enough to be on Broadway. I mean I know I have to see the acting and stuff like that but in a Broadway MUSICAL, that being the key word, the music is the most important part. And it just doesn't have the "umph" other Broadway scores have. Not that all Broadway tunes have to be jazzy, but at least less than 50% ballads and people whispering. Not to pun the song of that title, but really, most of the songs are whispered in SA. It's kind of annoying.
Yes, let's agree that not every well reviewed show will connect with everyone. Like educator06, I also was left emotionally unaffected and bored by Grey Gardens, despite the fact that it was well acted. I rate Spring Awakening in my top five musicals ever. Those of us who love SA can't get enough of it!
Bea Arthur Nude Sells For Nearly $2 Million At Auction
Drama Desk Award Winners - MATILDA, VANYA AND SONIA, PIPPIN, VIRGINIA WOOLF & More!
Gyllenhaal, Pine in Talks to Join INTO THE WOODS Movie?
John Bantay Talks to Richard Jay-Alexander About Musical Mondays Farewell
BWW TV Exclusive: Prince, Lewis & More Remember Kevin Gray
BWW Interviews - Jake T. Austin Chats ABC Family's New Series THE FOSTERS
VIDEO: Full Trailer for THE WOLVERINE Released!
Rooney Mara is the Face for New Calvin Klein Scent
BWW Reviews: LEGENDS At 30 Is Still Lots of Fun
Shocker - Best Buy Reports Better Than Expected Q1 Results, Revenue & Online Sales Up
BWW Blog: Leah Edwards - Practice. Perform. Repeat
BWW Reviews: Blue Lapis Light's Encore Engagement of HEAVEN-EARTH-ONE is Heavenly
2013-2014 Season Highlights at Carnegie Hall
joined:2/7/05
Posted: 1/7/07 at 06:15pm