The Longacre is free, but also is huge. If not Circle in the Square, the Belasco, I hope.
Lies? The Longacre is not huge. It's only 1095 seats, which is a measly 55 seats bigger than the Belasco. AND the Longacre is in a much better, more central location than the Belasco.
I was there this past weekend and it looked pretty packed to me. But regardless, you've got way more tourists in NYC who are going to be happy to spend money to see the President from 24 and Spock/Sylar from Star Trek/Heroes.
I know a ton of adults who watched Heroes religiously. It wasn't just kids. And it's not as though The Glass Menagerie is some no-name play that people haven't heard of. After all, there was a TV-movie version with Katharine Hepburn that many people have seen.
I don't get why people think "President from 24" and "Spock" will drive tourists into the theatre. Yes, people watched/loved those shows and movies but VERY VERY few people watch for them or even know their real names. I maintain if you talk to any random, non theatre person and say Cherry Jones they'll have no earthly idea who that is until you say "she was on 24." People watched and loved Friends but David Schwimmer didn't sell out an off Broadway show.
The sight lines are great. I saw the second preview and felt there were some projection issues. I had friends down in the front section who missed a design detail that was clearer to those of us in the back. Again, they were at the second preview too.
Row D isn't far at all (nothing in the theater really is). I sat in row G for Menagerie, and saw everything perfectly. I've also been in the second to last row of the theater (Pippin) -- you can see everything just fine.
Saw it last week and thought that it was great. Lots of people have said it, but Brian J. Smith is incredible. In my opinion, he walks off with the show in his scene with CKB (who is also fantastic). Cherry Jones is really great, she is the first Amanda who I have actually felt for, but I wasn't terribly keen on Quinto's performance. Don't get me wrong, he's really good, but I had a hard time sympathizing with his Tom.
That said. It's a great production and it'd be great to have it transfer, if only so that more people can see Brian J. Smith's gentleman caller.
A very loud voice from the Pacific Northwest... Producers please transfer this to Broadway so I can see my favorite Cherry at the Tony awards telecast. I'm encouraging all of my DC and NYC friends to catch it if it arrives at the Belasco or the Longacre.
I saw this on Sunday. I really don't think I will ever see a better production of this play. Get this to Broadway now.
The staging is fantastic, and the set has so many wonderful surprises, but none of this takes away from what must be one of the best acted productions of this ever.
The true star of this though, is Zachary Quinto. From the opening moments, to the very end, I was hanging on every word he said.
He and Cherry had such great chemistry together. One of the best things about this production is that the humor is really brought out, from the sarcasm that Zach brings to the role to Cherry Jones who was milking every bit from her lines.
Celia gives a heartbreaking performance, and had me in tears by the end of the second act. I also really enjoyed Brian J Smith as well.
It is so rare to see a show where everyone gives such strong performances but this is it.
To that end the direction is superb. I don't want to spoil for anyone who hasn't seen the show, but there are so many wonderful moments, and the stylistic movements that have been added to the show are brilliant.
To put it simply this is a knockout. I really wish it would come this spring, but as long as it comes this fall I will be happy. Truly thrilling.
I'm a little surprised how much everyone seems to love this production. It's very good, to be sure, but far short from brilliant. I am a huge fan of Tiffany but I felt this staging was not entirely thought-out (the "cleaning of the table" scene...if that was what Amanda and Laura were doing...seemed particularly forced). Cherry Jones is a very good Amanda, but watching her performance only reminded me of how much better Judith Ivey was at the Long Wharf Theater and with the Roundabout. Jones is giving a thoughtful performance while Ivey gave a lived-in performance: never before had I thought an actor was born to play a role. CKB was passable but somehow miscast as Laura.
For me, the real standout was Quinto. I may be reading too much into the performance, but it seemed as if he played Tom gay and the choice worked very well with the script. Brian's gentleman caller was very charismatic, but did not connect well with Celia's Laura.
All in all a very fine Glass Menagerie, but I don't feel a transfer is necessary. Gordon Edelstein's production was simply stunning (the second act lighting in particular), this production is merely serviceable.
If we're talking about a fall opening, I just read that American Horror Story is starting to film in New Orleans I think in September. Is Quinto not going to be returning to AHS or will he decide to make his Broadway debut with Cherry?
Thank you, dave1606, for your excellent assessment of this Glass Menagerie. I always enjoy reading your intelligent, well-thought-out posts. You have interesting things to say, and say them well, unencumbered by self-indulgent divagation.
And I wholeheartedly agree with your opinion of this production. As many others have stated, it's a rejuvenation of a classic: fresh, bracing, and revitalized. It's like seeing a master painting cleaned of time's accretions and presented in new lighting in a museum. Illuminating.
I was also very much taken by Zachary Quinto's performance. I'd say it was the finest Tom I've ever seen, and I've seen many good ones. Quinto's dynamic approach to this restive, unhappy, and unfulfilled dreamer injects a new vitality to the role.
Cherry Jones is also offering a new take on the part and is masterful. I think it's one of her finest performances.
Thanks After Eight. I really did love this production and will be first in line to buy tickets when/if this comes to NYC.
Play Esq., I did see the Roundabout version of that production, and have think that it was better at Long Wharf.
I did enjoy the second act lighting, and Judith Ivey, but I did not like Patch Darragh as Tom, and thought the direction was not nearly as good as it was in this production.
I saw the closing performance this afternoon after having seen the second preview. There were no changes at all between my two visits. I was closer to the stage this time.
I still appreciated everything I appreciated the first time I saw it, but nothing new revealed itself to me this time. Everything was done well, each performer takes her/his chance to shine and really does a good job of it. Now that I think about it, I felt more engaged with Celia's Laura the second time through.
It was a stellar production for ART, but I don't think there is a compelling reason for it to go to big, expensive, commercial New York. I am sure they had every hope for a Broadway transfer, but all that ART transfer mojo is still tied up in Pippin. This didn't ever seem to get that same momentum.
Not that this means anything at all, but last night Zach Quinto tweeted a picture of Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Celia in Harvard Square. I think this is one of those productions where, if you wanted to see this cast do this show, you needed to come to Cambridge.
ETA I was wrong, there was one final visual effect that I just didn't notice the first time I saw the show. It was a neat little piece of stage magic. So that was revealed to me this time!
I think they will have to announce this week and then be pretty rushed if they even want a chance of hitting the Tony deadline for this season (I think I saw April 25 somewhere, but I could be wrong). I'm guessing they won't need a long rehearsal and preview period, but they still need time for all the other logistics (tech, etc.). Also ticket sales will need to get going. While it was great at ART, it looks like (at least for now) that may have been the only place to see it.
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Posted: 2/20/13 at 02:36pm