Plan B Forum

This Sunday at 8PM EST on Fox:

I'm skeptical--I haven't been a fan of most of their previous live plays--usually bowing out well before the middle. Have you heard much about this effort?

I heard about it yesterday, one of the actors was on a talk show. Otherwise I hadn't seen anything about it.

You're certainly right about this format as we've seen it play out thus far, none of these live TV productions have been memorable or, in some cases, not even tolerable. I love the music in this one enough to give it a try.

I thought "Jesus Christ Superstar" was done very well... for the format. It kept me entertained.



A suspension of disbelief is all that is needed to enjoy live stage performances.

Actually, I did sit through the entire Superstar--it was certainly one of the better efforts, but it had a lot of drawbacks as will (including its efforts to involve the studio audience and all the audience overreacting). As I recall, NBC will be doing Hair next--not that I think that will translate well to TV. Honestly, I'd rather see a production with a Broadway cast that can handle the material in a theater performed as it was intended to be performed, without all the gimmicky backstage things like riding in golf carts. Indeed, with Superstar, I'd much rather listen to the original cast recording.

Let me know when they do a televised version of "Avenue Q".

-"BB"-

Well, so much for "live". The guy who played Roger broke his foot during yesterday's dress rehearsal, and so what was broadcast was a recording of that performance with a live segment at the end that included the cast of the original production.

That aside...

Roger, Mimi, Collins, Maureen and Benny were all done really well. The ones performing Mark and Joanne didn't have the musical chops for those roles. Valentina as Angel was more than a bit of a train wreck in several places.

I watch the first hour -- I couldn't "feel" it. I think the landlord canceled the lease on this project.

It wouldn't have been any worse had they worked Hunt's injury into the production.

They get my "YOU TRIED" award.

RayThom wrote:It wouldn't have been any worse had they worked Hunt's injury into the production.

They were performing live for the in-person audience while the pre-recorded version was broadcast - with Hunt using a wheelchair.