Without reading anything written about this since it aired, I will attempt to give my impressions. I saw a movie based on this musical which may have been different in that I recall the most familiar song being first (if I am remembering correctly). I remember almost nothing except that there were gay people and people with AIDS and people getting kicked out of their building. I did read a newspaper article before the Fox production aired.
So here's what I know. There is music for just about every taste here. I particularly liked the tango scene. And there were a few words or notes from Christmas songs several times when it was Christmas. Sadly, that was often followed by something unpleasant or offensive. I wish they had kept the religious holiday sacred. If they wanted to criticize the holiday, criticize the commercial celebration. But I get that they wanted to make the point that this is no way to observe Christmas, a time of year when the less fortunate should be treated better.
Not a lot of the music was my taste, but some of it was okay. I should also mention I don't have the high degree of acceptance for people who are different that this production would target, but I believe that it is wrong to mistreat them. Without regard for my preferences, the talent level of the singers, dancers and musicians was fantastic. Such high energy levels when the situation called for them, so much emotion when that was required.
I do question the attempts to try to sing everything when spoken dialogue would be better. That was one problem I had with "Jesus Christ Superstar". But eventually I realized there would be some lines spoken, and that worked better (this also happened with the other production).
And those sets! The start of this production made it look like a much smaller set would be used. In fact, this was done in a gigantic warehouse-type building. Those sets appeared and disappeared with such little effort. Or apparent effort. you know they worked hard to make it look easy.
And numerous groups of audience members all over the place. You have to wonder how they saw it all. Some action was behind some of them. They really seemed to be enjoying themselves. The camera focused once on just one girl with a great big smile.
And they got to participate a couple of times. It looked to me like they were holding flashlights with red lights. Another time they yelled "Boooo!" because that's what the situation called for, but I know they were enjoying what they were seeing. Actually, it may have been "Moooo!" because the girl was dressed like a cow and depicting a cow. And then there was the mosh pit. Were those really audience members? One of the cast landed on them and was passed around.
I lost track early of who was who and don't know who any of the actors were. Not really a problem, since the idea is the actors become the characters. I did read that the guy who was so fantastic as Judas in "Jesus Christ Superstar" was in this, and I had to guess who he was. He didn't have anything here to compare with that, but if I am correct, he did have one very emotional performance that was a highlight. Just not the highlight.
Two women were the standouts here, and one of them might actually have been a man. I don't even remember for certain which one it was, but one of the women was incredible as a singer. And so flexible as a dancer!
I wanted these characters to succeed in their lives. Naturally I was going to be disappointed in what happened to some of them. That's life. The villain, though, was not truly a villain, and you could feel some sympathy for him.
Not all of this production was sad. we got to laugh a number of times and that made it more enjoyable for me.
During one commercial break the cast explained to us that we were not seeing the show live, but that it was done on January 26, and that one cast member broke his leg. I couldn't tell you who or how it happened. Whatever happened, we naturally didn't see it in what aired. We were also told the finale would air live, with original cast members. And what a finale it was! One woman was amazing.
I don't think I have to say this is not warm and fuzzy family fare like some of the other live (or "live") productions on NBC and Fox. We were warned. Viewer discretion advised! But of course nothing that wouldn't normally air on network TV, at least without a V-chip rating that lets you know they mean business. But the writers had many important points to make, and these couldn't be made effectively without content that would shock, although more than 20 years later, and nearly 30 years after the time when production was set. it's not all that shocking any more.
And it was pretty obvious how many years ago this was set. I liked the giant cell phones. There was no Internet, or at least only geeks used it.
Sadly, I'm not sure tolerance is any higher, although AIDS seems to be more under control and not so much of a death sentence. But they did drive home the sadness of being a part of this world where relationships were quite risky. They did not shy away from the emotions.
This is a worthy effort.
So here's what I know. There is music for just about every taste here. I particularly liked the tango scene. And there were a few words or notes from Christmas songs several times when it was Christmas. Sadly, that was often followed by something unpleasant or offensive. I wish they had kept the religious holiday sacred. If they wanted to criticize the holiday, criticize the commercial celebration. But I get that they wanted to make the point that this is no way to observe Christmas, a time of year when the less fortunate should be treated better.
Not a lot of the music was my taste, but some of it was okay. I should also mention I don't have the high degree of acceptance for people who are different that this production would target, but I believe that it is wrong to mistreat them. Without regard for my preferences, the talent level of the singers, dancers and musicians was fantastic. Such high energy levels when the situation called for them, so much emotion when that was required.
I do question the attempts to try to sing everything when spoken dialogue would be better. That was one problem I had with "Jesus Christ Superstar". But eventually I realized there would be some lines spoken, and that worked better (this also happened with the other production).
And those sets! The start of this production made it look like a much smaller set would be used. In fact, this was done in a gigantic warehouse-type building. Those sets appeared and disappeared with such little effort. Or apparent effort. you know they worked hard to make it look easy.
And numerous groups of audience members all over the place. You have to wonder how they saw it all. Some action was behind some of them. They really seemed to be enjoying themselves. The camera focused once on just one girl with a great big smile.
And they got to participate a couple of times. It looked to me like they were holding flashlights with red lights. Another time they yelled "Boooo!" because that's what the situation called for, but I know they were enjoying what they were seeing. Actually, it may have been "Moooo!" because the girl was dressed like a cow and depicting a cow. And then there was the mosh pit. Were those really audience members? One of the cast landed on them and was passed around.
I lost track early of who was who and don't know who any of the actors were. Not really a problem, since the idea is the actors become the characters. I did read that the guy who was so fantastic as Judas in "Jesus Christ Superstar" was in this, and I had to guess who he was. He didn't have anything here to compare with that, but if I am correct, he did have one very emotional performance that was a highlight. Just not the highlight.
Two women were the standouts here, and one of them might actually have been a man. I don't even remember for certain which one it was, but one of the women was incredible as a singer. And so flexible as a dancer!
I wanted these characters to succeed in their lives. Naturally I was going to be disappointed in what happened to some of them. That's life. The villain, though, was not truly a villain, and you could feel some sympathy for him.
Not all of this production was sad. we got to laugh a number of times and that made it more enjoyable for me.
During one commercial break the cast explained to us that we were not seeing the show live, but that it was done on January 26, and that one cast member broke his leg. I couldn't tell you who or how it happened. Whatever happened, we naturally didn't see it in what aired. We were also told the finale would air live, with original cast members. And what a finale it was! One woman was amazing.
I don't think I have to say this is not warm and fuzzy family fare like some of the other live (or "live") productions on NBC and Fox. We were warned. Viewer discretion advised! But of course nothing that wouldn't normally air on network TV, at least without a V-chip rating that lets you know they mean business. But the writers had many important points to make, and these couldn't be made effectively without content that would shock, although more than 20 years later, and nearly 30 years after the time when production was set. it's not all that shocking any more.
And it was pretty obvious how many years ago this was set. I liked the giant cell phones. There was no Internet, or at least only geeks used it.
Sadly, I'm not sure tolerance is any higher, although AIDS seems to be more under control and not so much of a death sentence. But they did drive home the sadness of being a part of this world where relationships were quite risky. They did not shy away from the emotions.
This is a worthy effort.