Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Big

Author

Message

trutter
Star
Star

Joined: 11/13/06
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 81

Topic: Big - The musical
Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:51am

I was a big (no pun intended) fan of the movie Big when I was a youngster, and now MTI has a version for the community theater crowd.

Any experience with it? Anybody order a perusal? Anybody see it on Broadway? Reviews on amazon are mixed, so looking for the inside skinny on the hooey. (as Jack Scott would say)

------
Troy A. Rutter
Author, "Kids in the Biz: A Hollywood Handbook for Parents"
http://www.kidsinthebiz.com/
A Heinemann Drama Publication

IP Logged

PWProducer
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 8/01/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 8/22/07 at 12:52pm

We have pondered doing it, but each time we ultimately vote against it.

The music is quite catchy and not bad at all...(there is a soundtrack available). The script is okay, but not great either.

I think our issue with doing the show is that it would be a risk in that we just don't know how 'big' the audience would be. I could see it being a very popular show and I can also see it being one that tanks badly.

IP Logged

lmar12
Player
Player

Joined: 8/22/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 25

Posted: 8/23/07 at 10:40am

Our Children's Theater group did it a few years ago and it was popular enough. (I think) They also made the keyboard that lit up and have rented it out to other groups across the country. If you are interested you can call Central Wisconsin Children's Theater at (715) 842-4416. The executive director of the group also ended up directing the show so she would know all of the pit falls and ultimely the financial success of the show.

IP Logged

Dough Boy
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 3/20/06
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 8/23/07 at 11:39am

I saw a professional touring company do it a few years ago, and was extremely unimpressed by the script and music. I too am a "big" fan of the movie. The musical was a "big" disappointment.

IP Logged

BeyondKen
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 11/04/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 11/12/07 at 2:48pm

I saw the touring show and it was great, although I prefer the full broadway version on the CD. I did read the perusal script, which was published in Broadway Magazine.

It's a big show with lots of solos and ensemble work for kids. I hope to direct it one day.

~(ô¿ô)~

IP Logged

tristanrobin
Celebrity

Joined: 4/25/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 704

Posted: 11/13/07 at 9:52am

I saw it on Broadway - never been involved in a production - I really really really didn't care for it.

In fact, "Big" and "Good Bye Girl" are my two least favorite sorta-contemporary musicals.

IP Logged

lmar12
Player
Player

Joined: 8/22/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 25

Posted: 11/19/07 at 5:57pm

Our children's theater did it---very lukewarm response from the audience. Lots of problems with the script and flow of the play. It seems whenever a play is adapted from the movie there are a lot of production problems. Too many set changes, no transition scenes to cover the set changes--and so on. It was a lot of work without a satisfiying payoff for the actors and the production staff.

IP Logged

Melissa
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 9/05/06
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 12/19/07 at 9:38am

I saw this last weekend because a friend's daughter was involved. I thought the script was choppy and the music was bland. There were some cute moments (and the cast did the best they could), but ultimately it fell flat. I wouldn't recommend it.

IP Logged

Play Suggestions
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Play Suggestions

Author	Message
trutter Star Joined: 11/13/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 81	Topic: Big - The musical Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:51am
	I was a big (no pun intended) fan of the movie Big when I was a youngster, and now MTI has a version for the community theater crowd. Any experience with it? Anybody order a perusal? Anybody see it on Broadway? Reviews on amazon are mixed, so looking for the inside skinny on the hooey. (as Jack Scott would say)
	------ Troy A. Rutter Author, "Kids in the Biz: A Hollywood Handbook for Parents" http://www.kidsinthebiz.com/ A Heinemann Drama Publication

	IP Logged

PWProducer Walk-On Joined: 8/01/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/22/07 at 12:52pm
	We have pondered doing it, but each time we ultimately vote against it. The music is quite catchy and not bad at all...(there is a soundtrack available). The script is okay, but not great either. I think our issue with doing the show is that it would be a risk in that we just don't know how 'big' the audience would be. I could see it being a very popular show and I can also see it being one that tanks badly.
	IP Logged

lmar12 Player Joined: 8/22/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 25	Posted: 8/23/07 at 10:40am
	Our Children's Theater group did it a few years ago and it was popular enough. (I think) They also made the keyboard that lit up and have rented it out to other groups across the country. If you are interested you can call Central Wisconsin Children's Theater at (715) 842-4416. The executive director of the group also ended up directing the show so she would know all of the pit falls and ultimely the financial success of the show.
	IP Logged

Dough Boy Walk-On Joined: 3/20/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/23/07 at 11:39am
	I saw a professional touring company do it a few years ago, and was extremely unimpressed by the script and music. I too am a "big" fan of the movie. The musical was a "big" disappointment.
	IP Logged

BeyondKen Walk-On Joined: 11/04/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 11/12/07 at 2:48pm
	I saw the touring show and it was great, although I prefer the full broadway version on the CD. I did read the perusal script, which was published in Broadway Magazine. It's a big show with lots of solos and ensemble work for kids. I hope to direct it one day.
	~(ô¿ô)~
	IP Logged

tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 11/13/07 at 9:52am
	I saw it on Broadway - never been involved in a production - I really really really didn't care for it. In fact, "Big" and "Good Bye Girl" are my two least favorite sorta-contemporary musicals.
	IP Logged

lmar12 Player Joined: 8/22/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 25	Posted: 11/19/07 at 5:57pm
	Our children's theater did it---very lukewarm response from the audience. Lots of problems with the script and flow of the play. It seems whenever a play is adapted from the movie there are a lot of production problems. Too many set changes, no transition scenes to cover the set changes--and so on. It was a lot of work without a satisfiying payoff for the actors and the production staff.
	IP Logged

Melissa Walk-On Joined: 9/05/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 12/19/07 at 9:38am
	I saw this last weekend because a friend's daughter was involved. I thought the script was choppy and the music was bland. There were some cute moments (and the cast did the best they could), but ultimately it fell flat. I wouldn't recommend it.
	IP Logged

Topic: Big - The musical( Topic Closed)