This porn set designed by Mattel is so ugly it must be seen to be believed

Old thread

Its a great set!-if the play was an all-male revival of 'Company'.

You couldn’t think of a better heading for this thread?

Saw it tonight. Parsons wasn’t in a cast or wearing a special boot or anything. He seemed fine. Loved every second of it. Quinto was the revelation for me. He might be doing something of an imitation of Leonard Frey but he nails his laughs and then some. Got to see Bomer’s magnificent nude body (and ass) in the mirror reflection as reported here and elsewhere and it is indeed a thing of beauty. He happens to be very good in it, too. He gets a few laughs here and there. There isn’t a weak link in the entire cast. The writing really does peter out toward the end (especially for Parsons’ character). However there’s a specific spot-on directorial choice for the final moment by the superb Joe Mantello involving Bomer which I’m not sure was in the original script or was done in previous productions. Absolutely worth going out of your way to see.

I'm going to try to get tickets for July for this and HEAD OVER HEELS. I'm a flyover, so can I sleep on someone's couch???

Where were you sitting R4?

I attended the matinee yesterday. I sat in the nose bleed seats (second to last row) and had no problem seeing anything, including Bomer's ass.

After the show, everyone but Parsons and Rannells came out for pics and autographs. Later we saw Quinto and Bomer walking east on 45th Street, going back to the theater after getting take out some place.

I love how this thread has turned into informing everyone if they saw Bomers ass. Soon there will be detailed descriptions lol

R6, I was sitting on the audience left side in the last row of the mezzanine, perfect vantage point to check out Bomer’s goods early in Act 1 when he disrobes.

Can't wait for the reviews.

I don't remember ass in the movie version. Is this supposed to be the big draw: a nudie scene?

^ There is a shot of Donald in the shower.

Does the instagramer know how to use the word aesthetic?

You see his ass in the shower and then when he’s putting on underwear for about ten seconds.

Forgot to mention that last night at the moment he walks down the stairs and says to Michael “Well? Am I stunning?” a guy in the audience blurted out “YES.” The way he said it was what made it so funny. He just said it as a knee jerk reaction, a point blank statement of fact.

When is opening

Thursday, R15.

How did Jim react to the audience Yes?

Opens May 31.

Dumb Question, if you see the legendary ass and there are mirrors all over the set, how does one not see cock as well?

R19, because Bomer is a living Ken doll.

r14 Same thing happened when I saw it last Monday. I guess people can't help responding to that question.

People who can’t control themselves from talking during a play should not attend, period. It’s not cute.

Agree. This not the circus.

And it’s not our living room.

I have not read the play and have only seen the movie. Does the play start with Donald arriving at Michael's house?

Yes

I'd really like to see this but it's playing at one of the smaller Broadway houses and the average ticket price sold is $166.

I don't thinks it's on tdf or at the tkts booth or even on twofers.

Damn...!

Photos from BITB

R27 The cheapest ticket is $68.00. All the seats in the theatre have a great view.

I pity the cleaner who has to remove the confetti after every show.

If it's successful enough, it will extend, but not with all of the original cast.

Parsons (who has a tv show to go back to) and Bomer (who uprooted his entire family from LA for the summer) will likely be the exits if it does extend.

Saw it last night and it's pretty terrific. The brilliant Mantello gets laughs I didn't know were there (and I know the play backward and forward) and wrings tears as well. Parsons is best of the bunch. All the flaws of the work are still detrimental but it nonetheless plays like a dream. Removing the intermission was a great idea. Audience about 60% straight white couples, and everyone ate it up like candy.

r33 Predictions on Tony noms? (I know it's a year away, but ...) Obviously Best Revival of a Play, but individual noms?

Quinto absolutely deserves a Best Featured Actor in a Play nomination. And Mantello absolutely deserves a Best Director of a Play nomination.

I'd say Mantello, Parsons and DeJesus, who's a crowd-pleaser. But It's a long long way to Tony noms next year.

How does it work with Tony voters? Are they all invited to BITB in anticipation of next year? If not, they can't vote if they haven't seen it.

I feel like a year from now DeJesus had the performance I will remember the best. Quinto was also great.

Parsons and Bomer did well but I couldn't shake the feeling that their roles almost should have been reversed.

Charlie Carver got a lot of laughs as well at the performance I was present at.

That final line he said had the entire audience, including myself, in stitches.

Bomer could never have brought the emotional colors that Parsons does to the role. JP was splendid. And I originally thought he was miscast.

Me, too, R37. I was surprised by that. He was perfect.

I loved DeJesus, too, but Quinto really was the revelation for me.

Every Harold I've seen (at least six) have adhered very closely to the template created by Leonard Frey. I wonder if anyone has tried a radically different approach, if that is possible.

R40, David Greenspan did in the Off Broadway revival I saw in the early 90s (?). He was gooo but no Leonard Frey.

Was Kyle Dean Massey in tonight's performance? Taylor Frey was talking about "Kyle Dean's opening night" in a couple of his IG stories tonight.

Ok , opening night over, where are the reviews?

Kyle Dean wasn't in any of the @boysbandbway pics. Who is he the understudy for? I'd rather see Kyle Dean than most of them.

Well I really don't see the problem. It looks the same as the classic apartment Michael held. I'd love to have a cup of tea in there.

Can only assume Kyle Dean is understudying as a favour to the producer, who also produces Wicked. Cover last year for Wicked was Kyle Dean s only Broadway appearance since 2015? Though Nashville would have lifted his career but not even a Broadway replacement.

Kyle understudies for Bomer, Charlie and I think Andrew

I'd rather see Kyle Dean than any of those but Matt. And Matt only once, just to say I'd seen him live. If I went back again and again, I'd probably want to see Kyle Dean instead of Matt.

Flip thru the Playbill.

This set is how most Gay Men lived back in the day. I don't know why OP is being so flippant.

Kyle Dean is listed.

Kyle Dean is picced.

The New York Times review is out. Mostly bad but praises de Jesus.

And it is here:

Reviews middling to poor, only de Jesús universally praised. Maybe his 3rd Tony nod. He just left Wicked tour, shouldn't he be getting better than that!

Hardly "middling to poor."

These reviewers just seem like they are bringing their own bias into it which doesn't make for a balanced and well written review.

R57, it’s not bias, it’s life experience. And critics are not under any obligation to be “balanced” when they analyze works of art.

R58 Some these reviews just seem pretentious and some critics "life experiences" arent what I care about learn about.

Variety is more praising.

"Happily, a lot about the play now seems dated — but not everything, and not in all circles of society, which makes this anniversary presentation doubly welcome. It not only reminds us of where we’ve been, it also serves as a warning about whatever forms of social oppression are still here and yet to come."

more: "Jim Parsons’ endearing performance is the heart and soul of the play’s rambunctious birthday gathering."

They need to film this.

They will, for the Friday night PBS thing. Won't they?

Havent heard of them filming it. Hope they do though.

There's sure to be a handbag version.

r65=Lady Bracknell

I agree that I do not want to hear about a critic’s personal life in a review. They need to assess the work objectively. It’s not a personal essay.

“A touching moment” according to @BoysBandBway

How nice for the 82 year old Mart.

R69, who/what is he leaving his recent windfall too. He probably won't be spending it himself

Why do I get the feeling that Jim Parsons is a nasty piece of work. Just a feeling. We know Zachary Quinto is a total cunt. What a lovely work place that theatre must be.

Quinto's a total cunt?

I saw Quinto at the stage door; he did interact with the crowd and seemed appreciative but there is a certain air of pretention about him. I think it can come off as a little condescending.

caricature.

I recognize Bomer in that caricature. That's it.

Clockwise from the black man: Washington, Bomer, Parsons, Rannells, Carver, Quinto, De Jesus, Hutchinson, Watkins

No-I know who the caricatures are supposed to be-it's just that they are bad.

Sei uno stupido, OP.

‘’The Boys in the Band’ Is Sad, Hilarious, and Gratifying - The Observer

The dance scene

What song do they dance to?

What a dump! Who'd live in an apartment like that?

They dance to "Heatwave". Jim's character also listens to "I Say A Little Prayer For You" at the start

The Dionne or Aretha version?

Dancing in the original production.

Laurence Luckinbill and Lucie Arnaz at the show.

My review (written after viewing the Press Performance):

Had I never seen a production of the play or never had seen the movie (with much of the original cast), I would give this production an A-/B+. The night we went was press night, and every star (and one unknown actor) got applause on both their entrances and exits. The play is powerful and not as dated as I would have imagined. Pacing was good. The two hours flew by quickly. It’s sure to be a big hit.

BUT

I did see the original and I did see the movie, and as we both know, I am very familiar with the late sixties. I had lots of problems with the production, but looking around the audience, I guess I’m in the minority. We were some of the oldest people there.

First, the casting. Certainly, a promotional stroke of genius, but unfortunately several actors (actors who I like) were miscast. Jim Parsons can’t hold up the role of Michael. He tried valiantly but his emotional arc went from A to B. He is supposed to get very drunk and very vicious, but never approaches the level of intensity required for the part. Kenneth Nelson was brilliant in the original production, and I miss having an actor of that caliber. His body language was so passive – great for TV, but not for the stage. Even when he screams, it is muted.

Zachary Quinto is also miscast as Harold. The “pockmarked fairy jew” comes off as a toned, under-rehearsed, controlled actor with a wig, and never becomes the ultimate match for Michael. His walk, his mannerisms, his bon mots just don’t ring true. He’s comes off too healthy for the part. Again, Leonard Fry was brilliant in this part and set the bar for any actor that follows.

So, without the ultimate Michael/Harold confrontation reaching Tennessee Williams proportions, the play just builds to an ant hill of a climax.

Robin De Jesus was miscast as Emory. He tried (god, he tried) but with an accent that was not quite Bronx and not quite Puerto Rican, and a flaming queen act that just wasn’t sixties camp enough, he becomes just another actor on stage and not a standout. Again, I miss Cliff Gorman who was terrific in the part.

Andrew Rannells as Larry – another disappointment. Maybe with more time, he’ll get into the part, but right now, not much there. And certainly didn’t have the look/haircut/costuming for the period.

Some of the other actors were very good. Matt Bomer was surprisingly good as Donald (and looks great). It’s not a well-written part, but he really makes it work. Michael Benjamin Washington as Bernard was also very good. I didn’t know him, but he plays the role with compassion and believability. Tuc Watkins as Hank was also terrific.

The real problem with the production was the direction, and what the director allowed. First of all, the set was totally wrong, and certainly not a Greenwich Village apartment from 1968. Michael is supposed to be living beyond his means, in debt, but this duplex was not it. Much of the music before the show was totally wrong for the period, and even the costumes seemed wrong. It was obvious to me that Joe Mantello didn’t do his homework. Not knowing “this era” was “his error”. It should have been called Boys in the Band 1988.

Well, after all my negativity, you’ll probably go and love it. I didn’t feel like I wasted my money, but I expected a whole lot more drama then what I got.

imho

Should also add that Pardons and Quinto should switch roles. Now THAT could be real matchup.

I read several reviews which mentioned the same regarding Quinto & Parsons.

Billy, the play is set in an apartment in the East 50s acc. to the text; at least get your facts straight.

Billy Eichner must be spitting nails that he wasn't cast in this.

Lucie Arnaz looks GREAT!

Sounds like Billy Boy was expecting a copy of the previous work, rather than than a fresh version. Most of the audience probably hasn’t seen, or doesn’t remember, the original production and the movie. I believe they purposely tried to update it to make it more appealing in the present time since the old version comes off as very dated. The current play succeeds on its own terms.

How is it updated?

The play was cut down in length and many dated references were left out. The costumes are not extreme. The whole play has a more current feel to it.

Did they keep "nothing more tired than a queen doing a Bette Davis impression" or however that line goes, from the beginning of the play?

What dated references?

I love it

Did they at least keep Connie Casserole?

What about the ass?

the ass in the casserole?

Can't spell "casserole" without "ass."

Well they better had cut Emorys' cotillion line, cause a Mexican going to a cotillion in the 50s makes zero sense

Robin de Jesus is Puerto Rican & it is simply a dance in this version, which makes more sense anyway; original Emory didn’t seem like a cotillion guy either.

R04 Thank you

split level phone call.

"What's the story, morning glory? What's the word, hummingbird?"

I like the portraits on the wall in this West End production. Of course nobody would have them in their house in reality.

That's Jack Derges playing Cowboy, a very good looking English actor who used to be on the legendary British soap Eastenders.

He was only on it for a few weeks, R109. Played a relative of a dead person out for revenge.

Yes I know but he was in EE for a couple of months.

Here's a closer look at Jack as Cowboy.

Jack should have been in the Broadway version too.Matt,Jack and maybe Kyle Dean,what a hot trio that would be!

Jack reminds me of Derrick on DOOL.

R108, what the fuck are you talking about? Of course we had those portraits. They were available at any poster store.

I have a friend who saw the original stage show and he said those West End wall posters are historically inaccurate, especially the Barbara Stanwyck one. He said people couldn't buy those kind of prints until much later. They are a theatrical contrivance.

Nonsense. I was in college in 1968 and those Personality Posters were available everywhere. I got several in Old Town Chicago. Your friend is wrong.

Did you hang them in your living room?

Didn't have a living room in college. But they were in many a dorm room.

Did you also have the life-size Maria Callas cutout?

No, but I had one of Barbra in her Bergdorf "poor boy" outfit from Color Me Barbra. It was a record promotion given to me by the campus record dealer.

The BITB stars present Tony Award

The other 4 weren't famous enough I guess.

R122 it’s like the eldergay version of Power Rangers.

They said they were dressed in different colors like the Care Bears. 😁

[quote]The other 4 weren't famous enough I guess.

Or the next four tux colors were so atrocious, they said "No, thanks."

Andrew Rannells is one burrito away from turning into Amy Schumer.

R121- you mean this one?

The casting it Charlie Carver is odd, is cowboy supposed to be exceptionally attractive? Carver is quite average.

No, R129, just sexy. And Carver fits the bill.

Yes, r128. Wish I still had it!

Charlie Carver is hardly average, "quite" or otherwise.

Well, it’s all over now! It had a great run!