Your Thoughts: Muppets Live at the Hollywood Bowl September 8-10, 2017

LipsGF4Life

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Well Peter really lucked out he has two great characters to work on and develop. I'm not to upset with the recasting of Lips even though he is A Steve original character. Truth is untill the ABC show Steve did not really do much with him. So it will be interesting to see if Peter develops him any further.
Also it was ME who first suggested Eric for the Newsman. I think it's going to be an interesting thing to watch with these classic characters being recasted. I love Steve dearly, but it's obviously clear that the Muppets have moved on to bigger and maybe even better things without him

I know it was just the first night but it seems like this was a huge win for the Muppets!
who did do Lips? Who is replacing him permanently??
 

Muppetboy09

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A message from Matt Vogel:

The Muppets Take The Bowl shows were a complete and total blast from beginning to end. My heart was soaring all weekend long! I’m so sad we’re finished, but I look forward to the possibility of assembling some day and doing this kind of show again. This project was the very definition of a truly creative collaboration and I’d like to think it’s how Jim Henson would’ve approached it.

I wanted to take the opportunity to send some shout-outs to the many people who made this endeavor possible. Please forgive me if I’ve left anyone out.

Thank you to our amazing Writer/Directors Kirk R. Thatcher and Andrew Williams who guided us through this process from the beginning all the way through the final bow. Thanks to our Writers Jim Lewis and Matthew Barnette for being true partners on this adventure. It was so fun to perform your words every night.

Thanks to Soapbox Films, and in particular Producer Jessica Stewart, Associate Producer Chelsea DeVincent, Project Coordinator Jamie Cernich, Post Producer Kaley Lankenau. Your support and professionalism are unequaled.

Grateful acknowledgement to Music Producer Ed Mitchell with Music Arranger Steve Morell and Sound Engineer Rick Ruggieri. You make us sound amazing and it is always a pleasure hearing your work.

Thank you to Michael Moretti for our video monitors and LED Tech Spencer King. You are our eyes and we could not do this without your hard work and skills.

Take a bow Production Designer Andy Walmsley and Propmaster Deron Wright. We got to play on an incredible set that was lovingly crafted that was nothing short of brilliant.

My deepest gratitude to The Muppets Studio’s Debbie McClellan (our hero), Tracy Gilbert, Andrea McCallin, Michael Steinbach, and Katherine Lewis. Everyone at TMS has been working non-stop for months to bring this show to life. No detail was missed and you guys ROCK!

Thank you to The Muppet Workshop with Supervisor Jane Gootnick and Wranglers Greg Ballora, Gretchen Crookes, Andrea Detwiler, and Peter MacKennan. It was no easy task to make sure we had every single puppet in the right costume in the right places at the right time, but you all did it so effortlessly.

Great appeciation goes out to The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association Brian Grohl, Johanna Rees, and Michael Vitale. I’m so happy we got to do this and thank you for guiding us along the way.

It was a unique pleasure sharing the stage with Principal Conductor Thomas Wilkins and The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Thank you all for putting your heart into the show.

I’m indebted to The Hollywood Bowl camera operators, lighting crew, stage managers, props, stagehands, sound crew, front of house staff, and security. You took good care of us and made The Bowl feel like our home. Thank you.

Thanks goes out to Fred Martin and The Levite Camp Choir and Michael Rooney and his dancers for enhancing our show with your talents.
Of course, I have to recognize our special guests Danny Trejo and Jimmy Kimmel in video pieces. Thanks for being part of this journey.

Paul Williams, thank you, not only for sharing your song “Rainbow Connection” but for sharing your time with The Muppets for the show.

Bobby Moynihan…I could not think of a better guest star for The Muppets Take The Bowl. Your enthusiasm and joy spread throughout the cast from day one and we’ll carry it with us from here on out. You are a talent that fits right in with The Muppets and I am glad to know you.

Special thanks to the Additional Muppet Performers who helped us fill out our cast when the six of us were otherwise occupied. Those incredible performers are Dave Barclay, Tim Blaney, Kevin Carlson, Ryan Dillon, John Kennedy, Timothy Lagasse, James Murray, Michael Oosterom, Carmen Osbahr, Karen Prell, Mike Quinn, Micha Sisti, and Allan Trautman.

I must also give special credit and thanks to Drew Massey who was literally Kermit’s right hand man (and both feet for “Happy Feet”), Alice Dinnean who performed Kermit’s hands—and along with Drew worked out the dance for Kermit. Julianne Buescher who made Floyd’s bass playing with The Electric Mayhem so incredible! Noel MacNeal who was the physical embodiment of Sweetums for me. Paul McGinnis Puppetrywho took on the task of performing Bobby’s frog legs during “Happy Feet”, and to Bruce Lanoil who "had my back" on a few occasions.

I have to thank my brothers Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, Eric Jacobson, David Rudman, and Peter Linz. Words cannot express my gratitude for the five of you.

A very special thank you to my family and friends who came to The Bowl to see this show. I love you and am so thankful for you.

Finally, I have to thank The Muppets fans and everyone who bought tickets, traveled from down the street or around the world to see The Muppets Take The Bowl. We do this for you and share in your enthusiasm, excitement, laughter, tears, and joy. We will see you next time with more from The Muppets!
 

MrBloogarFoobly

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I know we haven't seen any official video, and it's still too early to call, but I figure I'll just say it:

Matt Vogel's Kermit sounds like an impressionist doing Kermit. In other words, his voice is good. But as we've mentioned many times, a Muppet performer is more than a voice. As a character, his interpretation is lacking. He's playing a Kermit on prozac. There's barely any personality there.

I look forward to seeing him develop the role further, but as it stands right now, I don't understand all of the excitement over his performance.
 

beaker

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So thankful to everyone on youtube, parascope, instagram, facebook and twitter for posting clips from the show! I now have an almost complete good quality edit of the whole performance, and gotta say Im more than blown away! While Im still pretty bummed I wasnt able to make it at the last minute, I am thrilled this thing not just happened...but happened in a big way. Awestruck emotional coverage on all the big buzz blogs, news sites and trades; but those fan videos. wow

Watching the Saturday and Sunday footage, I have to finally admit: Matt Vogel is not just nailing it, but directly channeling late 80s Jim Henson Kermit with a touch of 50s Kermit, and I couldnt be more thrilled. I know some said that Matt's Kermit debut drifted in and out of the voice a bit on Friday, but my goodness...you watch the Movin Right Along medley footage, and its just striking. Is this 1979? :stick_out_tongue:

After feeling very depressed about the sudden cancellation of the ABC 2015 show, and the drama/fallout from the firing of our beloved Whitmire...the weekend of September 8th is the line where we crossed into something new and wonderful. Just seeing the soul and heart poured into every performance and sketch, the pure jubilation of the audience, and hearing Thatcher, Baretta and the rest of the Muppet performer crew gushing over how much this event means. Goosebumps folks, I got goosebumps!

Also still LOLing over that Muppet Labs and Scooter's Parade of Obscure Characters bit.
 

muppetlover123

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So thankful to everyone on youtube, parascope, instagram, facebook and twitter for posting clips from the show! I now have an almost complete good quality edit of the whole performance, and gotta say Im more than blown away! While Im still pretty bummed I wasnt able to make it at the last minute, I am thrilled this thing not just happened...but happened in a big way. Awestruck emotional coverage on all the big buzz blogs, news sites and trades; but those fan videos. wow

Watching the Saturday and Sunday footage, I have to finally admit: Matt Vogel is not just nailing it, but directly channeling late 80s Jim Henson Kermit with a touch of 50s Kermit, and I couldnt be more thrilled. I know some said that Matt's Kermit debut drifted in and out of the voice a bit on Friday, but my goodness...you watch the Movin Right Along medley footage, and its just striking. Is this 1979? :stick_out_tongue:

After feeling very depressed about the sudden cancellation of the ABC 2015 show, and the drama/fallout from the firing of our beloved Whitmire...the weekend of September 8th is the line where we crossed into something new and wonderful. Just seeing the soul and heart poured into every performance and sketch, the pure jubilation of the audience, and hearing Thatcher, Baretta and the rest of the Muppet performer crew gushing over how much this event means. Goosebumps folks, I got goosebumps!

Also still LOLing over that Muppet Labs and Scooter's Parade of Obscure Characters bit.

Defiently share the edit when you finish it! I would love to watch the almost whole thing
 

beaker

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Oh, I just wish they made a fathom event of this with a blu-ray dvd and digital download.
An official home or stream release I now realize wouldnt do it justice. There's so many angles that'd need to be covered. The "frame" (screen) capture, the giant stage screen, the random antics on the sides, the audience reactions and the performance on stage with the ninja clad performers. All the fan videos pouring onto social media and youtube, if one has the time to compile them, are better than an official release. These two youtube channels got the best of the show from what i have seen https://www.youtube.com/user/adamnation/videos
and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqEH1B8p3stx_CyanOn1XlA



I completely understand what you're saying, and like I said, there was probably a good reason why. I just find it weird that even little bits of dialogue aren't even live, and it seems like the puppeteers WANT it to seem like they're doing it live, when they really aren't. Also, I would understand for big numbers that need a lot of performers, but numbers like Moving Right Along and I've Been Everywhere shouldn't need to be lip-synced
wait, the entire show is precorded dialogue? a lot of bits seemed live to me.
 
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