Giuseppe Bausilio--Billy: Chicago, US Tour & New York

[ERinVA]

All rhyming couplets? Hmm...

[CJ-Rochester]

On December 9th Giuseppe held a workshop with the Bay Shore Middle School Drama Club on Long Island. This looks like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these lucky students.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 6185492847

[porschesrule]

Here's an updated trailer for Giuseppe's new movie "Ode to Passion"

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7117966/

[ERinVA]

Giuseppe's performance notwithstanding, I'm still not sure what I think about the rhyming couplets.
Their use seems gimicky to me, and affects my ability to take the story seriously. Even the Bard himself understood that too much rhyme is trite.

[angelenroute]

It's definitely risky, but I remember loving the Leonardo DiCaprio Romeo & Juliet years ago, and even if they weren't rhyming, they recited centuries-old dialogue with a very cool, casual flair. So it can work. I hope it does.

[ERinVA]

Ah! But there's the point. Shakespeare's dialog, though transferred to a modern setting, did not make itself so obvious that I found it distracting. But I am sure there were purists who found the juxtaposition of Shakespeare's gorgeous verse with the modern setting, although it's done all the time, jarring.
When I consider Hamilton, on the other hand, the hiphop poetry seems right. Perhaps when I see this whole movie, my reservations will dissolve.

[CJ-Rochester]

I noticed the rhyming too. It makes me wonder if perhaps the story is based on something from Shakespeare. The plot summary given so far is pretty vague, so it's hard to tell.

[ERinVA]

That occurred to me as well.

[CJ-Rochester]

"Ode to Passion" is set to premier July 10 on Amazon Prime Video.

https://www.facebook.com/odetopassion/p ... =3&theater

[angelenroute]

Hi all, just wanted to report that I saw Giuseppe's Ode to Passion movie on Amazon Prime yesterday, and I was honestly floored. I don't mind admitting my expectations were low, and I'd certainly understand if yours are too, but this movie has some serious substance. The director (who's also the lyricist) really committed to this concept of a rhyming movie, and because he packed in SO MANY musical numbers, it honestly works SO WELL! The analogy I thought of very early on was that of a ride down a river. You get in, maybe not all that excited and a bit nervous, but it pulls you along steadily and there's just no way of getting off the raft or boat till you reach the conclusion. Solid B+ movie, I believe, and with only a little editing overall has all the makings of an award-winning musical on Broadway. Check it out! Give it a chance like I did, and I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised!

-Sean