From the SF Chronicle on LESTAT Review. It should be published on the 10th
"Review of a vampire: Anne Rice fans, relax. We're not ignoring "Lestat," the Elton John and Bernie Taupin musical take on Anne Rice's "The Vampire Chronicles." The reason there hasn't been a review of the show in these pages is because it hasn't opened yet -- even though it's been playing at the Curran Theatre since mid-December.
The apparent paradox has led some readers to call or e-mail asking why the show hasn't been reviewed. The answer is because it's in previews, that grace period during which producers get to try out a new production with live audiences, and make small or major changes before the critics pass judgment. What's confusing some readers is the unusually long three-week preview period and the fact that the Best of Broadway's ads haven't noted the difference between preview and regular performances, as would be standard practice in New York.
It's one of the unwritten laws of the theater-journalism interface: Critics stay away until the show officially opens (or starts charging full ticket prices, which is usually the same thing). Subscribers to most local companies know the drill because the preview period is the same for every show -- from a day to a week, depending on the company -- and previews cost significantly less (at some small companies, they're free).
Best of Broadway doesn't offer much of a preview discount ($5 off per seat for "Lestat"), and, because so many of its shows are national tours, rarely has more than one or two previews. But its increasing number of Broadway-bound world premieres -- "Wicked," "Lennon," "The Mambo Kings," "Lestat" -- need longer preview periods (similar to Broadway practice). "Lestat" opens Sunday. The review should run two days later, Jan. 10. The show begins previews on Broadway on March 11. "
