ZORBA at City Center Encores!- Page 2

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 12:06pm

Thought about Hawke also, but he's done Macbeth more recently than Chekhov.

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 12:09pm

Like most people, I forgot about his Macbeth.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 12:11pm

Wit and Wisdom for AC!

[jv92]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 12:18pm

How about Judy Kaye as Hortense? Linda Emond would be divine, but maybe that'd be like K&E overkill for her. (Although, FOR ME, there is no such thing as K&E overkill.)

I just hope they use the original opening line to "Life Is." It's such a startling line, though I can hear the geriatric crowd at Encores! complaining that it's too depressing. Though, in their defense, does anyone close to their final trip to the graveyard want to hear such a line in the first two minutes of a musical?

Anyway, I'm more excited for this Encores! than the other two priors this season, though I did enjoy LADY BE GOOD and PAINT YOUR WAGON very much.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 12:24pm

It's a stretch, and she might be a little old for Turturro, but I like the Kaye idea. (Rita and Anita are way too old)

Olga Merediz
Alma Cuervo
Kate Burton
Maria de Medeiros
Jayne Atkinson

Lynda Carter!

Has Amanda Plummer ever sang?













Updated On: 3/24/15 at 12:24 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 1:51pm

"I just hope they use the original opening line to "Life Is." It's such a startling line, though I can hear the geriatric crowd at Encores! complaining that it's too depressing. "

Yes, as I said earlier in this thread--I hope they stick to the original production concept and script/lyrics. Many small changes were made for the revival (and two big song ones) and they all do this great musical a disservice.

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 2:19pm

"Many small changes were made for the revival (and two big song ones) and they all do this great musical a disservice."

Nothing short of a complete overhaul could have helped this deadly musical.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 2:27pm

Eric, I can barely even listen to the revival recording, but the OBCR is an absolute treasure. I also pray they don't change a single lyric from the original. The score is brilliant- I'm not familiar with the actual book, but if it's even half the score's equal then show as a whole must very powerful.

Couldn't be more excited for this Encores. As much as I loved the first two offerings this season I'm with jv that this is the one to be truly thrilled about.

[jv92]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 2:34pm

Once again, After Death sucks the joy and enthusiasm out of any thread he posts in.

Whizzer, I've longed for Encores! to do more Kander and Ebb, particularly FLORA, THE RED MENACE (in its original state, if that's allowed) and THE RINK and THE HAPPY TIME. Note that they have included the exclamation point in the title, rather than just ZORBA, as it was listed in the 1983 production. Maybe ZORBA! means it'll be the original text and score and Hal Prince concept.

Supposedly, Amanda Plummer is hell to work with, henrik, and I don't think difficult people gel with Encores! at all. It's such a mad rush that there's really no time to be a pain in the ass, as far as I've heard.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 2:39pm

Yes, they definitely need to do more K&E. The Rink needs to be restored to the original version (none of this crap about cutting Angel's Rink and Social Center). Even though it's ripe for a full revival, Encores should tackle Spiderwoman as well.

The Happy Time OBCR is excellent...doesn't seem like there's much to the show though. I guess that makes it just right for an Encores setting.

[jv92]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 2:43pm

THE HAPPY TIME is perfect for Encores!. The cast album is very abridged, as far as I know. There's not only a ballet or two not preserved, but Goulet's 11 o'clock number (It's called "Being Alive", oddly enough. COMPANY was still two years away.) is not on their either.

[Fantod]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 2:47pm

I actually would love to see them do All About Us, the final final final final Kander and Ebb score. I hear the show is not great, but I love the demo recording and would love a complete cast album. The song rain is fabulous.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 3:01pm

I haven't seen Zorba! on stage--but I do own the Random House edition of the original libretto and I think it's quite strong, and often surprisingly subtle and ambiguous (at least that's how it reads.) Of course Joseph Stein being the writer was another reason the show originall suffered expectations of being a Greek Fiddler--which it certainly is not (thematically, or in any other way.)

The Chita tour in 1970 did apparently make some changes (including a new song, Bouboulina that wasn't in the revised revival though Woman and Mine Song were added obviously--two songs I don't feel do much.)

Never noticed that the revival dropped the exclamation point! Anyway am very interested to find out more about the Encores production. (And, wow, just the very idea of Ethan Hawke playing Zorba is... Wow.

Fantod, I believe Over and Over/All About Us is back to being tied up due to rights issues with Thornton Wilder's estate.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 3:53pm

You know who might be a marvelous Hortense? Isabella Rossellini.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 4:34pm

I think Liza could do a bitchin' Hortense.

[wonkit]

Posted: 3/24/15 at 4:49pm

I am really sorry to hear that the Zorba will not be a singer. I am getting a little tired of tolerating non-singers in roles that can be gloriously sung. I heard Bernardi and he will be hard to match.