Roundabout site's Great American Musical feature, plus RTC responds to revival suggestions

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 5:00pm

http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/Support/American-Musical.aspx

A new portion of their website dedicated to the recent musical revivals produced by Roundabout Theatre Company.  Another section asks for readers to submit suggestions for future Roundabout revivals and the responses were as follows:

Barnum
Submitted by Ellen
“A wonderful musical with a great Cy Coleman score. The question we wonder about: Who can follow in the indomitable footsteps of Tony-winner Jim Dale in the title role?”
 
Candide
Submitted by Stephen
“It does seem like it might be time to see this one again, especially with the Leonard Bernstein centennial coming up in 2018. The score is notoriously challenging, but worth the effort.”
 
City of Angels
Submitted by Mindy
"A great suggestion, if only the rights weren’t tied up! It recently had a successful revival at the Donmar Warehouse in London. Perhaps that production will make its way across the Atlantic?”
 
Grand Hotel
Submitted by Brandon
“The original production by Tommy Tune made the choreography and overall vision as much a part of the piece’s success as the content itself. So who would be the right artist to take on that legacy and come up with a fresh way of looking at this material?”
 
Hello, Dolly!
Submitted by Bruce
“This musical is meant for a commercial revival, but someday we'd love to do the play it’s based on, Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker.”
 
Paint Your Wagon
Submitted by Michael
“The recent Encores! version of this show was the right way to see it. Hearing the score again was wonderful, but we're not sure that a full production is what it needs. That said, we'll certainly be listening to the cast recording.”
 
Ragtime
Submitted by Hunter
“It’s a fantastic show, but having been revived already in 2010, we think it needs to wait several more years to come back to New York anew.”
 
The Robber Bridegroom
Submitted by Linda
“This irreverent piece is not nearly as well-known as it should be. We'd love to bring it back. There are so many great roles for comedic actor-singers. It’s impossible to not have a good time watching this show.”
 
Merrily We Roll Along
Submitted by Tony
“We're always at the ready when an opportunity to work on a Sondheim piece comes along. Steve is a true master, and this is one of his shows that is notoriously tough to get right. Sounds like a good challenge.”
 
Titanic
Submitted by Brian
“We love the score from Maury Yeston, who certainly has a history with Roundabout. But other producers are already at work on bringing this one back to New York. We hope they succeed!”
 
Mame
Submitted by Allison
“A great show that is overdue for revival. Again, who would you cast in those iconic leading roles? It’s hard to follow Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur!”

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 5:10pm

Dreamgirls

Submitted by Suzan

"We think this musical is very nice.  However, we're concerned about the rowdiness of audience members who would be its target audience.  The American Airlines Theater is not a church hall!"

[hork]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 5:17pm

I'd be happy with any of those, since I've never seen any of them. Although I've heard the cast recording of Titanic and think it's kind of terrible.

[Showface]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 5:22pm

Borstalboy said: "Dreamgirls

 

Submitted by Suzan

 

"We think this musical is very nice.  However, we're concerned about the rowdiness of audience members who would be its target audience.  The American Airlines Theater is not a church hall!"

 

"

What  kind of reasoning is this? Why would the audience  be any different with Dreamgjrls?

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 5:26pm

"Dreamgirls...we're concerned about the rowdiness of audience members who would be its target audience.  The American Airlines Theater is not a church hall!""

 

Is the Roundabout being racist???

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 5:34pm

That Dreamgirls one was not on the site I pulled from and linked in the OP.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 5:35pm

They seem the most positive about Candide, The Robber Bridegroom, and Merrily We Roll Along. Should we start dream casting?

"Dreamgirls...we're concerned about the rowdiness of audience members who would be its target audience.  The American Airlines Theater is not a church hall!""

Is the Roundabout being racist???

Kind of, if they posted that. But if they did, it's down now.

 

 

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 5:38pm

Click the link and see for yourself!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 5:38pm

Showface said: "What  kind of reasoning is this? Why would the audience  be any different with Dreamgjrls?"

You know the answer.

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 6:07pm

I started reading this with a smile and got to the "Dreamgirls" answer and slowly got very sad. Don't let Roundabout touch that show. Fire whoever wrote that response.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 6:14pm

Nothing there. Did Borstal write it? http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/Support/American-Musical/Musicals-Media.aspx

[TalkinLoud]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 8:13pm

Guys, Borstalboy made that one up. A satiric criticism of RTC's lack of diversity.

[Showface]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 8:38pm

^Well, don't I just feel stupid!

 

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 8/24/15 at 8:47pm

LOL well he's not wrong....

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 8/25/15 at 1:25am

I wish there was room on the site to answer the questions they pose.  For instance:

Barnum
Submitted by Ellen
“A wonderful musical with a great Cy Coleman score. The question we wonder about: Who can follow in the indomitable footsteps of Tony-winner Jim Dale in the title role?”

How about your old pal, NPH, who'd be great in the role?

 

 

Updated On: 8/25/15 at 01:25 AM

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 8/25/15 at 1:41am

The people of BWW aren't very sharp with the satiric jabs.

[Fantod]

Posted: 8/25/15 at 2:10am

The people of BWW aren't very sharp

FTFY

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/25/15 at 11:10am

Ain't Supposed To Die A Natural Death

Submitted by Terence

"With its depictions of Black-on-Black violence, police executing young people and general ghetto unpleasantness, this show doesn't feel relevant to the New York City of 2015.  Although we are a theater company based in revivals, we aim to present timeless work that speaks to the concerns of today as evidenced in our productions of Man And Boy, Look Back In Anger,  Bye, Bye Birdie and many more."

 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 8/29/15 at 4:08pm

LOL at the comments on here to the Dreamgirls quote.

 

Their reasoning about Grand Hotel--that the original staging was so iconic certainly hasn't (unfortunately) stopped them from doing mediocre revivals of shows whose original staging was pretty integral to their iconic status before...