What do you guys think? It's been such a short amount of time since the last revival, which was so critically acclaimed. Sam Gold has done some great work, but I seem to recall his track record with revivals is not considered great.
Joe Mantello seems to have (semi-)confirmed this when talking to Playbill about the Tony nominations. Sally Field and Joe Mantello, with Sam Gold directing and Scott Rudin producing.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
I think this is absolutely ridiculous. Not only is it unbelievably disrespectful to the award winning revival that just happened not even five years ago (the unspoken rule among producers and theater companies used to be 20 years between productions), but Joe has a track record of bringing NEW PLAYWRIGHTS to Broadway. He could have his pick of any of the best new plays hitting producers desks. He should use that influence to convince Sally Field (if this is in fact happening because of her) that she should do a new play (he should be ashamed of himself, seriously). How are we ever going to find the new Tennessee Williams if we don't produce their new plays.
Yes, I get that this is show BUSINESS and producers need to choose work that they think will bring in money. The star + 16 week = recoupment, but I think they have a responsibility to talk these Hollywood stars into doing new work..
This is way too soon for another revival and feels like pandering to an audience instead of bringing in fresh new voices that are writing the classics of tomorrow. It's unbelievable to think that in 2016 it's hard to point to what names will be like Williams and Miller in 20 years.
I don't think Sally is right for Amanda. I think she's an incredible actress but this is not a good fit. Her now patented Sybil histrionics are all wrong for this role. Seriously, give this talented woman a fresh new play. Look how Doris revitalized her.
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
Speaking as someone who's actually seen Field perform the role (in DC), she was a revelation. Easily the best interpretation of the character I've personally seen (and I've seen more than a dozen professional productions of this play) and perhaps a personal best performance from her. Field is a marvelous and interesting stage actress, as evidenced by her performances in the prior production of The Glass Menagerie and in The Goat.
I think the biggest problem is the fact that Mantello is like two decades too old for the part. I know it's a "memory play," but Tom is really supposed to be in his twenties.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
I doubt it sells well. Should be a limited 2 month run. So previews would being in October with an early November opening?? Closes early January.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
With THE ROSE TATOO opening this Summer at Williamstown, I'd imagine that has its sights on NYC - could it be that there are two Williams shows on Broadway at the same time?
standingovation79, you need to calm down, girl. This is not disrespectful in any way to the last revival of the play. A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE and CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF both came back only a few years after the last revivals had played. These are simply plays that get revived often. There's nothing disrespectful about Rudin wanting to bring this to Broadway and let people see Field's take on one of the great (and oh so challenging) roles of the theatre canon. I, for one, cannot wait to see both Sally Field and Mantello take on this, and I thought the last revival was one of the most perfect productions of a play I've seen. Still, Field is one of the best actresses of her generation, and gave an Oscar worthy performance in LINCOLN. She couldn't be more different from Cherry Jones and not the first person who comes to mind when thinking about Amanda, which is what makes the possibility of her playing it even more exciting.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
Also, for what it's worth, Gold apparently is intent on casting an actor to play Laura who is actually disabled, so if nothing else it'll be a great opportunity for an actor who wouldn't necessarily otherwise get the chance.
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
wonderfulwizard11 said: "Also, for what it's worth, Gold apparently is intent on casting an actor to play Laura who is actually disabled, so if nothing else it'll be a great opportunity for an actor who wouldn't necessarily otherwise get the chance.
"
I can confirm this. I auditioned for Lauren, which was my audition board that I posted a couple months back. Based on the fact I hadn't heard anything & the workshop is going to begin really soon and they only saw 4 out of 6 minutes on my tape, I didn't get it, but that's life :) (If you wanna see my tape, PM me)
Madison Ferris has muscular dystrophy and will indeed be making her professional debut in this production.
She is a major talent.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
I'm excited to read it's the Toneelgroep Amsterdam production. I thought that production looked remarkable... though obviously not to all tastes. I wonder if there'll be a backlash to those kinds of productions with so many in a row.
"Did I miss this line in the release? Do you know her?"
I can only vouch for myself, but I know her and have seen her perform several times and will agree that she's a brilliant actress, as well as a lovely person. I'm thrilled for her.
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
I know he's not, but it's very much in the Toneelgroep mold. Not just visually, but with added interludes between scenes. I wouldn't necessarily saw they're similar... but I wonder if it might be similar to how it became popular to complain about "the actors playing their own instruments." Maybe not!
This was the Broadway play I auditioned for in Feb.! Am I disappointed I didn't get the part? Oh heck no! I knew I didn't had a chance. Ha ha! So happy for Madison and I can't wait to see how she does!