What Broadway "flop" would you like to see revived?- Page 6

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 2:26pm

gleek4114 said: "I'd love to see Smile. The concept seems intrgueing, and I'm quite fond of the song "Disneyland". I second Bring Back Birdie. If only to hear "Well I'm Not" live and in person. Fade Out, Fade In could be fun as well. Get on this Encores! 

Smile was one of the biggest disappointments ever.  Right after A Chorus Line, terrific movie, but it was incredibly boring.  I remember 6 of us seeing it from the Second row of the front mezzanine, being jacked before it started (still previews), and just looking at each other at intermission.  If anyone had suggested leaving, I am sure we would have.

"

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 2:26pm

gleek4114 said: "I'd love to see Smile. The concept seems intrgueing, and I'm quite fond of the song "Disneyland". I second Bring Back Birdie. If only to hear "Well I'm Not" live and in person. Fade Out, Fade In could be fun as well. Get on this Encores! 

Smile was one of the biggest disappointments ever.  Right after A Chorus Line, terrific movie, but it was incredibly boring.  I remember 6 of us seeing it from the Second row of the front mezzanine, being jacked before it started (still previews), and just looking at each other at intermission.  If anyone had suggested leaving, I am sure we would have.

"

 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 3:59pm

I don't get what the big fuss was about "Smile". I was perplexed when they decided to make it into a musical. I loved the original film and it was a staple on HBO circa 1976 when we first got the service, so I remember watching it repeatedly when I was about 7-8 years old and have revisited many times since. Let's just say I wasn't the least bit surprised when the musical tanked.  

 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 4:23pm

I also saw Me and it would do well now off Broadway.

Updated On: 8/3/16 at 04:23 PM

[jessepp]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 7:25pm

Hazel Flagg

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 8/3/16 at 9:43pm

Mr Roxy wrote: "I saw Legs Diamond and nothing could have saved it."

I worked on that show for 6 long months, and whole heartedly agree with your assessment. It was the last big show to play the beautiful Hellinger before that theater became a church forever. Having Bway lose the Hellinger was a crime. LEGS DIAMOND closing in a month-- not so much.

Gaveston wrote: "AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' ran for over 1600 performances, almost 4 years! For a musical revue with a cast of 5, that is a smash hit!" Oh, you're totally right of course. I realized my error soon after typing it, but seeing a first-rate revival of that perfect show would make me so happy that I left it on my list as pure wish fulfillment.

 

[whatacharacter]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 8:57am

I would love to see Taboo given a second chance.  An off-broadway immersive production like ...1812 or Here Lies Love would work great.  A few names in it wouldn't hurt either.  Jake Odmark (not necessarily a name yet, but loved him in Kinky Boots and Spiderman and he has the right voice and look) as George?  John Cameron Mitchell as Leigh Bowery?  Adam Lambert as Philip?  Keala Settle as  Big Sue?   Any other thoughts?

[godlessondheimite2]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 3:54pm

Merrily! We'll finally get it right this time!

[Adair Haywind]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 6:03pm

The recent in-the-round La Mirada/Los Angeles production of Carrie was astounding. I'd love for it to see a life on Broadway or on tour.

[Alex Kulak]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 6:43pm

Parade

 

Only the Donmar Warehouse revival, with the new book and extended score.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 6:53pm

Alex Kulak said: "Parade

 

Only the Donmar Warehouse revival, with the new book and extended score.

 

"

Add full orchestrations and Bertie carvel, then I'm in.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 8:23pm

Walking Happy

Illya Darling

Womem on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

[Alex Kulak]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 8:49pm

@jorge

 

I really like the smaller orchestration used on the Donmar Warehouse recording. It sounds rougher and more visceral.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 8:54pm

The Other One said: "I am not one who lives to see flops revived, but two shows I have thought about in terms of revival potential are Ben Franklin In Paris and The Me Nobody Knows.  

Nathan Lane would make a great Ben Franklin, the show has a likable legit score and, in the age of Hamilton, US history might be welcome on Broadway at this time.  I know nothing else about the show other than that it starred Robert Preston and Susan Watson.

The Me Nobody Knows was a liked show that didn't run for very long on Broadway.  Based on poems which told the stories of disaffected ghetto teens, it has some strong songs and the issues it deals with are still facing us.  Broadway might or might not be the place for it, but it's the sort of show that would be more welcome now than it was then.

I would also like a chance to see High Spirits, although I don't know if you could call that show a flop.

I saw both.  Wanted to love Ben Franklin because it was one of my first musicals and Robert Preston was terrific.  The show was only okay, and I can't conceive reviving it in any scenario...the score wasn't good enough for Encores...the book wasn't good enough for revival Without a major rewrite.

Also saw Me, which got very good reviews and, if I remember correctly, a bunch of Tony noms.  I just didn't connect with it and was bored throughout, sitting in my second balcony seat in the old, and seriously missed, Helen Hayes theatre.  Maybe off-Broadway, per Mr. Roxy...definitely not Broadway.

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 8:57pm

mamaleh said: "Walking Happy

Illya Darling

Womem on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

 

Be careful what you wish for.  I saw Walking Happy and the only thing I remember about the show was that there was not a single musical number in the last 20 or so minutes o f the show

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 9:12pm

mamaleh said: "Walking Happy

Illya Darling

Womem on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

 

"Saw the first two.  Thoroughly mediocre.  Walking Happy may be the only musical I ever saw that did not have a song / dance / reprise for the last 20 minutes.  Really mediocre.  Illya Darling had one good song...Never On Sunday...sung in Greek.  Maybe there was one more.  The only reason to see this was Melina Mercouri...without someone with her charisma, it would be inconceivable to eve even consider a revival.

 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 10:19pm

Agree re Illya . Who would play the Melina part? Without a big star, it would have no chance.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 10:36pm

Someone in a Tree2 said: "...Gaveston wrote: "AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' ran for over 1600 performances, almost 4 years! For a musical revue with a cast of 5, that is a smash hit!" Oh, you're totally right of course. I realized my error soon after typing it, but seeing a first-rate revival of that perfect show would make me so happy that I left it on my list as pure wish fulfillment.

 

 

"

Great idea! I'm sure I saw it a half-dozen times PER YEAR during its Broadway run and never got tired of it. Since it approaches African-American history in such a unique way, it would be wonderful to see what a young cast would do with it today.

I didn't see it (too young), but I love the score and have read FADE OUT, FADE IN more than a few times. It is one of the few musicals that made me laugh out loud just from reading it. But it is very carefully tailored to Carol Burnett's unique talents and I'm sure that's why they didn't replace her when she "withdrew". (If I hadn't known her so well from TV I don't know if the script would have been so funny.) A first-class revival would require the Comden and Green book be heavily adapted to some other comedienne. Do those sorts of clowns even exist any more? Melissa McCarthy is the only one who comes quickly to mind. Maybe she'd like to do it during a lull in her movie career.

Come to think of it even the score is pretty specific: who can do a full on Shirley Temple impression while tap dancing? (And what do we do with the protesters who hear there's a 1930s' Bill "Bojangles" Robinson character? Maybe the show needs a new 11 o'clock number, too.)

***

I also didn't see BRING BACK BIRDIE, though I was old enough. But I was a student of lyricist Lee Adams at the time (he was doing a guest professor stint at Columbia during previews--I have no idea what he was thik) and I have never ever seen a human being in so much pain. He was a consummate gentlemen and never complained to his students, but I could only imagine what a horror show it had to be to cause Mr. Adams so much anguish.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 10:37pm

Sunset??

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 10:41pm

Someone in a Tree2 said: "...Gaveston wrote: "AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' ran for over 1600 performances, almost 4 years! For a musical revue with a cast of 5, that is a smash hit!" Oh, you're totally right of course. I realized my error soon after typing it, but seeing a first-rate revival of that perfect show would make me so happy that I left it on my list as pure wish fulfillment.

 

 

"

Great idea! I'm sure I saw it a half-dozen times PER YEAR during its Broadway run and never got tired of it. Since it approaches African-American history in such a unique way, it would be wonderful to see what a young cast and director would do with it today.

***

I didn't see it (too young), but I love the score and have read FADE OUT, FADE IN more than a few times. It is one of the few musicals that made me laugh out loud just from reading it. But it is very carefully tailored to Carol Burnett's unique talents and I'm sure that's why they didn't replace her when she "withdrew". (If I hadn't known her so well from TV I don't know if the script would have been so funny.) A first-class revival would require the Comden and Green book be heavily adapted to some other comedienne. Do those sorts of clowns even exist any more? Melissa McCarthy is the only one who comes to mind. Maybe she'd like to do it during a lull in her movie career.

Come to think of it even the score is pretty specific: who can do a full on Shirley Temple impression while tap dancing? (And what do we do with the protesters who hear there's a 1930s' Bill "Bojangles" Robinson character? Maybe the show needs a new 11 o'clock number, too.)

***

I also didn't see BRING BACK BIRDIE, though I was old enough. But I was a student of lyricist Lee Adams at the time (he was doing a guest professor stint at Columbia during previews--I have no idea what he was thinking when he signed on to do both) and I have never ever seen a human being in so much pain. He was a consummate gentleman and never complained to his students, but I could only imagine what a horror show it had to be to cause such anguish. Street gossip at the time blamed Donald O'Connor, so maybe there's something salvageable there.

[jessepp]

Posted: 8/4/16 at 10:49pm

Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public (directed by Rob Ashford)

 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 9:17am

I will second that choice.

[electrode10]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 10:03am

Scottsboro Boys

Once on this Island

Women on the Verge (retooled book, move around some of the songs)

Bright Star

[PopAria]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 10:06am

electrode10 said: "Scottsboro Boys

Once on this Island

Women on the Verge (retooled book, move around some of the songs)

Bright Star

 

"

Scottsboro Boys x2 

[Cesare2]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 7:52pm

How about Rodgers and Hart's CHEE-CHEE?  Based on the novel "The Son of the Grand Eunuch," it was their biggest flop.  It played what is now the Brooks Atkinson.   "Moon of My Delight" and "I Must Love You" are two songs from the score that had some afterlife. Musicals Tonight did it back in 2002.  Can't say I enjoyed their production, but I'm glad I saw it.  Here are reports on it back in 2002:

http://www.musicalstonight.org/REVcheechee.html

Updated On: 8/5/16 at 07:52 PM