[Title of Show] Returns [Sort of]

[gschuber]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 5:50pm

Looks like Signature Theater in Arlington, VA is doing [Title of Show] next season. This is from their press release:

The Washington Premiere of
[title of show]
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Bowen
Book by Hunter Bell
Directed by Matthew Gardiner
March 30 – June 20, 2010 in the ARK

“Hilarious! A fresh new musical worth cheering!” – The New York Times

[title of show] puts the audience right in the middle of the creative process —dizzy, unpredictable, and uproarious. When faced with a festival’s submission deadline for their new musical, Jeff and Hunter can’t decide what to write about. With friends Susan and Heidi (and Larry on the piano), they come up with a solution — write about what to write about. Helen Hayes Award-winner Matthew Gardiner directs this love letter to the musical theater — a uniquely American art form — and to the joy of collaboration.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 6:25pm

That will be so weird to see. I'm glad it won't be a replica of the Broadway show - same costumes, etc.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 6:26pm

Do we know if it'll be the original cast?

It's so weird, that's right near where I live, and I never thought I'd see [tos]. Not that I'd get to anyway, because it's chock-full of obscenity, and I doubt my parents would approve. But it'd be nice to see what all the hype is about.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 6:28pm

I doubt it would be with the original cast, as it has a different director.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 6:36pm

uhhh how do you know it wont be the same costumes? like where did you get that from?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 6:42pm

Like, because it's a different director. Aka, different design team.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 8:20pm

Isn't the licensed version of the script sort of a mad-lib version? Like (INSERT YOUR NAME HERE!) stuff? So it wouldn't make sense to similar costume designs. Unless your actors happen to dress like the original cast.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 8:56pm

How do we know the new designers won't just copy the Broadway designs? A lot of regional theatres tend to do that.

[heo1128]

Posted: 3/18/09 at 9:34pm

It seems like it's kind of defeating the purpose of the whole "meta-musical" concept without Hunter and Jeff playing Hunter and Jeff.

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 4:51pm

I am a current Signature subscriber though I definitely don't fit the demographic. I have to wonder what Eric Schaeffer was thinking here. I love [tos], but this will not transfer well generally speaking. I know there has been a huge debate on whether this is too insider, but really, I don't think this is a good fit for this theatre's base audience. I mean, the subscribers will come because it is part of the season and maybe some other [tos] fans, but it is way to insider for the DC crowd, generally speaking.

In any case, it does not really matter to me what they do with this show. I am not renewing my subscription because there are only two shows I want to see and the upped prices/lack of world premieres in comparison to years past are two factors.

Updated On: 3/20/09 at 04:51 PM

[Spider Woman]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 6:52pm

So, you aren't thrilled by the new season's offerings,( can't please everyone) but are "now renewing" your subscription??? Seems contradictory.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:24pm

I'm guessing it's a typo, Spider Woman. Substitute "not" for "now" and the post makes sense.

I'll be really interested to see how this turns out.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 9:15pm

I don't see how a show about staying true to your own artistic vision could be labeled "too insider-y."

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 9:23pm

Because no one in DC (or anywhere else in the country) is going to get the reference to Mary Stout and the hot dog cart.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 9:26pm

True. I'm a DC-er, and I know who Mary Stout is, and I know what hot dogs are, but I don't get that reference at all.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 9:38pm

The Mary Stout reference isn't what the show is ABOUT.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 9:45pm

I used the Mary Stout line as an example to prove my point. The whole show is full of references like that that no one outside of the NY theater circle will get. it may not be what the show is about, but none of the jokes are going to land. How will that entertain people?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 9:48pm

Schmerg disproved your point.

[lull89]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 10:16pm

What's great about [title of show] is that they talk about how insider-y they are and what level of reference is too much. I think a lot of the audience will be comforted by the fact that they acknowledge that the are a small, insider-y musical that is a tough commercial sell.

Also, there have certainly been many shows which feature characters obsessed with obscure things (33 Variations jumps to mind), and nobody seems to complain about them. I can understand some of the argument that jokes may go over people's head, but I think a lot of the jokes can be gotten at a "that's so obscure and crazy I can't believe this is what their conversation is like" level, so you laugh at the fact that they're making such crazy references and not at the references themselves.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 11:00pm

"Schmerg disproved your point."

All due respect, no, Wannabe, she didn't. Schmerg didn't get the joke - but of course she hasn't heard it in context, either, which I think would have made the difference. To expand on what lull89 was saying, [tos] is funny. If you get all the references, it's funnier. And no, it's not for everybody, but it's also not just for theater geeks, either.

For Schmerg. Years ago, Mary Stout, while working on Beauty and the Beast, was actually hit by a hot-dog cart. The anecdote is recounted as a one-liner in the show, dropped casually into conversation as Jeff speaks to Hunter on the phone: "Did you hear Mary Stout was hit by a hot dog cart?".

Later, when they begin to doubt themselves, Hunter questions whether the reference is too obscure and thus whether it should be removed. This frustrates Jeff, who responds "But Mary Stout was hit by a hot dog cart". In other words, it's true, it happened, why should we cut it just because not everyone knows about it?

I've always loved the reference to Mamie Duncan-Gibbs. And if you don't know her, then really, I am so sorry for you. One of the finest Gypsies Broadway has ever offered.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 11:00pm

bzzt! Updated On: 3/20/09 at 11:00 PM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 7:58am

When I first saw [tos], about three and a half years ago, I didn't know that Mary Stout had really been hit by a hot dog cart. I learned later that it was true. I still laughed at the line and the delivery.

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 10:35pm

It was a typo obviously. Common sense is a wonderful thing.

In any case, I don't think the general message of the show is too-insider. I just don't think it is a particularly good fit for this theatre with the subscription base it has and it probably won't get the attention of the general DC audience. It would be better off at a place like Woolly Mammoth, but that company does not do musicals.

Updated On: 3/21/09 at 10:35 PM

[yay_gerb]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 11:01pm

i think the show will do fine outside of new york. i took my brother to see it and he hadn't been to anything but rent and he loved it. he had no knowledge of theater or anything like that. i think most of the jokes are pretty funny with or without knowledge of theater. but like ghostlight said if you have that knowledge it's funnier. i had no idea who mary stout was when i first saw it but that fact that someone was hit by a freaking hot dog cart made me bust out.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 11:05pm

Will this come to Broadway?

I love the fact that Schmerg's parents are so concerned about inappropriate language in a musical that they would not let her see this fabulous show but they will allow her to post on a message board with a bunch of homos 24/7. Fncking great 'rents.