1986 and 2005 Revivals of SWEET CHARITY

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 6/6/11 at 4:05pm

I was just wondering what people think/thought of the 1986 and 2005 Broadway revivals of 'Sweet Charity' - how different were they from the original in terms of staging, etc?

I have the cast recordings for both. In the 1986 version, Coleman revamped some of the songs namely Sweet Charity and Bravest Individual, the original versions were restored for the 2005 production

What was Bebe Neuwirth like as Nickie - she won the Tony for her performance...

Any thoughts?

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/6/11 at 4:14pm

Bebe was great. Nothing wrong with her performance, but IMO she didn't blow me away, either. She was fine with the comedy (so was the gal who played Helene) and danced well as Nikki.

The outstanding supporting performance that year was Patti Cohenour in "Mystery of Edwin Drood." Having seen both, Patti was far more deserving of a Tony Award.

Overall, I really loved the '86 revival. Debbie Allen was terrific as Charity (her dancing was jaw-dropping), and so was Michael Rupert (a well-deserved award, too). I prefer that version---the "film version" with a stronger arrangement---of the title song. It was a very romantic moment in the show. And it was thrilling seeing Fosse's choreography and direction being performed so well in a big-scale revival.

Updated On: 6/6/11 at 04:14 PM

[singingbackup]

Posted: 6/6/11 at 4:17pm

First off , the movie (and show) is one of my absolute theater faves. I did get to see the 2005 revival, but Applegate was out and d'Amboise was sick, so the understudy of the understudy was underwhelming.

Anytime we get to see the Rich Man's Frug live is OK by me! The only real thing that bugged me was the reworking of "Rhythm of Life." Overall I was happy to see it revived.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/6/11 at 4:24pm

The '86 revival was the first Broadway show I ever saw. Allen was terrific...funny. She sang it well. And her dancing was stunning. And Rupert made me fall in love with musicals...and boys.

The Frug is awesome, and is beautifully captured on film. But Rhythm of Life made me positively giddy. And I've never seen another version of it that was as wonderful.

Posted: 6/6/11 at 4:45pm

I've only "seen" McKechnie in the 86 production thanks to a great recording floating around. I think it's terrific--but it's basically, despite the new Bravest Individual, no soliloquy (which Gwen cut early in her run anyway) and the movie title song, the original production. The same terrific camera shutter set design, the same staging of all the major numbers. It proves why the 2005 simply didn't work--the show was so conceived by Fosse that his staging is essential. Not just in numbers like Rich Man's Frug, but the transitions, everything. It's a simply amazing production, and I pity anyone who tries to restage it--there's no way to make it work.

[ABB2357]

Posted: 6/6/11 at 6:47pm

The 2005 choreography by Wayne Cilento was awful. I saw it in Boston with Charlotte d'Amboise, who did a great job but didn't have time to really make the role her own. Everything else about it was bland, underwhelming, or downright wrong. Remember the R&B infused "Rhythm of Life?"

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 6/6/11 at 7:20pm

Sweet Charity was always one of my favorite movie musicals...absolutely love Shirley MacLaine in the role. It was this movie that made me a huge MacLaine fan...

The 2005 revival is the only version I've ever seen on stage. I know that others disagree here, but I thought that Applegate was absolutely perfect....one of the best comedic performances I've ever seen in a musical. Her ovation at the curtain call was one of the loudest and most extended that I've ever seen, and completely deserved.

[theaternut]

Posted: 6/6/11 at 7:30pm

I saw the 86 revival with Allen and then Ann Reinking. I loved this production. Besides the thrill of seeing hands on Fosse choreography on stage .. the show was FUNNY. I did think Bebe and Rupert were both very deserving of their Tonys that year. No one else came close. Towards the end of the run with Reinking I was able to watch the show repeatedly in half empty houses. Watching that cast "work it" no matter what was such a great lesson to me.

I also saw Bebe go on as Charity once. She worked hard. But it did not work.
Updated On: 6/6/11 at 07:30 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/6/11 at 11:22pm

To answer your original question regarding staging: the 1986 Broadway revival was a carbon-copy recreation of the original 1966 Broadway production in regards to staging and choreography. The 2005 Broadway was non-Fosse therefore it used completely new staging and Wayne Cilento's original choreography, which borrowed an extensive amount of Bob Fosse's signature touches, especially in the "Rich Man's Frug".

I loved both revivals and after seeing Bob Fosse's "Rich Man's Frug" way too many times in my lifetime, it was refreshing to see a totally different approach to it. Regardless what many have to say about Cilento's work, I LOVED his "Rich Man's Frug".

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 6/6/11 at 11:31pm

The 2005 revival was not particularly good. The Menier Chocolate Factory's production that played they Haymarket in the West End last year, however, was one of the best productions I've ever seen.

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/6/11 at 11:31pm

I thought Applegate was a real trouper, and should get another shot on Broadway. The revival wasn't going to happen without her, and she came back from her injury too soon. I saw her twice in the run, and she was markedly improved the 2nd time I saw her.

Posted: 6/7/11 at 8:09pm

I dunno how anyone could praise Cilento's Rich Man's Frug -- It's true it was an impossible challenge to compare to Fosse's--but it doesn't even work well with the music! To me Cilento is always an example of a brilliant dancer, who just doesn't have the chops to choreograph

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/7/11 at 8:38pm

I agree that I would love to see Christina Applegate back on Broadway sometime in the near future.

She earned a lot of respect from her cast both for how hard she worked in rehearsals and then how hard she worked to come back after her injury to ensure that the production actually happened.

[mallardo]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 2:46am

Christina Applegate lit up the stage, she was everything Charity should be. Even the fact that she was the least proficient of the dancers worked for the character. And in the end she was heartbreaking.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 3:07am

I originally had the 86 version and bought it used and always wanted to replace it. It was out of circulation and I could never find it. A few years back, they rereleased the cd, same exact cover, but with added numbers. The 86 version was also my first broadwayway show.

[Almira]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 3:30am

Even though the '86 revival was a re-creation of the '66 production it didn't have that dead-weight feeling most museum pieces do. It wasn't the freshest loaf on the shelf, but it was far far from stale.

My only reservation was with Allen. I found her a tad too tough in the role thus loosing a lot of Charity's essential vulnerability.

Also, Allen, to me, has a "savvy" quality which made it hard to believe she would be taken in by so many cons.


Neuwirth was a standout. Her Nickie had early hints of the "spitting nails" attitude she would later exploit in Velma.

[bryan2]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 9:38am

I saw the Debbie Allen version and I loved it. She was great , they reigned in her tendency to "over dance" and she was very cute...BEBE was a stand out. A friend with me said that girl should be the star she is soo good...Michael Rupert did not deserve a Tony for that year..Howard Mcgillim (spelling) was much much better in Drood...Rupert was way over the top and only average at best....(in this part)

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 9:47am

I saw the 2005 revival with Applegate and enjoyed every minute of it.

Posted: 6/8/11 at 6:49pm

I'm afraid to ask....

But did anyone venture to see Molly Ringwald in the US tour? 2007?

[egghumor]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 7:15pm

I agree with many of opinions expressed by Almira and theaternut regarding the 1986 revival. Yeah, even though it was relica of the original 1966 production, it was remarkably fresh and effervescent (as opposed to most revivals that attempt such slavish re-creations). I even liked the Minskoff during those performances, haha!
I saw both Debbie Allen and Ann Reinking during the run. I've always been a huge fan of Debbie Allen as a performer, but I thought her Charity was not spectacular (except of course for her dancing). On the other hand, I had never been a big fan of Ms. Reinking's UNTIL I saw her Charity. She knocked me out. LOVED Neuwirth as well! This thread has been a most enjoyable read, thanks!

[Brick]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 8:06pm

The thing I find tricky with CHARITY is its tone. Fosse's interpretation of the source material, the Fellini film NIGHTS OF CABIRIA, kept some of the bittersweet quality of the film, along with its quirkiness, and the naive perspective of its lovably awkward title character. With some choice help from Neil Simon, he ramped up the broadness into the musical comedy spectrum, as well as plenty of singing and dancing, of course.

But recent productions i've seen of CHARITY either try to push the piece into period schtick cartoon ( '05 revival) or seediness (some regional prods I've seen). By forgetting it's source material, they lose the combination of scrappiness, naivete, and charm.

Or perhaps Fosse was just the man to do it.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 8:33pm

"But did anyone venture to see Molly Ringwald in the US tour? 2007? "

Yes and she was an abomination. She was not physically in shape for the role andcould not dance or sing the part. Her acting was quite good though but it did not make up for her lacking in other areas.

When she trotted offstage during the big dance break in "Im A Brass Band" and then skipped out at the end, I almost threw my shoe at her.

She was wearing the same dress Applegate wore (shoulderless, backless) and it hugged her rolls and she had armpit fat and back fat (back boobs)-so unflattering. They should have designed a costume to flatter her body. The audience all started chattering the first time her back faced the audience. She looked dreadful.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:18pm

Could someone please tell me what this Bebe performance is from?

Updated On: 6/8/11 at 11:18 PM

[theatreguy]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:23pm

It's from a 1998 concert called My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs.

http://www.amazon.com/My-Favorite-Broadway-Love-Songs/dp/B000059H81/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1307589797&sr=8-2

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:28pm

Oh, thanks. I saw My Favorite Broadway but I thought it was the youtube posters personal opinion!

Also, based on that performance I thought Bebe would've made a fine Charity.