A DOLL'S LIFE to return to NYC

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 5:46pm

A DOLL'S LIFE, the 1982 flop musical about Nora's life after Ibsen's infamous door slam, will return to New York this winter. Running in rep with a production of Ibsen's play, A DOLL'S HOUSE, the production will play January 25-February 5 at 13th Street Rep.

It's the first time the musical has been seen in the city since the 1994 York Theatre company production, which was only the second time it had been seen. It's a rare little gem, definitely a bit odd (more fish!) but worth experiencing.

I'll be directing the musical while another director tackles Ibsen's play. And I have an extraordinarily talented unknown taking on Nora.

I'm shilling a little, but there's a reason! It's such an obscure piece and we are trying to reach out to original cast members and any theater historians who may have insight on the piece. Would also love to hear any comments from people who know the show well!

I've been obsessed with the score since I was a kid and heard it for the first time after finding it in the library. But resources are limited and so I'm turning to first-hand commentary!

Anyone out there see it/work on it/have a friend or contact who could provide some insight?

Enjoy your weekend, all!

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 6:17pm

I should mention that the composer Larry Grossman has been in contact with us, but we are looking to get some other perspectives as well!

[JimCo]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 6:24pm

I saw it originally on Broadway, the final performance. Betsy Joslyn and George Hearn are friends of mine from SWEENEY TODD. I think the score is very good. The whole thing felt really disjointed, and as much as I love her, Betsy was miscast and knew it. It was too big. The production was huge in a huge theatre, the Mark Hellinger, and the story is very intimate. I feel it would have fared far better as a chamber piece. Best of Luck!

[goldenboy]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 6:37pm

I saw it. This may not be of much help as there is not much insight in my blog but faint memories of ennui.

I don't remember anything except being very bored by it in the theatre

I remember thinking "Why did they bother?-What a misfire." And I felt it was too high brow.

Only theatre majors, women study majors and Literature majors know the brilliance of the Ibsen's Masterpiece. The average theatregoer does not.

I know I have listened to the cast album being a fan of Larry Grossman's Minnies Boys and never liked it much. I love discovering fabulous flop scores: Henry Sweet Henry, Minnie's Boys, etc but this one did not impress me much.



I do wish you luck with it and hope you prove my first impressions of it wrong. It may very well do well as a chamber piece in a small theatre but my gut instincts think doing a great
Doll's House would be better.

or how bout doing the two in rotation?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 6:56pm

It will indeed be a chamber piece! We are down to 11 actors! After agonizing and agonizing over how I wanted to tackle that cast, it was the absolute smallest number I could get to. You need so terribly many men!

I'm working on a concept of suitcases as furniture. Lots of pantomime. Small, in nature, like the Papermill RAGTIME. I think the piece might fare better that way...

JimCo, do you know if George and Betsy are ever willing to chat about the show?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 7:10pm

I saw the original and it was a dispiriting and depressing evening in the theater. One of those times you walk away thinking, "How could such talented people do something so wrongheaded and uninteresting?

I wish you the best of luck. You will need it. If anyone connected to this production turns the show into something interesting or entertaining, that person should be conferred with "theatrical genius" status.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 7:43pm

Thanks, PalJoey. It's a total exploration. I've always had a fond love for the score and I came across a kindred spirit who turns out to be the absolute perfect Nora. And we were talking about doing some Ibsen this season. It all just kind of came together.

I hope that the rep concept will be intriguing to people as well.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 8:14pm

My husband was Joanna Merlin's assistant casting director on the original production, so I saw numerous versions of the script (which I kept thinking they would fix, but they never did). And I saw a number of previews and the opening night.

I could never figure out what Prince thought he was doing, nor could my husband. The casting didn't offer much of a clue. As anyone who knows Joanna will attest, she is every inch a lady and understandably loyal to Prince; I never could get an answer from her as to what SHE thought the show was trying to accomplish. I'm not sure she knew either.

My husband was not in the room for rehearsals and wasn't in California for the tryout. (He was casting umpteen tours of Evita and Sweeney.) But if you have a specific question I'll be happy to ask.

For me, the problem with the show is the collision between Ibsen's naturalism and musical theater. They are antithetical forms in every way. (And I agree that the average viewer isn't burning to know what happened to Nora. Ibsen actually makes it pretty clear in his play and the answer is NOT "Eliza Doolittle does Europe on $5 per day.") But if you are going to musicalize late 19th century Realism, why would you turn to Comden and Green to do it?

The first thing I would do is cut the text from A DOLL'S HOUSE that opens the musical. What I remember most is the laughter that greeted "Miserable wretch! What have you done?" at the top of every performance! Playing the archaic language at the fever pitch reached at the climax of the straight play is just asking for it. I don't have the script in front of me, but if there's any way to begin your production with a slamming door, please do so.

I do think your idea to make the production as intimate as possible is an excellent one. The original--in addition to the amusement park tour of 19th century social classes--had the cat walk left from Sweeney Todd over which unknown persons would slowly and inexplicably wander. I think it was some sort of homage to Edvard Munch paintings, but who knows?

I apologize for this post. I shouldn't be so negative when you are beginning to plan a production. But all I remember liking about the original production was Peter Gallagher and the opera parody. Nobody mocks show business better than Comden and Green.
Updated On: 9/10/11 at 08:14 PM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 8:52pm

Don't be sorry! I WANT to create this dialogue. It's my hope that all of you will come and give the show a second chance! I am not considering this a commercial run in any means, but a closer look at something that may have had a mis-step.

The York production actually started the show WITH the door-slam. I've put out a request to allow us to start the same way. I think that will greatly help things.

And, after reading the original libretto several times the past few weeks, I've discovered that there is actually a great deal of humor to the piece. And I think, if we do it gently enough, some of it may land correctly instead of correctly.

I'm looking forward to exploring it. Hope some of you will check it out!

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 9:17pm

This thread brings back memories of walking by the Mark Hellinger when this was playing. I would pass by the theater and look at the marquee on the way to school.

[twinbelters]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 10:01pm

Best thread in a long time! I hope you are able to gain more perspective on the piece through finding the people you seek.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/10/11 at 10:23pm

Thank you! I had the production planned for some time but we only officially scored the rights a few days ago.

It's going to be pretty fun and exciting, and hopefully people come out to give the show a second chance.

As the production gets closer, I'll post more details for those of you who want to check it out. And I'll even give my BroadwayWorld friends a ticket discount!

But for now, just looking to gain some perspective! We've still got a little while.

And if anyone is interested in auditioning, PM me! We'll be casting in early October.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 11:22am

I thought the original production was a mess (poor Betsey, so out of her element) but gave it another chance when York did it. Argh, it didn't work any better small than it did big. I'm not certain whether it's a brave or a foolish choice, but best of luck with it.

[JimCo]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 3:07pm

I think that George or Betsy would definitely talk to you about the show. I know the story that Betsy tells about going to the callback. She was there with Glenn Close and Meryl Streep, and was positive one of them would get it, and was floored when she got it. Hal Prince loves Betsy, but she struggled with the role. I'm not sure where she is now, as I haven't heard from her in years.

Best of luck,
Jim Coleman

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 3:57pm

^^^^

If you look at his career as a whole, I think it's clear Prince likes to make stars, not use stars someone else has made. (My husband still talks about Betty Buckley's audition for the show. Apparently, she was going through a "ditzy" phase.)

Of course, Prince cast people like Alexis Smith, Dorothy Collins and Glynnis Johns, but only to make new stars of them after their original lights had faded.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 4:07pm

Thanks, gang. Anyone have a clue how I can reach out to Betsy or George? I've heard the Peter Gallagher has a fond love for her, but can't seem to find any contact information (except for an agent).

Gaveston, I PM'ed you some questions for your hubby if he is still willing to answer some!

Shocked to know that Betsy got it over all of them, though I enjoy her performance on the cast recording.

Wilmington -- how can a two-week exploration of a famous flop be foolish? It's not even brave. There's plenty of people who would be curious to see the show and, again, this isn't a big commercial run. We're just taking it out of the moth-balls and giving it another look.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 4:13pm

iluvtheatertrash, it is very telling that it took you several readings to find the humor in the libretto. Because that's what the show wants to be: a musical comedy set in 19th century Scandinavia. Not even Scandinavians find themselves amusing.

***

I don't think anyone could fairly blame the show's failure on its leading players. But to me the way Betsy Jocelyn was used typified the show's "split personality." Much of the score for Nora seems to want to be belted (hell, her big number is called "Power"), yet doing so would sound too contemporary. So they hired Jocelyn, whose chest voice had very little vibrato and sounded not too different from her head voice. It was all weird to my ear (but not her fault).

***

CarlosAlberto, if you passed the poster as a kid, you can be glad they did at least one thing right: the original poster was a photograph of a Victorian doll in a pile of Victorian toys and cloths. It was very "Bride of Chucky" and would have given you nightmares I am certain.

I think the poster they ended up--which hangs above me as I type this--looks like a logo for "Dark of the Moon," but it's still very much an improvement.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 4:19pm

I've seen that original poster. Definitely a bit terrifying. We're currently exploring some artwork options, particularly featuring marionettes.

On a side-note, the Helmer maid (a small character) will be working and voicing marionette puppets in place of children. I hope that little pieces of theater "magic" like this can help bring out some new sides of the piece.

Oh, yes. It's definitely telling. But one of the things I love to work on are new musicals. I love the workshopping quality of it and I am thrilled that I get to really explore something older that never had a life. If we fail, we fail! But it'll be a great experience nonetheless.

I'm finding that there are some things that are funny but shouldn't be, and some things that are just genuinely funny. It took a few reads to really find the moments of true, INTENDED humor.

Glad to see everyone chatting about the show!

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 4:38pm

iluvtheatertrash, I don't see a PM from you. (Although I did find a couple of old ones that now make no sense to me, so thanks for making me learn to use that feature.)

I'm sure my husband will answer any question he can, but, as I said, he wasn't "in the room" when major decisions were made.

I stage-managed the auditions for Jocelyn's understudy and even coached a couple of the women whom Joanna Merlin had picked to read and sing for Prince. Prince liked none of them and ended up casting Patti Cohenour, whom Ruth Mitchell had found doing something in San Francisco. Cohenour was great, of course, but the confusion that surrounded the casting was indicative of the difficulty everyone was having in figuring out what Prince wanted to do.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 4:53pm

Great, Gaveston! Thanks. Not sure why the PM didn't come through - but I will try and send it again.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 5:08pm

Note that I am Gaveston2 here.

Apparently, some Marlowe fan got to "Gaveston" before me.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 5:19pm

Yup... That's what I sent it to (Gaveston2)... Hm...

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 5:25pm

Isn't this the same theater company that's doing a production of Jean Poiret's LA CAGE AUX FOLLES?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/11/11 at 5:47pm

We were hoping to, somethingwicked, but we've really been struggling to find a translation. It's not in print in English. The search continues though... (It was supposed to be our late-Spring production.)

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/12/11 at 11:07pm

Bump!