AIDA REVIVAL- Spring 2020

[\_(•_•)_/]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 12:31pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/AIDA-Revival-Will-Get-Developmental-Lab-in-Spring-2020-with-Schele-Williams-and-Camille-A-Brown-at-the-Helm-20191122

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 12:47pm

Yeah I saw this and found it interesting? Why would it need a developmental lab?

[Valentina3]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 12:52pm

SouthernCakes said: "Yeah I saw this and found it interesting? Why would it need a developmental lab?"

Just a guess - but I think they're a bit gun shy about potential backlash from trigger-happy social media brigade and would want to clean up some of the plot/text. The original production, bless it, would also come off a bit stale so wouldn't surprise me if they take a more "timeless" approach with the direction (the way "Hello, Dolly!" did) so it will appeal to the contemporary audiences while staying true to soul of the show - and that alone would require some fresh rethinking. A developmental lab can help them achieve those thing.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 1:06pm

SouthernCakes said: "Yeah I saw this and found it interesting? Why would it need a developmental lab?"

Many shows do developmental labs, revivals as well as new musicals. It's a way to get the show on its feet with actors so the producers and creative team can see what is there. It's also a way to test out new choreography, vocal arrangements, book/score changes, a way to see how specific actors would work in the show (a lengthy audition), etc.

In a "normal" situation, it's also a way to whip up investor interest, but Disney clearly doesn't have to worry about that; it could be a way to get approval from top Disney brass, to appeal to Group Sales agents, to gain interest from a non-profit partner for an out-of-town tryout, etc.

 

EDIT: The OP's headline is misleading, though –– you make it sound like a full production is happening in Spring 2020.

Updated On: 11/22/19 at 01:06 PM

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 1:27pm

I mean it’s an actor from the original company? Would they really trust her to do a full fledged revival? Maybe a tour.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 1:43pm

I’m confused by the involvement of Williams. Are they expecting her to recreate the original or create something new? For the directorial work she does has, she’s only been an Associate and hasn’t had much work conceiving stuff on her own. Certainly there are other directors, with more credits, who are up for the challenge. Like Liesl Tommy for instance.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 2:26pm

If they can just eliminate the Dad and his two numbers and fill in with something else, the canend up being very well done. Cynthia Erivo for Aida? Shoshana Bean for Amneris? Jeremy Jordan for Radames?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 2:47pm

RE: Schele Williams' hiring, let's assume that they want to keep the general "feel" of the original while tweaking it for today's audiences (perhaps making it more intimate, improving the flow, framing it in a specific way, etc). Obviously Bob Falls and Wayne Cilento would make themselves available for a Disney paycheck if this AIDA was going to be a true recreation, and the involvement of Camille Brown indicates it won't be a step-for-step rehash of the 2000 version. It's great that Disney has hired two women of color, too.

To give them the benefit of the doubt, this could also be a Michael Arden situation. 5 years ago, who would have thought he'd direct two of the most exciting & inventive musical revivals in recent memory?

Updated On: 11/22/19 at 02:47 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 2:58pm

Just a guess - but I think they're a bit gun shy about potential backlash from trigger-happy social media brigade and would want to clean up some of the plot/text. 

I'm more concerned that they'd want a cleaner concept for the staging and design.

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 3:09pm

Perhaps they'll add a few more songs and cut down on some of the longer, clunkier stretches of book; the licensed libretto has already done some of this streamlining, but I always felt as though the show wanted to be a pop opera but felt obliged to have a book.

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 3:27pm

Hopefully they'll learn that Egyptians aren't white this time.

[JP2]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 4:13pm

Synecdoche2 said: "Hopefully they'll learn that Egyptians aren't white this time."

ding ding ding 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 6:05pm

Didn’t the Bands Visit thread just have a whole discussion that Middle Eastern people consider themselves white?

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 2:02am

Schele has been involved with Aida since pre broadway. Personally I loved her Aida, she was stunning in the role. I find it inspired choice for a director. She knows the show. Was in the room when it was being created. I look forward to seeing her version. 
 

Call_me_jorge said: "I’m confused by the involvement of Williams. Are they expecting her to recreate the original or create something new? For the directorial work she does has, she’s only been an Associate and hasn’t had much work conceiving stuff on her own. Certainly there are other directors, with more credits, who are up for the challenge. Like Liesl Tommy for instance."

 

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 5:37am

SouthernCakes said: "Didn’t the Bands Visit thread just have a whole discussion that Middle Eastern people consider themselves white?"

Ancient Egyptians are not the same thing as modern Egyptians.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 9:58am

True but this a very modern pop adaption of a classic story.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 10:30am

Valentina3 said: "SouthernCakes said: "Yeah I saw this and found it interesting? Why would it need a developmental lab?"

Just a guess - but I think they're a bit gun shy about potential backlash from trigger-happy social media brigade and would want to clean up some of the plot/text. The original production, bless it, would also come off a bit stale so wouldn't surprise me if they take a more "timeless" approach with the direction (the way "Hello, Dolly!" did) so it will appeal to the contemporary audiences while staying true to soul of the show - and that alone would require some fresh rethinking. Adevelopmental lab can help them achieve those thing."

What do you mean by a more timeless Hello Dolly production?  Loved the last version (saw it twice) and the original production (saw it 10ish times plus the two CC revivals), but to be honest the only thing I noticed between the two productions were that this one had better sets and costumes, and DHP's song, and the original's orchestrations and chorals were better.  Not sure that would make it more timeless.