AVENUE Q - has it been changed yet?

[Sant]

Posted: 8/15/06 at 2:35pm

Have they put the changes that were made for the London production into the Broadway production yet?
Updated On: 8/15/06 at 02:35 PM

[JamesMacon]

Posted: 8/15/06 at 4:56pm

I thought they were changing the London production so that it would make more sense to them. Why would they be changing the Broadway production?

[WhoPaintedTheKitten?]

Posted: 8/15/06 at 6:53pm

Its not just changes so the London audience understand, there are also some orchestral arrangements to some songs here and there. I read somewhere that the producers had things in the show that they had wanted to change for ages and were glad to make them in the London show- not sure what they all are though as I havent seen the Broadway show!

[leeinlondon]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 5:17am

Apart from one or two words the London and Broadway productions are exactly the same.

The changes that they initially applied inLondon during previews were taken outbefore Opening night, including the new song for Nicki and the change to the character of Gary Coleman. By the time it opened they had shifted back to the Broadway version.

[friedrichVT]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 8:37am

They are not exactly the same. Quite different actually, script ,music,jokes,cuts from songs... They made many changes in the Vegas production (pre 90 minute version)which were implemented into the London version. Those changes will be implented into the New York show shortly.

[MissNY]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 1:41pm

The london changes you are referring to are actually based on the Vegas production. Some of the changes, such as the joke Brian says right before "Life Outside" have been made. Months ago there was talk that they would be making the orchestration changes like Vegas but it still hasnt been done. Who knows if it ever really will.

[Sant]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 3:18pm

Having seen the London production already twice I can say most of the changes they've made have are not 'making it more accessible to the British audience'. The only changes they've made for that reason are

- "IT SUCKS TO BE ME": Christmas Eve's opening line "...tried to work in..." is changed to "...tried to work in a Chinese restaurant, but I am Japanese!"

- "EVERYONE'S A LITTLE BIT RACIST": Gary Coleman's jokes about polacks are now about the French people.

- Princeton's joke after "THE MONEY SONG" has been changed to more European one.


All the other changes have nothing to do with making the show more accessible to the European audience:

- Gary Coleman is played by a man (but the other understudy for the role is a woman...)

- "IT SUCKS TO BE ME": Gary's opening line has been changed, without changing the content of his lines.

- "PURPOSE": the backing vocals sung by Princeton's moving boxes are re-arranged to be a bit more simple now.

- "THERE IS LIFE OUTSIDE..." Brian's opening joke is different as well as the beginning of the song. The song 'starts' faster and the beginning has been re-arranged.

- "SCHADENFREUDE": they've cut the 'straight-A students getting...' part.

- "THE MONEY SONG": the section with Gary, Brian & Christmans Eve giving money has been completely re-written. It is shorter, and I think it's funnier now.

- the cartoon of "One Night Stands" has been changed to a more British one, but could have been kept as it is on Broadway.

Those are the biggest changes.

Some of the changes were suggested by Cameron Mackintosh and some of them probably will eventually be put into the Broadway production.

[JamesMacon]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 3:29pm

Why do they want to change the Broadway one? Isn't it fine the way it is?

[Sant]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 3:49pm

Because they are so happy with some of the changes they've made.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 5:08pm

Whenever a show has a new production outside the original, it gives the creators a chance to really re-visit it. Often times they make changes (most relatively minor) that they feel are better. Sometimes they are implemented in all productions, sometimes not.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 5:57pm

Hairspray added choreography to the Broadway production in "Without Love" after adding more to the tour during its rehearsals.

POTO in London changed a bit after the Broadway production opened with some changes.

Same thing with Les Miz in London.

[MrBundles]

Posted: 8/16/06 at 7:20pm

I love the knights who stand