BUSKER ALLEY Aiming for 2008 Broadway Bow with Jim Dale

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 10:26am

"Busker Alley, which was scheduled to arrive on Broadway in 1995 before star Tommy Tune broke his foot, is gearing up for another stab at Broadway.

Variety reports that the musical, which features a score by Mary Poppins' Robert and Richard Sherman is aiming for a 2008 Broadway debut with Tony winner Jim Dale set to star. Dale and his Barnum co-star, Glenn Close, had taken part in a one-night-only concert version of Busker Alley in November 2006 at the York Theatre."

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/113147.html

So, this will be a NEW musical, correct? It won't be called a revival?

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 10:47am

'New' i guess!
I look forward to seeing the the two window cards next to each other, the one that never arrived (great art work) and the new arrival next year.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 10:58am

I think new-- it's never been on Broadway nor does it have "classic" status. A 13-year rehearsal period?

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 11:07am

I'll be shocked if this happens...I saw the benefit performance last year and it wasn't very good. Jim Dale was excellent, but the show left much to be desired.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 11:14am

All I can say is WHY and Who cares now???

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 11:30am

I saw it when it was Stage Door Charlie here in Denver. I hope this show has gone through a major overhaul. And I hope Mr. Dale doesn't swing around that lamp post as much as tune did. It made me dizzy. It seemed that almost every number was choreographed around it. The music wasn't too bad though.

Updated On: 11/30/07 at 11:30 AM

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 12:05pm

I'm with uncageg, I also saw the pre-Broadway tour. The lamp post were a little overdone. As I said before in a different post, all I remember is the dancing. I'm assuming the dancing will be different as Tune doesn't seem to be involved. Plus is Dale a dancer? I guess I'm lucky, because I saw Tune in Tampa before he broke his foot.

Updated On: 11/30/07 at 12:05 PM

[WOSQ]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 1:47pm

Busker Alley was a critically drubbed tour with so-so to okay business, but not major hit status. The Sherman Brothers are not young. Who will do rewrites and direct and write or rewrite the book?

Yes, I know about the x-rays of Tommy's foot.

But it has always been fascinating that the broken foot happened in the last stop of a 6 month tour just before the move to NYC.

Busker Alley was insured but only for half its capitalization. Oops. I wonder who the producers tried to blame that on?

[Tour insurance - The 1974 11 month pre-Broadway tour of a revival of Good News played its last road date in LA, and the truck carrying the scenery to the airport caught fire, and the sets had to be rebuilt paid by insurance. Also very interesting, no? Nothing like spanking new scenery for a NY bow. It ran 2 weeks and then closed.]

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 2:08pm

I saw this show on the road.. it was so bad it made me question my love of musical theatre.

If this happens... I'll tip my hat to the Hardcore Right-Wing Evangelical Christians because it will be the first real sign of end times.

Updated On: 11/30/07 at 02:08 PM

[maninchair.com]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 2:57pm

I just want to know if their going to paint the theatre canary yellow again...Anyone have a pic of the St. James from 1995?

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 3:01pm

Oh.. I remember that!! I'd love to see a pic too.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 3:36pm

*laughs*

I'm rather shocked by this news.

I JUST returned my CD of the 2006 York Theatre Company production with Mr. Dale and Glenn Close.

Waiting for the refund from Amazon. Heh!

HOWEVER... If this *does* make it to B'way, I'll probably end up seeing it, yeah...

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 4:20pm

I haven't heard any of the music, nor do i know the whole plot. I'm just thrilled Jim Dale will be back where he belongs: on Broadway :)

[me2]

Posted: 11/30/07 at 5:48pm

Does anyone have a copy of the libretto? I would love to have a shot at fixing it (or at least see what I come up with).
Broadway Blog: Reflections While Reading Call Me Anna (by Patty Duke)

[Dover]

Posted: 12/1/07 at 3:28am

IIRC the St. James was already canary yellow from Tommy. The 40-foot-tall ugly paintings of Tommy Tune, however, were an eyesore along 44th St. that lasted about six months despite the fact that they never served their intended purpose.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 12/1/07 at 8:15am

The Busker Alley artwork and mural were by Leroy Neiman. And yes, the St. James mural was hideous. Reminds me of the scene from the film, Top Secret, when the Nazis are torturing Val Kilmer, and one exclaims, "He won't break. We've tried everything! Do you want me to bring out the Leroy Neiman paintings?"

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 12/1/07 at 9:21am

I remember watching the painters working on the mural on the facade of the St. James back in 1995.

It is a shame that it seemed to be so much in shambles on its pre-Broadway tour since the 1938 film on which it is based, ST. MARTN'S LANE, is such a fine one. It starred the incomparable Charles Laughton and Vivien Leigh and is well worth watching. I believe it is on DVD.

Updated On: 12/1/07 at 09:21 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/1/07 at 9:35am

Apparently the most recent headshot Playbill has of Mr. Dale is from 25 years ago.