Bean, DeLaria, Jackson, Strouse to star in Mufti SUPERMAN- Page 2

[Danielm]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 3:07pm

Is this actually a revival or a concert version?

I say Bean, Jackson and Strouse do a concert version in LA and they were all very good. Though we should point out that the part of Perry White consists of a single line. The show itself is not good, though it has a nice score, it's very stupid and really dated. I don't know why they created all these new characters when the Superman characters were and are so well known.

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 3:17pm

Muftis, like the Encores series, are semi-staged concert readings.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 3:19pm

Whoops, sorry I made a duplicate thread, didn't see this.

[Dancin Thru Life]

Posted: 6/14/07 at 12:03pm

This is what they sent out today....

"The Man of Steel faces a mad scientist and an evil newsman while fighting for both the hand of Lois Lane and with his own person self-esteem demons in this musical comedy from Broadway's 1966 season. Originally directed by Harold Prince, the show starred Jack Cassidy, Bob Holiday, Patricia Marand and Linda Lavin. The New York Times said the show was "fun, easily the best musical so far this season http://www.yorktheatre.org. it would be enjoyable in any season." We couldn't agree more! Directed by Stuart Ross. Featuring: Shoshanna Bean (Wicked), Stan Chandler (Forever Plaid), Lea Delaria (On The Town), Scot Federly, Rachel Jones (Meet Me in St. Louis), Jean Louisa Kelly (“Yes Dear”), Cheyenne Jackson (All Shook Up), Amy Ryder (Damn Yankees), Michael Winther (Mamma Mia), Katherine Von Till (Sunday in the Park With George, Reprise) & composer Charles Strouse in the role of Perry White!"

[folkyboy]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 1:57pm

omg i can't wait to see this on Sunday. eeeeee!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 1:59pm

who is that guy in Cheyenne's arms? he is gorgeous!

[folkyboy]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:01pm

that's Scott Federly

[EdmundOG]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 8:51pm

"Always wondered how you could have Superman & no Jimmy Olson"

Better question would be that if you wanted to use a mad scientist character, why make up a new one instead of using Lex Luthor, who was at the time a pretty standard Mad-science villain.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 9:06pm

This needs to be revived

We need the man of Steel now more than ever . Truth, Justice & The American Way

[Glory]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 12:57am

did anyone see it tonight? i'm seeing it on sunday night and i'm so excited. also does anyone know if they come out of the stage door and if they do where it is. because meeting shoshana will be such a dream for me because I love her to death.

[bwayguy22089]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 1:13am

I just saw it! What a great, great, great show! I cant imagine why it closed. It is sooo cute! I love how it was directed as well. I was curious to see how a musical that was written to be so large and spectacular would be performed in such a small space with no special effects, but it worked out great! The entire cast was wonderful. yes, even shoshana lol. I know many people were skeptical on whether or not she was good for this part, put she made it her own and she sounded great! cheyenne was my favorite cast member. the way he developed his character was so cute. anyway, everyone was great! i dont know if the rest of the run is sold out but i would def. recommend it great job everyone!!!

[MickeyCT]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 1:14am

I actually saw a 1992 revival at the Goodspeed Opera House, in which Strouse updated (for 1992, that is) the script considerably. The Chinese acrobats were replaced by (if memory serves) comedic terrorists of un-named nationality (but who were clearly Middle Eastern). I remember Kay McClelland was Lois Lane.

Then again, I also remember the horrible televised version with Lesley Ann Warren, Kenneth Mars, and Loretta Swit that featured the Lembeck family as comedic gangsters in lieu of Chinese acrobats. In fact, I have an old VHS copy of it somewhere.

It's a musical I've always loved, and cherish my original cast recording LP.

[bwayguy22089]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 1:27am

yeah, in this new production the chinese acrobats are now french, and very funny characters i might add. also, the act one finale is now a different song and a great deal of the book has been changed. all for the better. i cant get over how amazing it was!

[FeelingElectric]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 6:20am

I have the same Stage Door question as Glory. I am seeing the show sunday night, and want to meet all of these great performers (not the least of which being Shoshanna and Xanadu-bound Cheyenne).

Second, is that David Rasche next to Cheyenne Jackson and Scott Federly in that picture? I didn't know he was in the cast.

Updated On: 6/16/07 at 06:20 AM

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 12:42pm

Yes, that is David Rasche.

Saw this last night, Cheyenne was absolutely hysterical.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 12:47pm

I saw bits of Pow Bam Zonk from the TV version & remember the show where it took place in an abandonded power house. The TV version was pathetic. How I wish they had simply taped the show before it had closed.

It was great. At the end, Supe hit one of the acrobats & he literally flew off into the air as if flying into space. At the end, Supe heard a missle was heading for Metropolis. He said Up, Up & Away & flew off. In the background, you saw a little model superman fly away

By the way, if you want to see a younger David Rasche @ work, check out the only 2 seasons of Sledgehammer on DVD. It was a parody of Dirty Harry played for laughs. They also did takeoffs of movies within the shows. One show was " All Shook Up" where someone was killing Elvis impersonators

Updated On: 6/16/07 at 12:47 PM

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 2:25pm

I was there last night too. I've never seen or heard the show before, and I really liked it. It was charming, with some fun songs. Cheyenne was great, absolutely hysterical. Shoshana was great as well, I don't see why there was so much talk about her being bad. I will say she did have a weird eyebrow thing I found very distracting, but she was funny, charming, and didn't get at all over-belty with the song. Rasche was very funny as well.

One thing though: I could tell some of the cast weren't so happy with Lea DeLaria's ad-libbing and falling out of character when she stumbled over the script.

[alphieboy]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 5:39pm

Bean....I'll see it.

[FeelingElectric]

Posted: 6/16/07 at 6:51pm

NativeNewYorker, thanks for confirming that for me about David Rasche.

Believe me Mr Roxy, I know all about Sledgehammer. I loved that show, as well as David's role in the movie Delirious. It was a great thrill when I met him after a performance of Regrets Only back in January. He is a great performer, and I am glad he is in this concert. I can't wait for tomorrow night!

Now, has anybody stage doored this so far? I am dying for any info.

[HJAJtheFirst]

Posted: 6/17/07 at 12:37pm

Enjoy the photos!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=19307

[Weez]

Posted: 6/17/07 at 12:40pm

I LOVE the photos. Well, I say photos, but really, most of my love is reserved for the sixth one down. I crack up every time I look at it. XD

[ggersten]

Posted: 6/17/07 at 8:31pm

Drury Lane Oakbrook (outside of Chicago) is presenting the musical as a musical. We saw it Saturday night for Father's Day.
I've listened to the OBCR many many times. I saw the ABC latenite atrocity when it aired.
So I was looking forward to seeing it actually performed on stage.

And...the show is cute. Nothing exceptional. The Drury production kept the show firmly in the mid1960s. The choreography was fun and got knowing laughs. Max's "soft shoe" was kind of flat, but the group numbers showed imagination.

The Chinese Acrobats were now Soviet acrobats from Moscow, with the typical joke of "Ve invented 'dat" said by the head Russian.
They did a lot of flying - Superman flew multiple times, and they used flying harnesses for the acrobats in the big fight scene "Pow Bam Zonk" There was no attempt to conceal the wires. Still, it was cool.

James Rank was Superman and he could hold a good flying pose and smile. Nice voice, and he could shlump it up as Clark Kent. He changes in a phone booth for "Doing Good".

David Perkovich made a very fun Dr. Sedgwick, but for some reason, two verses of Revenge disappeared. Either he forgot and skipped ahead or they were cut. (A verse of Do You Love You also seemed to disappear."

McKinley Carter was Lois - and was ok. Not much to the role - I always thought most of her songs seemed out of place and they do.

Holly Stauder was Sydney and she hammed up the role in her two songs (You've Got Possibilities and Do You Love YOu). They had her as a frumpy Sydney - not a sex kitten ready to prowl, which made You've Got Possibilities have a different texture than I imagine Linda Lavin brought to it.

Now the bad: Jason Bayle was Jim Morgan and was really really weak - in voice, in manner, in acting, I think even in being mic'd. (And it's not that big of a theatre).

Bernie Yvon was Max Mencken - and I don't know what he was going for. He played Max sort of as a fop - He reminded me of William Campbell in the Star Trek episode, Squire of Gothos. It didn't work for me, and I actually winced during several of his numbers - not because he didn't have a good voice or some flair, but because the characterization just wasn't working for me.

All in all, for a smaller stage and theatre, and a good price ($26 for Saturday evening), it was nice night out. But, now, I don't think there would/should ever be a revival, because there's just not enough there. Some good songs, some good bits, but the flow is uneven in the non-musical moments. Lots of families in the audience, however. My 6 year old was entertained, and especially liked the scene where Max brings in five people he suspects of being Superman.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/17/07 at 9:03pm

I saw the show last night and has totally captivated. Cheyenne Jackson was a marvel both as Clark Kent and Superman. The rest of the cast was equally terrific, although there were times when DeLaria was pushing too hard to be funny.

[MickeyCT]

Posted: 6/17/07 at 11:37pm

Good ol' Lesley Ann Warren...

[EdmundOG]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 5:40am

It would be difficult, if not impossible for that guy to look less like Superman.