Beloved shows that are DEAD (not getting produced)...

[CapnHook]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 8:50am

I'm addicted to my TABOO Broadway Cast Recording. And I'm sad that it received the history that it did. It's extremely doubtful that it will ever see a Broadway stage again (though nothing is impossible!). I'm waiting for the rights to be released (!!!!!) but that's also doubtful that it will happen.

Does anyone know Boy George's thoughts on licensing the rights out? Seems like it's a show that would work BEAUTIFULLY in specific regional markets (the major cities mostly, especially L.A. and San Francisco).

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 8:54am

I absolutely adore "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" and "The Shadow Box," but I never seem them being produced by anyone.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 9:30am

The Shadow Box was my first college play. It felt kind of dated even then, and it's impossible to do now without people thinking Brian is dying of AIDS.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 10:50am

You could probably put Bye Bye Birdie on this list for about the next five years.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 11:23am

Circle in the Square did Shadow Box a while back. It didn't hold up very well.

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 6:42pm

I personally would love to see someone take a shot at Irma La Douce. Has a terrific score and it's a cute little show. I played it myself years ago and always thought it would make a tasty little revival.

[Dantes]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 7:31pm

Since it flopped on Broadway Taboo has not had any productions or rights released here in the UK where it was created and did well grrrr

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 8:57pm

The producing /creative team behind TABOO are pulling another CARRIE and not allowing any subsequent productions to be licensed because they plan to rework the show. Expect a revival in say, 18 more years.

For a long time, IRMA LA DOUCE was being held by the estate of the writer, who didn't approve of the english translation. I'm not sure if its still the case, but as of just a couple of years, they still wouldn't allow any US / British productions...

The Steinbeck estate will not allow any stagings of PIPE DREAM (a real shame since its a Rogers and Hammerstein show that should be revived).

Alan Jay Lerner's lawyer has continually turned down requests for revised stagings of all of Lerner's flops (1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Lolita My Love, Carmelina, etc.)

Im sure there are others...



Updated On: 12/4/09 at 08:57 PM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 9:40pm

And yet, Mufti did Irma and Carmelina this decade.

And, I wasn't aware that because a show doesn't hold up well, that it can't beloved...

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 3:16pm

Looks like we can add Carrie to this list.. So sad i really was looking forward to this coming back.

[wicked1492]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 3:19pm

GYPSY!!!! Why haven't we had another revival by now? It's about time.

[romgitsean]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 3:24pm

Ugh, famebroadway2, I agree with you, sadly. There's still hope. You never know what'll happen.

MB: Have a lot of people applied to do those shows? Lolita, My Love is SO beautiful, and I myself have always dreamed of directing it :[

But to add to the list:

-Lestat
-Woman in White (but it'll get revived eventually)
-Rent (although, it lives on...)
-Pippin (Why don't they revive this!?)
-Godspell (Although it was slated to be revived...why producers pulled out, I don't know)
-Any of Jason Robert Brown's shows (although there was a rumor about a revival of 13. And I'm sure Parade will be revived soon. Or Last Five Years)
-Prettybelle
-The Pirate Queen *cringes*
-Into the Woods (I'll wait. They'll be another revival)
-Little Shop
-A Clockwork Orange
-Urinetown (WHY ISNT THIS REVIVED EITHER).

I would love to see Lestat, Carrie (although I still think there's hope, despite this recent news), Urinetown and Pippin revvied, in terms of musicals. (That being said, I'd love for Prettybelle, A Clockwork Orange and Lolita, My Love to get their rightful premieres...)

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 3:28pm

What about Ever After?

[blaxx]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 4:32pm

-Lestat
-Woman in White (but it'll get revived eventually)
-Rent (although, it lives on...)
-Pippin (Why don't they revive this!?)
-Godspell (Although it was slated to be revived...why producers pulled out, I don't know)
-Any of Jason Robert Brown's shows (although there was a rumor about a revival of 13. And I'm sure Parade will be revived soon. Or Last Five Years)
-Prettybelle
-The Pirate Queen *cringes*
-Into the Woods (I'll wait. They'll be another revival)
-Little Shop
-A Clockwork Orange
-Urinetown (WHY ISNT THIS REVIVED EITHER).

The thread said beloved, not despised.

[Basely Tearful]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 4:36pm

Urinetown has had a highly successful regional life. So has Last 5 years.

I'm sure Rosie will release the Taboo rights to pay for her divorce.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 8:10am

Godspell was a particularly smarmy case, a combo of producers who couldn't get financing together, and Stephen Schwartz wanting too many royalty checks. Artistically, it was a good production, but there was no market for just any Godspell on Broadway.

To explain about the latter above, it was a conflict-of-interest deal from the start. A separate producer and his partners had an exclusive deal with Stephen Schwartz, for a better more contemporary production with bigger stars. The battle of the two would have been exciting press, and he would easily have beat the Paper Mill cold with his production, which he would have beeen able to open way before them in Harlem (at the Apollo, or a 1,000 seater church).

The Harlem producers only backed out because they were tired of the bull****. On investigation, it was found that, through intermediaries and licensing agents, Schwartz had given "exclusive" Godspell rights to five or six different groups, and after a few licensors tried to cut the Harlem producers a back room deal, they said, "Thanks, we're out." Eventually more of these parties found out what was up and began contemplating the words "lawsuit" and "rights deposit back," so even if the show had opened, I'm willing to bet it would have been mired in legal controversy.

[minicko88]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 2:31pm

I would have to say A Tale of Two Cites... Alot of broadway goers such as myself loved this show! With a little work, this could be a major success!

[morosco]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 3:03pm

[HometownGlory]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 3:34pm

Lol blaxx. I don't understand why people are mentioning shows from the last few years. These musicals haven't even gotten a chance to BE dead yet.

For example, why on earth would there be a revival of 13 now? Isn't that something that could (but probably won't) happen about 15 years down the road? And Urinetown hasn't been revived yet because it closed in 2004. 99% of shows don't get the Gypsy/La Cage treatment, especially this early in their life.

Updated On: 12/9/09 at 03:34 PM

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 3:42pm

I would love for Rags to be produced again...I know that it was done as a World AIDS Day benefit a few years back but I've been in love with the studio recording for a long time now and I'd really love to see it staged.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 3:56pm

-Lestat
-Woman in White (but it'll get revived eventually)
-Rent (although, it lives on...)
-Pippin (Why don't they revive this!?)
-Godspell (Although it was slated to be revived...why producers pulled out, I don't know)
-Any of Jason Robert Brown's shows (although there was a rumor about a revival of 13. And I'm sure Parade will be revived soon. Or Last Five Years)
-Prettybelle
-The Pirate Queen *cringes*
-Into the Woods (I'll wait. They'll be another revival)
-Little Shop
-A Clockwork Orange
-Urinetown (WHY ISNT THIS REVIVED EITHER).

Umm....Into the Woods, Little Shop of Horrors, Urinetown, The Last 5 Years (JRB), Pippin, Rent, and Godspell are HIGHLY produced...

[After Eight]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 5:04pm

Huskcharmer:

"Irma La Douce" was not done Mufti, but by Musicals Tonight.

It was nicely performed, and showed that it could still work if it were given a full-scale production, dancing and all. I'd love to see Encores! do this one.

And while we're at it, how about a period piece revue like "Call Me Mister?"

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/9/09 at 5:10pm

After Eight-
Ah, I stand corrected. I knew one of the two had done it...

Because I don't wanna dig through the Carrie thread, what happened?