Best Revival ever?
#25re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/9/06 at 10:37pm
I've gotta go with KISS ME, KATE.
I am in love with Brian Stokes Mitchell and Marin Mazzie in that....not to mention that's how I fell in love with Amy Spanger...
I constantly find myself listening to the revival cast recording 10 times more often than I do the original...
FoscasBohemianDream
Broadway Star Joined: 1/20/06
#26re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/9/06 at 10:58pmI believe the best revival of a musical that I've seen is the 1996 revival of The King & I as well as the revival of Wonderful Town both headlining Donna Murphy. Also, of course the Chicago revival earns my vote but only for the first years of the production, I remember the electric performances of Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking, Ruthie Henshall, Karen Ziemba, Frances Ruffelle and Ute Lemper, they simply cannot be compared to some of the less-than-stellar performances I've observed in the past couple of years.
#27re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/9/06 at 11:26pm
There haven't been too many remarkable revivals. I think it's hard to choose a best, as there are too many things to take into consideration - but here are certainly some that would enter into the running:
THE THREEPENNY OPERA (1977)
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (1981)
ANYTHING GOES (198
CAROUSEL (1994)
THE KING AND I (1996)
CHICAGO
CABARET
KISS ME, KATE
NINE
BIG RIVER
THE PAJAMA GAME
SWEENEY TODD
FoscasBohemianDream
Broadway Star Joined: 1/20/06
#28re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/9/06 at 11:31pmWell, if we're gonna go all the way back I am pretty sure that most people who were around at the time would argue that the most important and best revival to grace the stage is the 1971 No, No, Nanette revival.
#30re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 12:28am
Revivals that topped the original productions? Well CABARET (199
for sure (although I DO miss "Meeskite.")
The 1971 NO NO NANETTE was sparkling and ran nearly 3 times as long as the original.
But my choicve would be Merman in the Lincoln Centre revival of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (1966) about which she said "We only intended to do that for 5 weeks, but it was such a good production we took it on the road, then brought it back to New York to the Broadway theatre."
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
fiesta1
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/03
#31re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 9:29am
I would also mention the Lincoln Center production of Carousel. That one production made me really like the show, and took it to a higher plane than did the movie (I did not see the original production from the 50s). The priduction values (sets, costumes, lighting, orchestra) were mesmerizing.
I also liked the Trevor Nunn production of OKLAHOMA! that I saw in London. Hugh Jackman added a sexiness to the role of Curly, and Jud Fry was a sociopath. Loved it. Fortuantely this production exists on DVD
#32re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 10:21amI really liked the Threepenny Opera.....but certainly not the best. Some may kill me.... but i loved the Revival of You're a good man charlie brown. The cast was amazing although it didn't last long. I really do miss it
fossemoves
Stand-by Joined: 4/19/05
#34re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 3:43pmSweeney Todd! The staging was amazing and the difference from the original was definitely a welcome original. As much as I loved Kiss Me Kate, I still have to go with Sweeney Todd.
#35re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 4:08pm
i guess you mean musical revival, yes?
i saw the wonderful PACIFIC OVERTURES at the donmar in '03. i loved the Tyne GYPSY which was in 1991 (?)
while i enjoyed many aspects of the LCT CAROUSEL, i thought the male lead left much to be desired.
also the theater for the deaf BIG RIVER was something special.
#36re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 4:15pm
The two best musical revivals I have ever seen are without a doubt Sam Mendes' extraordinary Cabaret, and John Doyle's visionary Sweeney Todd.
Honorary mention to the afromentioned Kiss Me, Kate.
WalkOn
Broadway Star Joined: 8/7/06
#37re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 4:38pm
'94 CAROUSEL
The beauty was overwhelming. I started crying in the first five minutes. The theatre was saturated with deep feeling - a rare and extraordinary experience.
#38re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 4:44pmAngela Lansbury in Gypsy back in the 70s I'm only sixteen, so obviously I did not see it, but i have the cast album. She was so good in the role. Angela really makes up for nat having the ideal singing voice with ACTING!
#39re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 5:35pmFor me, it's a tie between Cabaret and Kiss Me, Kate. Both utterly fabulous and perfect productions.
ByMySide25
Stand-by Joined: 5/17/04
#40re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 5:37pmMy vote goes to Sweeney Todd. Doyle practically re-invented the show.
#42re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 5:51pmPajama game running a close second to Kiss Me Kate.
#43re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/10/06 at 6:25pm
Cabaret 1998
Sweeney Todd 2005
#44re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/11/06 at 10:45amThe King and I with Donna Murphy.
#45re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/11/06 at 11:49am
Cabaret
Sweeney Todd
Kiss Me Kate
Wonderful Town
#46re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/11/06 at 11:57am
BROADWAYBOY-
That's the original in London. Not a revival.
#47re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/11/06 at 12:09pmThe King & I (Donna Murphy & Lou Diamond Phillips) was a brilliant revival. Probably the best one I've seen. It was a phenomenal recreation of the original production while also being true to the times and switching a few things up a bit instead of making the entire experience overly nastolgic. It was entertaining, sumptuous, and featured some first-rate performances.
Mattbrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
#48re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/11/06 at 12:26pm
Chicago
Oklahoma (Trevor Nunn version)
#49re: Best Revival ever?
Posted: 11/11/06 at 12:29pmSweeney... it was so original, and Patti's re-invention of Mrs. Lovett was brilliant...
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