"Billy Elliot" to open at the Imperial in 2008.."Young Frankenstein" workshop

[jimnysf]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 3:57am

According to Micheal Riedel...also news of "Young Frankenstein" and "Anna Christie"

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/broadway_billy_entertainment_michael_riedel.htm


BROADWAY 'BILLY'


DEAL DONE BUT SCRIPT GETTING A U.S. SPIN


September 6, 2006 -- BROADWAY is finally going to get "Billy Elliot" - the show London theater crit ics have called "the best British musical ever" - but not right away.
The finishing touches have just been put on a deal to bring the Elton John musical to the Imperial Theatre in the fall of 2008, The Post has learned.

The deal has been kept under wraps because the Imperial has been promised to "High Fidelity" this fall, and nobody wants to give the impression that show might not be a long-runner.

"High Fidelity" is based on the Nick Hornby novel, which was made into a film in 2000 starring John Cusack. The musical starts up in Boston at the end of the month, and by then we'll have a pretty good idea of its long-term prospects. But even if it proves to have staying power, it will have to move to another house in the summer of 2008 to make way for "Billy Elliot."

"Beggars can't be choosers," says a "High Fidelity" production source. "We're in a tight market for theaters. We had to take what we could get. Let's hope the show's such a big hit, we'll have the headache of a move."

In London, meanwhile, the cast of "Billy Elliot" has gone back into the rehearsal studio during the day so that director Stephen Daldry and writers Lee Hall (who wrote the movie) and Elton John can continue to fine-tune the production.

"Stephen decided that if we're going to take the show to Broadway and other places, we really want it to be as strong as possible," says producer Eric Fellner. "He felt he could do better. Lee and Elton felt they could do better."

Fellner declined to go into specifics, but production sources say the fear is that the show - about a working-class boy from a North England mining town who wants to be a ballet dancer - might be too British for Broadway.

The creators are concerned that American audiences won't be able to understand the thick working-class accents or grasp the full import of the struggle between the miners' union and Thatcherism, which gives the musical a sharp political edge.

But the creators also don't want to sacrifice authenticity in pursuit of an American audience.

Says Fellner: "It is quite daunting, taking this quintessentially British show to Broadway. We are not altering the location or the character of the piece. We just want to make sure the Britishness travels."

MEL Brooks and his co- writer, Thomas Meehan, have delivered the first draft of "Young Frankestein" to Susan Stroman, director of their long-running hit, "The Producers."

Stroman will stage a workshop of "Young Frankenstein" in October for prospective backers. (You can be sure there'll be a lot of jockeying to get in on this one.)

The cast will include Kristin Chenoweth as Inga, a role she'll likely repeat when the show comes to Broadway; Shuler Hensley as the Monster, and Marc Kudisch as the police inspector. No word yet on Dr. Frankenstein.

Sources say Brooks is trying to entice Cloris Leachman to re-create the role of Frau Blucher, which she played in the 1974 movie.

JOE Masteroff, who wrote the books to two classic shows - "Cabaret" and "She Loves Me" - has just completed a musical version of Eugene O'Neill's "Anna Christie."

A reading of the show, which has a score by opera composer Ed Thomas, will be held

Sept. 14.

The cast includes Broadway veterans Carolee Carmello (the only decent thing about "Lestat"), Greg Edelman ("Into the Woods") and Heather MacRae ("Falsettos").

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 5:43am

Darn it... Why such a long wait?

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 7:24am

Young Frankenstein sounds like it could be good. I really hope they get Cloris Leachman to reprise her role.

Didn't Shuler Hensley already play the Frankenstein Monster in the movie Van Helsing?

The only thing that would ruin this is if they have Matthew (Mannered) Broderick give another horrible performance as the title character.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 7:26am

Don't quote me on this, but I think Shuler was also The Creature on the Frankenstein: The Musical concept album that was released a few years back. I can't remember who composed it, or whatever happened to it...

[Johnnytoc]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 7:28am

Yayfor Marc Kudisch!

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 7:39am

Sources say Brooks is trying to entice Cloris Leachman to re-create the role of Frau Blucher, which she played in the 1974 movie.

I.Would.Die.

[Pinaud]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 9:30am

Chenoweth is playing Inga? I assumed/hoped she would be playing Elizabeth.

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 9:47am

Glad to hear Billy finally has plans for NYC. I just hope they don't "sacrifice authenticity." The Britishness will travel just fine. :)

Cloris Leachman?

I.Would.Die.Too!

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 9:54am

LOL!!! Shuler Hensley is always type-cast in these animal/monster roles. I guess its work, but I wonder how he really feels.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 10:38am

They better hurry up on that workshop if they want YF to go straight into the St. James after THE PRODUCERS, which is apparently looking at a New Years eve closing night.

P.S. I hope the creative team of BILLY ELLIOT will look at Beth Leavel for the role of Mrs. Wilkenson on Broadway. Updated On: 9/6/06 at 10:38 AM

[leefowler]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 12:08pm

Riedel is wrong on Kristen...She's playing Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn's part). I think maybe Riedel's getting the names mixed up

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 12:12pm

YF should be fun, but I hope Brooks has gotten more help on the composing this time. I love the original film.

[west end artist1]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 12:15pm

Oh Dear

what all us brits were fearing that billy would go to Broadway,I pray to god that this show issnt given a broadway makeover because americans wont be able to understand accents or the miners topic etc.

It still amazes me that british shows have to be made more american or changed in some way so americans can understand,after all we have loads of american shows and they dont have to be changed.

strange that!

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 12:32pm

Well West-end, your country definitely gets more US entertainment than we do here from across the pond. So I'm sure it’s not a stretch to sell Hairspray and Urinetown. In Billy's case, there could be a disconnect with specific cultural references. Fixing this will probably ruin what is special (see US Bombay Dreams), but American producers are not willing to risk a transfer that does not translate.

I really think some people do a huge disservice by assuming Americans are generally stupid for accepting these alterations. Most entertainment exported from the US is edited and/or packaged for it specific region and culture. Refusing to accommodate your audience is certainly the best way to lose them. This also does very little for any kind of cultural understanding. That said, censorship, sugar-coating and pandering are just pathetic and playing to the lowest common denominator.

[Jovie24]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 12:47pm

The PRODUCERS is looking at a New Years's Eve Closing? Where did you hear that?

[vmlinnie]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 1:22pm

don't think Billy will get much of a makeover. Even if they're worried it won't translate, they probably wouldn't risk changing too much of what is already a hugely popular show.

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 2:30pm

I have faith in Stephen that he won't change the show much just to suit American audiences like they're doing for Mary Poppins. But talking about change, there's just been a major script change in the Ldn show last wk apparently... it's their 4-5th script change since they offically opened (God have they changed the script alot of times during the previews!)

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 2:34pm

I have a feeling we'll definitely see the demise of the North England accent in favor of something more "American" in the sense of British working-class accents.
My Fair Billy, anybody?
Still, sanitized or not, the things I've heard about the production make me glad it's coming at all.

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 2:45pm

First...Mary Poppins....GOOD! It could use the changes (whatever they are). :)

Second....Billy Elliot...I think it's sad but true...things will be changed. Tightening the show up is one thing, but if they Americanize it too much...it's just silly. But I guess it's all about what will sell tickets here.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 2:54pm

I almost feel bad for High Fidelity - doesn't sound like many people are putting much stock in this show. It has a great score from the sound of it. We'll see if Billy Elliot is a big hit or not. I think it might of been smart to do an out of town tryout, sort of like they were suppose to do with Women in White - and look what happened to that show.

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 3:56pm

I'm surprised that Kristin and Marc were cast in the same show together. Not that I doubt either of them would act any less than professionally, but granted it's probably going to be a tough situation.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 4:04pm

The deal has been kept under wraps because the Imperial has been promised to "High Fidelity" this fall, and nobody wants to give the impression that show might not be a long-runner.

Well, there goes that!

[worrell4077]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 4:33pm

"They better hurry up on that workshop if they want YF to go straight into the St. James after THE PRODUCERS, which is apparently looking at a New Years eve closing night."

Michael Bennett, is that true or just a bunch of hot air? It would be interesting though if it were true and they did close on New Years Eve and if YF did move into the St. James. It would be like the last tenant was a Mel Brooks musical and the current tenant is a Mel Brooks musical. They could leave the new Mel Brooks musical up, but I hope it's not true about The Producers closing, cause I love that show.


You know everywhere that I've read about the Young Frankenstein workshop has said Chenoweth is playing Inga, even though I believe she said she wanted Elizabeth. I thought Mel wanted her for Elizabeth, Oh Well.

That's so funny that Shuler Hensley is doing Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein, it'll be nothing like the Van Helsing performance. It's funny cause in Van Helsing he spoke clear sentences, but now he's going to be grunting and groaning and then speaking at the end.

I've never seen Marc Kudisch, but I have heard him sing from the Assassins cast album and he'll probably be great as Kemp.

Can I just say that if Cloris Leachman does the reading and then the actual show on Broadway, then I think I, along with so many other Brooks fans and fans of Young Frankenstein would just be speechless and die. Oh my God, it would be so cool to see her perform it live and probably differently then she originally did it and to also sing the new songs Brooks wrote for it.

The one thing that I, among with probably alot of other Brooks fans and YF fans are hoping that "Puttin On The Ritz" is in. That is a classic moment and should be in. It would not seem like YF without it, it's like The Producers without Springtime For Hitler.

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 4:38pm

LOL what's the deal with Kristin and Marc? And I am glad to hear someone is being realistic about "High Fidelity." Come on... unless it's got what Jersey Boys has, it's going to tank.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 4:40pm

Cloris Leachman OMG OMG OMG

And Kristin Chenoweth better not play Elizabeth. I don't know why she's in this at all. Gr