Brigadoon Revival directed and coreographed by Rob Ashford?

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 8:25pm

I was reading a Variety article from September that mentioned Rob Ashford is doing a workshop for a production of Brigadoon that he will direct and choreograph.

Anybody know anything about it?


Article Updated On: 1/20/08 at 08:25 PM

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 10:58pm

I could go for that. Brigadoon was the first show I ever directed and I love it. A new imagining of the show with celtic roots is a great idea.

[BrianS]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:25am

I have some friends in it. Apparently, the dancing is insane and absolutely beautiful. I just think that at the end of the day, Brigadoon just isn't that compelling a show. Maybe regionally, but it won't fill a Broadway house at $100 a pop. I wish he could present what he's done at something like Lincoln Center, but I think they are feeling it out for a Broadway run.

You can see some very solid new work from him when Cry-Baby opens in a month or so.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:26am

Where is the production?

[piperlacyboo]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:40am

where? Updated On: 1/21/08 at 12:40 AM

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:42am

Ahh. Apparently it is a workshop.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:49am

"Brigadoon just isn't that compelling a show."

Seriously? I always think of it as one of the classics... seriously? Huh.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:59pm

I love Brigadoon. I was in it last year at my high school.

:)

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 1:18pm

No! I want Ashford to focus completely on choreography until he nabs a Tony, THEN I'll allow a director/choreographer job. I love that man...

[keen on kean]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 1:47pm

Totally OT - Ashford is going to work on LEAP OF FAITH? OMG, the talent on that show is bowling me over. Mencken, Hackford, Ashford. Super!

[BwayInsider]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 2:45pm

thevoleyballer-FYI Rob Ashford won a Tony for Best choreography for Thouroughly Modern Millie.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 2:49pm

Volleyballer, what are you talking about?

He already has Tony number one and number two is coming this Spring.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 3:31pm

I'm thrilled by the prospect of a Brigadoon revival. If there is a show that needs to be rescued from the curse of boring Civic Light Opera productions, it's Brigadoon. Great compelling story, a brilliant score and all of that sensational dance music. I'm also excited to see Ashford step into the director/choreographer position. His Curtains stuff is exceedingly difficult and underrated, and his Cry-Baby choreography is supposed to be excellent. He fared so well with Parade at the Donmar, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he can be our next great hope for the musical theatre.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:17pm

Does he? My bad. I guess I didn't think back far enough, as I only thought of Curtains and Wedding Singer. Oops!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:29pm

Two Great male leads in the workshop: Clarke Thorell and Christian Borle.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:45pm

Who is playing Fionna and Meg (she's the one who sings "My Mother's Wedding Day" right?)?

[roquat]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:48pm

It would take a genius to rescue this show from sentimentality and Scottish kitsch.

[HoshiForever]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 6:52pm

That'd be great. I love Ashford's take on Parade at the Donmar, he could do wonders with Brigadoon.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 7:05pm

Brigadoon CAN be one of the most powerful pieces of theatre you will ever see... IF it's done right.

And the key isn't "flashy" or "splashy" or extravagance of any kind.

The key is finding singing actors who simply and earnestly BELIEVE in the story. I saw a scaled-down production of it once that was pure magic. It ripped my heart out, because they all convinced me that the story was true.

I get choked up when I think about it.

I have rarely, if ever, seen anything better on stage... play or musical. My hope is that one day a major revival of it could capture that magic and give that gift to a wide audience.

If it happens, and they can do that... you will never forget it.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 8:48pm

Goodspeed did a well-regarded version a couple of years ago, but I missed it.

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 9:29pm

I love me some Brigadoon. I would be very excited to see a good revival.

[being.jeremiah]

Posted: 2/1/08 at 10:05am

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114758.html

[JBSinger]

Posted: 2/1/08 at 10:18am

From Playbill:
Guare, according to the Post, has rewritten the original Alan Jay Lerner book: Brigadoon is now "a pacificist town that 'disappeared' in 1939 because its inhabitants didn't want to live in a world torn apart by war."

That sounds TERRIBLE! leave it alone. Tighten the script a bit, but that concept takes a lot of charm out of the show right there. So what - now it doesn't reappear every hundred years? Even if the leads are 21st century, how would they stumble upon it? This is a recipe for Disaster. Leave it alone.

[mallardo]

Posted: 2/1/08 at 10:27am

Reprise in LA did a production of it four years ago with Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley that worked pretty well.

[robbiej]

Posted: 2/1/08 at 10:33am

Thorrell and Borle? Who is playing what?? Either could be great as both Tommy AND Jeff.