Call Me Madam Revival?

[Doogie]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:32pm

With all the talk of The Apple Tree coming back, and since that wasn't exactly the greatest success the first time around, why not Call Me Madam? Its a great score, and yes, very very dated, but its a great star role, and I'm sure a number of celebrities would be very anxious to come to broadway to do it. Of course, it would need a HUGE name, a la Bette Midler. Anyone see anything like this ever happening? I love this show!

[LucilleAndLeoFrank]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:34pm

Victoria Clark would be perfect for Sally!

(Or, if you really want to think outside the box, Lillias White.)

[respeck]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:42pm

"Republicans over to the right, Democrats over to the left.."

[Doogie]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:45pm

Well, yes, Vicki would be PERFECT, but could her name sell this amazing, but relatively forgotten, show?

[harris007]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:45pm

yeah book needs some rewriting, but i could see Patti L in it

[LucilleAndLeoFrank]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:48pm

I can't see Patti as Sally at all, and I'm a HUGE fan.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:49pm

Judy Kaye would be spot on in that role. But again - Not a marquee name. I would go anywhere to see her play Sally.

[LucilleAndLeoFrank]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:52pm

I concur, Rose.

[alterego]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 1:25am

Megan Mullally? Cybil Shepard?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 1:29am

There is no way this is going to be revived on Broadway unless somebody like Meryl Streep or Nicole Kidman wanted to do it.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 1:33am

2 words
MARY TESTA

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 2:26am

I saw MADAM at Goodspeed last year and it is very dated. It is a genre that does not exist on Broadway any more: the topical, politically satirical musical, written quickly and designed to run a season or two at most. Shows these days are written to run for years and years and therefore eliminate any references to current events that will quickly grow stale. I'm pushing 50 and many of the political references in CALL ME MADAM were way over my head. It's way more topical than the movie.

Remember that even it its day, with Ethel Merman at the peak of her popularity, MADAM only ran about 600 performances, half that of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, and far less than other shows that opened around that time, THE KING & I, and GUYS AND DOLLS. Sure, the songs are great, but the show is almost unrevivable except in places like Goodspeed, Bay Street, or Paper Mill where it would be guaranteed a certain amount of patrons due to the subscription base and would be seen having value as an historic piece, if nothing else.

[Doogie]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 2:29am

I saw the Goodspeed revival....Kim Criswell is a giant ball of fierceness

[TONYAWARD]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 2:38am

Perhaps when Bernadette Peters is ready, this will work.

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 2:42am

What makes you think it would work with Miss Peters when she couldn't make a success of GYPSY, a far better show?

[TONYAWARD]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 2:55am

Less anticipation perhaps?

[alterego]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 8:05am

Peters is no Merman.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 11:29am

This show probally has little chance of being revived just like REDHEAD.

Some think REDHEAD is just too dated, and has a confusing book. Plus you need a huge leading triple treat for it.

I wish someone could work with these shows though, some revisions couldn't hurt.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 1:39pm

It actually popped into my head a while back that Peters might pursue Call Me Madam at some point, since for some reason she's been reviving all of Merman's old roles. Not sure why, since I can't think of two more dissimilar types than Merman and Peters. If anything, Peters is more a Mary Martin type than anything, though other than Nellie, I'm not sure what role of hers would be revivable at this point (and she's way too old for Nellie).

It'll be interesting to see what Peters does next -- I can't imagine it'd be Call Me Madam though. Maybe Dolly?

[elmore3003]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 3:20pm

I would think after being a vocal mess in two Merman shows, she would know better. I've seen her in three shows now where I've thought the announcement would come at intermission that her standby was playing Act Two. I've only seen her be really wonderful in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 5:31pm

Peters just does not have the vocal strength like Merman, not many do. But Peters is far from Merman's strength and power.

But once I said her (Bernie) vocals for GYPSY were weak, and had some vocal issues with the score - and people flipped out on me here!

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 3/11/06 at 7:21pm

Peters is not Ethel Merman, but neither LuPone or Judy Kaye are Ethel Merman either. Peters did experience vocal troubles during her Gypsy run, but her performance completely changed the way Mamma Rose had been played, I don't think she ever missed a performance after opening night, and when she was at her best, she was haunting, a sexual diva, a fierce woman, and ultimately a vulnerable Rose.
Her performance in Annie Get Your Gun was the only reason the show kept running, and there's a reason why she won the Tony. Again, she didn't try to impersonate Annie's Merman, she knows and understands she is not Ethel Merman, so she stays away from "Mermanisms" and puts herself in the characters she plays.
I'd love to see Bernadette Peters back on Broadway but not in a revival, I've never seen her live in an original role and I think she deserves to play a new role. I'm pretty sure she'd do wonders with Hello, Dolly! but if I were to see her in a revival I'd give anything to see her replace Ms.LuPone in Sweeney Todd.

[elmore3003]

Posted: 3/12/06 at 7:49am

In response to your comment:
"Her performance in Annie Get Your Gun was the only reason the show kept running, and there's a reason why she won the Tony." Probably the same reason the lousy performance of Lauren Bacall won a Tony for "Woman of the Year!" Reba McEntire's performance was far superior from that mumbling faux-southern dialect to the kittenish overcoy behavior of the Tony winner Peters. It was one of the lousiest performances I've ever seen anyone give. And, if you don't have the chops to give the audience a good vocal performance, pick another role.
Updated On: 3/12/06 at 07:49 AM

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 3/12/06 at 3:49pm

Encores did CALL ME MADAM 10 yeras ago with tyne Daly and I think it proved that while the score is still a delight (and plays well in concert) the book - especially Act Two - can get tedious. (The movie actually streamlined the 2nd act quite a bit - down to less than 1/2 hour.)

The movie - which has Merman - would almost make a full stage revival un-necessary ...UNLESS one of teh drag queens who does Merman starred:

[DRAG QUEEN]
as Miss Ethel Merman
playing Sally Adams
in
CALL ME MADAM!

[alterego]

Posted: 3/12/06 at 10:47pm

Here! Here! elmore3003. Well said.