Leading Actor Joined: 9/16/15
another expensive crash-and-burn incoming
ggersten said: "My understanding is that the producers can't add songs from the Warner Brothers' movie, so all of those suggestions are for naught. They do not have the rights and I believe the Dahl estate is the major stumbling block. "
Isn't it produced by Warner brothers though?
Also what's wrong with the show the MTI has available?
THR article this morning about Mendes dropping out of the Broadway version:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sam-mendes-drops-broadway-bound-847495
Would this be the first time a Broadway production that transferred from the west would have a different director?
The MTI show has additional Bricusse songs with aggressively "children's theater" lyrics. The original movie score may be better than much of the Shaiman-Wittman, but the Shaiman-Wittman score is much better than most of the additions to the Bricusse-Newley score.
Call_me_jorge said: "Would this be the first time a Broadway production that transferred from the west would have a different director?
"
Sister Act was directed in London by Peter Schneider who was replaced in NYC by Jerry Zaks. Of course they also rewrote the book and had different orchestrations. Hopefully they will also do a overhaul of this show too.
Updated On: 12/10/15 at 12:37 PM
rosscoe(au) said: "They need to start from scratch, it really was up there with Ghost as one of the worst musicals I have ever seen, it's was a mess from start to finish, its biggest crime was it was dull. The show had no magic, no wonder, and not a single sense of fun.
Nothing worked, they really do need to start again, new score, new design , new book "
^^ This. ^^
Updated On: 12/10/15 at 12:40 PM
John Bergasse is the choreographer.
I hope they overhaul the score. It was largely forgettable. They need to include the five movie songs. They are lightyears ahead of the new material and would anchor the production.
^These changes will not fix the problems. They should be replacing Shaiman & Whittman.
I know he's not a spring chicken by any means, but a Jerry Herman score mixed with the film songs would be fantastic. Add the dark plot and satire in, and the balance would be just right.
EDIT: The point being they need a lush melodic, sentimental score (think of the five songs in the film) to balance the cold, dark, satirical plot and characters. That's one of the reason the movie works so well. It strikes a balance between poking fun at human nature and embracing it. It's satire with a heart. What's missing in the stage adaptation is the heart, especially in the score. It shouldn't echo the dark satire, it should counter and balance it.
I know a lot of people who worked on this from the workshops onwards.
If you want to point fingers, aim them at Warner Bros. Mendes and Darling had some wonderful ideas and they were thoroughly straight-jacketed. No wonder they walked. Whoever takes over now are likely to hit the same brick walls that the last creative team hit.
It's great to sit back and comment-you feel so 'cleansed'.
So---What are previews for? To change,add,remove and by opening have the production teams' best collaboration of a show.
London audiences have been for however long and paying whatever prices to see the supposedly finished product that is Charlie.
Now it is Americas' turn and the producers say--this show is not good enough to take to Broadway, we really should have changed a whole lot before we opened-but didn't.
Of course, minor things change for different countries-but from what is being suggested here, major things are 'ahappening.
Sister Act in London was a mess[that one I saw] and believed was 'improved' for Broadway.
So the more I type ,and think,perhaps I've internally replied to myself that the Broadway version is just that-the Broadway version-and the London version is.......
I'll never see either but loved the Depp film best so that completely shoots down my post.
I'll leave it here, just because it's my early morning effort--now off for a run.
Happy Chatting
SL.....x
West End run set to close in early 2017. Looks like it is becoming increasingly more possible for producers to feasibly transfer in spring of 2017.
My (probably wrong) two cents: I personally could potentially see an early 2017 Matilda closing so Charlie could move into the Shubert that spring.
"That golden tcket’s good for one more year. The West End production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is set to close in 2017. The production, which began in 2013 at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane, is currently on sale through January 7. No official closing date has been announced."
just in this paragraph alone they say it's closing and it's not closing. Well which one is it?
Jorge, I think they are essentially saying that they are bound/intending to close in early 2017 but they haven't committed to a specific closing date yet. Broadway.com is pointing out that tickets are on sale through January 7 at the moment, which may—but is not yet confirmed—be their final performance. I agree, though, it's written rather vaguely. If I worked at Broadway.com, I probably wouldn't have let the story go to print until there was a set date announced.
Updated On: 2/23/16 at 11:46 AMBroadway Star Joined: 5/9/15
newyorkcitytheatre.com list the Broadway opening as September 1st 2016. Also, after doing a bit of research, most of Warner Brothers Theatrical's productions except Elf have opened at Shubert Theatres (Curious Incident, Misery, Bridges of Madison County). So I think a Shubert Theatre is most likely. Plus, it does not look like any ideal Nederlander theatre will open up. So, I think it will play either the Broadway, Imperial, or Shubert.
My guess is the imperial since Les mis is already announced to be closing in September.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/9/15
The Imperial actually makes the most sense. The size would be great, it will be available (as far as we know). Plus, I think Matilda still has some life left in.
Call_me_jorge said: "My guess is the imperial since Les mis is already announced to be closing in September.
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Isn't Miss Saigon going there?
disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "My guess is the imperial since Les mis is already announced to be closing in September.
"
Isn't Miss Saigon going there?
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Was that announced?
Call_me_jorge said: "disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "My guess is the imperial since Les mis is already announced to be closing in September.
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Isn't Miss Saigon going there?
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Was that announced?
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There were rumors on the boards
Chorus Member Joined: 2/25/16
disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "My guess is the imperial since Les mis is already announced to be closing in September.
"
Isn't Miss Saigon going there?
It's possible that Fiddler on the Roof may vacate the theatre in time for Miss Saigon to return to its original Broadway home - the Broadway theatre.
"
Was that announced?
"
There were rumors on the boards
"
I don't know if it's just me, but the purple and the font of the logo just don't look......fun? Like isn't that supposed to be the whole point of the show?
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