Cuts in musicals

[BroadwayThoughts]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 1:48pm

Whenever a musical has been running for a long (sometimes short) time, the team chooses to make cuts to their show. (Such as removing costumes or minimizing set pieces.)

We've all seen it in our favorite shows ... and we've all complained about it.... but would we rather keep these cuts then see our beloved shows close earlier than planned?


I want to hear you input on this and what cuts in shows you miss the most.

Updated On: 1/27/06 at 01:48 PM

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 1:51pm

I want to see the original 3 and half hour les miserables

[Sant]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 1:58pm

Well this show never had a B'way run or a long run in the West End, but... They cut the wonderful opening number "Working on the land" from MARTIN GUERRE. It is now featured as "Welcome to the land" in the new version, but it was much more powerful as the opening number.

[Color and Light]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:10pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm not the biggest Phantom fan, but wasn't Raoul's part in the Graveyard scene eventually cut because it didn't make sense for him to just stand around singing? I think that's a shame - namely because I think the trio is rather pretty and because if you were going to cut stuff from Phantom for not making much sense, that wouldn't be the first thing to go ... in my opinion.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:22pm

Raoul's part isn't cut. it's just revised. Christine and the Phantom have a slightly longer duet and Raoul comes in later singing "Leave her..." The revised version is preserved on the Canadian cast recording.

[Color and Light]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:25pm

I guess cut was the wrong way to phrase it. I know he now comes in later in the scene ... I just liked how it was originally done better. Baaah. Don't listen to me. I haven't slept in a few days. But thanks for the clarification.

[suchclumsytime]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:29pm

As Bway Baby expressed, I wish they hadn't cut all those little bits and pieces from "Les Miserables." As a Complete Symphonic Recording junkie, I missed them all terribly upon seeing it just before it closed. :0( Then again, I also had the privelege of seeing the entire thing a few years earlier...

And semi-OT, cutting "Growltiger..." from the "CATS" video was depressing.

Updated On: 1/27/06 at 02:29 PM

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:34pm

I never got to see the three-and-a-half-hour Les Miserables, but in a way, I'm glad I didn't. I thought the show flowed nicely, and I didn't feel as though I had missed anything or that there were any unnatural plot holes. Also, my mother had seen the full show and then saw it post-cuts, and she preferred the shorter version, saying she couldn't even remember what *was* cut, and felt it was most likely unnecessary to the main story. Not bad, just not necessary for story purposes.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:42pm

We'd like to Thank You Herbert Hoover from Annie.

[michelle4]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:50pm

I hate the way they changed the song in "Miss Saigon" from 'Its Her or Me' to 'Now That I've Seen Her'. They were trying to soften Ellen, but really no matter what you do to her she is still in the eyes of the audience the "other woman". They should have just let the original stand. It is a much stonger song.

[Color and Light]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 3:03pm

I haven't been able to come up to New York to see "Sweeney Todd", and I'm positively dying to ... but can someone tell me if the revival includes the Beggar Woman's lullaby that she sings right before she gets killed? It was left off of the OBCR and the tour DVD, but included on the concert DVD and CDs. I was just wondering ...

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 3:17pm

The lullaby isn't in the revival. I missed it.

[BroadwayThoughts]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 5:22pm

has anyone seen Hairspray on Broadway recently? .... I heard they took all the beads off of the dynamites and Penny's Finale dress. I wonder if it works? .. sounds a little unflattering. :/

[Becky2]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 7:32pm

I agree about Raoul's role in "Wandering Child." It sounded amazing with all three singing together. But I do understand why they cut it out, I just wish they hadn't.

[Overthemoon6]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 7:54pm

Well, I know this is a movie, but I was really sad that they cut the songs "How Can Love Survive?" and "No Way to Stop It" from the Sound of Music. Without those, the Baroness isn't a singing part.

[Overthemoon6]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 8:24pm

Oh, and I was wondering this, it's along the same lines. In the Candide with Kristin Chenoweth and Patti LuPone, they have the song "Life is Happiness Indeed", but on the Original Recording with Barbara Cook, the song isn't on it. Does anyone know why?

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 9:07pm

Candide has been a constant work in progress ever since the original production. There are so many versions of the score, it's too much to try to document here.

But "Life Is Happiness Indeed" is the melody of "Venice Gavotte" from the original Barbara Cook recording, but with new lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. "Life Is Happiness Indeed" first appeared in the '74 Broadway revival version of Candide.

Check out the website I've linked below. It goes into amazing detail about each version (at least 12!) of the Candide score.
Everything you ever wanted to know about CANDIDE

Updated On: 1/27/06 at 09:07 PM

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 9:12pm

Many of the costumes in Wicked have changed over the past year. Most noteably, Galinda's wigs, her Shiz dress, and Boq's hat.


Opposite of a cut, the monkeys were added to No Good Deed.

[Overthemoon6]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 9:15pm

Thanks Smaxie! Monkeys were added to No Good Deed??? That seem sort of weird. When did this happen?

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 9:21pm

It was added to the your to make up for the lack of an elevator that rises Elphaba screaming "Fiyero!"

Basically, when the intro music starts, heard on the cd, the monkeys are scene doing monkey things. lol. Any more specific questions, feel free to PM me.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 11:28pm

At the first preview of Bring Back Birdie on January 26, 1981, there was a song called "Filth" that ended Act 1. As the curtain fell, the audience booed. This song was cut after the first preview.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 11:36pm

The Beggars Woman lullaby WAS in the revival but cut in previews. I wish they kept it to add to her character but I guess they felt the less the audience knew about her....I'll stop now as not to spoil things

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 11:43pm

I hate how they are making Glinda's blue dress with cheap nasty fabrics and junkie sequins....

i am so sad they cut the "Sweeney Walking Music" before Worst Pies in London

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:38am

Look to the Lillies & Inner City had tons of cuts

[Piazzaslight]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 12:44am

IF NOT FOR ME, FOR HER was cut from the Broadway production of THE WOMAN IN WHITE. You can still hear the song on the Original London Cast Recording. It's not a bad song. I was a LITTLE dissapointed when they cut it for the Broadway version, but I learned to accept it and move on.