Do-Re-Mi NEEDS to be revived!

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 7:48pm

It's a great how and the only thing close to a revival it has had was at Encores! in 1999. It's also unknown to a lot of people. The encores revival cast was EXCELLENT! So if they revived it they should get

Hubie: Nathan Lane or Richard Kind
Kay: Randy Graff or Andrea Martin
John Henry Wheeler: Brian Stokes Mitchell
Fatso: Lee Wilkof
Brains Berman: Lewis J. Stadlen
Tilda Mullen: Lachanze or Heather Headley

Directed by Kathleen Marshall

[HereNowhere]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 8:20pm

Wonderful score. I don't have any idea about the book and whatnot, but I'm sure there is some reason it isn't done often.

[PersonofInterest]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 9:03pm

The book ir pretty awful. The score is beautiful and, at times, very funny, but overall, the show is pretty dull. Don't think a revival would fly at all.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 10:43pm

It was a show the critics loved. They found it funny and sent love letters to Nancy Walker and Phil SIlvers, while making excuses for the book. It had the luck to open after a series of major disappointments: WILDCAT, CAMELOT, TENDERLOIN, and THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN. The critics may have given it less trouble than if it had opened after a few blockbusters.

The stars kept it alive at the box office until some stronger shows came along: CARNIVAL! in the spring of '61 and HOW TO SUCCEED that fall.

It closed after 400 performances (with a loss of about 1/3 of its capital) but yielded an enjoyable cast album on RCA Victor.

The album didn't sell well. Victor deleted it after the show closed, then reissued it in 1965 in a less elaborate package. Again it failed to sell and was deleted again. Victor gave it one more shot on CD in 1994, but that too has gone out-of-print and now commands anywhere from $60 to $100 a copy! It's worth it to hear Nancy Walker and Phil Silvers who work so well together.

As the Encores concert highlighted, the book needs too much work to make the show revivable. It's also too dated now: Juke box trade is virtually non-existent. If an old fashioned musical comedy hit like WONDERFUL TOWN fails to run, an also-ran like DO RE MI would never find a wide audience now.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 11:09pm

I saw the ENCORES! version and enjoyed Lane's work, but the show itself was awkward.

[DDdirector]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 11:18pm

I played Hubie Cram last year (I get all the Lane roles for whatever reason) and I must say, the music is delightful... the problem is the book. Concert is ok.. but an open ended sit down run? I don't think would be possible. Perfect show to do at places like Goodspeed and such.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 12:54am

Well, what if it had a limited run like The Pajama Game?

I personally like the book.

[DDdirector]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 1:10pm

That would be fine.. but I would think you would need a star like Lane to take on Hubie and someone like Andrea Martin to take on Kaye.