Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
They have announced two of their three shows for next season. Kismet and 70 Girls 70 are on the list.
Can Brian Stokes Mitchell play Hajj?
PS: I'm not saying BSM was cast. That was meant to be a plea as in "please can we have BSM as Hajj".
Can Brian Stokes Mitchell play Hajj?
You bet your sweet life he can!
He certainly does like his Alfred Drake/Howard Keel roles doesn't he.
Any cast for 70 yet?
Oh SH!T!!! I didn't even see that 70 GIRLS 70 was official yet!!! I gotta call the EMS!
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
The third show hasn't been announced, but once again they continue to ignore Sondheim.
Kismet
Kelsey Grammer as Haji
Tim Curry (wazir), Eden Espinoza, Kristin Chenoweth at Lalume would be great.
70 Girls 70
Cloris Leachman
Tony Roberts
Hal Linden
Dixie Carter
Gothampc, which of Sondheim's musicals would you have them perform?
Updated On: 9/7/05 at 02:16 PM
They are seriously considering ANYONE CAN WHISTLE.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
"Gothampc, which of Sondheim's musicals would you have them perform?"
Anyone Can Whistle
Merrily We Roll Along
Pacific Overtures (before Roundabout did it)
Do I Hear A Waltz
Assassins (before Roundabout did it)
The Frogs (before LCT did it)
The purpose of Encores is to re-listen to shows that aren't regularly produced. Any of the above would have fit the bill.
Encores is more complicated then that Goth. One of the reasons that the shows you list were never done by Encores, is that companies like the Roundabout and LCT had already expressed interest in mounting full productions of them.
Two of those shows, however -- THE FROGS and ASSASSINS wouldn't have qualified for consideration, because Encores only stages shows that have already been seen on Broadway before.
What is chosen by Encores is very political, of course, but the reality is, a lot of writers/producers hold out on Encores, because they have (realistic or not) "bigger" plans for their properties.
Updated On: 9/7/05 at 02:33 PM
Marin Mazzie as Lalume........please, please, please!
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
"What is chosen by Encores is very political, of course, but the reality is, a lot of writers/producers hold out on Encores, because they have (realistic or not) "bigger" plans for their properties."
While I understand that, I believe Sondheim would have let them tackle "Anyone Can Whistle" or "Merrily We Roll Along" in their first few seasons (they started in 1994). Sondheim knows no Broadway producer is banging down the door for those two.
Well MERRILY had a big revival Off Broadway in about 1993, so it probably wasn't high up on the list for early Encores seasons.
And Arthur Laurents probably has had more to do with the reasons WHISTLE hasn't been done than Sondheim...
Updated On: 9/7/05 at 02:52 PM
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
You're probably right. Sondheim has been generous with his work. "Follies" and "Company" were both done in NYC in concert format.
As were MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG and SWEENEY TODD.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
"As were MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG and SWEENEY TODD."
We can also add Candide and Passion to the list.
That's why I asked Goth, like Michael Bennett said most of the titles you listed were already being circled by some companies, and Merrily had just come off the York revival when Encores started. Of your list the only titles I think are worthy in the sense of what Encores says they are aiming to do are Do I Hear A Waltz? and Anyone Can Whistle.(and Whistle I think is even somewhat more high profile than shows that Encores has done or needs to do) I would say that even when Encores started that those are the only titles I would deem worthy.(but then again, who am I? so who cares what I 'deem worthy'?)
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
"Merrily" was done in 1994. I believe that Encores could have done it from 2004 forward. (There was only a 10 year difference in the Sweeneys).
Goth -- they did an OBC reunion concert just a couple of years ago, that was supposedly an extraordinary, incredibly moving event. There is no way Encores is going to compete with the memory of that anytime soon...
I bet we'll get a Roundabout revival before we see it at Encores.
The lovely lady in mine and Rath's avatars would be perfect in 70 GIRLS 70.
She's also in Garland Grrrl's av, and yes she would!! Oh my, would that be a treat.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
She's changed her av, darling. It's not Angelina at the mo.
I would also think that in restoring old scores there must be a a significant cost involved. I cant believe it is all political there must be financial considerations as well as star power considerations. I dont think it is as cut and dried as you make it out to be.
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