Everyone Loves It But You...Why? — Page 3

TEACH, it's pretty well known that the National Theatre adaptation of the MGM movie THE WIZARD OF OZ, complete with the Arlen songs (yes, the ones Judy Garland and company sang), is usually used for stage versions. It was adapted by John Kane, i believe. It's licensed by Sam French. It plays regionals all the time, had a fairly large regional tour this past summer, and was adapted by Madison Square Garden from a Paper Mill production a while back. The national tour of that version, starring Mickey Rooney as the Wizard, had such Witch stars as Roseanne and Eartha Kitt. There is a CD of that national tour production available for purchase.

Is that specific enough? That's the "WIZARD" and "OZ" i was referring to. It does make plenty of money, and did so in NYC as well.

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sorry, that is the one i mean. i apologize profusely for confusing the National with the RSC, and Tams for Sam French. It must have been my bedazzlement that someone was not aware of this stage version at all.

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Updated On: 11/20/03 at 03:31 PM

Hmm you really cant steal a Tony from someone.
But the worst show I ever saw on Broadway was Saturday Night Fever- bleh, it was horrible. The music didnt even fit, with the exceptional of like some of the solo songs. Musicals like that aggrivate me.

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I thought this was a thread about shows that everyone loved except yourself.

Cats?

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I don't recall anything saying it had to be a current play/musical.

D

Les Miz and Hairspray.

Les Miz is so depressing. I think the fact I saw my first professionally done show (POTO) 4 months before seeing Les Miz had it's effect, but still. The show, the scenery, the characters, the songs. It was all very depressing.

Hairspray. It's so campy. I can't stand it. The songs are cute, but I wouldn't say it's theater at it's best.

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The Lion King
The Producers

As much as I wanted to like both, I didn't. I even had both CDs and listened to them once.

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You know...

I don't think there's ever been anything that I've outright hated. I guess I'm one of those people who always try to find the best in each show I see. Look at the good with the bad. The highschool I volunteer at is doing West Side Story this year. Actually, last night was show #2. I tried so hard to talk the director out of this one because I really did dislike it upon initial viewing, (we went to see another production). The more I worked with it, the more it grew on me. I'm going to be sad to see it be finished on Saturday night.

Another one - Nine, the revival (or I guess the original too, but I never saw that). Chita! Antonio! It was supposed to be so great but my friend and I were sooo confused. I might've liked it better if I'd "studied" the plot before seeing it, but no one told me I was going to the opera.

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Can I use this thread to announce that I find Roger Bart less than thrilling? And the recent "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" to be the work of the Devil?

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I'm thinking of shows that made me just look about me trying to catch the eye of someone --ANYONE -- who was as appalled as I. Where I was just dizzy with bewilderment that people were even looking at the stage...

Phantom of the Opera.
Rent.
Cats.
All three were perplexing monstrosities.

TEACHER, most productions of WIZARD on stage add "Jitterbug" composed, shot, and cut from the film and some cut material from the other songs, mostly intros like for "Rainbow" and "If I Only's"...some fun stuff. There is sometimes a song added (i believe first for Phyllis Diller as the Witch) that the Witch sings, which is not from the film at all, and not Arlen. Sometimes the Witch sings the intro to "Jitterbug" as well, depending on the production. Here in Houston the last major remounting also added a new lyric to the little-known intro for "Rainbow" ("When all the world/is a hopeless jumble/and the rainclouds tumble/all around....etc"). The new lyric to the same melody was sung by Glinda just before Dorothy returned home. Very effective!

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Jake, Let's match Nunn's production of GOES against his FAIR LADY. Two columns. What's excellent & why. What's poor & why.

Obviously the audience responded to both productions. Would be curious to know how much of that audience were the same individuals. Or were they different for some reason?

You know I enjoyed GOES, leaving TRDL in high sprirts. I left the same TRDL after LADY thoroughly dumbfounded and drepressed that the joy and fun and exhuberance was drained.

An interesting discussion could ensue as to why one man could do both productions and cause that type of extreme reactions in one theatre-goer.

By the way, Nunn will always be on a pedastal in my book for NICKLEBY.

Cheers! Bulldog.