FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

#1

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 1:15am

http://talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat/d.php?id=1924395

Apparently Sondheim made a vague comment tonight about it featuring some "new material."

I wonder what that means?

Updated On: 11/30/10 at 01:15 AM

#2

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 1:47am

Phyllis flies around the theatre and then a spider god sings about bras.

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"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

#3

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 11:26am

"Phyllis flies around the theatre and then a spider god sings about bras."

Oh, Sondheim made calls to discuss with you too then?

#4

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 9:36pm

Do you think the "new material" means a revised book?

#5

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 9:43pm

I actually hope not. I always liked the original one-act version; it's far better written than people think -- especially when you view it next to the many attempts at inserting an intermission that just never seem to work.

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#6

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 9:45pm

If Sondheim is writing new material, I demand a recording!

#7

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 9:47pm

It could happen

http://www.psclassics.com/feature_krasker-interview.html

"TK: You know, at this point, I think I've recorded all but about six of Steve's shows, but the answer is Follies. If you'd asked me twelve years ago, when I'd recorded none of his shows, it would still have been Follies."

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Give me claws and a hunch, just away from this bunch.

#8

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 9:50pm

I was reading that article a week or so ago and I started to wonder if a new recording could happen. New material + Bernadette = New recording.

#9

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:08pm

Could they be trying to find a way to work "Country House" in so Phyllis could have something substantial to sing in Act 1?

I know many Follies fans aren't crazy about that idea. But I'd be curious to see if it could work.

#10

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:15pm

As long as The Road You Didn't Take isn't cut that's fine.


EDIT: I wrote I was fine with The Road You Didn't Take being cut . What a mistake!! Forgive me.

Updated On: 11/30/10 at 10:15 PM

#11

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:17pm

I think the problem with "Country House" is that it doesnt really fit anywhere. It's there to give Phyllis a song. Maybe the production team will revisit that and finally find a place for it.

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#12

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:17pm

^ Well that's what I mean. They might have to use dialogue from the London production to lead into it.

#13

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:23pm

But Country House is not new material and Sondheim wrote on Finishing the Hat the only song written for the London production he found useful is Ah, But Underneath.

#14

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:27pm

No, its not new. But it's never been seen in an American production. I doubt he's suddenly going to write new songs for Follies.

#15

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:34pm

That's why I think is the book they are tweaking.

#16

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:37pm

Hey, as long as they bring back Boris' set and Florence's costumes...

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#17

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:39pm

Does anyone know the budget?

#18

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:40pm

The book has been tweaked 8 million times. And James Goldman is gone now.
As long as they don't use that ATROCITY of a ending (known as the Roundabout ending) - I'll be thrilled.

#19

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:41pm

Oh god... if they want to know how *not* to stage this show, all they have to do is look at that atrocity.

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#20

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:41pm

The budget is $5-$6 Million.

#21

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 12/1/10 at 9:41am

I would be really surprised if the production featured any of the material from the London production. Sondheim, who has said often that he loves playing with his work and allowing the opportunity for re-examination, also seems to feel that the new material created for the UK production should largely not be revisited.

I imagine the musical changes made for this production will be minor. I wouldn't expect any new songs at least.

#22

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 12/1/10 at 11:40am

"Country House" is hardly a good song and it sticks out like a sore thumb. I would love for Phyllis to have more singing in the show, but not if it comes in the form of "Country House" which is simply subpar to what is an incredibly beautiful score.

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"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#23

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 12/1/10 at 11:50am

I was at Sondheim/Kushner on Monday evening, and he didn't say that there would be new material, exactly. He said that every production of Follies has not been the same as the one that has preceded it, and that the Washington production would be revised. I take that to mean they'll be working with the already existing material from the previous productions. That said, it would be WONDERFUL to get any new work from the man. :)

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Merrily we roll along, roll along...

#24

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 12/1/10 at 1:02pm

I would be really surprised if the production featured any of the material from the London production. Sondheim, who has said often that he loves playing with his work and allowing the opportunity for re-examination, also seems to feel that the new material created for the UK production should largely not be revisited

Well I wish the same could said for the book. It's tragic that the Roundabout book uses the London ending (most of it). There's no reason why it should be used. But we've already had a thread about this. :-p

#25

FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

Posted: 12/1/10 at 1:17pm

I wouldn't mind them taking another stab at the lead-in to Loveland. I don't know that it's fixable, but I wouldn't mind a new approach.

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