FOLLIES at the Kennedy Center to feature some new material?

[ljay889]

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

[Kad]

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

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

[THDavis]

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?

[JOak]

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

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

[SeanMartin]

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.

[JOak]

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

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

[binau]

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."

[JOak]

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.

[ljay889]

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.

[JOak]

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

[SeanMartin]

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.

[ljay889]

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.

[JOak]

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.

[ljay889]

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.

[JOak]

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

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

[SeanMartin]

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

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

[JOak]

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

Does anyone know the budget?

[ljay889]

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.

[SeanMartin]

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.

[ljay889]

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

The budget is $5-$6 Million.

[Michael Bennett]

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.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

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.

[QuiteSo]

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. :)

[ljay889]

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

[PalJoey]

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.