FREAKY FRIDAY

[Owen22]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 10:13am

It's finished it's four city try-out. Has there been any word of it coming to Broadway? I know it's being developed as a TV movie musical for Disney, but the stage show is surprisingly good, a known title, and perfect family entertainment. It would be very surprising if it just disappears...

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 11:09am

I doubt that there are any plans for a Broadway run, but I'd love it if it somehow magically happened. I adored the show. Saw it at Signature in D.C. last fall and was blown away by how strong it was (plus, Heidi Blickenstaff in that role = surefire Tony nomination).

[freewilma]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 11:42am

The show has been released for professional regional productions; which is then usually followed by community licensing in 6-8 months.  I've seen casting notices for some regional theatres already.  As the creative team indicated at the onset in DC, it seems this was never intended for Broadway.  However, i sure seems like it will live long and prosper at the regional and community level.  

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 12:03pm

I enjoyed the show in Houston.  It was light and fun with a great comic performance by Heidi Blickenstaff.  Regardless, I think it's underserving of a Broadway run without some significant rewrites.  The story, while well known, just seemed to meander to the finish via predictable cliches.  (I'm the first to admit that I'm usually wrong about these things.)

My vote is a live TV musical.

[BwayDude2]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 12:23pm

The professional regional company in Indiana, Wagon Wheel, announced they're doing it in their season next year. I don't know what that means for the show, but it looks like it will start being produced professional around the US. 

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 1:16pm

I thought the score and some performances were quite strong, although when I saw the production at Signature last year, the show didn't necessarily shout out Broadway to me. Plus, if Broadway's Alan H. Green is in a show in DC, I'm there!!

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 4:22pm

they released a cast album. When a show does that before they make it to Broadway, it's a shorthand concession that they won't make it.

[zainmax]

Posted: 7/19/17 at 5:11pm

With Frozen on the drawing board, I do not think that DTG ever really intended to bring it to Broadway.

[nycgogetter]

Posted: 7/20/17 at 10:29pm

The show was never really targeted that way.  I saw the show closing in Houston, and felt there were quite a few book issues - the main one in my opinion is the daughter's conflict for the wedding rehearsal just didn't seem important enough.  And end of the day, watching an adult behave like a child, is much more fun then watching an adult behave like an adult . . . so the show became The Heidi Show - which may it a fun night in the theatre, but not a great piece of theater.   

If the show were to go on to Broadway, I feel the entire production would need to be boosted up - it felt very much like a regional theater production.  Performance wise, the cast I saw in Houston was fantastic.