As a general rule, MGM musicals do not transfer well to Broadway. Cases in point are Meet Me In St Louis, Gigi (twice).There are others but I cannot think of them at the moment
I saw the production that played the Gershwin in the 1980s. It starred Don Correia as "Don Lockwood" and Faye Grant as "Lina Lamont". It didn't run very long. It was directed and choreographed by Twyla Tharp.
I wish he was transferring the 2012 West End revival and not the Theatre du Chatelet production which looks to be designed with lots of dull colors and more projected scenery just like their production of An American in Paris.
Jeffrey Karasarides said: "How many times do I have to say that the original Broadway production of On the Town debuted five years before there ever was a film?"
I can't believe that Mr. Roxy thinks that ON THE TOWN was first a film before their was a Broadway production. I'm not as old as Mr. Roxy and even I know that ON THE TOWN was a Broadway show first!
Saw this production in Paris last year and it was stunning. The production design and projections were excellent, as were the costumes and rain effect. The dancing was also pretty great.
Note to Mr. R: you can use SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS instead.
I don't know why anyone would think SINGIN' IN THE RAIN would do better than AN AMERICAN IN PARIS or DAMES AT SEA. I saw a production of RAIN in Pittsburgh staring Lara Teeter and he was fine; but I couldn't figure out why I hadn't just stayed home and watched the movie.
The thing is, besides being an utter toad of a human being, Riedel usually has the least knowledge of the topic in the room. He doesn't usually understand the content or approach of a show, and is always completely and unfailingly socially ignorant, which makes it really infuriating when Susan can't get a word in edgewise. A definitive mansplainer; it's always painful when he has female guests. I watch the show sporadically when I really want to see a guest, because it's the only theatre talkshow we have, but it would be so much better without this hateful clown in a dadcoat. (thanks ScaryWarhol)
The French version looks black and white.. maybe boring? And the London version is so colorful and seems fun. The London version has REAL water not a projection. It's going to flop. Calling it now.
I saw a regional production of this show in Germany like 2 years ago and loved it. When done right, it can definitely be great. I don't see why it shouldn't be as successful as American in Paris or even Anything Goes. It's funny, charming, has amazing opportunities for dancing and some great acting parts.
That is, of course, when done right.
Dreamcasting Katie Rose Clarke as Lina and Kristen Beth Williams as Kathy, and then somewhat more of a "star" as Don. Aaron Tveit maybe?
Who was in the production in Paris? Anyone that might transfer with it?
The leads in that 1985 cast have pretty much disappeared, haven't they? Theatre World Award winner Faye Grant's last appearance in anything commercial (per imdb) was 2004; Tony-nominated Don Correia has been on Broadway only once since then (in the minuscule role of Theodore Whitman in Follies for 4 months) and hasn't appeared on film or TV since 1996 (I believe there may have been one or 2 Encores! appearances briefly); Peter Slutsker (Cosmo - also known by the more euphonious "Peter Marx" did a few bit parts on Bway and TV afterwards, the last in 2004; and Mary D'Arcy in the Debbie Reynolds role was one of the horde of Christine replacements in Phantom, vanishing for good around 1990.