Honky Tonk Nights
Honky Tonk Nights
#1Honky Tonk Nights
Posted: 5/3/10 at 9:21pm
I've fallen in love with this tuneful little score, and was wondering if anyone saw it/could explain why it shuttered so quickly.
Was it a case of bad producing? Did the book stink?
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
#2Honky Tonk Nights
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:40pm
It had stiff competition from Rags, Smile, Into the Light, and Raggedy Ann. =) Generally, I think 80s Broadway was not friendly to small, light, domestically produced musical comedies unless they were polished and exceeded expectations. Honky Tonk Nights was pleasant from what I understand, but it boasted zero name recognition and was produced by people who had little experience mounting a Broadway show.
Didn't Honky get a cast recording of sorts or am I thinking of Ain't Broadway Grand which I know got a recording that was issued on cassette.
Here's the NYT review, darlin',
With Irma you gotta do something!
#2Honky Tonk Nights
Posted: 5/4/10 at 2:55pm
I was present at what had already been announced as the final (Sat. nite) performance.
At the curtain call, the leading actress stepped forward to announce that the show was indeed not only NOT closing, but the producers (who were in the audience) had promised tp put together money for a TV commercial to help the show along.
The show managed to close anyway THAT NIGHT.
#3Honky Tonk Nights
Posted: 5/4/10 at 2:58pmHave both a poster and a live audiotape of the show tucked away somewhere.
#4Honky Tonk Nights
Posted: 5/4/10 at 2:58pmAh! Twin... such memories of RAGS (which I saw in Boston).
"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."
#5Honky Tonk Nights
Posted: 5/4/10 at 3:08pm
Oddly, these are all shows that I have not seen photographs of and have always wondered what they look like. The one photo of Rags I have seen is the giant Statue of Liberty with the huddled masses on stage. But, what did Into the Light look like? Honky Tonk Nights? (I imagine Grind when I think of it) What on earth did Raggedy Ann look like?
Seperately, I've also wanted to know what Prince of Central Park (1989) looked like from the descriptions I have read it sounds most amusing.
With Irma you gotta do something!
#6Honky Tonk Nights
Posted: 5/4/10 at 3:17pm
It had stiff competition from Rags, Smile, Into the Light, and Raggedy Ann.
It's especially bizarre to me that Rags closed so fast. It was actually quite a solid show. Even weirder, is that Street Corner Symphony ran longer than all of those. Remember Street Corner Symphony? Neither does anyone else.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#7Honky Tonk Nights
Posted: 5/4/10 at 3:49pm
Got my hands on the score awhile ago and just love playing it.
Some really great tunes:
Stomp The Blues Away
Sparrow
I Took My Time
A Man Of Many Parts
A shame there was never a recording.
Michael Valenti is such an unsung composer. Never had a hit, but wrote some really good scores (Oh! Brother, Blood Red Roses, and Blackstone among others)
....but the world goes 'round
#8Honky Tonk Nights
Posted: 5/4/10 at 3:49pm
I have a Street Corner Symphony t-shirt that was given to me by someone who found a ton of them really cheap at some liquidation sale.
I saw a good production of Rags in Michigan and it's a fine show, but the book is plodding and the characters are more symbolic than people. Still, a show not to be forgotten and a real coup for whoever gets to play Rebecca.
With Irma you gotta do something!
After Eight
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
#9Honky Tonk Nights
Posted: 5/5/10 at 5:43amI thought it was a very entertaining show with a very good score. It's a shame it closed so quickly, but it didn't get good reviews, it had no names, and it opened in August.
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