How About a Babes in Arms Revival?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/14/07 at 2:20pm

This would be a great show to highlight some of the younger Broadway performers. The score is timeless. Just got the Encores! disc and I'm in love!

Anyone think a revival will ever happen?

[jagfkb]

Posted: 7/14/07 at 8:43pm

No offesne, but this is really kindda a weak show, even if the music is great. Sadly hey're pulled together with a really bad plot which makes so many strange turns it turns out as a jumbled mess. Im suprised though that the role of Baby rose wasn't written for Ethel merman. However, it would be cool to see this as a benifit prformance and have the child actors on Broadway perform the numbers.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/14/07 at 9:57pm

I'd say yes, but the book is just awful though.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/14/07 at 10:01pm

The book is utterly awful, even though the score is great.

Honestly, I would rather see a concert of the show than a full scale production.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 7/14/07 at 10:47pm

New book. It can be done.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/14/07 at 10:48pm

One of our best local community groups did the show 2 years ago and story-wise it just doesn't work. I guess audiences in 1937 demanded a lot less of musical comedy books and the show got by on its tuneful score, although many of the songs became standards in the years that followed.

The revised script used for the M-g-M film version is a bit better or at least shorter but drags in a lot of other un-related songs retaining only 2 from the original score.

In the late 1950s George Oppenheimer wrote a new script around the score and that is the version usually sent out for community staging (unless you request the 1937 script) but it's even worse than the original.

Its a PERFECT show for concert with so many bright bubbly songs.

[Glory]

Posted: 7/14/07 at 11:30pm

I got thinking about it one day because my high school did this show this past spring. I loved it and thought a revival with a twist to it would be cool. All the roles would be played by their own names, kind of like Godspell. My casting was this:

Bebe Neuwirth - Bunny - Bebe
Megan Hilty - Susie - Megan
Barret Foa - Gus - Barret
Pheobe Srole - Terry - Pheobe
Johnathan Groff - Val - Val (Keeps his name for sake of My Funny Valentine)

yeah I got excited over my thoughts haha!

[munkustrap926]

Posted: 7/14/07 at 11:31pm

I did this show last year. Great music, but the book would have to be worked on if they want to make a revival.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/15/07 at 4:17am

I don't even think the Encores! cast recording is that great, Erin Dilly is just so bland. I think this is one of those shows that will never have a commercial revival on Broadway, it doesn't deserve it really. Maybe a Reprise! concert in LA.

[dramarama2]

Posted: 7/15/07 at 5:23am

MY FUNNY VALENTINE! DA DA DA DEE DOOOOOO!!!

As much as I'd love to see that song on stage, IT SHOULD NOT BE REVIVED!

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/15/07 at 7:11am

In the right hands, anything is possible.

I mean, please, people, for all of you crying that the book is "just dreadful", I would like to remind you of a certain show that opened this week that has not only a terrible story but severely dated songs and is based on what is arguably the worst movie musical of all time -- and yet it's apparently an enjoyable little romp.

As I said, anything is possible.