How would a …WHOREHOUSE revival fare today? — Page 3

CJRochester said: "nealb1 said: "The majority of Lois Nettleton's role as Dulcie Mae ended up being eliminated from the final cut, as well."

It's Doatsy Mae, and I loved her song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUuZw6EgD3M"

The character was renamed Dulcie Mae in the movie. Her name from the musical, like the song, was scrapped.

Updated On: 9/2/26 at 09:15 PM

I just sat through the film at the forlorn AMC 25 and couldn’t see much of value beyond the two songs Parton wrote for the film. “ Sneaking Around” is charming. It’s significant that in the film, the girls are diverse but their clients are all white, except for a couple of dancing black members of the football team.

I’ve never seen it on stage so I can’t compare but the main joke of the thing is that the whorehouse is completely in harmony with the conservative values of the Texas town, which is a not very controversial historical truism about small town or regional brothels.

What the musical reveals is the cheesecake and beefcake box office draw of the Broadway musical, an economic engine that got run out of town around the dawn of the 21st century. Yet the Broadway audience remains the same, largely straight tourists who would probably appreciate beefcake and cheesecake. But probably not this musical which is very much a 1970-80’s object.

sinister teashop said: "I just sat through the film at the forlorn AMC 25 and couldn’t see much of value beyond the two songs Parton wrote for the film. “ Sneaking Around” is charming. It’s significant that in the film, the girls are diverse but their clients are all white, except for a couple of dancing black members of the football team.

I’ve never seen it on stage so I can’t compare but the main joke of the thing is that the whorehouse is completely in harmony with the conservative values of the Texas town, which is a not very controversial historical truism about small town or regional brothels.

What the musical reveals is the cheesecake and beefcake box office draw of the Broadway musical, an economic engine that got run out of town around the dawn of the 21st century. Yet the Broadway audience remains the same, largely straight tourists who would probably appreciate beefcake and cheesecake. But probably not this musical which is very much a 1970-80’s object."

It was fairly true for LaGrange, where the actual Chicken Ranch was located. But why are you basing an opinion on a lousy movie that gutted the score and rewrote much of the plot?

joevitus said: "sinister teashop said: "I just sat through the film at the forlorn AMC 25 and couldn’t see much of value beyond the two songs Parton wrote for the film. “ Sneaking Around” is charming. It’s significant that in the film, the girls are diverse but their clients are all white, except for a couple of dancing black members of the football team.

I’ve never seen it on stage so I can’t compare but the main joke of the thing is that the whorehouse is completely in harmony with the conservative values of the Texas town, which is a not very controversial historical truism about small town or regional brothels.

What the musical reveals is the cheesecake and beefcake box office draw of the Broadway musical, an economic engine that got run out of town around the dawn of the 21st century. Yet the Broadway audience remains the same, largely straight tourists who would probably appreciate beefcake and cheesecake. But probably not this musical which is very much a 1970-80’s object."

It was fairly true for LaGrange, where the actual Chicken Ranch was located. But why are you basing an opinion on a lousy movie that gutted the score and rewrote much of the plot?"

Because I've never seen it on stage and my opinion was based on the film, as I mentioned in the post. I think I've seen some of the clips of the original production from awards shows. You certainly could be right and the original musical has something in it that would make it worth reviving.

I do think that the other thing that goes along with the cheesecake and beefcake box office draw aspect of the musical is that it is meant to be sexy but all American, normal, healthy, heterosexual, athletic, largely caucasian, 1970's "Joy of Sex" fun.

Updated On: 9/2/26 at 10:25 AM

bmwpjager said: "So last weekmy partner and I watched the film version (and “9 to 5”, and the All Stars Drag Race with the Dolly runway… for reasons), and I thought the exact same thing as this thread.


My personal pitch for a production: get a tiny off-Broadway house, dress it up like a honky tonk/ country bar. Stage the show environmentally with a country band playing in the corner, and the characters grabbing mics for songs. Have characters start line dances with the audience for certain numbers, if we’re feeling expensive build a second floor of walkways above the audience that characters can use for the farcical chase sequence. Cast a Bowen Yang or Cole Escola as the preacher (and play it as campy as possible).


Now my big swing would be to keep the show as written, but cast Mona & the girls as Drag Queens. You can choose to lean into the legalized prostitution of it all or not (lord knows the idea of making the sex workers gays and trans femmes isn’t riddled with land mines of stereotypes & problematic narratives), but the idea of the Whorehouse being a gay club just outside of town where boys can escape to and there’s“nothing dirty’s going on” feels a little too perfect given how the story progresses.


I know, not everything can be “Cats The Jellicle Ball”, but I’d much rather this than another concert staging."



I have had a similar vision for a while of basically setting it in a honky tonk and making the whole thing atmospheric and slightly immersive - neon beer signs, taxidermy, etc. Serve the audience Lone Star and Shiner. Really play up the fiddle and other Texas country instrumentation. It could be a really fun and slightly raunchy night at the theater.

That said, and with all respect, I hate your "big swing" idea lol. Not every story has to be made queer (as you acknowledge), and it just wouldn't ring true to the story at all. There would have to be substantial rewrites to the script, because there's no way the characters wouldn't ever explicitly address the fact that the chickens are all trans/drag. And no audience would buy that the entire Aggie football team happens to swing that way (or even if some of them did, that they would be ok with their teammates knowing they swing that way in Texas in the 1970s...or today for that matter).

joevitus said: "nealb1 said: "uncageg said: "It also knocked "E.T." out of the top spot the weekend it opened."

Yes, it did.

At the time of its release, it had the biggest opening box office weekend for a musical. So wonderful that AMC Theatres hasreleased it in honor of Dolly's passing. I've seen it 3 times so far in the last few days. Each screening was completely full, and everyoneapplauded whenDolly's name appeared on the screen, and when we see her for the first time. Love this movie! Dolly is just so wonderful in it.

Film critic Pauline Kael said this of Dolly in the film:

Dimples, wigs, bazooms, and all, Dolly Parton is phenomenally likable in 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.' As the woman who runs the venerable institution—it’s situated in a rural area off the Austin-to-Houston highway— she’s a madam doll. Her exterior is completely stylized, yet her manner is natural and easy, and she gives the impression of having lived a bit—of having earned her permissive, tolerant manner. This is only Dolly Parton’s second picture, and she has become assured; her whole personality is melodious.""

You ignore that Kael panned the film."

I didn't ignore anything. I remember when it was released, and how much Pauline Kael loved and adored Dolly in it. And, even if she didn't care for the film............so?

I don't necessarily love the drag bar idea, but I would love to hear Orville Peck sing Twenty Four Hours of Lovin...

Updated On: 9/2/26 at 11:28 AM

nealb1 said: "joevitus said: "nealb1 said: "uncageg said: "It also knocked "E.T." out of the top spot the weekend it opened."

Yes, it did.

At the time of its release, it had the biggest opening box office weekend for a musical. So wonderful that AMC Theatres hasreleased it in honor of Dolly's passing. I've seen it 3 times so far in the last few days. Each screening was completely full, and everyoneapplauded whenDolly's name appeared on the screen, and when we see her for the first time. Love this movie! Dolly is just so wonderful in it.

Film critic Pauline Kael said this of Dolly in the film:

Dimples, wigs, bazooms, and all, Dolly Parton is phenomenally likable in 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.' As the woman who runs the venerable institution—it’s situated in a rural area off the Austin-to-Houston highway— she’s a madam doll. Her exterior is completely stylized, yet her manner is natural and easy, and she gives the impression of having lived a bit—of having earned her permissive, tolerant manner. This is only Dolly Parton’s second picture, and she has become assured; her whole personality is melodious.""

You ignore that Kael panned the film."

I didn't ignore anything. I remember when it was released, and how much Pauline Kael loved and adored Dolly in it. And, even if she didn't care for the film............so?

"

Because ignoring that she hated the movie and posting that quote gives a false impression that she liked it.

Sounds as if we are splitting hairs here. I never said Pauline Kael cared for the movie. I remember she specifically adored Dolly in the film. Thanks for the link of those films, John Adams. It's a very interesting list.

uncageg said: "joevitus said: "nealb1 said: "joevitus said: "nealb1 said: "uncageg said: "It also knocked "E.T." out of the top spot the weekend it opened."

Yes, it did.

At the time of its release, it had the biggest opening box office weekend for a musical. So wonderful that AMC Theatres hasreleased it in honor of Dolly's passing. I've seen it 3 times so far in the last few days. Each screening was completely full, and everyoneapplauded whenDolly's name appeared on the screen, and when we see her for the first time. Love this movie! Dolly is just so wonderful in it.

Film critic Pauline Kael said this of Dolly in the film:

Dimples, wigs, bazooms, and all, Dolly Parton is phenomenally likable in 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.' As the woman who runs the venerable institution—it’s situated in a rural area off the Austin-to-Houston highway— she’s a madam doll. Her exterior is completely stylized, yet her manner is natural and easy, and she gives the impression of having lived a bit—of having earned her permissive, tolerant manner. This is only Dolly Parton’s second picture, and she has become assured; her whole personality is melodious.""

You ignore that Kael panned the film."

I didn't ignore anything. I remember when it was released, and how much Pauline Kael loved and adored Dolly in it. And, even if she didn't care for the film............so?

"

Because ignoring that she hated the movie and posting that quote gives a false impression that she liked it."



Nope. I think it was very clear that what nealb1 posted was specifically about Dolly and not the film as a whole. At least it was to me.

"

If you post a favorable comment about a movie, buttressed by a major film critic's positive assessment of an actress in said movie, the more likely impression made is that the critic was positive about the film, as well.

Dreamboy3 said: "TheatreMonkey said: "Say what you will about the movie as a whole,but this sequence is wonderful, on many levels. "

The speedo tan lines are hilarious. I love it, but I’ve always wondered how a scene that has such a gay sensibility (I think Tony Stevens did the choreography?) ended up in the film.

The director (/co-screenwriter) was gay too, which probably had something to do with it too. Every time I see it, I think, "Yeah, you can tell a gay man directed this." But then, I'm not sure how this number could be done without a gay sensibility.


i saw a production - maybe a fundraiser for the actor’s fund - som years ago with Emily Skinner as Mona and, among others, Andrea McArdle as Doatsey. It worked really well in my opinion. I love the score and I actually do think it is timely."

It's on YT.

MemorableUserName said: "It's on YT."

Thanks for this!