I Think We Need A Revival Of LIL' ABNER

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 12:04am

It's never been revived before so I think some hot shot fancy producer reading this board should get right on this. Get Patti as Mammy Yokum and you've got yourself a hit! Cheno as Daisy Mae? (She's not too old...right?)

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 12:05am

Cheno is waaaaaaay too old and Patti would NEVAH do a secondary role in a major Broadway production, especially NOT "Mammy Yokum".

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 12:06am

LOL. Marquise, I was joking about them...

[romgitsean]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 12:07am

But...why? I hate to be a bitch, but I don't think the material is really worth it.

Encores? Sure. Off-Broadway? Eh, perhaps- on limited run. Broadway? You're stretching it.

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 12:09am

Thanks for clearing that up. I thought you'd just about lost your marbles!!

I love LI'L ABNER. I have the film on DVD. Don't know if it has an audience as a "reviveable" show now though.

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 12:10am

ENCORES! did LI'L ABNER already. Thy don't do the same show twice.

[StarStruckGB]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 1:50am

We did the show my senior year of high school. It went over well with our small town audience, and I'd be curious to see if it ever gets to make it to a larger scale sometime soon.

[alterego]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 2:28am

I think you are right. There are plenty of shows on Broadway now that it is superior to.

Posted: 4/22/10 at 2:38am

A big problem is IMHO that Lil Abner the comic strip was a cultural phenomenon in the 50s--my mom (who did the musical in University in the 60s) has said that everyone knew the characters, etc. NOBODY of my generation, unless we grew up with the movie or big collections of the classic strips, has ANY idea who the people are--and I think the script expects its audience to have the basics. And without Michael Kidd I'm not sure there's any point in reviving it--would make a perfect Encores though. (Edit I realize I made a mistake and Encores has done it)

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 7:20am

I saw LI'L ABNER in 1957 at the St. James, my third Broadway show. I loved it--the energy of the cast under Michael Kidd's direction and choreography was phenominal. The zest with which Lehman Engel conducted the excellent score("Namely You" is a standout) was infectious. The coffee table book "Broadway Musicals--The 101 Greatest Shows Of All Time" cites LI'L ABNER as "simply one of the funniest, cleverest shows ever. Sharply drawn characters, sprightly music by Gene dePaul, hilarious and satirical lyrics by Johnny Mercer,...with wonderfully broad, unwinking performances." The book goes on to decry the Encores presentation as having dire results because the performers and production team couldn't master the tone or begin to understand the sweet, wry, non-ironic style necessary to the piece.

Could Susan Strohman direct and choreograph a revival? She certainly had the energy and style in her work for CRAZY FOR YOU. I will leave the casting to those who know the current crop of musical actors better than I. But I can say that this show's barbs at Wasington politics is surely relevant today. Buy the terrific cast album which with the re-mastering includes the complete music for the "Sadie Hawkins Day Ballet". The cast album is one of my all time favorites.

[LuPonatic]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 7:44am

Sutton Foster as Daisy Mae!!

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 9:29am

If Tom Welling can carry a tune, he'd be perfect for Li'l Abner!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 9:49am

Why has no one mentioned a biceps-bulging Cheyenne Jackson as Abner?

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 1:14pm

I second PalJoey's suggestion of Cheyenne Jackson in the title
role. He has both the right looks and the right voice. It is a hoot to think that this show could actually be revived, with a minimum of revisal activity, please.

[newintown]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 1:17pm

After seeing Anyone Can Whistle, I would vote for Casey Nicholaw as director/choreographer.

Posted: 4/22/10 at 1:22pm

This show is GHASTLY- full of right wing garbage and mediocre songs. And people thought Finian's Rainbow's book was weak????

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 1:55pm

Well, newintown, I don't agree with you about much, but I agree with about Casey Nicholaw.

[newintown]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 1:56pm

Always a delight to come together on something.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 5:38pm

I only slightly knew "Lil' Abner" before I saw the movie version. I fell in love with the show because of it.

I didn't know any of the characters or their relationship with each other, much the way an audience today would seeing it for the first time.

But, the opening number sets everything up so perfectly, that you don't need to know the strip to enjoy the show.

So, it could work.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 5:50pm

Wasn't one of the main attractions of the original...masses of cleavage?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 5:53pm

To Joe KV

A bit of an overreaction I must say. I always looked at it as a fun show. Who knew I was watching Right wing propoganda. Oh well, I differ with you & seeing a full fledged production of this show would be great with Cheyenne in the lead. Sorry you won't be there to see it.

[bk]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 7:06pm

Li'l Abner is among my ten favorite musicals of all time. Its book is hilarious, filled with great Panama and Frank jokes (they wrote the classic The Court Jester around the same time). The score is a delight - one great song after another. And it's as topical today as it was back in 1957. The show needs a director who gets the jokes. It's that simple. Abners fail because the directors don't get the jokes and they have the cast put quote marks around the characters - Abner and Daisy Mae can't "comment" on their characters, which is what's happened in every production I've seen and/or heard, including Encores, Reprise, and the Musical Theatre Guild. It's a show that if given the right production, would play beautifully. I don't know any director working today who would be good enough for this show.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 8:21pm

JoeKV99: You are mistaken about the "right wing garbage" in the show. While the comic citizens of Dogpatch may be conservative, flag waving characters, their going to Washington,D.C. to fight their cause reveals a leftish point of view in the dialogue and in the song lyrics of "The Country's In The Very Best Of Hands" which is a spoof of the Republican Government's mishandling of matters. The song is supposed to be ironic. Al Capp, originator of the LI'L ABNER comic strip, was a liberal.

Personally, I would echo BK's feelings about the show and would love to see a proper revival. And I'm still thinking of Susan Stroman for director/choreographer. Remember her work for CRAZY FOR YOU's "I Got Rhythm", the spectacular variations on a theme first act closer. She could do wonders with the Sadie Hawkins Day Ballet.

Updated On: 4/22/10 at 08:21 PM

[alterego]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 10:00pm

It has one of my favourite musical character names - Passionata Von Climax.
Updated On: 4/23/10 at 10:00 PM

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 4/23/10 at 1:09am

Borstalboy, there may have been "masses of cleavage" but there was a LOT of GREAT 1950's male dancer ass!

And the character's name is Passionata Von Climax. (I'm surprised that no drag queen has claimed that name.)