If you could go back in time and see only one Broadway show, what would it be?- Page 3

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 10:37pm

Musical:

OBC of My Fair Lady or South Pacific (tied)

Play:

OBC of Little Foxes with Tallulah Bankhead

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 10:38pm

"Find Your Way Home".

I remember my mom went to see it. And loved it. Way before I came out. She had no clue what it was about but it was a theatre trip being offered.

 

When I saw THE OTHER PLACE I realized I was in the same theater where my mother saw FIND YOUR WAY HOME. I choked up simply because of the way  she let me know she was fine with who I was as she was dying. I know this play played a part in that exchange in her hospital room.

I want to see what she saw.

Updated On: 6/15/17 at 10:38 PM

[Hank]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 10:48pm

Taboo

 

[CallMeAl2]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 10:55pm

Jarethan said: "Amazing...I saw it twice in London and don't even remember; of course, even that is 25 years ago or so.  Could that have been the director's contribution (I seem to remember it was Mike Ockrent, but I wouldn't bet on it)."

You are right. Direction was by Mike Ockrent, with choreography by Bob Avian and design by Maria Bjornson (who had just finished designing Phantom). The cast featured Diana Rigg (Phyllis), Daniel Massey (Ben), and Julia McKenzie (Sally).

I'm sure Ockrent had some say, but Sondheim and Goldman substantially rewrote the material. I believe this was at Mackintosh's request. He didn't like the fact that the characters don't grow in the second act. Sondheim wrote four new songs: "Country House" (replacing "The Road You Didn't Take" ) , "Loveland" (replacing the song of the same title), the striptease "Ah, But Underneath" (replacing "The Story of Lucy and Jessie", for the non-dancer Diana Rigg), and "Make the Most of Your Music" (replacing "Live, Laugh, Love" )

Updated On: 6/14/17 at 10:55 PM

[alphieboy]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 11:03pm

Hmmmmm..... this is tough but my mind jumps directly to Piazza.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 11:15pm

All of these:

West Side Story

Funny Girl

Hello Dolly

Mame

Sweet Charity

Hair

Company

Follies

Chicago

A Chorus Line

Ain't Misbehavin'

On the 20th Century

Dreamgirls

Evita

Updated On: 6/14/17 at 11:15 PM

[KnewItWhenIWasInFron]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 12:45am

"A Chorus Line" (can't decide between the original cast and the record-breaking one)

[MattG3]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 1:20am

I grew up on Phantom and Les Miserables; they were always playing in my house it seemed like. Love them still to this day, but I've seen them so many times I never have to see them again. Ever. 

My choice will always be: Side Show OBC. I was in HS and still wish I could have seen it. It's the first show I remember truly discovering and loving on my own. I even have Ripley and Skinner's duets album. #nerd 

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 3:14am

Chita Rivera in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN.

[Lot666]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 8:03am

Like most folks here, it's virtually impossible to decide on just one.

My first thought was the original cast (Crawford, Brightman, Barton) of Phantom of the Opera. But then I started thinking that, as much as I wish I could've experienced that, I have seen the show innumerable times now with some great leads (e.g., Panaro and Boggess), so that left me torn between:

- Friedman, Paice, and Crawford in The Woman in White

- Close, Campbell, and Hearn in Sunset Boulevard

But then I started thinking that I've had the good fortune to see Ms. Close multiple times in the current Sunset revival, so maybe I'd want to see Betty Buckley in Sunset Boulevard.

It's just too difficult to choose only one!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 8:21am

 

Merman, Gypsy.

 

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 8:50am

I'm choosing three:

Since Patti Lupone was out the night I had tickets to Evita, I'd like to see the original production/company.

Annie (original Broadway cast) was my first Broadway show. I'd like to go back and see that, although I have pretty vivid memories of that experience.

I'd like to relive seeing the original company/production of Ragtime. One of my most thrilling Broadway experiences.

[kellyhallo]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 11:13am

OBC of a Streetcar Named Desire with Marlon Brando and Jessica Tandy

[bennyb86]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 11:21am

Can I cheat and say original West End production of Starlight Express?

[JayG 2]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 11:32am

Drat! The Cat!

Breakfast at Tiffany's (Musical)

Kelly

 

[AllThatJazz2]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 11:34am

I'm going to cheat as well...I wish I were in the audience for the 10th anniversary Royal Albert Hall performance of Les Miserables. 

On Broadway itself...Phantom with the original cast. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 11:44am

CallMeAl2 said: "Jarethan said: "Amazing...I saw it twice in London and don't even remember; of course, even that is 25 years ago or so.  Could that have been the director's contribution (I seem to remember it was Mike Ockrent, but I wouldn't bet on it)."

You are right. Direction was by Mike Ockrent, with choreography by Bob Avian and design by Maria Bjornson (who had just finished designing Phantom). The cast featured Diana Rigg (Phyllis), Daniel Massey (Ben), and Julia McKenzie (Sally).

I'm sure Ockrent had some say, but Sondheim and Goldman substantially rewrote the material. I believe this was at Mackintosh's request. He didn't like the fact that the characters don't grow in the second act. Sondheim wrote four new songs: "Country House" (replacing "The Road You Didn't Take" ) , "Loveland" (replacing the song of the same title), the striptease "Ah, But Underneath" (replacing "The Story of Lucy and Jessie", for the non-dancer Diana Rigg), and "Make the Most of Your Music" (replacing "Live, Laugh, Love" )

 

I enjoyed the London Follies, but I did not feel that it improved on the original, for several key reasons, the main one being the replacement of Lucy and Jessie, one of my favorite musical numbers ever.  The replacement number, Ah, But Underneath, was a striptease and very well done; it just didn't capture the excitement of Lucy and Jessie, although it clearly made its point.  I don't remember Make the Most of the Music...how did it compare to Live Laugh Love (which I also thought was incredible, especially when he finally loses it completely)?  I remember A Country House a little (I seem to remember a flat set drawing of a country house), but it is so long ago that I thought Diana Rigg sang it; either way, if it replaced The road You Didn't Take, that's fine with me.  I was sick of that song by 1972.

It was one of two times that I saw Dolores Grey.  She was was goo, but Yvonne De Carlo was better.  I thought Julia N. MacKenzie was better than Dorothy Collins (the pain seems to be down to her bones); but, otherwise, the cast paled next to the original.

 

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 11:48am

JayG 2 said: "Drat! The Cat!

Breakfast at Tiffany's (Musical)

Kelly

 
I loved Drat The Cat...it had an excellent score, great production values, a silly and very enjoyable plot, a game cast.  Was so disappointed when this closed so quickly.

I had tickets to Breakfast and they cancelled the performance (I seem to remember that they delayed previews).  By then, with all the bad word of mouth and given the limited number of shows I got to see back then, we lost interest and asked for our money back, beating David Merrick to the punch.

 

[hork]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 11:56am

I feel like having more than one answer defeats the purpose of the question.

[CallMeAl2]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 12:04pm

Jarethan said: "... I remember A Country House a little (I seem to remember a flat set drawing of a country house), but it is so long ago that I thought Diana Rigg sang it; either way, if it replaced The road You Didn't Take, that's fine with me.  I was sick of that song by 1972."

You have a good memory. Yes, Diana Rigg sang it - it was a duet with Daniel Massey. 

I love "Lucy and Jesse" as well, but trust me, you would not want to be subjected to a dancing Diana Rigg. I think the striptease was a merciful compromise.

[A Canadian in NYC]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 12:10pm

Mine doesn't go too far back.  I really regret not being able to see John Cameron Mitchell in Hedwig And The Angry Inch.  I broke my leg and couldn't travel during the time he had taken over the role on Broadway.  Oh, if I could go back to that.....  or when he originated the role off-broadway even better.

 

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 12:31pm

Wildcat with Lucille Ball

[Willy Loman2]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 12:45pm

The Glass Menagerie with Lauretta Taylor.  Everyone who saw it said it was the greatest performance they had ever witnessed.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 1:34pm

Way too many to count...sorry for the long list of flops.

The Vamp
Kwamina
The Gay Life
Mr. President
Hot Spot
Jennie
Ben Franklin in Paris
Something More
Kelly
Flora the Red Menace
The Yearling
A Joyful Noise
Breakfast at Tiffany's
I'm Solomon
Her First Roman
Maggie Flynn
Dear World
Come Summer
La Strada
Georgy
The Grass Harp
Dude
Via GalacticaZ
No Hard Feelings
Molly
Lorelei
Mack & Mabel
Doctor Jazz
Truckload
Home Sweet Homer
Rockabye Hamlet
Me Jack You Jill
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
King of Hearts
Platinum
Sarava
Got Tu Go Disco
Bring Back Birdie
Marlowe
The First
A Doll's Life
Merlin
Moose Murders
Marilyn
The Rink
Grind
Wind in the Willows
Honky Tonk Nights
Rags
Raggedy Ann
Into the Light
Smile
Roza
Chess
Carrie
Prince of Central Park
Shogun
Nick & Nora
The Red Shoes
The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public

[JayG 2]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 2:02pm

Without a Trace, I saw 25 of those shows! (Some I saw more than once.) Their combined ticket price total is less than two tickets to Hamilton.