Is A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC coming back?

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:08pm

Sondheim also alluded that another A Little Night Music is “coming up,” but that he “couldn’t talk about it.”

http://www.playbill.com/article/new-sondheim-musical-in-development-at-the-public

Where? Who? When? I need to know!! I can't imagine it's another Broadway revival already, unless it had extremely starry leads again. 

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:14pm

A movie, perhaps? Live television musical?

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:17pm

A new movie version would be fantastic. So many star possibilities for all of the leads. 

[PianoMann]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:25pm

I'd love to see a new Little Night Music in any medium in any capacity! One of my favorite musicals. It's (a mysterious) something to look forward to, I guess!

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:28pm

If it's a Broadway revival, could Lincoln Center Theater be considering it with Bartlett Sher at the helm starring Kelli O'Hara?

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:33pm

Wow that would be awesome. Kelli is certainly appropriate for the role now. It would be interesting to see her in a nonsinger's role.

I could also see John Doyle directing a production somewhere. 

Updated On: 8/2/16 at 07:33 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:38pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "If it's a Broadway revival, could Lincoln Center Theater be considering it with Bartlett Sher at the helm starring Kelli O'Hara?"

 

Just the thought of this makes me giddy and filled with joy.

 

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:43pm

I gotta be honest, I loooove Kelli, but it would be a waste of her voice.  Desiree is practically a non-singing role aside from Send in the Clowns.  I still want to see Jane Krakowski and Michael Cerveris lead a production.

I have honestly been waiting for a new (*good*) production to come along for a long time.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:57pm

Would a commercial producer open the show with O'Hara? Maybe if they got names for Fredrik or Madame?

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:57pm

Would love to see Sherie Rene Scott in it.

[karen24]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 7:57pm

They're doing it in Stratford, Ontario this year. I have a ticket to see it in September so I will report back! They did bring their JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR to Broadway (best not to dwell on it) so a Broadway transfer for this one wouldn't be unprecedented.

It's got a great cast with some of our Stratford favorites. Cynthia Dale is a wonderful actress and we also love Ben Carlson and Juan Chioran.

https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/WhatsOn/PlaysAndEvents/Production/A-Little-Night-Music

 

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 8:02pm

No disrespect, but I doubt Sondheim would be so  tight-lipped and cryptic about a transfer from Stratford. 

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 8:02pm

I don't know if I see O'Hara as an ideal Desiree- I think the songs don't really land as well as they should with someone who can really sing. Send in the Clowns, in particular, is much more effective when it's more spoken than sung.

I do love the idea of Sher giving this show the sumptuous production it deserves. 

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 8:50pm

O'Hara strikes me as more of a Charlotte. Plus, one of the allures of Desiree is the fact it gives great, brilliant actresses who would otherwise never be in a musical the chance to play a Sondheim role. I still long for the Gwyneth Paltrow and Blythe Danner pairing that never came together last time. 

But yes, very curious about what Sondheim is talking about. Perhaps another concert stint at NY Philharmonic? A movie would be fabulous.

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 9:15pm

I doubt she would even consider doing it, but Julie Andrews would make a stunning Madame A.  I really don't know what kind of shape her voice is in anymore, but it's a pretty low and basic vocal part.

Her with someone like Cate Blanchett or Kate Winslet would be incredible.

[M.O.A.I.]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 9:24pm

Seems too soon for Broadway again. I predict it's a London/Chichester revival with Imelda Staunton as Desiree. They've been justifiably infatuated with each other over the past few years, what with Sweeney Todd and Gypsy, and of course Staunton played the Baker's Wife in the original London production of Into the Woods back in the day. If my guess is correct, it would be a nice bit of symmetry to have Judi Dench play Madame Armfeldt.

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 9:28pm

Ahhh, I could see Chichester doing this with Imelda. Very possible...

[binau]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:11pm

I enjoy O'Hara and maybe I'm bias, but the only thing that I could see (on Broadway) as a worthy follow up to the last revival (CZJ; Angela Lansbury; Elaine Stritch; Bernadette Peters!!!) is if it was lead by Cate Blanchett or Kate Winslet. THAT would be an event. 

[M.O.A.I.]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:17pm

Winslet's never going to happen. She's said she won't do theater until her children are grown up because she can't afford to miss their bedtimes... and her youngest was just born in 2013.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:17pm

Winslet was in serious discussions about the role the last go round, per one of this board's actual insiders. I wonder what would make her change her mind this time? 

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:24pm

M.O.A.I. said: "Seems too soon for Broadway again. I predict it's a London/Chichester revival with Imelda Staunton as Desiree. They've been justifiably infatuated with each other over the past few years, what with Sweeney Todd and Gypsy, and of course Staunton played the Baker's Wife in the original London production of Into the Woods back in the day. If my guess is correct, it would be a nice bit of symmetry to have Judi Dench play Madame Armfeldt.

"

Imelda also played Petra in Nottingham, many years ago. She could have been an excellent Charlotte, but I can't see her as Desirée tbh

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:32pm

Agreed. Imelda Staunton is fabulous and a wonderful actress, but nothing about her gives off the sophisticated and glamorous air that's necessary to be successful as Desiree.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:37pm

^^^ Not to mention we're talking about a period when leading ladies were judged openly by their beauty. (I say "openly" because, let's face it: they still are judged on their looks. It just isn't quite so acceptable to do so in the press.)

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:43pm

The glamour is what made CZJ quite special in the role. It was impossible to take your eyes off her. Many critics noted this at the time.

Say what you want about that revival, but it really had special casting both times. It was SUCH an event with CZJ and Lansbury, then with Peters and Stritch, it was every Broadway fanatic's dream. 

[PianoMann]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:51pm

I know she wouldn't be considered a conventional choice for the role (and she's not nearly a big enough name to be considered to lead a commercial revival), but I've been envisioning Jan Maxwell as Desiree.  I think she's about a decade older than Glynis Johns when she played the role, but I don't think Maxwell reads her age, and more importantly I think she has the innate air of sophistication and class that the role requires.