Isn't it about time for a major revival of FALSETTOS?

This is one of the best and most moving musicals of the last 30 years, and New York audiences haven't seen it forever. Instead of reviving shows that weren't very good (yeah, I love the score of ON A CLEAR DAY too, but all versions of the book are unworkable), why not a first-class production of this masterpiece? Just listen to the score, and try not to be moved. Amazingly and thankfully, we are no longer living with the daily spectre of AIDS in our lives and in our community, but this show is about so much more, and remains totally relevant in its humanity and the brilliance of William Finn's score.

The last time I saw this was about 10 years ago at a Playwrights Horizons benefit performance, and it blew me away all over again. What do others think?

lol, palJoey.

PJ, you'll have to not bitch in a room with 2.5 other Jews. Remember that.

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I would like an Off-Broadway revival, but I thought when this piece was mashed together and put in a big house, it lost the intimacy it needs to succeed. At Playwrights Horizons, however, it was stunning.

I also think it works better as two separate evenings, rather than one rather long one. The tone and bite wear a bit thin with too much exposure.

Updated On: 12/12/11 at 09:20 AM

I've always wanted to see an African-American actress as Dr. Charlotte.

I saw Falsettos from the rear orchestra of the Golden and having not seen it previously, I still found it quite intimate and incredibly effective. It was one of the most profound and emotional shows I've ever experienced on Broadway. I would love to see a revival, but I worry that it won't have the same effect without that brilliant staging and the immediacy of its time. 1992 wasn't so far removed from the setting of the show as 2011 is today. But Finn's score is strong enough to be resilient and timeless just as with Sondheim's Company.

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I just saw an unevenly cast and sung concert version here in Palm Springs and it was still tremendously moving.

I thought March... suffered a bit when combined in Falsettos, but I chalked it up to the actors saving something for a second act.

I recognize the p.r. problem of convincing the potential audience that an hour-long, one-act musical actually makes a satisfying evening, but I'd love to see the three plays done in rep, so the actors would only have to perform one at a time (two in one day, but with a substantial break in between).

But any revival might need to be done soon. Much of Falsettoland deals not just with Whizzer's death but with the growing dread of an unknown killer. I don't know how that plays to people who don't remember the 1980s.

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As for moving Whizzer's songs, huh? I don't necessarily disagree as to the respective quality of the two solos, but "Games I Play" makes perfect sense when Whizzer is leaving Marvin. It would just be a sign of dementia if sung on Whizzer's death bed.

Updated On: 12/13/11 at 04:03 PM

I thoroughly disliked it initially, and have no desire to see it, or anything else by William Finn again.

Spending an evening listening to self-absorbed whiners like Bobby, Marvin, or George whine to whiny music:

Pretty grim.

The order of the Marvin trilogy is: In Trousers, March of the Falsettos, Falsettoland. For Broadway, "March" and "Falsettoland" were joined together and called "Falsettos".

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Updated On: 12/13/11 at 11:25 AM

Well...it could be argued that the ending of Thrill of First Love should be pretty hot...as the point of the song is that they're in the stage of their relationship where they only get hot for each other when fighting.

Also, in the original Broadway production, the hetero couple shared a sexy, loving kiss, while neither of the gay couples did. And that did bother me. But just a little.

But I do love this show (this was my coming out show...it put me in the frame of mind so that I'd be able to come out shortly afterwards). And, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, but Menzel is an ideal Trina.

I only saw it on Broadway and did not like it one bit.

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It's a sophisticated, intimate show that is mostly wasted on Broadway's unsophisticated tourist audience, and becomes cold and lost in a house larger than the Booth.

As I said, at Playwrights, the two shows were magic, visceral, immediate. At the Golden, the mash-up was a lesser thing (not to detract from the enjoyment of those who only saw it there).

If you ever see a good production in a tiny house, you'll see what I mean. It's an intimate show, above all else.

A New Brain is the only show I've ever performed where the entire cast never wanted the run to end. We all loved performing that score every single night and nobody seemed to grow tired of it.

Incidentally, Finn's childhood babysitter played Gordon's mother in our production. And she was fantastic. Finn actually called our little theatre to congratulate us on the success of the run.

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