Jerry Mitchell Directing BALLROOM on Broadway in 2012??

An industry reading of a new version of 1978 tuner 'Ballroom,' now titled 'Queen Of The Stardust Ballroom', has sparked talk of a 2012 Broadway run for the retooling of Michael Bennett's short-lived follow-up to his mega hit, 'A Chorus Line.'

Jerry Mitchell is attached as director-choreographer of the project, which takes the original score by composer Billy Goldenberg and lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman and adds a jolt of fresh tunes from Marvin Hamlisch.

Original book writer Jerome Kass, who also penned the 1975 teleplay on
which the tuner is based, is reworking the book.

No production plans are firm, but early word forecasts an out-of-town
tryout in 2012 with an eye toward a Broadway berth that spring.

The reading, held a couple of weeks ago in Gotham, starred Tyne Daly as central character Bea, a widow who begins a romance with a mailman she meets at a dance hall.
Keith Carradine, Lucie Arnaz, Rondi Reed and Julia Murney were among the cast.

I agree. Without a star who can really sing (as opposed to carry a tune lightly, as Daly does), and without a brilliant director/choreographer (instead of a competent one, like Mitchell), what's the point?

This really needs to be done Off-Broadway. I don't think there's enough market to fill a Broadway house.

50 Percent needs an actress who can break your heart. Is there anyone who can equal Loudon?

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I can't see it. The show is so badly conceived - half the songs go to the singers at the ballroom. The male lead gets, I think, one song? It would need a whole new approach and really, is it worth it?

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Abandoned? Was it ever real? It was never really having a tryout or coming in - just the usual hopes.

And Tyne Daly did the show many years ago in Long Beach. I saw it. The book songs were put back in for that production, but it was a horrible production.

Saw the original and although I loved Loudon and I adored the Overture, I felt it went straight downhill from there. The music merely so-so, no number was theatrical heaven although 50 percent is on my IPod. Great poster I had to buy and fram! I'd never consider re-visiting this property no matter who starred.

Kaye Ballard lives and performs semi-regularly in my town. She is still very much worth seeing in concert.

But, yes, much too old for Ballroom.

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I suppose discussion of a revival of Ballroom was inevitable, given the TV success of Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, etc. But much as I loved Dorothy Loudon in the original, I thought there was a fatal problem with the original staging. All that "swirling" in the ballroom numbers (as the dancers go around and around doing the fox trot or whatever) leaves the audience on the "outside" of the circle.

Very different than the usual Broadway dance number choreographed so that the performers face the audience. For me, Ballroom was like watching a musical somebody was staging in the next room.

Alan and Marilyn and Marvin? Can't Barbra just be persuaded to do it.

Updated On: 8/24/11 at 05:20 PM

I don't know if she still dances, but Lainie Kazan could be great.

And Donna McKechnie would play the hell out of the part. But the story concerns a woman who doesn't learn to dance until she's 50. I fear our knowledge of McKechnie's past might hurt her in the role. Probably shouldn't be that way, but I think we'd be waiting for McKechnie to burst out and do "Music and the Mirror" or "Tick Tock."

Some WAY north of 65. WAY north :)

I think Beth can do anything. I just worked with her and adored her so much.

I thoroughly disliked the original. Both the book and score were terrible. Even the choreography ended up being boring.

This is one sleeping dog that should be allowed to lie in slumber.

I think it would work but it needs a star with a capital S for it to work.