Joshua Bergasse to Helm Broadway Aimed Hazel Musical

[Winter Garden]

Posted: 10/26/15 at 10:41pm

Joshua Bergasse is directing/choreographing the Broadway aimed new musical Hazel. This sounds interesting!

http://www.broadway.com/buzz/182572/smashs-joshua-bergasse-tapped-to-helm-broadway-aimed-hazel-starring-klea-blackhurst/

[Winter Garden]

Posted: 10/27/15 at 1:23pm

nobody cares?

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 10/27/15 at 1:25pm

Winter Garden said: "nobody cares?"

 

Guess not, Joshua Bergasse. 

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/27/15 at 3:32pm

Updated On: 10/27/15 at 03:32 PM

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 10/27/15 at 10:53pm

I saw one of the staged readings of Hazel. I have no idea who on Earth thinks this is ready for Broadway, and I am a HUGE Hazel fan. I am wondering what the target audience is? I doubt anyone under 40 knows who Hazel is, or cares who Hazel is. And for the people like me who ARE Hazel fans it missed the mark by a mile. They spent the first half hour interviewing and hiring Hazel.  Hazel was never hired by the Baxters! She was Missy's nanny and Missy kept her to be the cook and maid and be the nanny to Harold. So for me, it starts off really badly.

The music is very pedestrian. It was just so average, I wouldn't have given it a chance in hell to make it to a full production. There was one good song in the second act that Harold sings. And I think I remember Hazel has one ballad.

I have to say I did see the first round of staged readings. They did another one about six months after that so they may have fixed some things.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 10/27/15 at 11:49pm

I agree with CurtainUpat8. I'm under 40 and I've literally never heard of Hazel nor do I really want to know. When I read the description it really sounded like 1960's sitcom plot.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/27/15 at 11:58pm

What next? My 3 Sons the Musical?

[Trish2]

Posted: 10/28/15 at 12:30am

...and Josh Bergasse is the first person i think of to direct and choreograph HAZEL the musical.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/28/15 at 11:35am

I wonder what happened to Lucie Arnez? Didn't she direct the readings?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/28/15 at 11:53am

I doubt anyone under 50 knows.  I remember the show in reruns as a kid, and remember liking it....but cannot fathom how this could work as a stand alone musical.  

 

So no, I don't think too many people care.

[OKBroadwayFan]

Posted: 10/28/15 at 11:58am

I am 51 and I view Hazel as a "before my time" sitcom.    I agree with Dramamama, how can this be a stand alone musical.    I feel the same way about The Honeymooners.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/28/15 at 12:36pm

There is a big difference between The Honeymooners and Hazel. Honeymooners is a classic constantly on retro tv stations and other stations. Hazel basically is unknown many places .Shirley Booth vs Jackie Gleason.Booth was a fine actress but Gleason was a comic genius.

 

Comparing the 2  is like comparing a BMW and Chevy. There is no guarantee a Honeymooners musical would succeed. It just has a better shot due to higher name recognition.

Updated On: 10/28/15 at 12:36 PM

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 10/28/15 at 1:40pm

Debating whether Hazel should be a musical is one thing... but Shirley Booth was EVERY BIT as talented as Jackie Gleason. Not in the same way. Hazel is not quite the same show as the Honeymooners. The Honeymooners was groundbreaking for different reasons. It came YEARS before Hazel when Television was quite new. Hazel is a typical 60's comedy. It was really elevated by the great Shirley Booth, who won an Emmy for it. So you can dis Hazel as a musical, but don't dis my beautiful, amazing Shirley Booth. Lol. She was one of the greatest stage actresses of her time.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/28/15 at 2:34pm

Take a chill pill dude. I thought I went out of my way not to diss (not a real word by the way)Shirley. I remember Hazel and saw her in the ill fated Look To The Lillies.Gleason was talented in  so many ways .Booth was talented as well..I was comparing the TV show Hazel to The Honeymooners.It was not a discussion re who was more talented

 

In your own words The Honeymooners was "groundbreaking" where as Hazel was a "typical 60's comedy"

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/28/15 at 3:15pm

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dis

 

It's a word, slang....but still a word.

 

 

 

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/28/15 at 4:37pm

I think the comparison is because they both have been made into musicals