Kiss Of The Spider Woman 25th Anniversary - Page 2

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/3/18 at 5:40pm

DAME said: "Oh god no! Please not another paired down broadway revival. This show was big ,magical , and very theatrical . That’s the way I want it."

Don't get me wrong, I would also hate a pared down revival on Broadway. This project (some 17 years ago) was to force myself to put it in a new space so I would be thinking about it differently. Since we also had to kind of be our own directors in those classes, my concept didn't reduce the cast size at all, or any of the fantasy elements. It just put them into a much more immediate setting.

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 5/3/18 at 8:40pm

Mister Matt said: "I love the score, but when I saw the tour with Chita, I really hated the staging. With all the bars, panels, spots, projections and lasers, I found it to be a visual mess and at times, had difficulty finding the actors on stage or knowing where to look. I was also disappointed in the choreography andthought the end scenewas rather trite. It was great hearing the score performed live and there were a few effective numbers here and there with Gimme Love being the unexpected standout for me (originally one of my least favorite on the cast recording, but it was stunning on stage).

I'd love to see it revived in a cleaner production that doesn't layer all the visuals directly on top of each other. I also think it would be more interesting to revisit the orchestrations of all the non-Aurora numbers with a more authentic traditional Argentinian sound. There's a little bit here and there, but it could definitely be pushed further, which could create a more stark contrast against the Aurora sequences."

I completely disagree.  I loved the staging. However I think the visuals would seem old fashioned now.  

[Tony2600]

Posted: 5/3/18 at 9:08pm

CATHERINE ZETA-JONES

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 5/3/18 at 9:29pm

Are there any video clips of Anthony Crivello in the OBC available? The only OBC clips I have found primarily feature Chita (which is great!) but I wanted yo see a bit of the other actors.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 12:58am

Was Vanessa Williams really that big a star in 1995 to warrant an entirely new cast recording (on a different record label), or was that a Garth Drabinsky stunt? 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 2:08am

I’m going to take a guess and say yes she was that big of a star. She was a former Miss America, the first African American woman to wear the crown, bounced back from the ridiculous scandal, made several films, television appearances both in sitcoms and movies and had 3 albums out with multiple Grammy Award nominations. People knew who she was. As for why they recorded a separate album, who can say? Terrance McNally’s liner notes don’t give a specific reason as to why. Maybe someone here knows.

[binau]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 2:40am

Alan Cumming
Steven Pasquale
Bernadette Peters or Catherine Zeta-Jones

[Papi2013]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 2:57am

qolbinau said: "Alan Cumming
Steven Pasquale
Bernadette Peters or Catherine Zeta-Jones

"

Honey I know you love Bernadette; but..NO!!,,  CZJ is more like it.  

[greensgreens]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 9:17am

YAAASSS. CZJ for the win!!!

I can hear her singing now... "And the moon grows dimmer, at the tide's low ebb..."

[morosco]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 9:57am

CATSNYrevival said: "I’m going to take a guess and say yes she was that big of a star. She was a former Miss America, the first African American woman to wear the crown, bounced back from the ridiculous scandal, made several films, television appearances both in sitcoms and movies and had 3 albums out with multiple Grammy Award nominations. People knew who she was. As for why they recorded a separate album, who can say? Terrance McNally’s liner notes don’t give a specific reason as to why. Maybe someone here knows."

Could it have anything to do with the Wing/Mercury Record Label she had a contract with at the time?  Did they put up the money?

[Marlothom]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 10:39am

Am i correct that the Vanessa sings half a step higher than Chita?  

[broadwaydanwi]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 11:41am

I thoroughly enjoyed KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN in its original staging. I saw Carol Lawrence in the title role, when she briefly replaced Chita Rivera during the tour's first stop in Chicago. I also saw Sandra Guida in a bus-and-truck tour that played Madison, Wisconsin. Sandra was amazing! For a revival of the musical, I always dreamed of seeing Ute Lemper as Aurora/Spider Woman, kind of in the tradition of Marlene Dietrich.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 1:44pm

Was Vanessa Williams really that big a star in 1995 to warrant an entirely new cast recording (on a different record label), or was that a Garth Drabinsky stunt?

I don't know the specific reason as to why the cast recording was made, but yes, she was riding a tidal wave of success at the time.  She already bounced back from the Miss America scandal by producing her first hit single, Dreamin', in 1988.  By 1994, she had two more successful albums, and a #1 hit single, Save the Best for Last, which was also featured in the popular Australian flick, Adventures of Priscilla.  Her Broadway debut in Spider Woman was a pretty big deal at the time.  The other replacements for Aurora, Carol Lawrence and Maria Conchita Alonso, didn't come close to the impact Vanessa made, which was one of the best-reviewed Broadway replacements in the last 25 years.

My only quibble with Williams is her stylistic choice to slide down the note at the end of every phrase.  Regardless, I adore her.  I still think she's the most beautiful woman on the planet and I have massive crazy respect for her.  The way she bounced back was amazing for any woman, but for a POC in the 80s-90s, it was EXTRAORDINARY.

[brettcx5]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 5:59pm

I would personally love to see Cynthia Erivo play the role of Aurora.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 6:54pm

Katrina Lenk would be perfect for a revival.

[Broadwaywest]

Posted: 5/7/18 at 4:59pm

I remember seeing this show when I was 15 with Vanessa Williams, Howard McMillan, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. It was abosuletly thrilling. I always thought this show would be a great vehicle for  Andrew Rannells, not sure why but I could see him killing some those songs of Molina's. I think you would need a name for Aurora, I agree Katrina Lenk would be beautiful, but if a star is needed I would say someone like Jennifer Lopez or in a real stretch Rihanna. 

[binau]

Posted: 1/1/20 at 6:28am

I recently saw the Melbourne Theatre Company production of this show with Caroline O'Connor (who I've now seen in The Rink, Anastasia, Chicago & Gypsy). I haven't seen the show in 10 years - Act 1 was a bit longer than I remember (too long), and I do wonder if the whole Aurora escapism theme is a bit overdone. Valentin feels like he could have been written with at least some personality. But overall, I just love this show - it's dark, entertaining, camp & serious at all different points throughout the same show. At this point, I now feel like I can accept a revival never happening - but it would seem like a missed opportunity for it not to be so. There is so much that can be done in this show in terms of performances, musical arrangements, direction & staging. 


 

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 1/1/20 at 10:43am

I would LOVE to see what Daniel Fish would do with this show.

[Owen22]

Posted: 1/1/20 at 2:20pm

qolbinau said: "I recently saw the Melbourne Theatre Company production of this show withCaroline O'Connor (who I've now seen in The Rink, Anastasia, Chicago & Gypsy). I haven't seen the show in 10 years - Act 1 was a bit longer than I remember (too long), and I do wonder if the whole Aurora escapism theme is a bit overdone. Valentin feels like he could have been written with at least some personality.But overall, I just love this show - it's dark, entertaining, camp & serious at all different points throughout the same show.At this point, I now feel like I can accept a revival never happening - but it would seem like a missed opportunity for it not to be so. There is so much that can be done in this show in terms of performances, musical arrangements, direction & staging."

I saw that production as well...I don't think it made much of a case for that show. However, as much as I lLOVE Caroline O'Connor (I've seen her wonderful Gypsy Rose and Rink Anna in England, her Follies Phyllis in Chicago, her Assassins Sarah Jane Moore in Milwaukee and her Anything Goes Reno in Melbourne) I think a lot of the blame lies with her. For this show she was just the wrong actress. You need someone statuesque and mysterious as Aurora and she came off more or less a cartoon.


"

 

[binau]

Posted: 1/1/20 at 5:07pm

I know what you mean. I got the sense they were really playing up the humour/fun/entertainment value in her musical scenes especially. I don’t have a good sense of how it might work otherwise.

Updated On: 1/1/20 at 05:07 PM