Mad Men Star's Show Closing Begins Annual Broadway Bloodbath: M. Riedel

While I'm by no means a Riedel fan, I couldn't help but laugh at the Gigi section. It's so true - it opened and nobody seems to remember anything about it. It got sucked into the vortex that is the spring of so many new shows opening. I hope it can bounce back and prove Riedel wrong!

^ I fear that many who recommend a musical set in Paris based on a 1950s MGM film directed by Vincent Minnelli with a screenplay by Alan J. Lerner  may well suggest the other one.

I agree! I for sure thought they would do "A Musical"

A Musical is the best number in the show, but I agree, they might be holding it back as it gives away a big part of the plot. Welcome to the Rennaisance is incredibly catchy and my wife and I can't get the dang song out of our heads.  The national audience will definitely eat it up. It was my second favorite song from the show. 

How long is "A Musical"?  Given the time constraints for the Tony broadcast, perhaps "Welcome to the Renaissance" fits better or can be made to fit better. But, then, maybe Something Rotten doesn't get a nomination and doesn't have to worry about it!  (he writes with tongue in cheek and not in any serious tone)

The Aladdin number last year was good but not "spectacular" on the Tony broadcast, but people I know who have seen both said the Tony version was a pale imitation of the actual full version of Friend Like Me which is about 8 minutes long.  

It's all very well saving your best song, but if you are wasting one of your big promotional opportunities you may not get the people to come and see it anyway. It's not like they'll demand refunds for having already seen the best song. You want to play your ace to maximise possible ticket sales.

I also don't think it gives that much of the (thin) plot away, people pretty much know what it's about and it could be edited down a bit for length

The issue I had with renaissance is its a catchy tune, but lyrically it isn't as smart as it things and it's a bit too 'mugging' for my taste. I guess if they mixed if with 'god I hate shakespeare' it could work, and also show off their leading man. But that song on its own seems a wasted opportunity 

Friend Like Me was the definitely a pale imitation on the Tonys compared to seeing the actual show, and Iglehart gave it his all during that the performance. On the Tonys, it just seemed like less of a punch.

I think doing a cut down version of A Musical would still be very wonderful...maybe even trimming the show references so that way that sequence is more of a surprise.

But the overall length and catchiness of "Renaissance" makes it a good choice....although I still wonder how true it is since this is the weasel himself reporting it.