Moments in shows that were wisely cut

[morosco]

Posted: 11/15/07 at 8:41pm

I just read that during early workshops of A CHORUS LINE, Michael Bennett envisioned that at every performance a random member of the audience would be brought onstage to be "the star" during the ONE finale. This was an effort to show that the choreography of a number and the talents of the chorus could make anyone look good.

Can you imagine??

[jake6970]

Posted: 11/15/07 at 8:56pm

A fat lady from Milwaukee dancing without any rehearsal on a Broadway stage....what an amazing idea.

[billygoatgirl300]

Posted: 11/15/07 at 10:21pm

Is that really true? I mean what would the audience member be doing?

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 8:51am

if you've heard the NYTW version of RENT you'd be shocked that it turned out to be as good as it is. Not that the original was that bad but there are some moments when you just want to ask "what was Jonathan Thinking?"

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 9:06am

If my memory serves me, the early preview, first act curtain of BRING BACK BYRDIE. Donald O'Connor on a toilet. The man who famously sang "Make 'Em Laugh" hit a humiliating low.

[jpbran]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 9:23am

Cutting the cow torchsong from Spamalot was a good idea. Saw the Chicago tryout and it (along with the witch number) dragged the show to a screeching halt.

[mauriposa]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 10:18am

I never had the opportunity to see Pirate Queen on Broadway, but from what I saw in Chicago, any cuts they made to that turkey had to have been good ones.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 11:02am

This is making it really easy for the haters, but I'm glad they cut "Crippled Inside" from Lennon. Poor Terrence Mann.

I'm so glad they changed (shortened?) "Wonderful" in Wicked, Robert Morse aside.

[Elphie3]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 11:16am

The three little pigs in Into The Woods

[westcoast_wannabe]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 7:37am

The ballet sequence at the end of Gypsy being replaced by Roses Turn after Jerome Robbins ran out of time to choreograph it.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 7:56am

The guy dying, and then flying up to heaven while singing in IN MY LIFE.

Destroyed whatever credibility Joe Brooks was hoping to achieve. I'm proud to say I saw it.

[Albin]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 12:58pm

I saw a preview of Jekyll & Hyde. When Mr. Hyde goes on his killing spree at the beginning of Act 2 (Murder, Murder) one of his victim's head actually rolled across the stage after being decapitated. It was greeted with howls of laughter. When I saw the show after it's opening, there was no rolling head.

[Clara's Pony]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 1:17pm

In Drowsy, I Remember Love being replaced by Love is Always Lovely in the End. Neither of them are great songs, but it was a wise move.

[philly03]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 1:24pm

I like the song actually, but in the Woman in White, "If Not for Me, for Her" was cut from the London Production which was somewhat wise I htink becuase it shortened the show by a few minutes.

Also, in Les Mis they were going to include more of Fantine when originally discussing it, as the book does (Fantine is mentioned just as much as others, more then Eponine just about) and other character's like Marius' father & grandfather, but I'm glad they didn't for two reasons...length & complication.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 1:27pm

"The guy dying, and then flying up to heaven while singing in IN MY LIFE. "

Did they cut that? I swear I saw that happen during previews AND after opening.

They did however cut the lyric that the best friend's dead ex- boyfriend had:
"If I could go back one more time/
I wouldn't have missed that one- way sign!"

Amazing.

"Michael Bennett envisioned that at every performance a random member of the audience would be brought onstage to be "the star" during the ONE finale."

Yeah AND during the workshops AND the previews at the Public Theatre, he envisioned picking a different final 8 each night! He would tell Robert LuPone, "Okay, tonight we're going to pick Wayne and Thommie and Priscilla..."

How crazy is that?!?!?!

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 1:41pm

Once I Loved A Boy (i think thats what it was called)from carrie was cut a few nights before it opened in stratford and replaced with When Theres No One which is a much better song

In fact in my program from Stratford the song is still listed as it was dropped last second

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 1:42pm

I know a lot was cut from Spring Awakening because it was inappropriate. I don't know what they cut but if the producers of Spring Awakening thought it was inappropriate it must have been pretty bad.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 1:55pm

i was glad that song from bombay dreams --- like an eagle, or something along those lines -- was cut. i saw the first preview of the show and the song did absolutely nothing for the story. Cutting it probably tightened that already-doomed show...

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 1:59pm

See, and "Like An Eagle" was the only song I enjoyed when I saw Bombay Dreams on the West End. When I saw the Broadway production and it was gone, I was shocked that they'd cut the best song.

Different strokes for different folks...

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 2:22pm

One cut/trim that really wasn't merited was the "She Loves to Hear the Music" number in THE BOY FROM OZ.

In early previews the number was quite long then later trimmed/chopped to what ended-up in the show. Ugh!

Originally, Stephanie J. Block (as Liza Minnelli), began the number as a rehearsal with her sporting a chunky rehearsal-type sweater with the dancers all sporting 1970's dance rehearsal gear (leg warmers, et al). After the first verse, Stephanie disappeared while the dancers went into a whole 1970's A CHORUS LINE meets Bob Fosse-esque dance (including a great Fosse 'amoeba' moment), which helped build momentum to the number. As the number was building, ALL of the dancers darted off the stage and the slow black reveal opened to the HUGE enormous red neon LIZA sign with Liza now in her famous LIZA WITH A Z red sequined mini-skirt. This reveal was explosive since it came as the music was building up to that moment. Then the dancers came on (now dressed in those Fosse-esque black suits with the white ruffles, etc.) and they did the number as the LIZA WITH A Z-esque number we all remember.

That entire opening was modified completely. The number ended-up with Stephanie beginning the number already in the red LIZA WITH A Z mini-skirt, so that killed any excitement. Gone entirely was that entire A CHORUS LINE meets Bob Fosse section and all that remained was just the LIZA WITH A Z-esque dance number.

I should post that original full number on YouTube.com so others can see it since only a few preview audience members got to. It was slaughtered quickly.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 2:22pm

*poof!* Updated On: 11/17/07 at 02:22 PM

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 2:32pm

BrodyFosse, that sounds like a wonderful moment! Thanks for sharing... I wish I could have seen Boy From Oz during previews now.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 2:53pm

Brody i agree 100 percent

I have a not so legal recording on dvd of the show during previews and i LOVED that moment, i never realized it had been cut out grrrrrr

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 2:59pm

"The three little pigs in Into The Woods"

Yeah, but they brought 'em back for the revival.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 11/17/07 at 3:52pm

Did you already take it down off youtube?