“Monty Python's Spamalot” is coming to Broadway- Page 2

[Alex M]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 3:53pm

Owen22 said: "Nabucco said: "The Kennedy Center production was part of their Broadway Center Stage program where they present a show for 8-10 performances much like Encores. It is not a fully fleshed out production. There's a bandstand on stage, and some set and props. The cast rehearses remotely, there's a couple days of load in, cast on stage Monday afternoon, first preview Wednesday, and they open Thursdays.

As for going to Broadway, I believe this rumor started when Alex Brightman mentioned he'd love it to transfer, but I haven't heard or seen any formal word of it."

Yeah but Brightman is doing Shark is Broken. And really, he would be the reason I would want to see this..."

If this comes in the spring, Brightman could still do it as long as Shark is Broken doesnt extend (which i doubt it will). I could see this possibly taking a smaller house in the spring for a short stint. 

[thephantomlurker]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 4:04pm

If what I’ve heard is true, the theater this is moving to is not particularly small, nor is it vacant. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 8:01pm

Just seems odd to transfer it as is with the focus on the conductor/orchestra when this isn't really the show the "feature" the score. Light in the Piazza? Sure. This? Not so much. Hopefully they change some stuff around. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 10:02pm

RippedMan said: "Just seems odd to transfer it as is with the focus on the conductor/orchestra when this isn't really the show the "feature" the score. Light in the Piazza? Sure. This? Not so much. Hopefully they change some stuff around."

Glen Kelly really was the king of ghost-writing early 00s scores in his capacity as "music arranged by" (The Producers, Young Frankenstein, Spamalot, Drowsy Chaperone).

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 10:09pm

thephantomlurker said: "If what I’ve heard is true, the theater this is moving to is not particularly small, nor is it vacant."

if we heard the same thing, we know it WILL be vacant by the early spring, almost certainly. but also means we wont get an announcement on this for quite some time.

[Chase Miller]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 11:17pm

The original production was so great. I don't really know what you could do with this show to warrant a revival. How is this current production? Are they putting a spin on it? New take? I'm not quite sure this piece warrants a revival unless they do something completely different with it, but I can't think of a way. 

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 11:27pm

Chase Miller said: "The original production was so great. I don't really know what you could do with this show to warrant a revival. How is this current production? Are they putting a spin on it? New take? I'm not quite sure this piece warrants a revival unless they do something completely different with it, but I can't think of a way."

 

Yeah, I think what’s unexciting about this is you can’t really do anything different with it. Any version is just going to be essentially the Mike Nichols production. 

 

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 11:40pm

I’d rather see Block’s Norma in their Sunset over this- but with the rumored incoming revival I can imagine that’s the reason we won’t see that again. 

[Sauja]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 7:45am

PipingHotPiccolo said: "thephantomlurker said: "If what I’ve heard is true, the theater this is moving to is not particularly small, nor is it vacant."

if we heard the same thing, we know it WILL be vacant by the early spring, almost certainly. but also means we wont get an announcement on this for quite some time."

I love the gossip and am very much running through every theater in my head trying to guess now! Feel free to message me any guesses/rumors!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 8:00am

To me this seems like a good fit for the Nederlander. But seems like we’ve got a few vacant theaters in the fall right now. 

[inception]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 8:15am

By next spring I'm guessing both the Shubert & the St James will need new tenants

[BJR]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 9:20am

RippedMan said: "Is this the new standard now? Stylized, smaller "concert" productions? Lame."

First of all, it's been a frequently used option since Chicago opened 20+ years ago.

And yeah this season, there were two. But there were also huge productions of SWEENEY and CAMELOT, with other full productions of revivals like FUNNY GIRL also running and MERRILY about to start. (Not to mention new musicals are rarely ever staged this way.)

 

[TNick926]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 11:48am

One of the joys of a revival on Broadway is seeing a new cast take on roles previous played by others, such as the stellar cast of SPAMALOT's original production.

I don't mind if a revival is essentially staged the same as previous productions (such as Bette's HELLO, DOLLY!) if the new cast and production is worth seeing.

I personally love this show, and the score is hilarious and wonderful.  I'm looking forward to seeing it again, and especially hoping my friend Leslie Kritzer will be given this chance to kill us with her Lady of the Lake!

[Kad]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 12:00pm

If this revival does happen, it’ll be roughly the same amount of time between the original production's opening and the revival as Chicago’s original production's opening and revival- 19 years. Wild. 

Updated On: 6/30/23 at 12:00 PM

[Alex M]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 12:29pm

What other Kennedy Center Shows have transferred to Broadway? I feel like I always hear speculation but never have actually seen a production from there come.

[DCS]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 12:41pm

Alex M said: "What other Kennedy Center Shows have transferred to Broadway? I feel like I always hear speculation but never have actually seen a production from there come."

FOLLIES

[jakethesnake]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 12:43pm

Basically any show done anywhere is “transferring to Broadway” these days. While there are Monty Python fans still out there (not the new generation of theatre goers, who are too young), the appeal of Spamalot at the time was the cast (David Hyde Pearce!  Tim Curry!  Hank Azaria!) and one of the biggest names directors ever in Mike Nichols.   The KC cast was stellar, but who will be buying tickets for an extended run of this?   

[Kad]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 12:43pm

DCS said: "Alex M said: "What other Kennedy Center Shows have transferred to Broadway? I feel like I always hear speculation but never have actually seen a production from there come."

FOLLIES"

Follies wasn't part of their Broadway concert series, though. It was essentially an out-of-town tryout.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 1:14pm

what is the not particularly small theatre you are talking about?

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 9:35am

"enjoyed it a lot, entire cast w the exception of James Monroe Iglehart were great. I usually don't get the appeal of JMI's performance style, but he was especially checked out / coasting the night I saw it"

I only saw him once and that was in "Aladdin", and he was fantastic. I am not sure what you mean by his "performance style" but he was perfectly cast as "Genie".  He had big shoes to fill since he was going to be compared to the epic performance of Robin Williams in the film and he did it with great performance. Maybe he just had a bad night, guess we will see in the future.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 9:42am

And in terms of scaling it down, not sure what can be cut down? It's not a large ensemble and maybe some of the sets can become bare, so there really isn't much to trim down from the original production.

[akhoya87]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 10:49am

Kad said: "DCS said: "Alex M said: "What other Kennedy Center Shows have transferred to Broadway? I feel like I always hear speculation but never have actually seen a production from there come."

FOLLIES"

Follies wasn't part of their Broadway concert series, though. It was essentially an out-of-town tryout."

I do wish the Kennedy Center would go back to hosting out-of-town tryouts for Broadway-bound original musicals.  During the 50 Years of Broadway concert, I noticed that it's been a good long while since the KC produced an original musical.  (Think the last one was in ... 2014?  With the late Rebecca Luker?)  

If it happens, I think this is the first Center Stage musical to transfer.  Some people were clamoring for a transfer of the Norm Lewis/Jessie Mueller-led Music Man production (and by "some people," I may mean just me), but we all knew that wasn't happening with the production by he-who-must-not-be-named.  And of course, the recent Guys and Dolls production was well acclaimed, prompting transfer hopes of that, too.  

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 9:46pm

inception said: "By next spring I'm guessing both the Shubert & the St James will need new tenants"

Spamalot is opening in the fall. They have a theater and are waiting on the current show to announce closing before they announce.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 9:57pm

itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "inception said: "By next spring I'm guessing both the Shubert & the St James will need new tenants"

Spamalot is opening in the fall. They have a theater and are waiting on the current show to announce closing before they announce."

I'd assuming New York, New York is more likely to close first over Some Like It Hot. So the St. James then?

[AKarp2013]

Posted: 7/2/23 at 10:06pm

If a transfer is indeed happening, wouldn't the Shuberts want this back in one of their venues since it was such a big hit the last time around? Why not plug it into the Imperial? Or is there another production eyeing that house?

I'd also be curious if it would be the exact same production or if they'd beef it up. I'd personally have no problem if it was a carbon copy of the original production.

Updated On: 7/2/23 at 10:06 PM