Musicals That Never Made to Broadway

From all I've heard, I wish the London version of Martin Guerre had made it...but could pass on the UK and American Tour productions. And definitely The Beautiful Game.

-Wayne

did whistle down the wind make it to bway? i cant remember?!

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But it has a couple of very good songs. I know the Matador never made it to Broadway but how long did it last in the West End.

I wish they would do
METROPOLIS
MATADOR
NOTRE DAME DE PARIS
MOZART
DIANA

and some other shows from London. They have had a great amount of musicals I would have liked

LEGENDS!

Mary Martin, Carol Channing.

Oh, I forgot, it was not a musical. But BOY, those two on stage together was…well…how shall we say…well, it never went to B’way.

One of the most interesting evenings in the theatre. Ever.

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Lolita, My Love - closed on the road twice
Chu Chem - in about 1967 although a production regretably came in in the late 80s
Hellzapoppin with Jerry Lewis and Lynn Redgrave
Chaplin with Anthony Newley
Hot September - Picnic as a musical
The Baker's Wife
Annie 2
Mata Hari
Oh Kay! - late 70s, produced by Cyma Rubin, the black witch of Broadway
Swing - in the 70s (not the one done in the 90s, different show, same title), produced by Stuart Ostrow)

Shows close on the road for any number of reasons usually that the show just isn't working, but sometimes its isn't working and they run out of money.

My observation is that no musical died unnecessarily on the road. There was always a reason they died. If a show was good or eminently fixable, more money was found to try to get the fixing done and bring the show in.

There is also a huge list of shows that ought to have died on the road and didn't.

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i've always been really curious about PAPER MOON as well...

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add 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'/'Holly Golightly' to the list!!!

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Did SARAVA ever officially open on Broadway? I know it was "in preview" for decades!

It was Harve Presnell in the musical GONE WITH THE WIND, not Pernell Roberts.

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To Dollypop

Believe Pernell Roberts played Rhett Butler in US version of GWTW & Sarava did open . I saw it & liked it a lot. I have an lp with disco versions of "Sarava" & "You, Do ". This is all that remains. Golda ( Tovah Feldsha - sorry about spelling ) starred in it with P J Benjamin of Flowers for Algernon fame

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Updated On: 10/30/03 at 06:54 PM

Add
*Bring Back Birdie
*wizard Of Oz
*Back to Oz
*Babes on BRoadway
..was babes in arms on b-way?

There are a number of excellent shows that premiered in London and never made it across the water to Broadway - including Matador, Martin Guerre and The Beautiful Game (far and away my fav. ALW musical - lovely score and a superb Book by Ben Elton).

There are also a number of musicals by some of the all time great Broadway songwriters that never reached Broadway, notably 2 by Bob Merrill - Prettybelle, of course (with music by Jule Styne & lyrics by Merrill) and Breakfast at Tiffany's. The latter apparently never solved the problems with the book despite several re-writes (including one by Edward Albee!!!) but the recent studio recording of the score (with Faith Prince et al) reveals that it had a wonderful set of songs.

And possibly the best score never to make it to Broadway was in the ill-fated "The Baker's Wife" by Stephen Schwartz. It has several absolute knock-out songs.

Bob

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