Musicals that had little-to-no-life after their original production? — Page 4

Still can't believe I never knew there was a musical adaptation of The Opposite of Sex. I know it was pretty limited, but considering it had Kerry Butler, Karen Ziemba, and Jeff McCarthy is there at least a demo recording of it? Anything? From the little I was able to find out about this show, it sounds pretty interesting.

I really like the idea of Butler as DeeDee, even if the role was played to sublime perfection by Christina Ricci. I also like the idea of making her character talk to the theater audience and reference more theatrical conceits. The review on theatermania talks about a particular scene in which the ensemble makes a scene transition and DeeDee interrupts with, "No cheesy dancing - just stand there and sing." I love how it many of the lines and ideas of her narrating character can work well with film and the stage.

Anyway, just wanted to say that I'm glad you brought this up since I never knew it existed. I've always though the material would work well on as some sort of theater piece. Shamefully I actually used DeeDee's closing monologue for a final when I was back in high school. I think it's the closing one, which ends with "I never was the same again after that summer".

The 1978 flop musical ANGEL starring Frances Sternhagen, Don Scardino and Fred Gwynne.

According to ibdb, it lasted 6 previews and 5 performances at the Minskoff.

A cast recording is available on LP. I wonder if this has ever been done since the OBC.

Zanna Don't?

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When I review past seasons, more often than not shows open on Broadway then are (rarely) ever seen again--just like with most movies. I think the more interesting question is which shows had big critical or popular success but then pretty much faded away. Which ones are you surprised were hits in their day but you've never heard of or were such big hits in their day that you thought they'd have a long life after their season?

"Ah, yes. LESTAT and DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES."

The latter will never go on in the form seen on Broadway. Its source material, TANZ DER VAMPIRE, has on the other hand become a national monument of sorts in the European continent, particularly in German-speaking countries.

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Flora the Red Menace
Grand Hotel
On the 20th Century
Ballroom
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
Valentino
Mail
Swing
Mack and Mabel

I'm sure there are a thousand more


And maybe the most brilliant show that is hardly ever done (all though I did just direct a production of it in the Boston area) The Rink.

There was a pretty good production of Zanna Don't in San Diego a few months ago.

At the Illinoiks Theatre Center (an Equity company outside Chicago), we've done such rarities as:

FLORA THE RED MENACE
THE RINK
70 GIRLS 70
TWO BY TWO
SOMETHING'S AFOOT
THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM
LUCKY STIFF
DEAR WORLD
FANNY
A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN
THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT...
A DAY IN HOLLYWOOD/A NIGHT IN THE UKRAINE
QUILTERS
BY JEEVES
TRIUMPH OF LOVE
RAGS

Jerome Robbins is said to have remarked that JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY would never be done again after its critically successful Broadway run because of its extremely long rehearsal period and the size of its huge cast of singer-dancers. Money is the reason. It was a magnificent event which I saw four times. The WEST SIDE STORY sequence was undoubtedly superior to the dancing in the current WSS.

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some theater/dance colleges have done Contact & Fosse.

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Signature Theater's The Rhythm Club?

Anyone word on a Merlin recording?