My Favorite Year

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 6:43pm

This didn't last very long when it played Lincoln Center (three month run). But it was by the great Flahtery & Ahrens. It won Andrea Martin a Tony Award. I remember seeing the ads everywhere. Was it any good? Worthy of a revival?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 7:08pm

I saw a production and I enjoyed it. The book could use some tightening and tweaking. It lacks focus. The score was great though. If they reworked the book and got some big names, I would love to see a revival.

[trentsketch]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 7:09pm

I read through the perusal with a director once. There are some good songs but there's not much there. The tone is weird. I know they updated the book and added two new songs a few years ago but I don't know if that could save it. It was either really silly or just a bit too dark for the story it was telling. There are other shows that do the behind the scenes in Hollywood thing so much better.

Honestly, what probably hurt it the most was coming out a couple years after City of Angels. My Favorite Year was also really jazzy and had a lot of similar characters. The flaws wouldn't have been as glaring without the comparison.

[Playbilly]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 7:14pm

I'm not familiar with the show. Did they stick to the movie story, or try to "improve" and lose the charm?

[trentsketch]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 8:06pm

There are changes. They tried to ground it a big more in reality to create a big emotional climax that doesn't work.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 8:14pm

This is one of those shows I keep meaning to check out but never do. The opening number is on the Sirius XM Bway channel all the time. I had no idea it was Ahrens and Flaherty.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 8:16pm

What's been going on with Evan Pappas? Very talented guy.

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 8:37pm

I didn't see the original production. But my memory of the production I did see was of a show that fell apart in the second act after a very promising first.

[Rypm25]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 8:52pm

I remember going with my mom to see this. It was the first musical I saw in NY. She had loved the movie..so off we went. I remember loving some of the numbers, and being bored to tears with others. Andrea Martin of course does stick out, as well as a scene in a bathroom. The opening number was quite exciting...and I just remember one fabulous set piece after another. I also remembering being disappointed a bit with Tim Curry...but it could have been the character and the songs he was singing that was disappointing. There was also some weird subplot about Tim Curry's daughter and reconnecting with her...that seemed out of place and not really dealt with well.

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 9:02pm

A clunker. Pushed very hard, all in vain. Lackluster score.

[John Adams]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 11:00pm

>> :I also remembering being disappointed a bit with Tim Curry...but it could have been the character and the songs he was singing that was disappointing."

I didn't think that Curry had the same "cinematic" presence that Peter O'Toole had in the movie. On the whole, I feel that way about the whole show. I felt like Curry lacked the ability to convincingly play both the cinematic "larger than life" personality and the fearful, flawed man Alan Swan really was. Peter O'Toole left some really big shoes to fill, though!

[egghumor]

Posted: 5/23/13 at 11:19pm

If you watch the immensely charming original film, you could easily believe it has the makings of a good musical. Not a misguided notion as some musicals are, but they did nothing to "lift" it. It wound up being an earnest attempt to recreate the film with some very mediocre songs added. For me, despite the valiant effort, it was supreme disappointment.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/24/13 at 1:52am

There was also some weird subplot about Tim Curry's daughter and reconnecting with her...that seemed out of place and not really dealt with well.

Katie Finneran played Tim Curry's character's daugther!

Updated On: 5/24/13 at 01:52 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/24/13 at 8:19am

the storyline about Swann's daughter was also in the movie.

Updated On: 5/24/13 at 08:19 AM

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 5/25/13 at 1:01pm

I actually liked the score from Favorite Year. Not a flawless show, but it has many redeeming things about it!