Name a West End Musical you wish had opened on Broadway but never did.- Page 2

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 5:35pm

Jule Styne's BAR MITZVAH BOY

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 5:43pm

Gone With The Wind
Metropolis
Blockheads
Lautrec
The Four Muskateers
The Fix
The Beautiful Game

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 6:52pm

I don't expect it woulda been a huge hit in NYC but Whistle Down the Wind--Gayle Edwards production surprised me (I wasn't expecting anything) with how good it was when I saw it in London--not perfect by any means but...

(the staging was ideal IMHO but I agree the accents were awful--still I liked that she focused on the darker aspects than Prince did)

The Fix seems like it coulda played better in new york too

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 7:31pm

The London revival of Evita

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 7:34pm

arrrrrrrgh simon noooooo dont say return to the forbidden planet its bloody awful, I wish another country would take this of our hands, how this beat Saigon to the Lawrence Olivier award for best musical is beyond me.

[bk]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 8:07pm

Thank goodness there were at least three people posting who referenced shows produced prior to 1995. I mean, I know people are YOUNG here, but really, there was a UK theatre scene prior to 1995.

I would love to have seen Passion Flower Hotel on B'way.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 8:26pm

I have always wanted to see the Tim Rice/ Steven Olvier musical "Blondel".

Owned an LP back in the early 80's of Elaine Page singing " Running back for more" and loved the song.

Knew it opened in London back in 1983, but have never heard a thing about it, was there ever a cast album released?

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 10:34pm

Yes, there was a cast recording of "Blondel." As the show is about him wandering all over Europe trying to find Richard the Lionheart, the album billed itself as being the recording of the "European Tour". I remember asking a record store clerk if they had the recording of the London production of it.

I wish that the Cameron MacIntosh production of "Follies" would have come over.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 10:41pm

I wish Judi Dench had come over with "A Little Night Music"

[suzycat]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 10:43pm

It's not a musical, but I would love to see a production of The Mousetrap on Broadway.

[goldes]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 7:33am

I'm another person in London, so am not so fussed by what transfers to NY - but have to agree with the original poster that you certainly missed something by not getting Our House. OK, Madness isn't as well known in the US as they are in the UK - but the story, the characters, the songs, and the cleverness of the piece just fit so well. I think it would have worked on Broadway, but probably wouldn't have found an audience...

My second choice would be By Jeeves. Sure, it made it there eventually, but everyone I know who saw it both locations tells me it completely lost it's charm in the US. So a transfer of the UK cast could have made all the difference.

[TommyTunesSon]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 8:02am

Our House would be interesting... I know this is crazy and it's more out of curiousity, but i've always wanted to see the Ivor Novello musicals (King's Rhapsody, The Dancing Years, Glamorous Night) -

I want to live in London, actually!!

I do wish they had transferred the Judi Dench "A Little Night Music" back in the 90's!

Just out of curiousity, what have been the longest running british musicals that have never made it to the U.S.?

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 8:17am

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 11:09am

Chess- the London version not the crap that was doneon Bway
Follies- with Diana Rigg and Julia Mackenzie
Marilyn- with Stephanie Lawrence
Time- with Stephanie Lawrence
Closer to Heaven
Taboo- the first version (better suited Off Bway though)

[Norma D]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 12:11pm

Elaine Paige!
Oh ok--she's not a show but come on--when will she ever get another show on Broadway!!! I just don't have the dough to hop a plane to London whenever she's in something! I guess I just need to live there.

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 1:31pm

Peggy Sue Got Married

The Fix

Jerry Springer: the Opera

Updated On: 5/18/07 at 01:31 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 1:39pm

PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED with Ruthie Henshall

THE FIX

[simon_wilkie]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 2:20pm

songanddanceman- I know I know it isn't great musical theatre in a traditional sense- or any sense at all come to think of it. BUT Forbidden Planet is a helluva lotta fun! For sheer care-free enjoyment I can't think of anything better. It's self-conscious crapiness is awesome! I agree though, Miss Saigon or that for Best Musical, no comparison. Unless you're an Olivier award judge obviously.

I don't like the Olivier awards in general. A load of pretentious people who don't know their own silly business. They try to be controversial I'm sure. Spamalot's poor performance this year was a travesty as well! How it could be nominated so many time then perform so badly is beyond me. AND Tim Curry is the greatest actor in the world, bar none so it flumoxes me how he didn't get Best Actor at the Olivier's.

As for Norma D, I totally agree with you- Elaine should do sooo much more on Broadway. Her two appearances are too too few! We complain in the UK that she doesn't do enough, and we are privalleged by comparison!

Simon

[devonian.t]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 2:28pm

Hunting of the Snark was a spectacular and sometimes beautiful show, way ahead of its time in terms of technology. The huge onstage orchestra sounded great and there were some excellent anthems, although the score overall was uneven.

Budgie was sensational, until the last 20 minutes, too.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 3:34pm

I don't know what ever happened with "Rage of the Heart". I hear the book was awful, but the score is quite pretty.

I, too, would love to have seen PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED.

[lildogs]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 3:57pm

I saw a college production of RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET and loved it--the entire audience did actually. You might not like it, but I think it would do very well over here--maybe off-Bway...

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 4:06pm

Eh, the Brits can keep their musicals....this is the one arena of culture that Americans do better than anyone. So there!

[JRybka]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 4:07pm

There where a bunch of 80s musicals that I wish had come to the states...

Metropolis
Always
Dave Clark's Time
Peggy Sue Got Married
and so many more...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 9:57pm

Peggy Sue need not come to Broadway. It was not good. One or two good songs was about it. Ruthie is great, but even she couldn't save it.

Forbidden Planet is brilliant. The book, staging, cast, everything was fantastic. The way the cast not only was the band, but traded instruments from number to number and how the instruments amd microphones were incorporated in the staging and blocking was extraordinary. Add the gorgeous sets, lighting, costumes, hysterical performances and high energy and it was quite obvious to me how it beat Miss Saigon for the Olivier for Best Musical. Miss Saigon is a good show, but uneven with some rather embarrassing lyrics at times. Forbidden Planet was unadulterated fun from start to finish and in the end, more creative and impressive than Miss Saigon (even with an original score). I had seen big dramatic sung-through musicals with special effects many times before. Forbidden Planet seemed entirely fresh, new, and original while at the same time. adapting its book score and even another adaptation to create something totally unique. It's too bad it only went Off-Broadway in NYC and didn't get the production it truly deserved.

[SondheimFan2]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 10:07pm

new revival of blood brothers

or with petula clark and the cassidy brothers....SO good