New Pajama Game Cast

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 8:53pm

Someone with a Variety subscription tell me what this says!
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117942165&categoryID=15&cs=1

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 8:54pm

"The Roundabout's hit revival of "The Pajama Game" will be back on Broadway in the fall with a new cast, following a summer hiatus.

Jeffrey Richards ("The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial"), James Fuld Jr. and Scott Landis will produce the commercial transfer of the Roundabout production, helmed by Kathleen Marshall. Dates, theater and cast have not been set.

Current incarnation, starring Harry Connick Jr. and Kelli O'Hara, will run through June 17, playing an extra week of pricey benefit performances beyond its previously announced closing date of June 11.

Proceeds will be divvied among the Actors' Fund of America, the New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village and the Roundabout's education program and musical theater fund.

Tuner has made a strong showing in the spring awards race, scoring seven noms from the Drama Desk, eight from the Outer Critics Circle and three from the Drama League.

Columbia Records will release the original cast recording May 9."

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 8:57pm

wow! that is awesome!
so basically, (i just wanna make sure i have this right), PAJAMA GAME is coming back to Broadway this fall?
yay!!!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 8:59pm

I don't know if that's such a great idea. I don't think the show was so much selling tickets as Connick Jr's name.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:00pm

Maybe they can get Michael Buble (a/k/a/ The Canadian Connick) to replace Harry!

Updated On: 4/27/06 at 09:00 PM

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:01pm

They'll need a name. I doubt anyone would want to see it without Connick.

Here's hoping O'Hara stays signed on.

[dirty rotten guy]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:02pm

I am sure the show will be as great but I dont know if it will sell as well. Harry has been a big selling point and even though he wasnt my favorite part of the show, I think that it might have trouble filling seats without him.

I am very curious who will stay and who will go. If Megan Lawrence comes back, I will buy tickets in a flash.

[sanda]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:03pm

If Michael Buble stars, I will buy ticket to see it.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:04pm

maybe they'll be able to get a celebrity possibly even bigger than Harry to do the run this fall...
but is this a separate revival from the one currently playing? like, will the one this fall still have the Kathleen Marshall choegraphy and direction? if it doesnt, i thought it isnt allowed to have a revival of the same show in like a 5-year time frame...?
hmm
well, excited anyways!

[Composer9]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:05pm

O'Hara said on the Jeff Blumenkrantz pod cast a couple weeks ago that she is going to leave the show in June with Harry because of a plethora of reasons I can't remember at this exact moment...but for more info you can check out the podcast. :)

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:07pm

No its not a revival - it's just a remounting at a different theatre. And with very rare exception, replacement casts on Broadway don't usually have the star/drawing power of the people originally cast.

It would be tough to find somebody with a bigger "name" than Connick Jr. Michael Buble ain't even close. Maybe they'll get Jessica Simpson as Babe.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:08pm

I hope O'Hara will stay on, but I doubt she will. If she stayed, or they cast someone else fantastic as Babe, I'd see it.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:08pm

One would assume everything will be the same except for the two leads. I imagine most of the rest of the cast would want to continue on with it (unless they get other jobs during the hiatus). The producers must be pretty confident (and are probably already in talks) about landing a major name to replace Connick or else they wouldn't have released this info. It'll be interesting to see who they get.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:11pm

Maybe they'll get Jessica Simpson as Babe.

Don't even talk like that! If they need that "big" of a name, they'd be better off not doing it.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:14pm

I agree with Margo. No WAY would they extend this without a star with the same draw as Connick.

Unless they're expecting to win Tonys...? Which, as wonderful as The Pajama Game was, I don't think it'll take any when put up against Sweeney in the Tonys this season.

Will they have recouped their investment by then? (by the re-opening, I mean)

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:14pm

I'm sure I'm the minority on this, but Harry Connick Jr NOT being in the cast is actually a selling point for me. Yes, I know he's good in the role...he just irks me. He, and his man nipples.

So I'll definitely be seeing the show in the Fall.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:18pm

How about Michael Buble as Sid and Megan Hilty as Babe?

[jimnysf]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:20pm

Is it headed to the Palace?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:21pm

The RUMOR is Craig Bierko as Sid.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:21pm

Why don't we just have Katie Clarke take over for O'Hara again.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:23pm

Because I doubt Kaitie could go from high soprano to brassy alto belter like Kelli did.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:23pm

Not a good idea. At all. The main draw of this show is Harry. He has a name and talent. The show is noting new or revolutionary. It's good simply because of the cast.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:24pm

somethingwicked...I was kidding.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:25pm

Well, Roundabout is not-for-profit so recouping doesn't enter into it (though I'm sure this revival brought a significant amount of money to the coffers of the theatre -- and I'm sure they'll share is some of the income the new production brings in).

Re-opening as a commercial venture means starting over from scratch to some extent. The producers named in the article will have to put up a few million to transfer the show, build a new set for the new theatre etc..... Obviously the costumes and props will be the same, though. They also will have to go to the standard production contract (rather than the LORT A contract they've been playing under) so everybody will get substantial raises. The new leads will have to be paid significantly more than the $1050 per week that Connick and O'Hara were getting.

Interestingly, whoever they get to star in place of Connick and O'Hara will be eligible for the replacement Tony for next season, which might be an added incentive for whomever they're trying to sign.

Updated On: 4/28/06 at 09:25 PM

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/27/06 at 9:30pm

I feel Craig Bierko will not get the butts in the seats.