Next Chita Guest Star- Page 2
Next Chita Guest Star
#25re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:15pm
The most famous example of post-opening tinkering with a Broadway musical has got to be the original production of Camelot.
The show open to mixed reviews and was fast running through its advance sale. There were dozens of walk-outs every night. Moss Hart, having recovered from his heart attack, went back and tightened up the show, including removing one musical number. The audience now was staying put but there was no way of getting the reviewers back into the theatre to re-review the show.
Then, fate smiled down on Camelot as Ed Sullivan devoted his show's entire hour to Lerner and Loewe, on the occasion of My Fair Lady's 5th anniversary. L&L convinced Sullivan to showcase their 'new' show Camelot. (For those of you too young to remember Ed Sullivan, his show was must-viewing on Sunday nights so this was a big deal). Anyway, the next morning there was a line outside the Majestic Theatre, stretching down 44th Street. Word of mouth for the revised show was quite positive and the show went on to run another 2 years.
So, yes, shows have been known to have been altered after the opening.
Ebonic_Singer
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/18/04
#26re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:18pmShe did mention Merlin and she mentions Bring Back Birdie, but for a brief second.
Kringas
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/05
#27re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:22pm
I thought I'd read some "not-so-nice" comments as well, but the ones quoted above wouldn't fall into that category in my opinion. All that stuff she was true, and beyond Liza's control. I thought her big concern was Liza's rampant drug use at the time.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#28re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:25pm
anything to keep my Chita on Broadway!
There is a story in Lorna Luft's book about Liza freakin' out at dinner after a show and Chita saying something along the lines of "...get it togethere, girlfriend" I'm paraphrasing of course.
Hi Kringas, you cutie you!
Updated On: 1/28/06 at 02:25 PM
wickedrentq
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/6/04
#29re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:25pmI think it would be amazing if they got Carol Lawrence to sing "A Boy Like That" with Chita. When I talked to Chita at the door about how much I love WSS and such and I showed her a book I had, Carol Lawrence was on the page and she asked if I ever met her or saw her perform live and I said sadly no, and she said I really should she's incredibly talented and a sweetheart. God, to see the two of them together again, I'd die.
#30re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:27pmThat would actually be very lovely if Chita & Carol did A BOY LIKE THAT/ I HAVE A LOVE.
Kringas
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/05
#31re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:29pm
Hello, chita33. Kisses.
/threadjack>
#32re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:33pmI guess her comments about Liza had to be taken in context. She waxes rhapsodically about Gwen Verdon, Sammy Davis Jr, Elaine Stritch, Kander and Ebb, and many others but her comments about Liza were more sardonic. I got the feeling that Chita felt The Rink would've fared better had they hired an 'actress' to play the role of Angel instead of 'LIZA!'. Not really Miss Minnelli's fault that her fans came in expecting sequins and glitter, but it proved detrimental to the overall well-being of the show.
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#33re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:49pm
Speaking of tinkering with musicals after opening:
Gower Champion did quite a bit of tinkering with HELLO, DOLLY! after it opened. Originally Ambrose was involved in the "singing competition" at he Harmonia Gardens. Neither Gower nor Jerry Herman were happy with the number about butterflies that was part of the floor show at the restaurant, so they went to work on the show. AMbrose eventually became a dancer and a polka contest was inserted in place of the butterfly number.
If you have the OBC of DOLLY! in "Sunday Clothes", Carol Channing sings "Ambrose, let me hear that tonic chord". After the revision, the line became "We haven't missed the train yet, thank the Lord", which is what Pearl Bailey sings in the "new" Broadway Cast Recording.
wickedrentq
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/6/04
#34re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:52pm
"That would actually be very lovely if Chita & Carol did A BOY LIKE THAT/ I HAVE A LOVE."
For me, the WSS fanatic, huge understatement 
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#35re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:53pm
Nathan Lane was featured in MERLIN. How about Chita and Nathan together?
#36re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:54pmLiza would be the best choice. They could do Chicago and The Rink numbers. Now that I'd hop a plane to see.
#37re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 3:21pmWhomever asked: No, Liza's "Dancing" days are long gone.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#38re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 3:34pm
Dance full out, probably not....But she could probably do "moving" very well if she works at it. Ya don't loose it all, kids. Some of us still got it!
Updated On: 1/28/06 at 03:34 PM
#39re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 3:36pm
It's not about losing "IT", but when you are on 2 hip replacements and knee jobs and goodness knows what else there are things that you wont be doing. Minnelli cannot dance anymore, sad but true.
#40re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 3:40pmLiza is lucky she can even walk across a stage at this point. Such a talent wasted on poor decisions. Carol Lawrence would be the best and most likely choice for an upcoming guest appearance.
#41re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 5:28pmThank you Dollypop, for solving one of those nagging questions. I have the original issue OBC of Dolly and, while I knew the photo of 'Come and Be My Butterfly' with David Burns was from a cut number, I never knew where the 'tonic chord' line came from. Now it makes sense!
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#42re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 5:40pmIt would be easier to get Gwen Verdon and Mary McCarty than to get Nathan Lane.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#44re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 5:43pm
You know as they say guys, "Not for nothing" but Chita is the only actor left from the principles in Chicago!
Updated On: 1/28/06 at 05:43 PM
#46re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 5:47pmMaybe Graciela Daniele can get her but onstage, and do the Cell-Block Tango with Chita. Are any of the other original cellblock ladies still alive?
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#48re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 5:59pm
Doing a little digging I found that they are all still alive.
Let's get the six of them together!
#49re: Next Chita Guest Star
Posted: 1/28/06 at 6:03pm
Totally diggin' some dead legends.
But it'd be interesting to bring in a real solid male counterpart. Now, this is just purely outta my imagination (seeing as how I'm nowhere near NYC), but what about Brent Carver -- he's *amazing* and they did "Kiss of the Spiderwoman".
Well, I guess that'd have to happen after he finishes helping the halfings defeat Sarun.
~Sam
Did I really type something with a word in "*"?
~Flushes self down the toilet~
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