Next R&H revival?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 11:24am

Just got done watching the CBS Sunday Morning segment of Rodgers and Hammerstein and got to wondering what should be the next R&H show to get another revival.
I think it’s time for an Oklahoma revival.

[theaterwiz414]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 11:26am

There’s actually a Oklahoma! production happening at St. Ann’s warehouse!

[BwayLB]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 11:33am

If not Oklahoma, how about State Fair? I love the movie

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 11:47am

Oklahoma is due for a revival, and honestly, a fresh take. The St. Ann’s production looks wonderful and it could work well in a smaller house, maybe even Circle in the Square.

But I do want to see their lesser-known work get revived too. State Fair is cute; I always felt it was very overlooked in a year chock full of conceptually fresh revivals. With a meatier book and good casting, it could be a lot fun.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 11:49am

I hope whatever it is, it ends up in Bart Sher’s hands. He is clearly the most capable of handling an R&H property these days, unlike, um, some other directors.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 11:51am

Yeah, I was about to ask: Will there be plans of OKAHOLMA transferring?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 12:00pm

NOT

EVERYTHING

HAS

TO

TRANSFER

[Valentina3]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 12:10pm

I 

DISAGREE.

EVERYTHING

MUST

TRANSFER

[Solipsist234]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 12:15pm

Can we just... not have anymore revivals of Rodgers and Hammerstein shows on Broadway for the time being? I mean, they're slightly lackadaisical (the musicals themselves), and I feel the reason why revivals still get produced is because of a) the names and b) the scores.

Who even asked for another Carousel revival after the glorious Hytner production in the '90s???

[Solipsist234]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 12:21pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "I hope whatever it is, it ends up in Bart Sher’s hands. He is clearly the most capable of handling an R&H property these days, unlike, um, some other directors. "

You know, there's a function where you can actually- oh, I don't know- type Jack O'Brien's name out, instead of trying to come up with a clever post!

Also, it's slightly cliché at this point to mention Bartlett Sher, considering everyone else wants another R+H show directed by Sher, but carry on...

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 12:23pm

I agree that not everything has to transfer. 

I believe the only major R&H musical left to be revived would be the "The Sound of Music" it's last Broadway revival taking place in 1998 - 20 years ago.

I'm not sure any of R&H lesser known collaborations would be fitting for a major Broadway revival. Those particular shows lack name recognition and would be better served as limited productions as part of a City Center Encores-type concert.

In the case of "State Fair" remains Rodgers & Hammerstein's only musical that they wrote directly for the screen. It was first adapted for the stage way back in 1969 starring Ozzie and Harriet Nelson and incorporated songs from R&H lesser known "Me & Juliet" in addition to a new song: "Away From Home".

The 1996 Broadway production was woefully miscast. To put it mildly the majority had "aged out" of the roles they were playing. They padded this production with songs from "Me & Juliet", "Pipe Dream", "Allegro and included one aborted song from "Oklahoma!" 

I find the original 1945 musical version charming, the 1962 film remake unnecessary and the 1996 Broadway stage version miscast and misguided. 

I don't see a Broadway revival of this garnering any interest outside of hardcore Broadway/musical fans. 

 

[markypoo]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 12:56pm

Okay; how about a real artistic challenge:

Either Allegro, Me & Juliet, or Pipe Dream; and

have any or all of them achieve successful runs this time around?

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 1:42pm

markypoo said: "Okay; how about a real artistic challenge:

Either Allegro, Me & Juliet, or Pipe Dream; and

have any or all of them achieve successful runs this time around?"

These particular shows lack name recognition - if any memorable songs and only hold interest with hardcore theater fans. The challenge would definitely be to overcome those deficiencies. 

[Bwayfan292]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 1:43pm

Am I the only one who thinks a revival of Oklahoma wouldnt do so good?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 1:47pm

I hated Allegro when I saw it at CSC - not sure if that was because of the material, John Doyle, or both - but I suspect it's both. 

I like the score for Pipe Dream from the Encores! cast recording, and I wouldn't mind seeing a full production of it just out of curiosity. 

Is Flower Drum Song out of the question? I don't know the book at all, so I don't have a great sense for whether it's racial politics are outdated, or whether the David Henry Hwang revised book fixed any of those problems. But it's another candidate.

In the same vein as my earlier point, I think it's interesting that when people say "revival" there is an automatic association with "Broadway." Oklahoma is being revived right now Off-Broadway. Allegro was very recently revived Off-Broadway. As Theatre_Nerd said, and one of these lesser-known shows could potentially have a successful revival in non-profit theatre company. And they would probably fit there much better than on Broadway. But still we continue with this "if it didn't go to Broadway, it didn't happen" mentality. 

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 1:48pm

Bwayfan292 said: "Am I the only one who thinks a revival of Oklahoma wouldnt do so good?"

You may not be the only one, but keep in mind there may be just as many or maybe even more who would disagree and say it would succeed.

[StardustsChild]

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

It isn't RH, but I would love to see the most recent production of Hammerstein's Carmen Jones that played over this past summer get a larger life - they took a piece with a lot of thwarted potential, and managed to elevate it to what I think OH2 was getting at in the original production. 

[bwaylinds]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 5:51pm

I'd LOVE a production of Oklahoma with Derek Klena as Curly, Joshua Henry as Judd, Phillipa Soo as Laurie, and maybe Kate Rockwell as Ado Annie.

[mikey2573]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 7:00pm

I think it's time for a good CAROUSEL revival! 

[markypoo]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 7:42pm

I second Carmen Jones, or a fabulous revival of Rodgers & Hart's

PAL JOEY, of course!

[geoffreyC]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 8:02pm

which of course has nothing to do with the question asked.  Personally, I can't wait to see Lauren Ambrose as Laurey!

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 8:36pm

A revival of SOUND OF MUSIC seems inevitable, whether it's the tour version or a new production. The question is:  Jack O'Brien's tour version or a new version? (And if it's not the O'Brien, then they should probably wait a bit, since the the touring market won't want another SOM for 5-10 more years.)

I don't know that Oklahoma! would work in the way that Sher's South Pacific and King and I were done (a big, lush, traditional scale). It could seem too corny and quaint. But if the St. Ann's reimagining gets raves, maybe that would come in?

Also, not Rodgers, but Classic Stage's Carmen Jones could be wonderful at Circle in the Square. And a major rewrite of Show Boat could be interesting.

[Soaring29]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 9:14pm

Oklahoma! or The Sound Of Music. 

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 9:16pm

I'd love a revised production of Pipe Dream. The first act is lovely. The second act requires a lot of work.

[noradesmond]

Posted: 9/9/18 at 9:18pm

I think Oklahoma! would definitely find an audience. When it first opened in 1943, box office was good but not great. It was WW2 and the service men and women going through New York wanted a reminder of home. It had a great score and a funny book with heroes, a villain and sexual tension. The heros win in the end and go off to live happily ever after. It resonated with audiences and became a smash. With the current state of things, that might happen again. Audiences just showed us with Hello, Dolly! that they want that kind of entertainment when it is done well.  Oklahoma! is a great show and if given the Lincoln Center and Bart Sher approach of trusting the material would, I think, it could be terrific.

Updated On: 9/9/18 at 09:18 PM