On with the Sondheim revivals- Page 2

[SidebySidebyLogan]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 12:23pm

revivespringawakening said: "Oh, I've been waiting for this post! What the world really needs is a great Follies revival. Maybe in a few years with Kelli O'Hara, Laura Benanti (we know they both want to do it so let's get on with it already!), Audra, Patina Miller, Ruthie Ann Miles & Patti if she'll come out of retirement. It'll need a massive budget to work, though, so it's just wishful thinking for now.

& I'm still hoping that someday, somewhere, Christine Baranski will get an official full run as Mrs. Lovett. (I'd love if it was in NYC but I am willing to travel anywhere to see this.)"

My dream revival is Follies on the Vivian Beaumont stage, directed by Bartlett Sher with Laura Benanti and Norm Lewis as Phyllis/Ben and Kelli O'Hara and Norbert Leo Butz as Sally/Buddy. Jane Krakowski as Carlotta. Patti Lupone as Hattie. Throw in some stage legends like Donna McKechnie, Charlotte d'Amboise, Jennifer Holiday in the smaller roles. Spend an insane amount of money and really make it something special

[revivespringawakening]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 12:30pm

SidebySidebyLogan said: "My dream revival is Follies on the Vivian Beaumont stage, directed by Bartlett Sher with Laura Benanti and Norm Lewis as Phyllis/Ben and Kelli O'Hara and Norbert Leo Butz as Sally/Buddy. Jane Krakowski as Carlotta. Patti Lupone as Hattie. Throw in some stage legends like Donna McKechnie, Charlotte d'Amboise, Jennifer Holiday in the smaller roles. Spend an insane amount of money and really make it something special"

How could I forget Jane Krakowski??? I desperately need to see her on Broadway again. Norm Lewis would be perfect as Ben, & I was thinking Hattie for Patti too! I love the idea of Donna McKechnie but I have no idea who I'd cast her as. 

And yes, they'd need as much money as they can get. This production would need an incredible, lavish set & full orchestra, & skimping on anything would mess it up.

[SidebySidebyLogan]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 1:22pm

Robert Lupone and Donna McKechnie as the Whitmans. Holiday as Stella. d'Amboise as Solange. Probably too small of parts for legends like that but we're dreaming here right? 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 1:31pm

Regarding Follies: I'd love to see the National Theatre production transfer to the Beaumont, with a cast of Broadway legends.

Regarding Evening Primrose: From what I understand, CBS (?) still owns the rights to it. There have been a couple of concert versions of it, but even those were put on with some very special permission, or some other restrictive circumstance like that. Would love to see another, or even to see someone attempt to stage and adapt it, but it seems like the powers that be don't want that to happen, for whatever reason. Or maybe they just don't want it done willy-nilly: f some high-profile, reputable producers approached them about it, maybe they'd be more amenable.

Regarding Passion: Audra McDonald played Clara at Ravinia with LuPone as Fosca. Seems like a better role for her, vocally, but she probably wouldn't take the role now. If she was cast as Fosca, she would undoubtedly deliver an excellent performance - because she always does. Still, I'm not sure I see her in the role.

Regarding Anyone Can Whistle: I agree that it wouldn't work commercially - no chance. But I think an Encores-style producion is precisely what this piece does NOT need. After seeing the Carnegie Hall concert this year, I agree with Ermengarde that the piece needs a production with REHEARSAL and VISION. It needs a strong director who can grab it by the reins, and execute the absurdist tone with precision and cohesion. And part of that is they also need a cast who has enough rehearsal time to get into the comedic rhythms of the piece, to get on the same page enough to play off each other, and all work as an ensemble to achieve the right tone.

I don't necessarily trust Roundabout to assemble the right team of artists, but Roundabout seems like a good place for this kind of production, programming-wise.

[SidebySidebyLogan]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 1:46pm

Everything I have seen from the Southwark Playhouse production of Anyone Can Whistle in London earlier this year seems like a fresh take that could be a way to approach the material. Much more absurdist than other takes I've seen. The theme of truth/reality/sanity being up for debate is even more topical than when they wrote it

Updated On: 8/25/22 at 01:46 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 3:36pm

revivespringawakening said: "Oh, I've been waiting for this post! What the world really needs is a great Follies revival. Maybe in a few years with Kelli O'Hara, Laura Benanti (we know they both want to do it so let's get on with it already!), Audra, Patina Miller, Ruthie Ann Miles & Patti if she'll come out of retirement. It'll need a massive budget to work, though, so it's just wishful thinking for now.

& I'm still hoping that someday, somewhere, Christine Baranski will get an official full run as Mrs. Lovett. (I'd love if it was in NYC but I am willing to travel anywhere to see this.)"

She did play Mrs. Lovett in a production at the Kennedy Center, which I saw.  Brian Stokes Mitchell was Sweeney.  All were excellent.  I also saw her play Mame at the Kennedy Center, which was an experience best forgotten.  She was a potentially great Vera playing Mame.

[revivespringawakening]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 3:44pm

Jarethan said: “She did play Mrs. Lovett in a production at the Kennedy Center, which I saw.  Brian Stokes Mitchell was Sweeney.  All were excellent.  I also saw her play Mame at the Kennedy Center, which was an experience best forgotten.  She was a potentially great Vera playing Mame.”

Wow, I don’t know how I wasn’t aware of the Kennedy Center production! I had only seen clips of her in the 1999 concert version with Kelsey Grammer.

I wish I could’ve seen it at the Kennedy Center, it sounds like it was incredible! Unfortunately it was before my time; I wasn’t born until two years later.  

Well, now I know another production I’d add to my If-I-Had-A-Time-Machine list! 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 4:44pm

The entire Sondheim Celebration at the Kennedy Center was so special.  I hope someone mounts something similar again in the future.

[pethian]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 7:13pm

JBroadway said: "

Regarding Evening Primrose: From what I understand, CBS (?) still owns the rights to it. There have been a couple of concert versions of it, but even those were put on with some very special permission, or some other restrictive circumstance like that. Would love to see another, or even to see someone attempt to stage and adapt it, but it seems like the powers that be don't want that to happen, for whatever reason. Or maybe they just don't want it done willy-nilly: f some high-profile, reputable producers approached them about it, maybe they'd be more amenable."

Thanks for this, JBroadway. I had often wondered why a stage adaptation had never happened. I so love that score.

 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 7:37pm

We definitely NEED a revival of Forum! As for Gypsy, I would ABSOLUTELY kill for Stephanie J Block to be Rose! We could also use an A Little Night Music revival. I don't know if this one will come back to Broadway, but there should definitely be a "Sondheim on Sondheim" revival. The theatre I work at did an AMAZING production of it this summer! That definitely could work at an Off-Broadway theatre in NYC. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/25/22 at 7:44pm

Revival of Side By Side By Sondheim starring Patti, Bernadette and Mandy.