PAL JOEY Broadway Revival Planned/City Center Production- Page 2

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 10:26am

The book was never great, and in fact even the one included in Penguin's Pal Joey paperback (O'Hara's stories plus the script for the musical) is that of the 1952 revival, not the original. I personally would rather they present the show that made a hit and history, but tinkering with the script does not surprise or bug me. The producers are surely not interested in mounting a museum piece, but something that will actually work for an audience of today. I can't really blame them for that, or say that presenting the original (or the 1952 edition, or another previous revival) will satisfy contemporary audiences.

What does bug me is such a radical re-invention of the characters and the addition of more songs. It makes no sense for Linda to be a singer--it makes the character an entirely different kind of person, and throws off the relation of the two female leads and what they represent to Joey (one's taking advantage of him, one's being took, one's clever and brassy, the other is naive and demure). I always get the feeling the re-writes to this show aren't about "improving" but softening what was considered a very tough-minded piece (as Rodgers put it once, all the characters were awful people, except for Linda, who was just plain stupid).

Adding more songs is odd, too. It makes sense to stock up on hits for Anything Goes because it is thought of as being wall-to-wall hits, though in fact only four songs out of the original show became standards and the rest of the score is kinda mediocre (but pleasant). Every number in Pal Joey is already a winner, and if you don't cut any, that means you are going to have a very long evening to fit in all the rest. Yet the material isn't going to be improved by a longer running time.

Oh well, hopefully the performers and the orchestrations will be good. We might get a good cast recording out of it.

Updated On: 10/5/21 at 10:26 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 10:40am

I've always wanted someone to return to John O'Hara's original epistolary short stories ("Dear Pal Joey..."/"Dear Friend Ted..." as the basis for a rewrite.

Dear Friend Ted:

That is if I can call you friend after the last two weeks for it is a hard thing to do considering. I do not know if you realize what has happen to me oweing to your lack of consideraton. Maybe it is not lack of consideraton. Maybe it is on purpose. Well if it is on purpose all I have to say is maybe you are the one that will be the loser and not me as I was going to do certan things for you but now it does not look like I will be able to do them.

Let us rehearse the whole thing briefley. I wrote to you on the 26 or 7 of last month telling you how I was getting along and inclosing $30 and telling you all the news out here about me getting this radio job and singing in the hotel. Also telling you I was going around with a girl in the local 400 who had a father a banker et cetra. Then I also made the unfortunate error of telling you to look up a certan mouse if you happen to come across her. Which you did and mentoned my name. Well theres the rub. Oweing to your lack of consideraton (mentoning my name) there is hell to pay and I will tell you why. Maybe you know why. Maybe you knew damn well what you were doing and maybe not but anyhow I will tell you just in case.

The way I get it you meet this mouse and right off you shoot off your face about I wrote you and told you to look her up and she gets the wrong impression because as I understand it she thinks you think all you have to do is menton my name and you are in. Then she gets sore as hell and decides to get even with me. Well here I am 1000 miles from N. Y. and doing OK with my radio job and singing at the hotel and with this kid that has a father a banker and out of the blue everything goes haywire. You knew damn well the mouse I told you about was from this town because I remember distintly telling you all about her in my letter of the 26 or 7. I remember distintly telling you she was no tramp and you only drew your own conclusons and not from anything I told you. So here I am doing OK with a car and two good jobs and this society kid going for me and what happens. This is what happens. I do not know what because it is too earley to say.

First of all the asst mgr of the hotel where I am singing he comes to me and says “Joey I just rec’d informaton that is not doing you any good around this town and I want you to level with me and tell me if it is true.” What? I said. What informaton? “Well I do not exactly know how to put it man to man. We are both men of the world but this is what I have reference to, meaning that a certain mouse from this town had to leave town on acc’t of you and is now in N.Y. and instead of helping her you are writing letters to pals in N. Y. and shooting off your face about what a don Juan you are. That dont do you any good personally and I will state frankly that while we are highly pleased with your singing and drawing power as a personality here at the hotel however we have to look at it from all the angels and once it gets around that you are the kind of chap that writes letters to his pals in N. Y. mentoning his fatal attracton to the ladies why some nite some guy is just going to get his load on and you are singing and a guy will walk up and take a poke at you while you are singing. Think it over” he said. Well this asst mgr is a pal of mine and I have the deepest respect for him and I went on & did a couple numbers and after I went to him and got him to tell me all about it. In detail.

So you call yourself a pal. Well that mouse I told you to look up knew this asst mgr in fact I think I told you she introduce me to him. I can see it all clearly. You met her and moved in and then you told her I told you all about her and the little trip we took on the way down from Michigan. As if that wasnt enough the next thing you do you have to destroy the only fine decent thing that has happen to me since coming to this jerk town, namely Jean. Jean is the girl that has a father a banker and it was only a queston of time before I was to meet the family and from there it was only a queston of time before things came to the definitely serious stage, but boy you certanly louse that up. I was to accompany Jean to a private party last Tues. nite and she would pick me up at the hotel after I did a couple numbers and go to this party. Usully when she picks me up she is with another couple but last Tues. when the doorman sent in word she was there she was alone in her Packard conv coop. I thought nothing of it till I noticed she was not driving in the directon of this private party and also not opening her trap but just driving and I called her attenton to the fact. “No. We are not going to Dwight and Connie Reynolds party this evening” she said. I thought maybe it was called off and said so but she said no it was not called off but she wanted to talk with me. Then out it came. Thanks to you she gets this annonamous letter from that mouse I told you about saying to look out for me that I was a guy that would move in on her and then shoot off my face about it all over. I ask her if I could see the letter and she said she tore it up and I said did she look at the postmark. “Was it postmark N. Y.?” I said. She said no, here, but of course that mouse would send it to some girl friend here and get it postmark here. Well Jean & I had quite a scene much as I dislike scenes and no am’t of persuason on my part would convince her it was the work of a lousy bitch that all she was was jealous. “To think that I was on the vurge of inviting you to Sunday dinner next Sunday” she said. That shows how things stood between she & I, but so that is all loused up too.

Well I was frantic. I had come to care deeply for Jean. She lives in a very different world than you and I. Her father is this banker and very conservative and not use to having his daughter going around with chaps that sing in a hotel even if it is one of the principle hotels in the mid west. I go out with all the best people here the 400 but not the older crowd & just on the vurge of going to Jeans house for Sunday dinner she gets this annonamous letter sticking the shiv in my back. Thanks to you. Well I thought for a minute maybe the mouse came home & sent the letter herself and I gave her a buzz Wed. afternoon and a dame’s voice answered and when she said who was it I told her and it turned out to be the sister of the one that is causeing all the trouble. When I told her who I was she called me everything she could think of till I thought if anybody was listening in they would think they were overhearing some bag and that she probably is because you got to be a bag to know some of the things she called me. She also made threats and said one of these nites she was coming down to the hotel when I was doing a number and would personally spit in my eye and knock me the hell off the stand. Then I told her what I thought of her and her sister and if she ever showed her face around the hotel I would knock her teeth down her throat. Woman or no woman. I shut her up the bitch. I said she and her fine feathered sister. Well I said if she wanted to know anything about her sister ask anybody that was in Michigan last summer and she would find out what I meant. So if you see the mouse again you can tell her. I dont give a damn if I lose my job here at the hotel or the radio spot. I dont have to take that stuff from any mouse or her sister. As for you my ex-pal you know what you can do and also you can sing for the $20 I owe you. I am making a little trip to N.Y. in the near future and we will have a little talk and you can explain your positon, altho the way I feel now if I saw you now your positon would be horizontle. I might as well tell you I am going to the gym 3 or 4 times a week and not that I need it because I always could slap you around when ever I wanted to.

You know what you can do.

Your Ex-Pal Joey

 

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 10:46am

And I'd like to see Tony Yazbeck as Joey and Vanessa Williams as Vera.

[sinister teashop]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 12:12pm

O'Hara's original 1940 Joey is a thugged-out distant cousin of Anita Loos' 1926 Lorelei Lee, spelling mistakes included. What's great about O'Hara (and what probably didn't even make it into the musical book of 1940) is his blunt depiction of his hustler characters, their brutality as well as their vulnerability. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 1:17pm

sinister teashop said: "O'Hara's original 1940Joey is a thugged-outdistant cousin of Anita Loos' 1926Lorelei Lee, spelling mistakes included. What's great about O'Hara (and what probably didn't even make it into the musical book of 1940) is his blunt depiction of his hustler characters, their brutalityas well astheir vulnerability."

Nicely put.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 2:48pm

I think there is an audience for a show about a man being terrible. I don't know if it's the same audience that thinks they're going to see a traditional musical comedy that pairs off two straight leads. Maybe they'll do a girl power rewrite to underscore how much better off Vera and Linda are without Joey.

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 6:33pm

VintageSnarker said: "I think there is an audience for a show about a man being terrible. I don't know if it's the same audience that thinks they're going to see a traditional musical comedy that pairs off two straight leads. Maybe they'll do a girl power rewrite to underscore how much better off Vera and Linda are without Joey."

Um, that wouldn't be a re-write, that would be the traditional ending ("Take Him" is the song that expresses it). This has never been a "traditional musical comedy that pairs off two straight leads." 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 6:43pm

joevitus said: "Um, that wouldn't be a re-write, that would be the traditional ending ("Take Him" is the song that expresses it).This has never been a "traditional musical comedy that pairs off two straight leads.""

I love "Take Him." I just couldn't think of something eye-rollingly pandering enough at the moment I wrote that comment. You know like... Vera decides to be a girlboss CEO or Linda leaves show business to work in a factory, complete with Rosie the Riveter costume.

[KFC1991]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 8:37pm

joevitus said: "VintageSnarker said: "I think there is an audience for a show about a man being terrible. I don't know if it's the same audience that thinks they're going to see a traditional musical comedy that pairs off two straight leads. Maybe they'll do a girl power rewrite to underscore how much better off Vera and Linda are without Joey."

Um, that wouldn't be a re-write, that would be the traditional ending ("Take Him" is the song that expresses it).This has never been a "traditional musical comedy that pairs off two straight leads.""

Oklahoma!, Guys and Dolls, come to mind.

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 8:42pm

I still don't get your point. Considering the same audiences that embraced the original Pal Joey embraced Oklahoma! and Guys and Dolls, too, I'm not sure why you'd think that couldn't be true today. Nor do I get why you assume an audience today would assume they were going to get that sort of traditional ending.

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 9:53pm

Thanks, Joey. That was delightful and took a considerable amount of time to put together.

 Every number in Pal Joey is already a winner, and if you don't cut any, that means you are going to have a very long evening to fit in all the rest. Yet the material isn't going to be improved by a longer running time.

I think Joey is right, as is often the case, about throwing in too many Rodgers and Hart songs just because they're really good songs. In the film they kept the numbers down. "The Lady is a Tramp," brought kind of a cheap laugh when Joey sings it in the club the first time Vera stops by. Cheap maybe, but still amusing. 

If you youngsters have never heard Ella sings the Rodgers and Hart Songbook, have Alexa cue it up for you.

 

[KFC1991]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 10:48pm

joevitus said: "I still don't get your point. Considering the same audiences that embraced the original Pal Joey embraced Oklahoma! and Guys and Dolls, too, I'm not sure why you'd think that couldn't be true today. Nor do I get why you assume an audience today would assume they were going to get that sort of traditional ending."

I'm sorry, I misread "this" as "there" in your last sentence. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 10:59pm

KFC1991 said: "joevitus said: "I still don't get your point. Considering the same audiences that embraced the original Pal Joey embraced Oklahoma! and Guys and Dolls, too, I'm not sure why you'd think that couldn't be true today. Nor do I get why you assume an audience today would assume they were going to get that sort of traditional ending."

I'm sorry, I misread "this" as "there" in your last sentence."

That's okay, I've made mistakes like that. Have a good night.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 8:07pm

Audition notice just posted:

https://www.playbill.com/job/pal-joey-nyc-epa-03-13-23/0693c1f2-e6ef-492b-ab33-2fdd984cbab9

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 8:22pm

Joshua Henry if you're reading this, please audition for Mr. Joey Evans because you would be perfect and wonderful and all the things. All. The. Things.

[Ke3]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 8:41pm

Wondered if this was even still happening. For me Savion’s choreography is reason enough to see it.

[pethian]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 8:43pm

Has this revision, with this retooled book, ever been seen anywhere?

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 10:48pm

Sutton Ross said: "Joshua Henry if you're reading this, please audition for Mr. Joey Evans because you would be perfect and wonderful and all the things. All. The. Things."

 

I doubt Joshua Henry has to audition much anymore (for musicals anyway). It is really a dance role though, and his voice would be wasted on the rather minimal vocal requirements for the part. I imagine they will go with a young unknown like they did with Myles Frost. Probably someone Savion Glover has worked with before, I imagine.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 11:08pm

The role specially says they want someone in their 30s so, nope. And Joshua Henry absolutely has to audition for roles. 

[JoeW4]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 11:22pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "I doubt Joshua Henry has to audition much anymore (for musicals anyway). It is really a dance role though, and his voice would be wasted on the rather minimal vocal requirements for the part. I imagine they will go with a young unknown like they did with Myles Frost. Probably someone Savion Glover has worked with before, I imagine."

 

I realize this wasn't the main part of your point, but FWIW, Savion Glover HAS worked with Joshua Henry before.

[Penna2]

Posted: 3/4/23 at 12:11am

CATSNYrevival said: "I was one of the few who enjoyed Richard Greenberg’s adaptation at the Roundabout some years ago. If nothing else I liked the work he did with the scene where Joey first meets Linda. I’ll be curious to see what this creative team has planned. I think Pal Joey has one of the best scores of the golden age musicals and that article lists quite a few songs they’re planning on adding to the score. I’m not sure how necessary that is but we’ll see how it turns out. I assume some of them will be for Linda but I’ve always thought “My Funny Valentine” would be a nice addition for her character and that song isn’t listed."

They used it in the movie.

Updated On: 3/4/23 at 12:11 AM

[Penna2]

Posted: 3/4/23 at 12:13am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I'm there for anything Savion Glover does, but PAL JOEY seems like the white whale of Broadway...everyone tries to take a stab, rarely succeeding. The added songs could make the evening feel like an overstuffed vehicle for musical numbers.

Worth noting that the lead creative team is all male, and the book adapter, co-director, and lead producer are white men.

This had a series of readings about 5 years ago with Marin Mazzie as Vera. Anyone see those?"

All I remember is her singing Bewitched and she was amazing.

[inception]

Posted: 3/4/23 at 9:27am

I wish I had better recall of the only time I've seen a production of this show. I really like the '52 recording with Elaine Stritch doing "Zip," but live it is a very cynical show. With the right person as the lead it is endurable.  Josh Henry does seem like he has the personality to do so - but can he handle all the dancing? 

Reading about the laat revival, it sounds like the understudy who had to takeover the role (after the lead became injured) just didn't have the lightness that enables the audience to be forgiving of Joey's loutish behavior. 

I don't see the point in padding out the show with more songs.  The show won't get better by being longer.

Updated On: 3/4/23 at 09:27 AM

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/4/23 at 11:49am

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Sutton Ross said: "Joshua Henry if you're reading this, please audition for Mr. Joey Evans because you would be perfect and wonderful and all the things. All. The. Things."



I doubt Joshua Henry has to audition much anymore (for musicals anyway). It is really a dance role though, and his voice would be wasted on the rather minimal vocal requirements for the part. I imagine they will go with a young unknown like they did with Myles Frost. Probably someone Savion Glover has worked with before, I imagine."


What does Myles Frost have to do with anything?

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 3/4/23 at 12:29pm

TotallyEffed said: "What does Myles Frost have to do with anything?"


I said “I imagine they will go with a young unknown like they did with Myles Frost.” 
 

And no, Sutton, Joshua Henry is phenomenally talented but totally wrong for this role unless they are completely reimagining the character. There are other Black male musical theatre actors in New York, FYI.