Patricia Birch....

#1

Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 4:17am

"You're the One that I Want" is totally bizarre, for many reasons.

But I'm dying to know this.. Kathleen Marshall is using Patty Birch's original choreography SHAMELESSLY.

How the heck is she getting away with it?

It's very strange. Every other number in the show belongs to Birch.

The choreography for "Hand Jive" is classic. But Patty created it. And I've Slo-Moed those credits. Patty ain't got one. Marshall does. Explain?

Updated On: 2/26/07 at 04:17 AM

#2

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 6:52am

Where is Pat Birch these days? She was a major force in the 70's, with GREASE, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, OVER HERE! and THEY"RE PLAYING OUR SONG among others. They used to say her "signature" was creating choreography over and on furniture.

#3

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 6:39pm

It would seem that she's retired.

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#4

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 8:31pm

Isn't she doing LoveMusik with Hal Prince? I didn't care much for her work in Grease, but I loved her work in Night Music and Pacific Overtures. I hope I'm right about LoveMusik. I thought I saw her listed in the add in the Times a few weeks ago.

#5

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 8:50pm

I believe her last major production was Parade. Her work was stunning.

#6

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 9:00pm

Didn't she try to make the leap to director-choreographer in the early to mid-1980s and end up botching a few too many productions in regional and out-of-town tryouts, such that she got kind of sidelined and discounted? I seem to recall a few shows with her name attached that were sub-par and not up to her early work.

This is such a Margo or MichaelBennett question. Good one!

#7

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 9:07pm

Her direction and choreography of RAGGEDY ANN was brilliant.

#8

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 9:25pm

She has recently worked on shows at the New York State Theatre Institute (NYSTI) in Troy, NY.

#9

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 9:31pm

I think HAND JIVE is part of the property... buy the rights to do GREASE and you can do HANDJIVE... Every production of Grease I have ever seen has it.. it is like the TIME WARP.

#10

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 9:42pm

Didn't RAGGEDY ANN (nee RAG DOLLY with Ivy Austin) close after a week or so of performances? It premiered at the New York State Youth Theatre Institute or whatever it's called and then moved to Broadway, if I remember correctly. Pamela Sousa was in it, I think.

#11

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 10:16pm

RAGGEDY ANN closed after 5 performances in October 1986.

According to ibdb.com, Pamela Sousa was not in the show.

#12

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/26/07 at 10:43pm

I worked with Pat a few years back at Broadway Theatre Project. She told us she's more committed to the sort of master class-style work that allows her to expose younger performers to older works. Of course, that was 3 years ago - her outlook could be different now!

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#13

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/27/07 at 7:39am

Raggedy Ann is a show I'd love ot have seen even more than Carrie--the creepy mix of the children stuff with insnuations of sexual abuse, the mother hanging herself from a fantasy tree, etc seems really odd and fascinating (plus it was a huge hit when it toured Russia LOL)

I wondered where Patricia was too but I'm sure I read also she was involve dina new Hal Prince work... Her choreography for Pacific Overtures, on the Japanese broadcast is wonderful (that was the last major SOndheim musical where dance was an important element sadly)

I dunno--I never thought about Grease's dances on the show being based on the movie choreopgraphy but I suppose they are--are they to the ltetter though? cuz both seem to more just be based on the typical 50s dance.s..

#14

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/27/07 at 8:42am

The problem with Grease is that it's such a well known show that any changes (from hair color to choreography) would make people unhappy.

Can anyone think of the "Hand Jive" differently?

#15

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/27/07 at 9:57am

Hopefully, a future Broadway Lost Treasures Volume 4 goes into production and hopefully they'll include "At Charlie's Place" from OVER HERE!, which was performed in it's entirety at the 1974 Tony Awards, showcasing the phenomenal Ann Reinking (at her peak) with John Mineo, as well as Marilu Henner, Treat Williams and John Travolta. Patricia Birch's 1940's-infused dances in OVER HERE! were nothing short of sensational.

#16

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/27/07 at 11:39am

>> I think HAND JIVE is part of the property... buy the rights to do GREASE and you can do HANDJIVE...

Sorry, but can anyone confirm this? It seems to me preposterous that a licensing house would have the right to "sell" a choreographer's work as part of a package.

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#17

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/27/07 at 12:00pm

I recently met Pat Birch when she choreographed one of Cy Coleman's new musicals, "The Great Ostrovsky" at the prince in Philly. That was about 2 years ago. She also did the choreo. for "The Stepford Wives". She's still out there.

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#18

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 2/28/07 at 2:51am

"Sorry, but can anyone confirm this? It seems to me preposterous that a licensing house would have the right to "sell" a choreographer's work as part of a package. "

Isn't this exactly what all of the later Jerome Robbins shows technically do? and others?

Pat choreographed Stepford Wives? do you mean the movie or was there a stage version?

#19

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 3/3/07 at 4:34am

Just saw the ad, and she IS doing LoveMusik with Prince at MTC.

Good for her.

Welcome back, Patty!

#20

re: Patricia Birch....

Posted: 3/3/07 at 7:24am

"RAGGEDY ANN closed after 5 performances in October 1986."

Apparently, it ran long enough for Jonathan Larson to see it.

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#21

re: Patricia Birch...."

Posted: 3/12/07 at 12:51pm

"Can anyone think of the "Hand Jive" differently?"

No. And that's exactly my point.

Patty Birch created that choreography. Yes, it's iconic. But really, when you think about it, it's very basic. Marshall could have created something new. She didn't. She stole from Birch. She's a ho.

#22

re: Patricia Birch....'

Posted: 3/12/07 at 1:03pm

^ How, uh...ghetto of u! ^

#23

re: Patricia Birch....'

Posted: 3/12/07 at 1:06pm

After that mess Patricia Birch did with GREASE 2, we're ALL entitled to steal anything from her. Even Kathleen!

#24

re: Patricia Birch....'

Posted: 3/12/07 at 1:14pm

"After that mess Patricia Birch did with GREASE 2, we're ALL entitled to steal anything from her. Even Kathleen!"

Whatever.

I'm not judging Patty Birch's choreography.

That is not the point.

The point is that Kathleen Marshall is a thief.

Period.

Updated On: 3/12/07 at 01:14 PM

#25

re: Patricia Birch....'

Posted: 3/12/07 at 1:28pm

This is Kathleen's response to all those 'Kathleen Haters':