Poll: The most amazing reinterpretation of a musical

[jasobres]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 6:38pm

I'll start off just to give an example. So far, the most amazing reinterpretation of a Broadway musical that I've seen has been the American Sign Language version of Big River in 2003 because it was so incredible how the sign language was never a distraction from the actual show as it traditionally is. It almost became choreography.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 8:08pm

The 1998 revival of CABARET.

[Emcee4ever]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 8:24pm

I second BlueWizard.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 10:04pm

The 1973 Prince restaging of Candide -- a total reinvention of that show.

Updated On: 12/3/05 at 10:04 PM

[musicalsaregreat]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 11:52pm

Hal Prince's revival of Show Boat in the 90's.

[theatahguy]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 11:55pm

I'm with jasobres...Big River was astounding.

[ALWrules]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 11:58pm

Cabaret revival, Hands down

[ALWrules]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 11:58pm

Cabaret revival, Hands down

[rose&lark]

Posted: 12/4/05 at 1:45am

I also vote for Cabaret, though if I had seen it, I probably would say Big River, as well.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 12/4/05 at 1:55am

I'm familiar with how Big River was reninvented, and I've seen a college production of Cabaret (as well as the movie of course), but could someone expand on what exactly the 1998 revival did to reinvent the show? I Really wish I'd gotten the chance to see it!

Little off topic--the Cabaret production I saw used the ending from a revival (I don't think it was the 98 one) that literally BLEW ME AWAY...(spoiler, I guess?) It was after Cliff leaves from the train station and the Emcee, wearing a jacket and checking tickets, sings part of Wilkommen a cappela and then slowly takes off his jacket while saying the last words (Cabaret, cabaret, something like that) to reveal a concentration camp outfit...BAM. I loved it, because I'd never tought of it like that, and then I thought back at how so many of the Kit Kat Club numbers are poking fun at the Nazis as well as reflecting society and the persucution of the Jews...I hadn't thought of the possibility of the emcee actually being one. (sorry for any misspellings in my little rant...im egg-zost-edd)

[apdarcey]

Posted: 12/4/05 at 4:06am

the current sweeney.

[enjolrasissex]

Posted: 12/4/05 at 4:19am

I vote for the Cabaret revival.

And rentaholic, that's how the revival ended.

[hak]

Posted: 12/4/05 at 8:30pm

altho i never saw any of the original versions, i thought both CABARET & SWEENEY TODD were brilliant in their staging.
also loved the revival of LA CAGE but heard that wasn't much different from the original

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/4/05 at 8:33pm

The Les Miserables Revival directed by Phantom Chicken.

It will be revolutionary!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 12/4/05 at 8:34pm

It will be set in Nazi Germany.

Brilliant.

[jasobres]

Posted: 12/4/05 at 9:05pm

When I said "reinterpretation," I meant a revival that was not exactly a straightforward revival.