REVIVE CARNIVAL

[Stanton3]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 5:16pm

A big splashy production revival could big a massive success 

Updated On: 1/18/19 at 05:16 PM

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 5:33pm

Although based on the MGM film "Lili" which garnered Leslie Caron an Oscar nomination, this musical adaptation with a score by Bob Merrill has been largely forgotten - it hasn't aged well and then there's the problem with the book - the character of "Lili" dangerously teeters the line between being hopelessly clueless, extremely naive or worse mentally deficient.  

[Stanton3]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 5:47pm

Why not

 

Updated On: 1/25/19 at 05:47 PM

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 6:54pm

What Ive been saying.

I didnt hear about ON THE 20TH CENTURY until Roundabout revived it with pretty big star casting.

It needs a big company producing it with a new book that somehow balances the old with todays views of love. Yum Tickey could easily be replaced with Hi Lili, Hi Low. But who will be Lili? Thats the question.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 7:26pm

By today's standards, Paul comes off as a pedophile of sorts. The audience at the Encores production felt very uncomfortable during the Paul/Lili scenes.

[trentsketch]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 7:47pm

I adore the score but the book has not aged well. They would have to do extensive rewrites to make Paul's actions not seem predatory against Lili. I think it's possible. The first steps are clearly aging up Lili and giving her a better reason for being so drawn to the puppets than childlike wonder. 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 8:42pm

Dollypop said: "By today's standards, Paul comes off as a pedophile of sorts. The audience at the Encores production felt very uncomfortable during the Paul/Lili scenes."

Could they make Paul younger in a new book? In the original show, Jerry Orbach was in his 20s. Jacque could be his guardian. 

[Stanton3]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 9:07pm

Lili could be aged.  Paul could be younger, Change the book around and"Adjust the story" a little.   

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 10:56pm

Exactly! But, they have to fix Marco/Lili somehow as well since he's supposed to be much older. 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 11:09pm

So an older Lili is going to believe the puppets are real? Yeah, good luck with that

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 1/18/19 at 11:09pm

So an older Lili is going to believe the puppets are real? Yeah, good luck with that

[bk]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 1:55am

Am I really reading these inane comments.  You know, the play takes place when it takes place.  Its issues were very real at the time and are still real.  I'm so bored of everyone's need to view everything through "now" eyeballs.  Yes, let's just rewrite everything that mind offend our poor, sensitive sensibilities  It is to laugh if it weren't to irritating.

[Stanton3]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 3:38am

She talks to the puppets knowing they are not real but she doesn't know who is behind the puppets! 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 6:45am

It depends on how its played.

But, not unlike the criticism of Pretty Woman, a story where a young, simple girl totally forgives and marries a physically and emotionally abusive man...because through the puppets he CAN be nice will fly today. That's not a happy ending, that's a tragedy.

This doesnt mean stories about abuse (or other sensitive stories) shouldnt be told. They should. But not as a romance where the "love of a good woman" changes the evil man. Its not the womans job ..nor does it work that way.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 9:06am

dramamama611 said: "It depends on how its played.

But, not unlike the criticism of Pretty Woman, a story where a young, simple girl totally forgives and marries a physically and emotionally abusive man...because through the puppets he CAN be nice will fly today. That's not a happy ending, that's a tragedy.

This doesnt mean stories about abuse (or other sensitive stories) shouldnt be told. They should. But not as a romance where the "love of a good woman" changes the evil man. Its not the womans job ..nor does it work that way."

 

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Stories dealing with sensitive issues need to be told. It's how progress can be made. However, romanticizing and justifying characters who are problems is not the way to do it.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 9:54am

TheGingerBreadMan said: "I agree with this wholeheartedly. Stories dealing with sensitive issuesneedto be told. It's how progress can be made. However, romanticizing and justifying characters who are problems is not the way to do it."

MY FAIR LADY 2018 SPOILERS:

They could definitely pull a My Fair Lady revival and have Lilli leave Paul after "Carrot Top" begs her for forgiveness. She could pick up the puppets and exit the show through the house. 

 

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 10:00am

 I saw the original starring Anna Maria Alberghetti. It was OK.  I doubt very much a producer would be able to find enough investors willing to put up enough money to capitalize a “big, splashy production”. It might be a nice show for Encores. 

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 10:13am

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "TheGingerBreadMan said: "I agree with this wholeheartedly. Stories dealing with sensitive issuesneedto be told. It's how progress can be made. However, romanticizing and justifying characters who are problems is not the way to do it."

MY FAIR LADY 2018 SPOILERS:

They could definitely pull a My Fair Lady revival and have Lilli leave Paul after "Carrot Top" begs her for forgiveness. She could pick up the puppets and exit the show through the house.”

I don’t know... That would just be blatantly copying at that point. It would scream, “Look at us! We’re so WOKE and PROGRESSIVE like that other classic show that changed its ending!” 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 12:59pm

RaisedOnMusicals said: "I saw the original starring Anna MariaAlberghetti. It was OK. I doubt very much a producer would be able to find enough investors willing to put up enough money to capitalize a “big, splashy production”. It might be a nice show for Encores."

They've already done it, with a young Anne Hathaway, receiving a love letter from Brantley, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. Not that they haven't repeated shows, but at this point I don't know that there's a strong enough demand for them to repeat this one.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 1:44pm

Elfuhbuh said: "disneybroadwayfan22 said: "TheGingerBreadMan said: "I agree with this wholeheartedly. Stories dealing with sensitive issuesneedto be told. It's how progress can be made. However, romanticizing and justifying characters who are problems is not the way to do it."

MY FAIR LADY 2018 SPOILERS:

They could definitely pull a My Fair Lady revival and have Lilli leave Paul after "Carrot Top" begs her for forgiveness. She could pick up the puppets and exit the show through the house.”

I don’t know... That would just be blatantly copying at that point. It would scream, “Look at us! We’re so WOKE and PROGRESSIVE like that other classic show that changed its ending!”"

Pretty sure that was a joke.

[EdEval]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 3:54pm

A few years ago I attended a Non-Union  Community Theatre production which was interesting.  The puppets they used where replicas of those used in the Kukla Fran and Olliie tv show from the 50's. Kukla played Carrot Top and Ollie was the Walrus puppet, Beaulah the Witch played the Madame and so on.

Updated On: 1/19/19 at 03:54 PM

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 5:33pm

Sorry to disagree but this is still a beautiful show with a great score. A bit of rewriting might help, but not sure that it needs much but to do it well. I saw the original with Alberghetti and Orbach, who were wonderful, and I continue to believe that the show could work. The Encores production was okay, but fell underrehearsed, and Anne Hathaway was just okay. Years ago they tried workshopping the show, and Sarah Uriarte Berry was playing Lili. 

[Stanton3]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 5:41pm

With these "So Called" problems people are stating then I decided now a revival is not a good idea but a "GREAT IDEA".  If you don't like the themes of the book "Don't Go".  

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 6:27pm

I was actually serious, dramamama. Either way, they can't have the girl go with her abuser.

 

jayinchelsea said: "Years ago they tried workshopping the show, and Sarah Uriarte Berry was playing Lili."

Oh yeah! Disney tried to do something with Carnival and Peter Gallagher was Paul and I think B.D Wong was Jacque! I guess it was for a Wonderful World of Disney movie?

EDIT: Found it! Disney wanted to do its own Broadway revival of it......random?

http://www.playbill.com/article/uriarte-berry-stadlen-gallagher-tapped-for-jan-29-disney-carnival-reading-com-94624

Updated On: 1/19/19 at 06:27 PM

[goodlead]

Posted: 1/19/19 at 7:34pm

Is Carnival the type of musical that could use a "big, splashy" production?  The original was small in scale, which was a large part of its charm.  Anything big and splashy would overwhelm the material.