"Rebecca" gets CNBC "American Greed" episode

[Steve C.]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 11:44am

It's sad/interesting to see this story being detailed on CNBC's "American Greed" 8/11, at 10pm EST. It's incredible that "Rebecca" played all over Europe for years and got murdered on Broadway. The cast they had listed just would have been phenomenal. Julian Ovenden as "Maxim", Sierra Boggess as "Mrs." de Winter or were they to be "Mrs. Danvers" and the evil "Jack"? Any juicy truth out there?

This is a link to Bloomberg and the lawsuits. (The photo of the stage and ensemble looks wonderful) I'd also love to hear and see a Christopher Hampton score, Blakemore, Daniele, Zambello creative team.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-10-19/-rebecca-producers-sue-backer-mark-hotton-in-n-y-state-court

This is a link to the defunct "Rebecca" home page with an equally impressive "cast that never was..."

http://rebeccathemusical.com/cast

Maybe one day it will happen on Broadway.

 

Updated On: 8/5/16 at 11:44 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 11:51am

That cast is not accurate, did that come from the BWW article? That was a cast from one of the readings, but they were never announced to play Broadway.

The announced cast starred Jill Paice.

http://www.playbill.com/article/rebeccas-estate-will-be-inhabited-by-jill-paice-and-ryan-silverman-com-194882

The first London workshop in May 2009 featured Lisa O'Hare as "I", Julian Ovenden as Maxim and Anna Francolini.In October 2009, a second reading featured Sierra Boggess as "I", Brent Barrett as Maxim and Susan Rigvava Dumas as Mrs. Danvers. The English-language book was written by Christopher Hampton in collaboration with Kunze.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_(musical) Updated On: 8/5/16 at 11:51 AM

[Steve C.]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 12:12pm

Thx neon, the BWW article is kind of...how can I say nicely...imo, let's say a little muddled. The cast lists are included but not defined as to what reading or production they were detailing for the article. But thank you for the other info; Brent Barrett and Sierra Boggess, I would definitely want to see those two together! Thx for the link; I'll have to see what other info is still out there.    

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 12:22pm

Steve C. said: "Maybe one day it will happen on Broadway."

There was an off-B show (that DID happen) about this very subject. It was called When Pigs Fly. I'd opine that Mr. Sprecher's swine got entwined in strychnine.

[Steve C.]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 12:51pm

ahahaha Mr HH, Sorry I missed that, but it sounds like it should be in that thread of funny lyrics, or guilty lyrics, whatever it is...

But it will be kind of interesting if the CNBC doc is accurate and what some other

people around Broadway (hint, hint, hint) may know is true or not. We will see.

 

[John Adams]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 12:53pm

Steve C. said: "Any juicy truth out there?"

The "juciest" truth is that this was a very sad and unfortunate case where a producer (Ben Sprecher) was duped by a con man (the article you linked to compared him to Bernie Madoff). The con caused the show to (ultimately) cease production on what was to be the first day of rehearsal.

Sprecher was further victimized by unwarranted speculation that he had taken part in the con. Members of the cast quickly came to his defense, and Karen Mason (Mrs. Danvers in the production) published an open letter defending his character.

The speculation and innuendo regarding the con (prior to the facts being revealed) cast a pall over the production and the show has yet to be produced.

Personally, I'm still heart-broken about it. I think that Karen Mason as Mrs. Danvers is a role that would have been favorably noticed and remembered. I wanted that for her.

[Steve C.]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 1:05pm

Yes JohnAdams, I am totally in your corner; very very sad, especially the way things went down with timing, and everyone cast. I'm pretty smart but not a lawyer; so this may be an unanswerable question as I query this; Is it ever possible to file a lien against future profits of a property? That would most probably and definitely kill any chances of ever seeing it.

Again, a disgusting swindle that affected so many people. 

[10086sunset]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 1:15pm

Steve C, thanks for sharing the news this will on 8/11@10.

Hope the CNBC show does the story justice. 

It's such a wild tale. 

[philly03]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 2:15pm

The way the fundraising has been going post-all of this I wouldn't be surprised if a GoFundMe ad was placed at the end of American Greed for this. The sets/costumes are all built and of course the translations and orchestrations are all done. It is a shame, regardless of what you think of the actual musical.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 3:50pm

John Adams said: "Sprecher was further victimized by unwarranted speculation that he had taken part in the con. "

My recollection is that such a notion, if made at all, did not persist. People did feel-and I think it has been borne out pretty well-that what he did was dumb, naive, negligent. 

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 3:55pm

I hope this show gets its chance in America. It's a very good score. Anyone know if the producer is still trying ?

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 4:07pm

HogansHero said: "John Adams said: "Sprecher was further victimized by unwarranted speculation that he had taken part in the con. "

My recollection is that such a notion, if made at all, did not persist. People did feel-and I think it has been borne out pretty well-that what he did was dumb, naive, negligent. 

 

"

What was naive was posters' notion that theater financing is ever based on anything but a leap of faith (or an enormous subsidy from Disney).

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 5:36pm

GavestonPS said: "What was naive was posters' notion that theater financing is ever based on anything but a leap of faith (or an enormous subsidy from Disney)."

I'm not sure who or what you are referring to. 

 

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 7:24pm

HogansHero said: "I'm not sure who or what you are referring to. 

 

 

"

We had this argument at the time, Hogan. In my experience, Sprecher's "willing suspension of disbelief" in a man who promised to be the key to getting the show up is pretty common in the world of independent producers. (Busby Berkeley only made the "phony investor" a turning point in about 15 film plots!)

It's only when your show is underwritten by Disney or (in earlier days) a record company that the books are as tidy and organized as those of a shoe importer.

God knows independent films are financed just as oddly, much of the time.

REBECCA was hardly the first show to move forward without having its entire financing in place.

Updated On: 8/5/16 at 07:24 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 10:16pm

GavestonPS said: "We had this argument at the time, Hogan. In my experience, Sprecher's "willing suspension of disbelief" in a man who promised to be the key to getting the show up is pretty common in the world of independent producers. (Busby Berkeley only made the "phony investor" a turning point in about 15 film plots!)

It's only when your show is underwritten by Disney or (in earlier days) a record company that the books are as tidy and organized as those of a shoe importer.

God knows independent films are financed just as oddly, much of the time.

REBECCA was hardly the first show to move forward without having its entire financing in place."

What happened in this case is nowhere near typical; rather, it is unprecedented. I don't know a person in this business who would agree with you, but I respect your right to believe as you wish. P.S. I can think of plenty of shows that had nothing to do with Disney that arrived fully funded. (And others that didn't.) 

 

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 8/6/16 at 6:46pm

The real question is... when Rebecca finally does come to Broadway... will it be considered a NEW MUSICAL or a REVIVAL. It's been performed all over the world for so long now... 

[broadwayguy91]

Posted: 8/7/16 at 5:02am

MadonnaMusical said: "The real question is... when Rebecca finally does come to Broadway... will it be considered a NEW MUSICAL or a REVIVAL. It's been performed all over the world for so long now... 

 

"

New musical since it has never been performed in the US and since the lyrics are also new (first ever translation into English if I am not mistaken )

 

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 8/8/16 at 7:04am

Karen Mason's given an interview, she says over on Facebook (see below).  I don't think we get this show on CNBC in Europe, though.

+++

Well, my friends, next Thursday August 11, there will be a one-hour show of AMERICAN GREED (on CNBC) about REBECCA! I was interviewed for this about how I was feeling during all of this ...and hope for the best! Quite a saga, I tell ya. Anyway, here is the info. WHEEEEE
August 11, 2016 @ 10pm

American Greed
Subject: CNBC special August 11 @10pm (Eastern)

[Steve C.]

Posted: 8/11/16 at 8:40pm

FYI

Curtain Up! Light the Lights! The expose on "Rebecca" is on tonight.

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 8/12/16 at 9:40am

Thanks, tried and failed to view it in the UK, hopefully it will appear on their YouTube page, but please give us the low-down.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 8/12/16 at 9:46am

You'll be sorely disappointed. The episode is not about REBECCA, it's about Mark Hotton. The last 17 minutes or so focus on his involvement with (and defrauding of) the Broadway production but that's it.

There really isn't any new information not already reported when it all went down. It primarily features Ben Sprecher's attorney discussing the issue, however Karen Mason and Nick Wyman do make appearances.

The only interesting tidbit touched upon was that it appears his wife was deeply involved with the fraud, as well. She would attend backer workshops/presentations with Mark and even brought a younger woman  with her once who apparently claimed to be the "niece" of one of Mark's potential investors. Other than that, you didn't really miss anything... 

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 8/12/16 at 9:48am

Useful, thanks

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 8/12/16 at 10:21am

I should also mention he submitted expense reports totaling roughly $60k or so, which he claims were incurred as a result of courting prospective investors; ex. billing the producers over $18,000 for an African Safari Trip he took with the mysterious "Paul Abrams," who we know never existed. In total, between the reimbursement and finder's fee ($7,500), he only made out with less than $70,000 and for what? About three years of jail, along with another 11 1/2 years for other fraudulent activities unrelated to REBECCA. His wife pled guilty as well but hasn't been sentenced yet. 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 8/12/16 at 6:47pm

Who controls their social media accounts? I doubt there's an agency still attached to this. The page has been commenting on the episode and responding to people still claiming they are coming to Broadway. https://www.facebook.com/rebeccathemusical/?fref=ts

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/12/16 at 6:56pm

It sounds like it's sprecher himself.

Updated On: 8/12/16 at 06:56 PM