Remember those ABC TV Musicals?- Page 3

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 8:59pm

The Eartha Kitt tour used some of the songs from the film. I wish they had recorded that.

I agree. The prologue alone would have been worth it. Eartha's reading of it was slightly spooky and ominous. It was a perfect production for me. I will never forget it.

[degrassifan]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 9:19pm

I loved Cinderella as a kid, and I remember people at school singing the songs all the time. The music, sets, costumes, special effects, etc just makes one feel winsome. I have it on VHS and actually watched it twice last week.

I also loved Annie! I think it's better than the 1982 version. In my opinion, Rob Marshall did a very good job on it. I too have this on VHS and planned on watching it sometime this weekend.

[GimmeABreak2]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 9:37pm

"I don't even remember how the new version opens, but I could never figure out why Opening For a Princess keeps getting cut, but not the obviously redundant Many Moons Ago, which has a pretty melody, but narrates the entire story of the show from the very start."- Mister Matt

I'm wondering if it was for a family audience if it was because of the verses that went something like "no one is having ANY...no one is getting ANY...YOUNGER! And it's been god knows how long since..." etc?
It's a stretch but as it's Disney, it's not impossible.

That was the first Broadway musical I ever saw (with Sarah Jessica Parker in it, I was 10) and I liked it so much, but when it came to the tv version, I was disappointed at how much was cut--in particular 'Very Soft Shoes'-- and with some of the casting. Though I enjoyed Carol Burnett and Denis O'hare very much.

When I was much younger I loved the Brandy version of Cinderella--have on vhs somewhere around here
Updated On: 7/23/09 at 09:37 PM

[Eris0303]

Posted: 8/2/09 at 12:22am

I'm bumping this up because I'm, currently, watching The Music Man and remembered another good thing another good thing about the ABC telemusicals. Unlike the big Hollywood musicals they used a lot of true Broadway performers. Take the one I'm watching - Chenoweth, Monk, Alves, Broderick.

[TheatreFreak05]

Posted: 8/2/09 at 12:39am

Chenoweth was fabulous in The Music Man!

[Eris0303]

Posted: 8/2/09 at 12:48am

The whole cast is fabulous! Broderick is talented but, sadly, miscast. He tries his best but it's hard to look at that face see him as a flim-flam man. They brought over other Broadway cast members (Alves, Cameron) why not one of the Harold Hills? I know they were looking for a "name" but Robert Sean Leonard and Eric McCormack are "names" (though I'm assuming that Will & Grace kept McCormack out of the running).

ETA. Music Man was choreographed by Kathleen Marshall who also directed Once Upon a Mattress. Rob Marshall choreographed Cinderella and did double duty as choreographer and director on Annie. The only one they didn't touch was Bye Bye Birdie.

Updated On: 8/2/09 at 12:48 AM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/2/09 at 12:55am

I loved Chenoweth in The Music Man, but hated that awful wig they made her wear.

Cinderella is my favorite of these. Also enjoyed Annie, though I'm not a huge fan of the show itself.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 8/2/09 at 1:30am

Bernadette Peters as the Stepmother was a revelation to me at 12 years old. We grow up with the Stepmother archetype in Cinderella, but when I saw Bernadette do it... there was an actual arc. You UNDERSTOOD the Stepmother so much better. I'll never forget that quick and subtle expression she gave in "Lovely Night." It was when she sang "All your life you'll dream of this..." She got caught up in the song and you could tell this was a woman scorned and then she snapped back to her original deal.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 8/25/09 at 6:52pm

I much prefer "Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" over the Walt Disney animated film. Walt's version was too DARK. The stepmother was like Satin's daughter, the scene where the palace gaurds chase after Cinderella gave my nightmares, and the scene where the dress that the mice made being torn to shreds is just cruel to watch. The Rogers and Hammerstein's version is much more lighter. The stepsisters were funny and Bernadette's verison of the stepmother was mean but not EVIL. That's how those characters were in the earlier versions as well. There's also no silly sequels and stays true to the plot. What mattered was who the slipper fit not who had the other one.

Updated On: 8/25/09 at 06:52 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 8/25/09 at 7:33pm

Have you read the original Cinderella? It's extremely dark.

Updated On: 8/25/09 at 07:33 PM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/25/09 at 7:33pm

"There's also no silly sequels and stays true to the plot."

Disney is notorious for making lame sequels on some of their classic Disney movies. I actually liked Disney's version of Cinderella, but enjoyed the version with Bernadette Peters as well. Unfortunately, I have never seen the original, but I will definitely watch it at some point.

I know they have a Cinderella musical that has played around the country, but were there ever plans to bring it to Broadway? I am not familiar with the show's history.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 8/25/09 at 7:35pm

The show has played the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center a few times, and has played the theatre at Madison Square Garden. Other than that, I don't think there were ever plans for it to get to Broadway.

[Kad]

Posted: 8/25/09 at 7:35pm

I love Kristin Chenoweth in Music Man... her version of "Till There Was You" is excellent (well... until Matthew Broderick comes in).

[Eris0303]

Posted: 8/25/09 at 7:36pm

I actually thought Cinderella III was pretty interesting. Cinderella II was nothing more than a few episodes of a tv series that they decided not to launch.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 8/25/09 at 7:42pm

Kristin was excellent, but I can't stand how they lowered Marian's part. I mean, it's not like she couldn't hit those notes.

[fgreene1938]

Posted: 8/25/09 at 11:41pm

These ABC films preceded the current trend toward cinematic versions of BW musicals. Granted, they're not all successful (Producers, RENT) but with Chicago, Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Sweeney Todd and (gasp!) Mamma Mia there is clearly a theatrical audience for musicals for the time being. Those ABC films were the only avenue at the time for these shows and they were in essence a throwback to the days when "Peter Pan", "Dames at Sea", "Applause" and the R&H "Cinderella" were television staples. A mixed bag, true enough, but several classics had a short second life due to ABC.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 8/26/09 at 1:11am

I must agree I Have loved all of them,nothing can beat the cast and music that is offered and all well (it's great memories of my childhood) and I can't wait for Peter Pan. I wish they would get back in to the hang of it, it's something I always looked forward to every year. but by far my favorite has been ANNIE and Cinderella. nothing can beat the award winning cast but I was very charmed by The Music Man and once Upon a Mattress.

they need to do Hello Dolly or The King and I and the fiddler project was dropped do to 9-11

Updated On: 8/26/09 at 01:11 AM

[gypsy4]

Posted: 8/26/09 at 1:11am

sorry double post.
Updated On: 8/26/09 at 01:11 AM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/26/09 at 1:26am

I still haven't seen Once Upon a Mattress. How many songs did they cut?

[gypsy4]

Posted: 8/26/09 at 1:29am

I did like what they did with Normandy it was very sweet, I liked it better than how it is used in the stage production and Zoe deschenael did a fantastic job.

normandy Updated On: 8/26/09 at 01:29 AM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/26/09 at 1:29am

"they need to do Hello Dolly or The King and I and the fiddler project was dropped do to 9-11"

The King and I? Do they really need to remake the original if there was nothing really wrong with it?

[gypsy4]

Posted: 8/26/09 at 1:31am

I just did not favor the cast.

[Tom1071]

Posted: 8/26/09 at 9:00am

"I'd love to see them do "Little Shop of Horrors," or better yet, "Caroline, or Change.""

I think I would rather HBO tackle a film version of "Caroline, or Change". I think they would do a much better job of bringing it to life. HBO was a producer of the Broadway run and actually filmed several performances "Caroline, or Change" for a potential broadcast. Perhaps we should petition them to broadcast it.

[kristinchenofan570]

Posted: 8/26/09 at 10:01am

I loved Annie when I was younger and still do a teenager!
And I am a huge fan of that version of the Music Man! (funny you should mention it considering I am at this moment listening to Kristin Chenoweth singing "Till There Was You" and waiting for Netflix to finally send the dvd)

[philcrosby]

Posted: 8/26/09 at 11:03am

Oh my, I thought this thread was going to be about things like "On the Flip Side" and "Evening Primrose" ... shows you how old I am!!