Revival Predictions

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 10:59am

Which revivals do you expect to see in the next 5-10 years or want to see? I personally wouldn't be shocked within the next 5-10 years to see Marc, Scott and Harvey bring back "Hairspray".

[broadway guy]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 11:00am

I don't see Hairspray ever coming back. It just closed, it would be a bad move to bring it back so early.

My money is on My fair Lady and Cats.

[bdn223]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 11:03am

Beauty and the Beast as a holiday run/open ended if Aladdin flops...
The Life
Once on THis Island
Sunset Boulevard
Cats
Side Show
Miss Saigon

(i think we will see revivals of many of the British Mega Musicals of the 80's-early 90's)

[dreaming]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 11:13am

Side Show
Miss Saigon
Les Miserables (I know it's scheduled to come back-and I'm counting the days. I miss it.)

I hope Beauty and the Beast comes back (maybe with Laura Osnes once she's done with Cinderella).

My Fair Lady is likely.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 11:19am

In the next 5-10 years?

MY FAIR LADY
INTO THE WOODS
FUNNY GIRL
GYPSY
SWEENEY TODD
MISS SAIGON
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED...
CAMELOT
AIDA

[Musical Master]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 12:12pm

Jordon, I would love to see a revival of Funny Girl. :)

[tazber]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 12:19pm

On the Twentieth Century

The King and I

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 12:21pm

Gypsy
Sweeney Todd
La Cage aux Folles
Fiddler on the Roof
Grease
Follies
Gypsy
Sweeney Todd
La Cage aux Folles
Fiddler on the Roof
Grease
Follies
Gypsy
Sweeney Todd
La Cage aux Folles
Fiddler on the Roof
Grease
Follies
Gypsy
Sweeney Todd
La Cage aux Folles
Fiddler on the Roof
Grease
Follies

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 12:23pm

Caroline O'Connor told me that Hal Prince desperately wants to direct a SWEENEY TODD revival using his original direction. And I gotta tell you that regardless of casting, that would be the theatrical event of whatever season it opens in.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 12:25pm

^Wow a revival that's using Hal Prince's original direction would be the event of this decade.

[all that jazz]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 12:27pm

CATS
42nd Street
Aida
La Cage
Funny Girl
Gypsy
A Chrous Line
Dreamgirls
Company (original staging)

And the list goes on...

[minicko88]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 12:29pm

Parade! I would love to see this revived.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 12:30pm

Do you predict it will be revived in the next 5-10 years?

[DEClarke]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 12:57pm

I would love for ON YOUR TOES to spark enough attention to get a fully staged revival. "Slaughter on 5th Avenue" is an amazing moment in that score!

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 2:45pm

I can't predict what Broadway will offer in the decade ahead but looking back there era a large number of musicals that shoudl be at least considered for revival.

In a way I wish a new rep company could be formed to remount classic musicals for limited summer runs (sort of like the old Music Theater of Lincoln Center productions of the 1960s.) The financial part of the equation doesn't appear to be workable but maybe if each run ended with a DVD release the sales could help offset production costs and we woudl soon have a library of well-mounted productions available.


Doing a decade by decade overview - Most of the early 20th century shows would need considerable reworking because the plots always took a back seat to the music of Victor Herbert, Sigmund Romberg, Rudolph Friml et al. Opera companies sometimes revive ROSE MARIE or THE NEW MOON but I doubt we will ever see MLLE. MODISTE or BLOSSOM TIME except perhaps in concert form at NYC Encores.

Because of it's source material (SHaw's play ARMS AND THE MAN) the operetta THE CHOCOLATE SOLDIER might be worth re-examining but a recent CD reissue of a 1958 complete studio cast album reveals a score that lacks zing.

1920-1929 was a rich period in musical comedy and dozens were produced each season. From surviving recordings the songs in QUEEN HIGH, MY MARYLAND, RIO RITA, HONEYMOON LANE and MERRY MERRY are refreshingly simple and tuneful, but scanning a synopsis of each show there is not enough of a story for even a short sketch let alone a full evening's entertainment. DEAREST ENEMY might make a good candidate for Encores to explore. GOOD NEWS with a little trimming could be brought back provided they keep it set in the roaring 20s. I'd say the same of HIT THE DECK.

The early 1930s shows are less well remembered. OF THEE IS SING might make a good curio in an election year but the political humour is dated and the satire is not pointed enough (when compared with today's political satirists.) Kern's ROBERTA is another show with a lovely score and deadly dull book. Cole Porter's shows were filled with famous songs but the books for RED HOT AND BLUE and DUBARRY WAS A LADY will not work for modern audiences. They barely worked for 1930's audiences.

Rodgers and Hart's BOYS FROM SYRACUSE is very workable but the last revival by Roundabout was a dud because the director obviously did not trust the material.

The early 40s prior to OKLAHOMA brings to mind two big hits that are revivable if done with style and care; PAL JOEY and LADY IN THE DARK. There have been attempted revivals of PAL JOEY but LADY IN THE DARK despite many rumours over the years is a good candidate. Still the book scenes between the musical sections are long and lumbering and would need considerable trimming.

Of the years following OKLAHOMA! the choice widens considerably - Lerner and Loewe's BRIGADOON is a prime candidate - a revival was talked about a few years ago but the book was to be needlessly rewritten. ANNIE GET YOUR GUN also needs a fresh production but please not with Peter Stone's egregious revisions put in place for the Bernadette Peters revival in 1999. FINIAN's RAINBOW got a sparkling revival a few years back and despite almost unanimous raves, nobody went to see it.

Two interesting failures could maybe tempt a creative director: ALLEGRO and LOVE LIFE. Both have fascinating concepts, but neither show works as written. And Cole Porter's KISS ME KATE will celebrate it's 65th anniversary this December. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see it revived with it's original book and score intact?

GUYS AND DOLLS keeps coming break every few year and deservedly so, and I suppose the political humour of CALL ME MADAM would baffle modern audiences. PAINT YOUR WAGON has a rich score but as is often the case with A.J.Lerner he had no clue how to construct a workable plot around the songs. A very Rodgers and Hammerstein type show, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN is worthy of re-examination as is THE PAJAMA GAME Roundabout's 2006 staging was such a hit that it was unfortunate they could not extend the run. DAMN YANKEES! as well can still entertain a crowd.

Frank Loesser's THE MOST HAPPY FELLA has a lumbering 2nd act that contains too much filler before getting to the real drama of Act Three. Why not combine Acts 2 and Three and trim some of the needless material. Harold Rome's FANNY is similar in style and also worthy of a 2nd look.

I do wonder if NEW GIRL IN TOWN (based on ANNA CHRISTIE) could ever work on stage now. And TAKE ME ALONG (from AH, WILDERNESS) sounds like it ought to work. The original play is still done from time to time. With the success fo CINDERELLA dare we hope for a revival of FLOWER DRUM SONG without all the needless revisions done for the flop revival of a few years ago.

THE MUSIC MAN is a rouser that should be done more frequently. WEST SIDE STORY needs a rest, and so does GYPSY But they are both excellent shows and now that Arthur Laurents is (at least temporarily) dead maybe a new vision could help both these shows maintain their classic status.

CAMELOT (1960) is another Lerner show with book problems but it can still entertain. Also IRMA LA DOUCE should be looked at again...although I am told the rights to the musical have been withdrawn at this time. Pity. It's a fun show! Same thing with THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN but again the book requires some reworking. FUNNY GIRL could use some reworking as well but it remains first in everyone's thoughts as a vehicle for one of our new belters. MAME also needs to be brought back. I know Ethan Mordden hates it but ZORBA is another show that cries out for a new production.

The Prince-Sondheim musicals of the 1970s seem to get remounted regularly - as well they should - but I can't help but wish for a NIGHT MUSIC with a lot more punch than Trevor Nunn's languidly staged revival of a few years back.

MACK AND MABEL has many strong elements and a recent revival at Shaw Festival proved to be a box office success. Its one of those flops that you read and listen too and think "Gee, with a bit of tinkering this could work."

ON THE 20TH CENTURY is being talked about but the show starts to bog down in the 2nd half as attempts at humor get a bit desperate.

Two shows from the mid 1980s - BABY and THE RINK are worth another shot. I remember I enjoyed ROMANCE/ROMANCE. There was a TV version in the 1980s but I loaned my tape of it to someone and they have never returned it!!

Two 1989 shows have already been discussed here but CITY OF ANGELS and GRAND HOTEL - The Musical should be at the top of everyone's wish list.

Of the 1990s the pickings start to get slim... THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES was eye-popping, but had no substance. VICTOR/VICTORIA was pointless. BIG never really worked. THE SECRET GARDEN has its many fans and is done a lot by community groups. It might be worth a limited run revival on B'way. (The original, not the terrible recent London revision.)

SUNSET BLVD was a mess. Maybe, since ALW feels it is OK for him to add songs to Harold Arlen's score for WIZARD OF OZ we can get someone to rewrite most of the score for SUNSET and then remount it.

A recent local revival of HIS GIRL FRIDAY reminded me of a London musical WINDY CITY that never came to New York and was based on the same play, THE FRONT PAGE. But another listen to the London cast recording makes me think it is not such a good idea to bring it in. Another British music that proved a big hit with New Yorkers in 1986 was ME AND MY GIRL. Why has it suddenly been so forgotten?

I can't think of any shows from 2000-2012 that need (or deserve) revivals. JANE EYRE perhaps but it needs a great deal of revision. THE FULL MONTY but it being done to death by regional/community groups so it is hardly out of reach. Same is now true of PRODUCERS and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN..everyone seems to be doing these shows and WHITE CHRISTMAS. These have joined JOSEPH on my " don't want to see again for 20 years" list.

Sorry I have gone on way too long here..just some random rambling thoughts.

[newintown]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 2:54pm

Yank!
Busker Alley
Rebecca
Wonderland

[newintown]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 2:57pm

"^Wow a revival [of Sweeney Todd] that's using Hal Prince's original direction would be the event of this decade."

Because no one has ever copied the original design and staging...

[jnb9872]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 3:03pm

Irish Rep just did NEW GIRL IN TOWN this past year.

http://www.irishrep.org/newgirlintown.html

[Musical Master]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 3:07pm

newintown: What I meant was it would be an event for Broadway, not the countless regional and school productions that try to replicate this version and sometimes fail at it.

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 4:04pm

The Sound of Music
Beauty and the Beast

[Inigomontoya]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 5:49pm

I think Merrily we roll along will get a Broadway revival in the next 5-10 years. Hopefully sooner than later.

[DEClarke]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 6:06pm

TAKE ME ALONG and THE SCRET GARDEN are GREAT shows! I'd love to see them find their way to the Great White Way (again)!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 6:07pm

GOOD NEWS with a little trimming could be brought back provided they keep it set in the roaring 20s.

I would love to see this with some hot choreography and snappy direction. One of my favorite scores. I think the show has some real potential if it could get a brisk and witty book revision similar to Crazy For You.

[aaronb]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 6:09pm

I'm hoping for NOISES OFF and ROCKY HORROR.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 7:26pm

Love the Secret Garden..great choice. But Ms Saigon is one of my personal favs also.