Revivals

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 8:22pm

As far as revivals, I am tired of the same shows being revived over & over & over again (Gypsy, Man of La Mancha)

I would like some lesser known works revived. Perhaps new casts might make the difference. Below is a list of some shows I would like to see revived again.

1. I Had A Ball - Nathan Lane, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Karen Ziemba
2. Superman - Peter Samuel, Nathan Lane
3. What Makes Sammy Run - Matthew Broderick
4. Baker Street - No Idea Re Cast
5. Promises, Promises - Ditto

Updated On: 9/8/03 at 08:22 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 9:27pm

Threepenny Opera
Minnie's Boys
Miss Gulch Returns

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 9:56pm

Of the two groups listed, my vote would be on THREEPENNY OPERA, followed by PROMISES, PROMISES. 3PENNY is currently being presented by the Jean Cocteau Rep Company in downtown Manhattan. I'm going on Thursday. The Weill-Brecht score is intoxicating, in my opinion.

I agree with you Mr. Roxy, there a many, many shows that would make terrific revivals. I'm not sure about the casting. To my mind a revival would benefit by new performers. Sometimes the mounting could be pretty dreadful even with name casting....LITTLE ME at the Roundabout a few seasons ago was a stinker. Great original show, great score. The revival casting did it in.

Yours for a better Broadway!

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 10:34pm

If done correctly, I would like to see "Mack and Mabel" revived. I love the music in it, and I think if the book were re-done it could do well this time around. I think either Jane Krakowski or Kristen Chenoweth would be great as Mabel.

[dotmarie]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 10:46pm

I'm most curious about Promises, Promises...I'd love to see that revived.

[dotmarie]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 10:46pm

Argh...double post. How did that happen!? Updated On: 9/8/03 at 10:46 PM

[Mattio98]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 11:01pm

I'd love to see Mack & Mabel revived. Jane Krakowski and Kristen Chenoweth would be great. Sutton Foster could probably do it very well also. I could just imagine her singing "Wherever He Ain't" and "Time Heals Everything".

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/8/03 at 11:15pm

Mack and Mabel had a good revival in London with Caroline O'Connor. I would have liked to see that.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 9:40am

Promises was done at Encores a few seasons back with hope of a transfer. Wrong. The dated book did it in. Times have changed and the book treated women in a poor light. Oh, but that score.

I Had a Ball, Baker Street, Sammy, and Minnie's Boys are stinkers. There is a reason they failed the first time. They really weren't any good and did not work on stage no matter how entertaining the scores might be. Who would put money into a revival of a show that isn't that good starting out. Maybe a stock or regional would do them, but no one in their right mind would invest millions of dollars in a show that doesn't at least look good on paper.

Mack and Mabel is one of those heartbreakers (Like Merrily We Roll Along) that just isn't going to work no matter what revisions are done.

What's next? Golden Rainbow?

Superman has its moments, but only if it were done as a comic book 60s mod period piece. It needs a complete script overhaul. It was announced as Encores for 2001-02 but then the Trade Center disaster happened and since a plot point is a bomb being planted, they changed the line-up.

Threepenny might get another production this season. In addition to Cocteau, the Roundabout has been looking at a new translation. We shall see.

The best point is that we're all sort of tired of seeing the same shows revived. The problem there is that we're running out of revivable shows. How about some new ones?

[QueenS]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 10:25am

Threepenny Opera just had a big mounting at Williamstown that I was hoping would come in to NYC. Great cast: Betty Buckley, Jesse L. Martin, Melissa Errico and Randy Graff.

Promises, Promises had a national tour a couple of years that did not go over too well, either.

I'd like to see:
New Girl in Town
Pal Joey
Charley's Aunt
Equus

Also, I'd like to see good versions of these, but since they had recent sub-par revivals, that will probably not happen:
On the Town
Bells are Ringing
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 11:04am

An absolutely terrific show that has yet to have a Broadway revival is The Apple Tree.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 12:17pm

When Was Gentleman Prefer Blondes done? Also I would love to see Parade done with a PROPER restaging.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 12:23pm

I think they should bring back RAGTIME. I know that it was done very recently but was such an amazing show and closed way to early.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 12:33pm

Robbiej, THE APPLE TREE is a great idea, as is THE GOLDEN APPLE. One musical I'd love to see ENCORES! tackle is PANAMA HATTIE, but I don't think it could stand the test of time as a proper revival.

The problem with revivals is that most Broadway shows with good scores have lousy and/or badly dated books. And for some reason, re-jigging the books (as in the case of FLOWER DRUM SONG, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN or OUT OF THIS WORLD, which nobody has been able to make work) is ultimately unsatisfying - so we have the even weaker sisters: the 'Cut n' Paste' musical like MY ONE AND ONLY, 42nd STREET, CRAZY FOR YOU and the forthcoming NEVER GONNA DANCE, which (IMHO) do a subtle harm to the future of the Broadway musical. Why bother to create something new with new songs when it's easier (and cheaper) to fashion a show around ready-made familiar hits?

I do wonder if Broadway musicals really have a far shorter shelf-life than people like to think.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 12:36pm

42nds Street was originally a movie not a cut and paste show.

And IMHO, I thought My One and Only was excellent even if they used other show music.

[skingdom]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 1:33pm

The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Me and My Girl

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 1:33pm

I, myself, enjoyed the production of Crazy for You, but can't help but agree with Master on this one. The pillaging of the American songbook (which at least has given us lovely music to listen to) has led to shows like Mama Mia! Jerry-rigged books are invariably a disappointment because writers are looking for an excuse for a song instead of creating something wholly-new out of a place of emotional truth.

Although I would love a full-fledged Apple Tree revival (starring MOI), an ENCORES version would allow for some wonderfully different casting in each of the three pieces. How about some outside-the-box casting, such as:

Eve: La Chanze
Adam: Christopher Fitzgerald

Barbera: Charles Busch
Sanjar: Marc Kudisch

and as Passionella: Ana Gasteyer

Any other suggestions?

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 1:44pm

i'd like to see DROOD back with a great cast, MACK & MABEL, and i disagree about MERRILY. It nearly worked at Kennedy Center; i still think it's save-able. And really kids, if the book to MAMMA MIA can survive on B'way, so can MACK and MERRILY as is.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 1:52pm

Robbiej, I am sure you are aware that MAMMA MIA did not pillage the AMERICAN songbook. But your point is well taken.

I posted before that I am awaiting a revival of ROBBER BRIDEGROOM. What a fun show.

Also, throw FINIAN’S RAINBOW into the mix of “great scores/ lousy books.” Can that one be fixed?

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 1:54pm

BoxOfficeJon, 42nd STREET uses other Dubin-Warren songs from other films, so that's why I called it a 'cut-and-paste' show.
The same "easy-way-out" applies to other "film musicals put on the stage" like GIGI, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, STATE FAIR and MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, etc.

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 2:37pm

So very true, Suleen!

I was so hungry before I posted that!!! I coulda chewed my arm off.

Master,

Although I didn't think it was particularly any good, didn't the songwriting team that gave us MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (names is escaping me) acutally write new stuff for the Broadway show? I seem to remember reading an article at the time.

[QueenS]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 2:39pm

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was done in the late 90's with cabaret songstress KT Sullivan as Lorelei.

Drood is getting an Off-Off Broadway mounting this fall at the Gallery Players in Brooklyn. I think that this will be the first time that the revised version will play in the city.

I'll second a new Robber Bridegroom!

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 2:44pm

You remembered right, RobbieJ! Hugh Martin & Ralph Blaine did write a few new songs for the stage ST. LOUIS. Who even knew they were still alive & kicking?!

(Hey, Suleen! Whereyabeen?) :)

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 2:44pm

No, No, Nannette

Promises, Promises

Over Here!

[QueenS]

Posted: 9/9/03 at 2:52pm

There were new songs in Meet Me in St Louis? Hmm, must have happened when I was sleeping. It was so hard to nap during that show, though. The crackling of the mikes and the churning noise made by that mostrosity of a house opening and closing kept waking me up.