Riedel: "Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007"
Riedel: "Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007"
Riedel: "Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007"#0
Posted: 3/22/06 at 3:14am
I despise Michael Riedel's column given he is such an unreliable and despicable journalist, but I find interesting the fact he asserts some popular producers are actually bidding for Company (John Doyle's staging) and that the show will open on Broadway in the 2006-2007 season. With the kind of reviews it got I am not surprised, surely it will probably be re-cast with the exception of Mr.Esparza who probably got the best reviews of his career so far.
Riedel's Article
Updated On: 3/22/06 at 03:14 AM
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#1
Posted: 3/22/06 at 3:19amYou despise him? A lot of people don't like him - I can certainly see why - but to say that he's "unreliable and despicable" is simply not true - atleast the unreliable part. Reidel's gossip almost always -if not always - proves to be true.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#2
Posted: 3/22/06 at 4:04am
It would be so great if it did happen. I'm just not sure about how well it would do, critically and financially. It is getting great reviews in Cincinnati. But if/when it should open on Broadway, I'm just worried too many people will view it as trying to ride on Sweeney's coattails to success. I really hope I'm wrong, though, it's really an amazing production and I'd love to see it succeed.
Oh, and if we're casting votes, I want the Sweeney producers to get it. Just because I'd rather not see Robin Givens take on Ladies Who Lunch once they get desperate to break even.
Wanting life but never knowing how
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#3
Posted: 3/22/06 at 4:20am
I believe if it opened on Broadway it would be a modest success, not a smash hit. I mean, from the reviews it is apparent that the concept is not a copy of Sweeney Todd. Plus, both shows are so different from each other that I'm sure it won't be easy to compare them. The New York Times raved over the production and over Raul Esparza's performance which is a good omen for the future of a Broadway revival of Company.
I agree I'd prefer it if Viertel and Frankel produced the revival instead of the Weisslers; I would hate to see Melanie Griffith's rendition of "(Not)Getting Married" (in her case, the tempo would change so it would become a ballad).
This show deserves a first-class revival after the rather bland 1995 Roundabout production so I hope it happens.
Updated On: 3/22/06 at 04:20 AM
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/03
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#4
Posted: 3/22/06 at 6:47amI think one of the reasons that Sweeney Todd has done well is because of the actor/musician gimmick. Surely by the time this Company arrives that gimmick will have worn out its welcome. I want decent sized orchestras with my shows, if not, then the ticket price should reflect that more.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#5
Posted: 3/22/06 at 7:42amWell, I feel Company has the potential to be even more successful. The piece itself is much more accessible to the audience and is a better known work (IMO) than Sweeney. I'm thrilled that Sweeney has done so well, but it's not the easiest work for the average Joe off the street to appreciate.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#6
Posted: 3/22/06 at 8:17am
"Oh, and if we're casting votes, I want the Sweeney producers to get it. Just because I'd rather not see Robin Givens take on Ladies Who Lunch once they get desperate to break even."
Amen to that.
"I think one of the reasons that Sweeney Todd has done well is because of the actor/musician gimmick. Surely by the time this Company arrives that gimmick will have worn out its welcome. I want decent sized orchestras with my shows, if not, then the ticket price should reflect that more."
Excuse me, but have you SEEN this production of Sweeney Todd? It is not a gimmick and if you want your ticket money to go toward a show that costs millions upon millions, go see WICKED. This Sweeney is brilliant and from the way it sounds, Doyle has used this concept for the new Company and made the production completely its own.
And by the way, tickets to Sweeney are only $101.25 while most new shows are charging $111.25, so there's your savings.
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#7
Posted: 3/22/06 at 8:35amI wonder if this will affect the COMPANY concert that has been announced by the NY Philharmonic. I imagine if an actual production of COMPANY comes in, that they will change the concert to something else.
Broadway Star Joined: 9/28/05
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#8
Posted: 3/22/06 at 8:40am
It is not a frickin GIMMICK!
It is what the director does with the material and hones in on the truth. It works in Sweeney, mack and Mabel and not having seen Company i cant really comment but the reviews suggest it does!
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggh
A gimmick is ice skating or the cast on roller blades or an all-black cast in the 70s etc.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#9
Posted: 3/22/06 at 8:48amThis is wonderful news. However, I can't help but wonder if having two Doyle productions on the boards will be detrimental to the shows... Plus, as mentioned by JBSinger, the NY Philharmonic's production of COMPANY won't help matters for this production.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#10
Posted: 3/22/06 at 9:07am
'cause Riedel is always right.
Whatever. I can't stand this guy. I'm surprised he didn't toss in some snide comment about what he thinks of Raul, or, you know, fly to Cincy and follow him around to get more fuel for the fire.
IF this comes in, which I still don't think it will -- and honestly don't think it should as much as I would love to see it again -- if the Weisslers get a hold of it, (a) there's no way they're keeping Raul, and (b)... no. Just no.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#11
Posted: 3/22/06 at 9:17am
This is quite exciting.
But.. I did want to see the Philharmonic production which would've had the original amazing orchestrations, and most likely would've included TICK TOCK - with a wonderful Broadway triple threat.
I can't really see the Weisslers producing this show. They would DEFINITELY keep Raul, if you ask me. The role stunt casted would definitely be Joanne. Which is a role that I can stunt casted. But hey, they do produce the most successful, and longest running revival of all time.
I do still find it slightly odd to have another revival only 10 years after the first revival.
Some Sondheim shows haven't even been revived yet.
Updated On: 3/22/06 at 09:17 AM
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#12
Posted: 3/22/06 at 9:22am
Maybe they would in light of the fact that the reviews have been making verbal love to the man. But he's certainly not a big enough star for them.
I'm hesitant to be thrilled because I think this production will lose a huge amount of what's wonderful about it when put into a Broadway house, on a regular stage. It works so brilliantly on the thrust stage.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#13
Posted: 3/22/06 at 9:24am
Em, the Weissler's don't always stunt the lead role.
Look at the original WONDERFUL TOWN cast. Donna Murphy wasn't a stunt cast.
They would definitely be stunting Joanne, if they stunt any role.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#14
Posted: 3/22/06 at 9:26am
I know, I know. I'm just sayin'. I'd be really, really pissed if he wanted to do this and got replaced by some big name star just because. It's happened to him before. 
And he's way better than that. I can't imagine anyone else doing that kind of work with the character.
I think Joanne is probably easier to stunt cast, though I wouldn't really enjoy it. That'll eat Raul's spotlgiht. 
Edited because my typing is awful this morning!
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#15
Posted: 3/22/06 at 9:32am
I'm going to have to disagree that Joanne would be "easy" to stunt cast. Joanne requires much more than one would think in the acting department.
They COULD stunt cast the role, but if the actress doesn't have the chops as an actress, it will fail.
In all honesty, if they want a name--I think Kathie Lee Gifford, who performed "Ladies Who Lunch" in PUTTING IT TOGETHER, would be a great choice.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#16
Posted: 3/22/06 at 9:34am
Easier.
And I think for the reasons you mentioned, it would end up being an actress with mediocre singing chops.
Stand-by Joined: 3/16/06
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#17
Posted: 3/22/06 at 9:54am
Variety adds to the mix:
"Inside Move: Cincy in good 'Company'
Sondheim tuner looks to B'way
By GORDON COX
Gotham legiters heading to Cincy will be in good "Company" in the coming
weeks.
They'll likely run into each other checking out the glowingly reviewed
production of Stephen Sondheim's 1970 tuner, now running at Playhouse in the
Park in Cincinnati, as a potential Broadway transfer.
Richard Frankel, Barry Weissler and John Breglio -- Sondheim's entertainment
lawyer, and the producer of the upcoming "A Chorus Line" revival -- are
among those who are going, or who have gone already, to take a look.
The "Company" production, which garnered strong support from local critics
as well as praise in the New York Times, is directed by Brit helmer John
Doyle. Doyle employs the same actors-doubling-as-orchestra approach he uses
in the current Rialto revival of another Sondheim musical, "Sweeney Todd,"
which garnered the best reviews of the Broadway season.
And the Doyle-Sondheim pairing has been good news so far for producers:
"Sweeney" just recouped its original $3.5 million capitalization after 19
weeks of steady bizbiz and has put tickets on sale through the end of the
year.
"We're going to be talking about 'Company' really seriously in the coming
weeks," said Frankel, who produced "Sweeney."
But will a second Doyle production of a Sondheim show, starring actors who
also play all the instruments, elicit a been-there-done-that shrug from the
Great White Way?
" 'Company' stands on its own," said Playhouse artistic director Edward
Stern. "I hope New York gets to see it. But it's not like I have a financial
investment to guarantee a move."
Breglio said that, despite the flurry of interest, it's too early to predict
a transfer. "Most of the usual suspects are coming out of the woodwork," he
said. "But we're not going to make any immediate decisions.""
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#18
Posted: 3/22/06 at 9:59amThis is the most boring show I have ever seen. No thanks.
Joined: 12/31/69
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#19
Posted: 3/22/06 at 10:20amFinancially, Sweeney Todd recouped relatively quickly for a current Broadway show. Being that Company uses the same cost-cutting measure as its concept, I wouldn't be surprised if that alone got this Company to broadway.
Understudy Joined: 5/15/03
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#20
Posted: 3/22/06 at 10:27amAlso please note that "Cabaret" had a revival in 1987 with Joel Grey (which was not the greatest production) then in 1998 we got it again. We all know what happened! Yes 10 years may seem too soon, but when a show has such an overhaul as "Cabaret" did and it seems that "Comany" has, I say bring it on.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#21
Posted: 3/22/06 at 10:41amNot gonna get my hopes up, but I would love to see this. So I would be thrilled if Broadway rolled out the welcome mat.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#22
Posted: 3/22/06 at 10:54amThis should absolutely be on Broadway. It was one of the best things I've ever seen. I would be incredibly sad to see the cast let go, though, as I thought they worked wonderfully as an ensemble.
Stand-by Joined: 1/17/06
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#23
Posted: 3/22/06 at 10:58am
I agree that moving this production to a Broadway stage would take away some of the magic and the intimate feeling that I so love about it.
It would be a shame to close this production after a month. More people should have the chance to see this!
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#24
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:05am
Noone loves Company more than me, and I LOVE Doyle's Sweeney, and am glad to have such a wonderful voice reinterpreting classics by my favorite composer, but I do think it is too soon for another revival of Company here in NY. I would much rather see A Little Night Music have a shot (tho poodleboy's right about Cabaret, of course.)
...and Reidel is a nasty little man, whose opinion means nothing to me.
"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation." PRS
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