Riedel: "Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007"

You 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.

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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

Well, 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.

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I 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.

This 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.

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

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.

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.

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.""

Financially, 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.

Not gonna get my hopes up, but I would love to see this. So I would be thrilled if Broadway rolled out the welcome mat.

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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!