Riedel: "Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007"- Page 2
Riedel: "Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007"
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#25
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:05am
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.
I think that this is a great point. Company, by way of its subject matter that most people can relate to, may actually be pretty popular with the tourists.
And I think that the worrying over getting producers who insist on badly recasting the show seems a little premature....somehow I highly doubt that Doyle (not to mention Sondheim) will let someone have the production who isn't going to do their work justice.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#26
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:12am
"And I think that the worrying over getting producers who insist on badly recasting the show seems a little premature....somehow I highly doubt that Doyle (not to mention Sondheim) will let someone have the production who isn't going to do their work justice."
Did you see the Boyd Gaines revival of Company? That was not very good.
"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation." PRS
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#27
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:13am
I bet they are going to keep most of the cast for the transfer = keep in mind the concept of the show makes replacing much more difficult.
I also think there is a fairly good possibility that COMPANY will come in just as SWEENEY closes; as such there wouldn't be as much direct comparison or competition between the two productions.
I'm excited.
If it does happen I think NYPHIL will scrap their concert version of COMPANY. The logical choice would be to do SUNDAY IN THE PARK instead, but since there is talk of the Meiner production crossing the pond, perhaps they won't do a Sondheim show at all.
Updated On: 3/22/06 at 11:13 AM
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#28
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:17am
Did you see the Boyd Gaines revival of Company? That was not very good.
Heh, I did hear about it, actually. But really, the only "stunt cast"able roles in this production of Company are Bobby and Joanne, and would they really kick out the fabulouly-reviewed Mr. Esparza? Everyone else must be able to play multiple instruments, and well. I agree with that they'll probably keep most of the cast.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#29
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:21am
If it transfers, HE HAS TO PLAY BOBBY.
The end.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#30
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:22amhttps://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=8408
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#31
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:24amYou don't "stunt cast" COMPANY. The only real star replacement I could forsee happening is Patti LuPone replacing Barbara Walsh for Broadway.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#32
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:28am
"Patti LuPone replacing Barbara Walsh for Broadway."
That made my heart skip a beat, MB 
I'm not sure any stunt casting would be necessary, and Bobby is not the role to stunt cast. He is the anchor, and it is not easy to be the straight man scene after scene. I'm not surprised Raul is fantastic. I love Boyd Gaines, but he was just not good.
I would expect Walsh to be replaced considering her reviews.
"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation." PRS
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#33
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:34am*EXCITED*
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#34
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:35amNice avatar.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#35
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:37am
Ya know Emcee, I don't usually find him overly attractive, but he's GORGEOUS as Bobby.
Speaking of Raul playing Bobby.....hmmm....do I smell a Tony? 
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#36
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:40am
He's drop dead gorgeous and then some. ESPECIALLY as Bobby, because he can up the seduction. And he looks really f*cking good in a designer suit. I mean, I wouldn't kick him off of my grand piano.
OMG OMG OMG TONY. I would throw a party, I swear.
BroadwayWorld.com, say hello to my inner fangirl.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#37
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:42amWhere did you get that picture? Where? I want it!
Leading Actor Joined: 1/25/06
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#38
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:43amI think it would be wonderful to have this show back on Broadway in new form. Raul Esparza would bring new light to the role as well as the other actors that were cast. It would be so awesome to possibly and hopefully have two Sondheim shows running at the same time. Raul would definitely have a chance at that Tony if it came around to transfer to Broadway. That man is a genius if I've ever seen one.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#39
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:43am
em, wow. You're becoming something ugly.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#40
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:45amSG, there are more pictures on his website, too!! But but but, I'm EXCITED! I mean, said party will be like, me and... my television, but still.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#41
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:48amYou're a crazy freak. But I will admit to screaming like a madwoman when something good happened to me one time involving Sondheim, so I am not one to judge at this point in my life.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#42
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:50am
Total pyscho.
Here. (Photos from RaulEsparza.com by way of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park -- credit where it's due.)
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#43
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:52am
Em, your Raul excitement is thrillingly contagious. Rauly is THE MAN and he's been rockin' Broadway for long enough that it's time he get his starring role (and get that freakin' Tony).
And he's stunning. *sigh*
-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#44
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:53am
With all respect to the artistry of Mr. Doyle, you should expect to see more of Mr. Doyle's productions on Broadway because they are much cheaper to stage than a traditional musical. When you do away with the orchestra and have actors-musicians, you save MILLIONS of dollars.
Over the last 10 years, orchestra sizes have gotten smaller and smaller on Broadway. Revivals are now done with reduced orchestrations and shows like Urinetown and Spelling Bee only have 4-5 instruments.
Now that Broadway producers have discovered Mr. Doyle, they can help their bottom line by having productions that eliminate the orchestra all together and allow them to recoup their money relatively quickly (19 weeks I believe for Sweeney Todd-- Normally it takes over a year to recoup an average musical on Broadway).
After Company comes to Broadway, get ready for Mr. Doyle's UK version of "Mack and Mabel" or maybe they will ask him to direct "A Little Night Music".
With all respect to Mr. Doyle's artistry, nobody else on this board seems to decry the decline of the Broadway orchestra. Having seen shows like "Sweeney Todd", "A Little Night Music", "The Most Happy Fella", and "On the 20th Century" with the original full orchestration I find it very hard to see them any other way.
Am I the only one who misses the large Broadway orchestra?
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#45
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:55am
hahaha. Thanks, I think! I saw a friend yesterday who is a big Raul fan and a Sondheim fanatic, and I must've said "Raul's SUCH A F*CKING GENIUS!" like 8 times. 
If this could get him a Tony, even though I think the show will lose something in the transfer process, I will fully support the move.
..... I have yet again completely lost it to regression.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#46
Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:55am
BroadwayBaby6, the large Broadway orchestra isn't going anywhere. This just adds more variety to the productions we have on Broadway. Not every show can be the same (otherwise it would be pretty boring, no?).
-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#47
Posted: 3/22/06 at 12:05pmI think it's a little bit premature to assume this is some sort of orchestra-killing trend on Broadway. And I also don't think this type of direction is comparable to a show like Urinetown or Spelling Bee whose orchestrations don't require full-orchestras by virtue of the musical style -- nor are either comparable to the "disapperance" of the Broadway orchestra that would come about by, say, using canned music.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#48
Posted: 3/22/06 at 12:17pm
I think it's nice to have something different on Broadway and to have real performers onstage.
I went to see Company on a day when there was a "Meet the Artists" discussion after the show. One of the actors (the tall, blonde guy who played Peter?) said that after doing this, meaning playing the instruments, singing, acting, anything else was going to seem boring.
I don't think any of the actors will be complaining about this new, exciting trend, so neither should we. I doubt anyone is going to say that a full orchestra will become obsolete. Right now, it's just fun to see what performers are truly capable of.
re: Riedel: Expect Company to open on Broadway 2006-2007#49
Posted: 3/22/06 at 12:18pmWell, aren't there orchestra minimums based on the theatre a production is booked into? If so, that's going to impact where the shows can go and how many of them can be running at once.
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