Roundabout Revitalizes YANK!; Steggert, Santino et al. Lead Workshop in Feb.- Page 2

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 2/4/11 at 1:19pm

iluvtheatertrash, how did you like McKay?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 2/4/11 at 1:56pm

The cast of Threepenny was marvelous. The updated book by Shawn and the direction were just.... not working.

[Kad]

Posted: 2/4/11 at 2:07pm

"I know they workshopped SPRING AWAKENING, and they are producing PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE this season, but isn't their mission specifically for revivals?"

They've been expanding their reach into new works over the last few years. It's their primary focus of their off-Broadway house(s).

[round2]

Posted: 2/4/11 at 3:06pm

"I know very little about the changes, but from my understanding the show is VERY revised and much darker...Cromer wants the atmosphere to reflect the menace and danger of the war.

Cromer has a full, starry schedule this season, but YANK! is the show he is most excited by."

That's exactly the kind of buzz about this show that gets me excited - and that I'd hope to hear!

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 2/4/11 at 3:15pm

Great to hear that, iluvtheatertrash!

In casting McKay, I wonder if Cromer is experimenting with having a more "modern" sound for the score.

[divarobbie2]

Posted: 2/4/11 at 4:19pm

Somethingwicked, although DLC was up for Nancy's track in the 29 hour reading of Yank, Jennifer Laura Thompson ultimately did the reading while DLC did SEE ROCK CITY with the Transport Group. At that time, Nancy was in California. Nancy is currently in rehearsal for a musical in the DC area.

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 4:04pm

Adam Feldman of TIME OUT weighs in:


" Although I admired the show at the York Theater Company last year, I was skeptical that it could survive a rumored Broadway transfer. When director David Cromer became attached to the project, however, I started to see possibilities: His stunning, bone-clean work in OUR TIME, ADDING MACHINE and other projects suggests that he might be just the man to reshape the show as required. And Cromer's workshop cast shows him doing just that. Not only has he retained the two York cast members who seemed perfect in their roles to me—star Bobby Steggart and ensembler Tally Sessions—but he has shown exquisite and original taste in the rest of his choices as well. They include the riveting singer-songwriter Nellie McKay; the frisky Santino Fontana, currently charming the pants off the American Airlines Theatre in "The Importance of Being Earnest"; and, in comic gay roles, "Altar Boyz" standout Tyler Maynard and two of the city's best young camp comedians, Cole Escola and "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson"s Jeff Hiller, both of whom can make just about anything funny. Getting YANK! to Broadway may still be an uphill battle, but Cromer and the Roundabout are giving it a solid push."
Workshop talk: Hope for YANK!

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 4:51pm

Sooooooooooo upset that Nancy Anderson won't be in it... she was THE best part of the show... I said to my friend "OMG if this transfers she is going to win a TONY." .... so upset. I hope it's just a schedule conflict, and I hope she'll be back for the Broadway version.

Daniel was great, well... he was hot... maybe not great, but nice to look at.... I was of the camp that felt it was underproduced, the show was written as a big band musical with lots of tap and big band sound, yet it was set and produced like a "no set" play in a black box.... This show needs to be BIG, BIG, BIG.... and more nudity might help too ... lol. the book needs a bit of fixing too.... some random kid finds a diary in a book shop? not personal enough... don't know why they even need to frame the story like that? If they feel like they need to... then make it more personal... like nephew finds diary or something... I dunno.. it was weird.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 5:15pm

More nudity always helps, especially in a reading!
I hope this doesn't take 2 more years to develop.

[binau]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 5:19pm

I haven't seen the show, but I like the idea of someone randomly finding an 'old diary';...I mean that this is a 'lost story' that is rarely heard etc..., that just happens to be found by chance.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 5:31pm

Madonna- Who's Daniel?

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 8:08pm

I'm very excited by the prospect of Nellie McKay. She was BRILLIANT in Threepenny and understands pastiche better than nearly anyone.

Re: Cole. He appeared in a previous reading of the show in the ensemble. I'm not super -familiar with the show, but I don't believe he has a large part. And he is a brilliant comedic actor and presence.

[Sauja]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 10:08pm

I admit, it stung being referred to as a "nasty piece of work" by PalJoey, but looking back at what I wrote, my comments about Cole Escola were perhaps a bit over the top. Every once in awhile someone or something comes along that for whatever reason, I feel this irrationally intense dislike towards. Memphis comes to mind as something that I know is harmless but felt this incredible disdain for that was way out of proportion to the actual quality of the show. Cole Escola incites a similar reaction in me for some reason. I've only ever caught him in some shows at Joe's Pub--Our Hit Parade and the like. But each time I've encountered him, I turn all Mommie Dearest. So acknowledging that this is probably more me than him, I do find him unwatchable. But I'm not usually nasty, PalJoey--promise!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 12:23am

Repeating your unwarranted opinion not once but twice in that post did nothing to redeem your now-admitted over-the-top, irrational, disproportionate bitchiness.

If anything, that post painted you as an even nastier piece of work than the first one did.

Your irrational judgments obviously have more to do with your own psychological disarray than with Memphis or Cole Escola.

Learn impulse control.

[Act4ever]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 12:52am

JLT did in fact play the female roles. Cole Escola played a fabulous India.

[lucy5]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 9:35am

"But I do feel that some of the two-dimensionality you mention is attributable to the director and the production."

I think this is only true in the sense that the director didn't insist on major rewrites.

[newintown]

Posted: 2/8/11 at 4:31pm

I feel like a I just watched a Sunday School teacher have a hissy...

So remember, Sauja - your opinions are "unwarranted" (definition: not justified or authorized); you must always get your opinions authorized by Joey before expressing them. I believe this rule will be added to a growing list of rules for the board, the name of which will be changed to "PalJoeyWorld.com."

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 2/8/11 at 4:33pm

Sign me up! :)

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 2/8/11 at 4:40pm

I admired Sauja's reconsidering of his post--if not his opinion--about Cole Escola.

We all have those reactions sometimes. (I'll spare you having to hear about mine.)

But I truly think Cole is remarkably talented, and I hope we get a chance to see him in this. Updated On: 2/8/11 at 04:40 PM

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 2/8/11 at 5:22pm

This show just does not seem to be ripe for transfer. I wish it well, but none of the last season well received off-Broadway shows did well in transfer, BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON and SCOTTSBORO BOYS both had quick Broadway runs that lost a great deal of money. I'm sad to say I think this show may follow suit. However its a solid work that original and written with heart so i wish it well.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 2/8/11 at 11:29pm

I just can't imagine YANK! *without* Ivan Hernandez. He and Bobby Steggert did great work together. Ugh.

[Brick]

Posted: 6/14/11 at 9:08pm

Looks like Old Globe is the next stop. Real news is Weisslers are now attached. Looks like this has a very good shot at B'way.

"The Old Globe in San Diego is behind a fall workshop of the Broadway-aimed musical Yank!, about gay military personnel during World War II. Director David Cromer and the project's writers will explore the latest draft of the show Oct. 20-Nov. 20, according to an Equity casting notice.

Playbill.com has learned that commercial producers Fran and Barry Weissler ... are now also attached to the show's development. The fall workshop will be in New York City. The musical was seen in a fully produced (if spartan) York Theatre Company production Off-Broadway in spring 2010 and since then has gone through rewrites and gained a new director — the acclaimed Cromer (Off-Broadway's Adding Machine and Our Town, and Broadway's current The House of Blue Leaves).

There was also a February Manhattan reading of the show featuring the York run's star Bobby Steggert (a 2010 Tony Award nominee for Ragtime). No casting has been announced for the Old Globe workshop."
Playbill

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 6/14/11 at 9:31pm

^I'm trying to figure out where this workshop is going to play since both the theatres at the Old Globe have plays already scheduled for next season in the two theatre complexes. Can't imagine they'd do it outdoors on the Festival Stage which they use only in the summer. Calling tomorrow to find out more about this since it's not even listed on their website yet. Hoping it happens as I'd like to see it and hopefully with Bobby Steggert

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/15/11 at 12:21am

This is the David Cromer who took all the humor out of House of Blue Leaves?

The one who brought out the dark colors in Our Town?

Is he similarly planning on "darkening" Yank?

[xxdrewboy85xx]

Posted: 6/15/11 at 1:25am

^ Yes.