Schele Williams-directed AIDA Revival - News & Discussion Thread

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 2:48pm

Director Schele Williams' reimagined take on Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida has set a world premiere engagement in the Netherlands, with performances beginning April 23, 2023 at AFAS Circustheater in Scheveningen. It is produced by Disney Theatrical. Gaia Aikman, Naidjim Severina, and April Darby will lead the cast as Aida, Radames, and Amneris, respectively.

Williams' production was originally announced to play New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse before embarking on a U.S. tour and an engagement in Germany. But those plans were postponed due to the spread of COVID-19 and the accompanying shutdown of most live theatre. The new version will leave the score and the original plot intact. As for tone, Williams, who played Nehebka in the work's original Broadway production, has given the musical "a contemporary feel without compromising its original quality." 

More details: https://playbill.com/article/schele-williams-reimagined-take-on-disneys-aida-to-world-premiere-in-the-netherlands

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 3:50pm

I'll be in Europe all of next Spring, so I might actually get to see this... 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 1/16/23 at 9:38am

According to this piece, Schele Williams did some research on the rle of women in Ancient Egypt, they are changing the role of Aida's father Amonasro will become Kandake (the warrior queen of Nubia).

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Joanne-Telesford-Qshans-Thode-Robin-van-den-Akker-Join-World-Premiere-of-Re-Imagined-AIDA-in-the-Netherlands-20230116

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/16/23 at 3:35pm

Word is this will be on Papermill's schedule for next season. Probably their June show which will be done as a pre-Broadway tryout.

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 1/16/23 at 4:17pm

I saw Aida many times. Schele’s Aida was amazing. 
I can’t wait for this revival 

[Funhouse2]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 2:56pm

The Schele Williams-directed, reworked production of Aida has now opened in the Netherlands

 

First reviews seem to be generally positive, with reviewers praising the reworked book, updated characterisations, choreography, and especially Gaia Aikman's portrayal of Aida. Some reviews do point out that the sets are pretty minimal (though effective), and I've seen some criticisms of the new opening scenes and  opening numbers.

Updated On: 4/24/23 at 02:56 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 3:07pm

Hard to get a good sense of the show from those clips but that design is...interesting.

Is an overuse of haze the latest problem in theatre? Obviously there are good uses for it, but stages being fully consumed by haze to aide the lighting is starting to feel like a copout.

[A.J.]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 3:18pm

I wonder when they’re going to start integrating some scenery into the show. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 3:23pm

Looks very scaled down.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 3:25pm

This looks like a bus and truck tour.

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 3:28pm

I was hoping for more or something different from Schele with all the hype. This looks like the same copy of the original with no spark this time and different costumes. Is that a flute during Strongest Suit? It’s horrible. Oh well 
 

 

Updated On: 4/24/23 at 03:28 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 3:37pm

ACL2006 said: "Looks very scaled down."

I understand we’re in tough financial times, but this is Disney and this looks like the current legally blonde tour.

Could this be another scenario of Thomas Schumacher over reaching or was this purely Schele Williams vision?

I’ve also had qualms about Williams involvement from the get go: 

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1120165#5194287

Updated On: 4/24/23 at 03:37 PM

[DrewJoseph]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 7:05pm

Word of mouth here is pretty bad and its not selling well at all with many discounts being available already. Ill be seeing it tomorrow and share some thoughts here.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 7:23pm

If this is what The Wiz revival is going to be like…pass. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 7:24pm

Hard to get a good sense of the show from those clips but that design is...interesting.

Is an overuse of haze the latest problem in theatre? Obviously there are good uses for it, but stages being fully consumed by haze to aide the lighting is starting to feel like a copout.

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 4/24/23 at 11:08pm

This show worked in part because it had superb production value.  So many showstopping set pieces and great lighting.

I don't want to see a scaled-down Aida.  Nope.

If they bring it back, it needs to be equally as over-the-top.

[HBP]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 9:46am

Oof, that set. I hope they’re bringing in an entirely new design team if they’re still eyeing Broadway. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 11:15am

According to this press release from October, Bob Crowley and Natasha Katz repeated their design duties from the original production?!

choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie, sets and costumes from designer Bob Crowley, lighting by Natasha Katz and sound from Tony Gayle. The music team is led by Musical Supervisor Clement Ishmael, with vocal and co-incidental music arrangements from Michael McElroy, orchestrations from Jim Abbott, and dance arrangements and co-incidental music arrangement courtesy of Zane Mark.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 1:37pm

If this is what they were planning on bringing to Broadway...maybe let's not? Aida needs to be big. 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 4/25/23 at 5:23pm

Honestly, just recreate the Bob Crowley designs. 

[Seb28]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 8:19am

The new version of Aida just premiered in the Netherlands. I have watched the show and like to share some opinions. I believe this version will be the new blueprint for all upcoming versions worldwide, including Broadway and London. It is very much hyped by the creators.

I have loved the music for many years and I have seen the Broadway, German and Dutch production of the original version, 20 years ago.

They have made a lot of changes. Not only in casting (whole black cast, which isn’t historically accurate at all), but also in the music, the story, the staging, the sets, the dancing, basically everything has changed.

The show opens not with music, but with a very long, dry, acted scene of a fight between 2 armies, with Radames in the army on the left, and then Aida walks on from the right in a costume that looks like a knight’s amor, with iron pieces, and she talks, fights, acts like a man and whips Radames’ ass and makes cool jokes in the process. Lines like “say that to your mum, will you”, right after a kick in the gut. Suddenly out of nowhere, in the middle of the fight, they start a conversation about their dreams and the armies walk away, and they walk to front center stage, so within 30 seconds they are in a friendly conversation. From fight to a conversation about “and what do you feel, what are your dreams” in the blink of an eye, really coming out of nowhere. This sudden, dry, strange shift left the audience confused.

So we are 10 minutes into the show now, and haven’t heard any music yet, only some incoherent african drumming during the fight. Suddenly they sing 3 lines acapella/drums only accompaniment. Lines which are part of the song “Enchantment passing through”. Lines like “If I could leave this place then I’d go sailing”. But the song doesn’t pick up and just fades away after 3 lines. Into nothing. Everybody thought that finally a song would start, but nothing. They walk away in silence. At this point it is starting to feel like a low budget primary school musical.

So basically the 2 opening songs, “Every story” and “Fortune favors the brave”, which are Amneris’ and Radames’ powerful introductions, are completely deleted from the show. 

Then Aida walks on again and sings “The past is another land”. The lady who played Aida has a wonderful talent, both in singing and acting, so this was a beautiful moment. But there wasn’t any set, introduction, backstory, no scene with Radames before the song where she washes his back and explains her story, no argument between the 2, those scenes are all deleted too, so she basically sings the song after she just met a man in a fight and a nice but short conversation after that. Which makes us wonder what the song is about. It’s not like she’s being treated poorly in any way.

So basically, Aida is in power at all times, there are no scenes anymore where she is of a serving nature. Which is odd, she is described as a slave but all these scenes are removed and now she acts like she is Radames’ master/equal warrior who is on top at all times. She actually belittles him at several points in the show. We also have no idea what her past is now, because the scene where she explains that is also removed. Maybe she doesn’t want to be in love and longs for the time before that?

The next scene is “How I know you” between Mereb and Aida, which is basically the same as in the previous version, but confusing, because now we must suddenly believe she is a slave. They also make up a new name for Aida, “eriondella” or something of that nature, so he can call her that without people finding out she is Aida. Now she is brought in to Amneris’ “residence”, which is just an empty stage with a big, black curtain. No set anymore. The swimming pool is gone. Some of the other serving maids have props, like a chair or a scarf. This is the introduction of Amneris. She is not a funny character any longer, but as explained in interviews “based on Michelle Obama”, a strong, independent, smart woman. Aida comes in and of course is on top of the situation again and she changes Amneris’ dress and gives her tips and she is immediately promoted to be her main maid. The dress was supposed to look funny (pink and very round) but nothing else was actually funny so the scene fell a bit flat. Then Aida walks off and Amneris sings “My strongest suit”. The song and lyrics do not fit the portrayal of the character at all anymore. Also, they changed the whole arrangement. It doesn’t flow anymore, it felt like they changed it just because they wanted to change it. The far fetched rhythm gave me cardiac arrhythmia. The song and scene were very annoying to me. Especially the instrumental part where the “fashion show” takes place. It really sounded terrible. The actress is a good singer though, she deserved a better version of the song. The scene of her wanting Radames to come to her sleeping quarters is also cut. So there is no attraction between them whatsoever. No sign of her wanting him at all. It's like female characters are no longer allowed to say they want a man. Male roles must only serve female roles nowadays.

The next scene is the song “Build another pyramid” between Zoser and his son Radames. The actor playing Zoser sang above the note the whole time and this was a weird scene. The song suddenly had a drum dance break in the middle with an unpleasant rhythm and out of nowhere Radames started doing a dance/twerk break in the middle of the conversation with his father. Why? At this point I couldn’t take the character of Radames seriously anymore. They have reduced him to a submissive laughing stock.

Then, out of nowhere the song “enchantment passing through” starts. The actual conversation between Radames and Aida, and the actual proper timing for these words. This time they actually do finish the song and the words make a bit more sense now. Then there’s “my strongest suit reprise”, which was a beautiful little moment.

Then the “Dance of the robe” scene started, no set anymore, and 10 minutes of noise, african drums, unnecessary dance breaks, count changes, everything clearly had to be changed, at this point I was starting to mourn that I actually paid money to see this. And then at the very end, really coming out of nowhere, in the middle of an added break-dance break, Aida starts the line “with no expectations”. Unfortunately the beautiful leading into that melody is no longer there. But those last 30 seconds were done very well. She and the ensemble sounded great, she did the last high note beautifully and with passion. And suddenly, after 45 minutes, the audience woke up. The (original) ending of that song gave everyone chills. This is what the show could be and should be like. Cheering applause.

After that there was a new scene with ensemble ladies and Aida sitting on stage doing some traditional hymnes acapella. Reasonably beautiful, but unnecessary, but after the bombastic previous moment and just waking up it was a welcome moment.

Then the song “Not me” started. Since everything had to change, this has suddenly become a solo for Radames now. Amneris' and Aida’s parts are completely cut. I was actually wondering where Amneris is at this point. Because this is the song where she usually starts to doubt Radames’ feelings. But perhaps because the romance between Amneris and Radames isn’t shown anyway, they felt they needn’t to show the doubt either? The show really does a poor job in making the romances believable, we as the audience have no idea what the 3 of them actually want from each other and why they are together.

So because Radames is now gullible, naive and submissive, they used the song “Not me” as a solo for him to run around in the streets, and gives all kinds of pots and pans and his possessions to people in the streets. He is not in any way involved in what both ladies want. And by no means an army captain. His singing wasn’t the strongest either.

Then the song “Elaborate Lives” started. The duet between Radames and Aida. But as this show is all about what Aida wants, it is no longer Radames’ song with Aida joining at the end, but this time it’s Aida’s song, what she wants, with him just joining at the end. It made sense, because with the way this new Radames is, it wouldn’t fit for him to make a statement like this. And it wouldn’t make sense for Aida to listen to a man for 2 minutes. But this song was beautiful. It actually was the best live version of this song that I have heard. Little tweaks in the arrangement and it gave me goosebumps. Also because of the way she sang it. This was the 2nd moment in the show that I enjoyed. 

Then act 1 ended with “The Gods love Nubia”. They really butchered this song. All the beautiful chords were removed, it was made lower so they could add a strange modulation with dry drums and a beat, it sounded like an acoustic jam session in a local pub. Some parts had no accompaniment at all, except an african drum on a weird r&b beat. And then, the last 20 seconds were back to the original and the whole ensemble sang that little part (without interruptions in far fetched rhythms and counting), and miraculously, at the very end, goosebumps again. So that was the 3rd moment I enjoyed. Intermission. 


I was very confused at intermission and when I spoke to people who have never seen the show before they said that the first 50 minutes were dragging, boring and confusing too.

Maybe I would have left at intermission if it wasn’t for those 3 little beautiful moments.

The second act started.

Again, not opening with a song, but with a dragging, boring acted scene without music. Radames suddenly calls her “Aida”, I think they just forgot to add the scene where he actually finds out that she is Aida. Very weird. The scene is with Amneris, Zoser, Radames and a bunch of ensemble people in what looks like a conference room/court. But it was hard to tell because it was just an empty stage with a curtain. They decide to kidnap Aida’s mother.

Then the song “A step too far” starts. Black staging with 3 spots, which looked and sounded terrific, they added extra music at the end of the song, so the 3 part harmony is now extended. Not necessary, not bad either. I kind of enjoyed it. The 2nd act should have started with this song.

Then there is a very messy couple of scenes with the letter to aida, another cut song, Radames doesn’t sing the letter out loud anymore, and Aida visits her mother in her cell, and her mother is angry with Aida (very poorly acted scene) for having an affair with the enemy. Then there is a fight between Aida and Radames on an empty stage where she scolds and belittles him with lines like “Why were you just standing there like a fruit”, “you weak softy”, etc. And then Radames walks off and says: Don’t worry Aida, I will save your mother”.

Then Aida sings “Easy as life”. We are not sure what is easy or what she is up to, the song is about her having to let him go, but in the scene before she sent him away anyway. Wonderfully sung though. Very well acted. Another goosebumps moment.

Then the song “Like father, like son” started. Again, off key. Annoying and unnecessary dance breaks. Then Mereb and Aida come on and Mereb stabs Zoser and he dies, and this whole scene seems to come straight out of a primary school play. All without music, but with a lot of moaning and sounds, made by the actors. People were rolling with their eyes. So at this point all characters are mad at each other.

Then there was another moment with hymnes, acapella. Unnecessary but more soothing than the 2 scenes before.

The following 3 songs: How I know you reprise, Written in the Stars and I know the truth” were basically the same as the previous version, musicality and staging-wise. I especially enjoyed “I know the truth”. She sung it very loudly (which I normally do not like), she added a lot of stuff and high notes. But she did it very well and it was impressive. It became a show-stopping number. Goosebumps. Big applause from everyone.

Then there is the ceremonial scene with the death sentence. We don’t know when Amneris actually spoke to Radames in the entire show, we don’t know what’s going on with the mother, one moment Radames and Aida are in a fight, the next moment they sing a love song, so much has changed and shifted that the whole story and character-arcs are butchered. 

They are sentenced to death, buried together, which is beautifully done with a sort of hour glass projection. They sing an acapella version of Elaborate lives, but they do a line each, taking turns per line. And then they are suddenly in the present time with modern clothes, but without music again.

I think I enjoyed the 2nd act a little more. But I was still very confused afterwards. I think the show has a very, very bad director and that the production should get its priorities straight. In the program booklet there are several people hired such as: Ethnic profilation coach. But what is actually the point if the show is not good? I think that A LOT needs to be changed in order to put this on Broadway or West End.

Has anyone else seen it?

[ACL2006]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 8:32am

Sounds like a hot mess. How could Williams even consider deleting the entire opening number? Hopefully this gets reworked before it plans to arrive in the US. 

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 9:33am

I’m in shock reading this ….

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 9:36am

Oof this is rough. Let’s stop pretending that Aida isn’t camp, why try to hide that? Can’t believe she is getting such high profile work. 

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 5/2/23 at 11:22am

This sounds like a total book rewrite that didn't get a total overhaul of the score to go with it. People whisper about this, but I'm not going to mince words here: Elton John writes a score once. After that, the lyricist can play with the words, they can try to shift things here and there with the book and build them around the score, but he writes his theater scores like he writes his pop songs -- the man doesn't look back once he has finished a melody. The rest is your problem. This is amply illustrated, funnily enough, with Aida, viewing its song lists from rehearsals at the Alliance in Atlanta to the final Broadway version; he'll throw you a song here and there, but you don't get massive reworking like a typical theater composer.

Based on what's described, to the extent it's accurate, it sounds like Schele is going for a tonal shift that -- in a typical situation -- would lead to maybe some new songs or more substantial changes than just lyrical to the existing ones, but her hands are tied by Elton considering it done after Draft 1, so she's just trying to do the best she can with the score she has, and the creative team (including orchestrators or arrangers) is doing their best to deliver what she wants with what they have, which is unfortunately not much.

Updated On: 5/2/23 at 11:22 AM