Broadway Legend Joined: 5/29/07
Seriously, which productions over the last few years do you feel should have been or should be filmed for preservation?
My first pick would have to be the recent revival of Ragtime. Anyone who saw this show and experienced the emotional roller coaster that's perfectly created by the blending of the material with the flawless direction of Marica Milgrom Dodge would certainly agree: this production was one for the ages. A perfect pick for Great Performances, sad they missed the chance...
Other choices:
Sunday in the Park with George (200
Next to Normal (OBC)
Gypsy (200
Title of Show
Sweeney Todd (2006)
A Little Night Music (2010, with Bernadette and Elaine)
Beauty and the Beast (OBC)
Once on This Island
The Secret Garden
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
American Idiot (IMHO a perfect choice for an MTV airing)
Hair (2009)
Urinetown (OBC)
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (OBC)
Your picks?
Which shows? EVERY SINGLE ONE EVER STAGED :)
Well luckily people do film a lot of them, including every one of those you mentioned.
Are shows still filmed and preserved at the library in NYC?
Yep they are. In all of their restrictive glory.
Speaking of shows that were not filmed in the manner Jordan is speaking of...Twelfth Night in the park last summer should have been filmed. It's gotta be my favorite Shakespeare in the Park production to date, and poof, it's gone. (Wish they could have worked out a Broadway transfer for it as well...)
Alas, the Lincoln Center Archive does not film everything. They give off-broadway and smaller Broadway shows short shrift.
They didn't even film CAROLINE, OR CHANGE.
Agh- I found this out this past summer. I was dying to see ENRON and didn't get around to it before it shuttered, and so called up the Lincoln Center library to see it... they didn't record it in time!! AGH. AGH. AGH. Especially frustrating since I'd written 4 papers on Enron in the past year and was looking forward to seeing the play. It's lost to time now I suppose...
Borstal, ironically they did film CAROLINE but they did it off Broadway.
Well, aside from the Lincoln Center recordings that exist of both, I wish LuPone Gypsy and Grey Gardens would have been filmed for commercial release.
Next to Normal OBC was recorded for Lincoln Center, I was at the performance they recorded.
Speaking of the Licoln Center archival videos, does anyone know if they have a list of what they've recorded online? Or do you have to call them and ask for a certain show? Also, what's the process in obtaining a recording? Sorry for all the questions btw. :P
You don't "obtain" them. You make a reservation and go and view them there on little video screens with headphones. AND you have to have a reason to view them, not just for your whim and pleasure. (Although when I went there they didn't check my "reason.")
1974 revival of Gypsy
and
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
Also, American Idiot :P
Swing Joined: 5/11/03
Anything directed by Bob Fosse...apparently none of his shows were recorded for Lincoln Center.
thesixtyfirstpupil, the process is pretty easy and all you really need to do is have a picture ID and go down there. A lot more information on the Lincoln Center Archives can be found in this thread:
TOFT
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
"Speaking of the Licoln Center archival videos, does anyone know if they have a list of what they've recorded online?"
Yes. Go to the NY Public Library's website and search for a show in the online catalog.
"They didn't even film CAROLINE, OR CHANGE."
Yes, they did. Off-Broadway.
Location Call No. Status Message
Performing Arts Research Collections - TOFT NCOV 2825 Videocassette 1 CHECK W/STAFF RESTRICTED USE
Performing Arts Research Collections - TOFT NCOV 2825 Videocassette 2 CHECK W/STAFF RESTRICTED USE
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
"Next to Normal OBC was recorded for Lincoln Center, I was at the performance they recorded."
Yup. It's on DVD and available to "Qualified Researchers." TOFT also has many of the Live from Lincoln Center recordings. Those aren't restricted, as far as I can tell.
I will always lament the fact that the LuPone Gypsy never got filmed.
Swing Joined: 2/21/11
That's just it. These shows were supposed to be made for our whim and pleasure. These restrictions are so old and tired. I don't see the point in preserving shows if only a select few can watch them.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
You can thank a theatre company in Florida for the restrictions. Apparently they were staging "Love! Valour! Compassion!" and their director viewed the video an insane amount of times, and then recreated Mantello's staging (was it Mantello? That's what I seem to recall) without crediting Mantello.
I completely agree about N2N, ALNM, and American Idiot. I wish In the Heights was recorded, too.
Yeah, IN THE HEIGHTS not being professionally recorded will go down as one of the biggest theatrical travesties ever. Right up there with the original NIGHT MUSIC.
I suggest
Boy From Oz
Papa - One man show about Hemingway with Len Cariou
Say Goodnight Gracie - One man show with Frank Gorshin.
Lupones Gypsy
Latest revival of ALNM
SAY GOODNIGHT GRACIE was a fantastic show. I really did adore that. I'm not saying I might listen to it tonight now, but I think I might.
Videos