Shows that made changes during their run

I was watching a video the other afternoon about Broadway after 9/11. Nancy Opel and Brad Oscar were talking about how moments in their shows has to be changed given the circumstances; explosions were toned down in Springtime for Hitler, for example.

I got to thinking ... what other shows made changes to lyrics/lines throughout their run? Another I can think of is in The Book of Mormon the line referencing the president of the church of LDS was changed when the one originally mentioned died.

The original 1979 production of 'Sweeney Todd' dropped an entire song after recording it for the cast album. The older Judge Turpin sang a song called 'Johanna', about his attraction to his adopted daughter, while whipping himself with his shirt off. Audiences at the time weren't pleased, but it's been reinstated in later productions.

The Scarlet Pimpernel rather famously closed for two weeks about a year into its run at the Minskoff and reopened with new leads and a rearranged production. It ran about another six months before closing, going out on tour, and reopening the next fall at the Neil Simon in another rearranged production and another new set of leads.

The Lion King cut "The Morning Report" and I believe the arial ballet in "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" well into its run (I think it also cut down the "Chow Down" dance break at this time, but I don't remember for sure).

Tag said: "-Phantom changed the Masquerade choreo in 2016"

In addition, when Norm Lewis began his run, they took that opportunity to add in some of the new orchestrations from the Las Vegas production, as well as adding Raoul back in to Wandering Child.

THE FANTASTICKS changed the last line about the wall only a few weeks before it closed.

Updated On: 11/25/18 at 03:57 PM

Dollypop said: "THE FANTASTICKS changed the last line about the wall only a few weeks before it closed."

I think that change was made in 2014, about 3 years before the closing. (Unless the line was changed again in 2017?)

I always think it's interesting when a show makes major changes to accommodate a star. (And I don't mean cosmetic changes like key changes or different costumes.) In addition to some of the other things mentioned here...

– When Liza stepped into VictorVictoria, "Crazy World" was replaced with "Who Can I Tell." Also, when Liza went into Chicago, "I Am My Own Best Friend" was made a solo. I'm kind of surprised the current revival hasn't gone the solo route for some of the star Roxies.

– When Debbie Reynolds went into "Woman of the Year" the title song was re-written

– Merman's 2 added songs in DOLLY

This is also sort of a different situation and I could have the story wrong, but: When Alexis Smith got sick during FOLLIES, they would drop "Could I Leave You?" entirely at some performances.

Dollypop said: "THE FANTASTICKS changed the last line about the wall only a few weeks before it closed."

What was it changed to? It seems to be the same on the original and revival cast albums.

CATSNYrevival said: "Dollypop said: "THE FANTASTICKS changed the last line about the wall only a few weeks before it closed."

What was it changed to? It seems to be the same on the original and revival cast albums."

It was changed to;"No, leave the wall. It was never about the wall." Ed Watts was the El Gallo when the change was implimented and he never really understood understood why the change was made.

whatdoesntkillme said: "When did this change happen? I've always known the new one, but I first saw the show in 2005."

Not sure of the exact time frame when it happened but I know that it (and a lot of the other changes mentioned previously by Tag like the removal of the giant Witches hat being the show opener and a number of light design changes) were first done on the touring production and then the changes were put into action on Broadway. I have never actually seen the show with the NEW changes. I have only ever seen pictures and short clips and the last time I saw the show was Megan's second show as the full time Glinda so like May/June of 2005. Man I need to see it again. It's been too long.