Posted: 8/9/15 at 10:02am
This is so exciting!!!! Billy Porter was really the best thing about kinky boots (which wasn't my favorite show) so I'm excited to see him in this!!
Updated On: 8/9/15 at 10:02 AM
Posted: 8/9/15 at 10:04am
So is Shuffle Along going to be considered a revival?
Posted: 8/9/15 at 10:09am
I wondered about that too. The previous descriptions just said it was a musical with the score of the original show but was actually about the making of it. Now this description says its BOTH the original musical plus additional details about how it was made. I'll be curious to see how it works out.
It says a new book so does that mean new musical? I'm not sure how this works.
Updated On: 8/9/15 at 10:09 AM
Posted: 8/9/15 at 10:38am
Curious to see what categories they'll all be in for Tonys. If they are all featured this will be a crazy crowded year in that category.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 10:57am
It will be considered a NEW musical. It's not "Shuffle Along". Its "The Making Of Shuffle Along.........." I can't remember the entire title.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 11:09am
The full title is "Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed."
Posted: 8/9/15 at 11:19am
The last show that had this impressive a cast and crew was...A Woman on the Verge, which I thought was awful (probably exacerbated because I was so disappointed)so you never know.
That said, I cannot wait to order tickets for this one. i would even order full price in advance.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 11:44am
"It will be considered a NEW musical. It's not "Shuffle Along". Its "The Making Of Shuffle Along.........." I can't remember the entire title."
I just find it curious that the original descriptions just described it as a musical about the making of the musical. Now this new article says it "presents both the 1921 musical itself, and additionally details the events that catalyzed the songwriting team of Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, and librettists F.E. Miller and Aubrey Lyles to create this ground-breaking work."
so the new description suggests that it actually is shuffle along but with some additions.
I'm not saying it won't be a new musical. I'm just interested that now they say they actually are presenting the musical itself but also adding to it.
A bit of an odd concept to me but I don't care--it's still on my must see list for spring. I'll be interested to see how it plays out.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 11:50am
This is by far and away my most anticipated show of the season.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 11:55am
It is possible that Mr. Rudin, always angling to rack up Tonys, is re-positioning this to be a revival. Why would he do that?
Posted: 8/9/15 at 12:08pm
Two words describe this cast for me:
Oh.My.
Billy Porter and Audra were nice news, but Brian Stokes Mitchell AND Joshua Henry? This just became an excellent afternoon.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 12:25pm
If they're contextualizing parts of the actual show with new material about its creation, I can't imagine a world where they get away with ruling it a revival. That framework changes the entire scope of the piece.
That said, with this team, this is already a can't-miss event.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 12:47pm
Wow, incredible cast. This Broadway season is exciting me more and more. A few days ago there was a thread about "who do you want to return to Broadway?" and one of the people I said was Brian Stokes Mitchell. Looks like I got part of my wish!
Posted: 8/9/15 at 1:11pm
Posted: 8/9/15 at 2:06pm
And considering its a brand new book by George C. Wolfe. I don't see how this constitutes as a revival.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 2:25pm
In the Broadway.com article it says "the show which bills itself as a revival".
Posted: 8/9/15 at 2:28pm
Scott Rudin may want to position the show that way to avoid competition with HAMILTON, but based on how it's been described, they'll never get away with it.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 2:31pm
Many revivals come in with new books.
However if the Gershwin rehashes can be deemed new musicals I don't see why this wouldn't be.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 4:19pm
Without knowing anything about the original SHUFFLE ALONG or this new production, only going by what's written, I can see how they might actually succeed in getting to be a Revival.
As Mr. Nowack points out, a new book is usually allowed for a Revival. Significant alterations to CABARET, YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN and PORGY AND BESS (among others) didn't stop them. CANDIDE and ANYTHING GOES, shows that have had multiple different iterations, also have been nominated as Revivals.
However, those also maintained a fidelity to being identified as the same show, just with alterations. ONE MAN TWO GUV'NORS petitioned and failed to be a Revival, which was much more questionable since the material was all-new and only based on THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS.
The thing that seems in debate here is how much of this is the original material of SHUFFLE ALONG, and how much of is the story of the original production. The title and original description surely seemed to indicate something new. But what if the majority of the text is the original material? Is there anything in the bylaws akin to the Original Score rule about 51% of the content must be original to qualify?
Posted: 8/9/15 at 4:24pm
Also, to stay on topic: good grief that casting is loaded with talent!
Posted: 8/9/15 at 5:04pm
This is giving me Nine Revival vibes. STELLAR cast.. but it won't last long on broadway. I feel like Spring Awakening, The Color Purple, and Hamilton are taking ALL the audience from all the upcoming shows after/near them.
Posted: 8/9/15 at 9:38pm
With the Hamilton men and now Stokes, Porter, Henry and Dixon, could the Featured Actor in a Musical category potentially be 100% black?
