Smile

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 11:14pm

Why did this fail?

I've been listening to the score over the past few days, and think it's actually quite good. The lyrics are witty, the story is a pretty "Broadway" story. I mean, I understand it might not have been a "megahit", but to run for such a short time is certainly shocking.

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 11:25pm

They talk about it on the two disc of Little Mermaid how Howard Ashman kept having to change things and cut things so that by the time it came out, it wasn't the show he wanted and he wore so many creative hats that he had to answer to a lot of people so I guess it affected him and how he changed the show..

[retrogirl44]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 11:25pm

I saw this and loved it..i have no idea why it failed, except that it was supposed to be highly satirical, and perhaps was not perceived by the general public to be so. Watch the movie, which was, and IS hilarious. Expertly directed IMHO> And what ever happened to Marsha Waterbury, who was in this?? Anyone?

[sondhead]

Posted: 7/26/07 at 12:09am

It's interesting.. many of the changes made for the licensed version were written for Broadway production but were cut or changed. This mostly refers to small lyric changes. They have the Broadway rehearsal script at Lincoln Center and you can actually see where they're crossed out.

However, he (Ashman) did much more to it than just lyric changes. He fixed a not-so-great opening and also re-wrote the orientation song to revolve more around Brenda, part of an overall shift in his book revision to bring the show to more of an ensemble cast. The Broadway version really was the Robin show, and while she is the focus of the story the lack of time given to other important sub-plots made their stories seem stupid or unsupported which in turn made Robin's realization at the end less.

The licensed version is a much stronger version and had it played Broadway I think it would have enjoyed a humble success. It's a fantastic show. Just remember that what you're listening to (in that demo) is not what played Broadway--its the revised version.

Everyone should go to Lincoln Center and watch the archive of the Broadway version. It's fantastic!

AND I'm obsessed with Marsha Waterbury. She was an Ellen Greene follower in the 70s/80s. She was Audrey in Little Shop for many years Off-Broadway and also did the Japanese Tour of it. She's in the Lincoln Center archive of the Off-Broadway Little Shop. She also replaced Lucie Arnaz in They're Playing Our Song along with Victor Garber. I believe she headed up that tour as well, which was a role Ellen Greene played a lot too.

The last things I know of her doing are Mamma Mia on Broadway (original cast, ensemble), the Molina Fiddler (ensemble, one of the topsy-turvy girls) and Menopause the Musical in Vegas I believe. She is a phenomenal talent with a power belt style that most regrettably has left Broadway. Why she never became a huge star is beyond me. She also needs to be Velma VonTussle TOMORROW.

Her performance in the archived Smile is also beyond fantastic. Perfect perfect perfect.
Updated On: 7/26/07 at 12:09 AM

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 7/26/07 at 12:20am

I feel so bad for Howard. His life just seemed to be filled with such bitterness and resentment for so many different enterprises. I know Alan Menken spoke recently that Howard did not die at peace with himself, and I just feel so bad for him. Howard was truly one of the most talented people to work in theatre in the 20th century, and it is such an imense pity he died so young.

[retrogirl44]

Posted: 7/26/07 at 1:35am

thanks for that wonderful info...and to the OP...now i'm going to add it to my netflix. Haven't watched this in years. I remember though, the small but fabulous part of the choreographer, expertly cast and played by Michael Kidd! I always felt that these 70's sharp satires were never fully appreciated. I have to admit that those were my college years, and I still love that genre. With the right cast (and perfection is difficult these days), SMILE is ripe for a revival, yet satire is very difficult to direct and perform. It might be successful Off Bway...just a thought..

Posted: 7/26/07 at 2:16am

I think as others have implied, he shouldn't have directed it. That seems a part of the mistake.

New York TImes has a 90s review of a revisal apparantly based on Ashman's notes that they thought in some wasy was not an improvement--thoughit had some added things liek cell phones which I think were post Ashman.

E