Sondheim Songs cut *during previews* — Page 2

"Boom Crunch" was in early previews of Into the Woods on Broadway and was replaced during previews by "Last Midnight".

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Yeah the crappy liner notes for the new ITW are misleading--while I think those tracks were re-recorded for the 90s demo or whatever--all three are workshop tracks

E

Silly People was cut in previews, but Bang! and My Husband The Pig were cut right before rehearsals. I got the info form the Secrest biography.

For the record, both "Bang" and "My Husband The Pig" appear on the Putting It Together DVD.

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There is a CD entitled " Unsung Sondheim" and a lot of cut songs appear on compilation albums.

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Usually it's just flagellation with the Judge's Johanna...wow. I saw a production were when he did it they put a light on him but it looked like the light was coming in through a stain glass window, like in church. It's was in red's and stuff and he kept hitting hismelf with a whip while holding the bible...

Eric, I feel like such a bad Sondheim fan, but what song replaced "Bang!"? I love "Bang!" "Two Fairy Tales" and "Silly People," I think my favorite Sondheim cut songs come from A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC.

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It was--that's why I was certain Bang made it to previews because I read they changed the song when they needed a better song to change scnees during (Praise of Women somehow gave them that--it changes scenes about midway thru with the dialogue bit with Charlotte).

I adore SIlly people and am so pleased we have a recording of it with the original orchestrations and performer but I hate to say I think cutting it was wise. Miller's Son fills the needs more than adequately--is a better song for the "11 O'clock" position (I think Silly people may be just too demanding for mainstream audiences so late in the show) and its more upbeat "message" prob suits the show better too (from a commercial standpoint)

Oh, Rockabye, you just keep on rocking. "There's Always a Woman" is just brilliant. If there were a revival of ANYONE CAN WHISTLE (not that it would ever happen but a boy can hope), both "There's Always a Woman" and "There Won't Be Trumpets" should be added.

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Did "That Old Piano Roll" from Follies or "Mama's Talking Soft" from Gypsy, make it to previews?

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To be honest though, after reading the ANYONE CAN WHISTLE libretto, it is a bit clear why "There Won't Be Trumpets" was cut, it is basically the big speech that Nurse Apple has but put into song. Is this speech cut or edited in the licensed script?
Rockabye, I'm 90% sure that "Momma's Talkin' Soft" was never performed. The song was supposed to be sung by the two younger daughters on the roof looking down on Rose as she was seducing Herbie during "Small World." The girl who was playing young Louise was afraid of heights so Jerome Robbins decided to cut the number altogether. Now, maybe they got to perform the song out of town and it got cut, but if I remember correctly they never even got the young actresses on the roof where they were supposed to sing this song.
Eric, it has always bothered me as well that Larry Kert only sings a few bars of "Happily Ever After" in the Sondheim benefit. Thankfully we have a full rendition on the MARRY ME A LITTLE cast recording.

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"To be honest though, after reading the ANYONE CAN WHISTLE libretto, it is a bit clear why "There Won't Be Trumpets" was cut, it is basically the big speech that Nurse Apple has but put into song. Is this speech cut or edited in the licensed script? "

Agreed and apparantly this is why it was cut--the speech before got applause already. I wonder if it could be moved somehow (the song placement?) though I guess not...

E