Spamalot Chicago Tryouts?

[LeoBloom2]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 12:33am

Just wondering if there's a video bootleg of it. I heard an audio of the song "Burn Her" (the Witch burning scene) and I'm really curious about it. Thanks.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 1:09am

Nope. The first bootleg videos of the show started when the show opened on Broadway.

There is a sensational bootleg video of THE PRODUCERS during its Chicago tryout, but it was done after the changes so its the final/frozen version of the show. Aside from having Ron Orbach's Franz preserved (he broke his leg then replaced by Brad Oscar -- who took over the role all the way to Broadway), its the same version of the show that eventually opened on Broadway.

[Toddlin2]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 12:19pm

I saw it twice in Chicago and still can't understand why they cut "Burn Her". I loved it.

[alfgiotir]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 1:31pm

they have a picture of the "burn her" scene in the program.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 6:05pm

It slowed things down a lot. I saw one of the earliest previews and by the end the audience seemed to be exhausted. There was just too much.

[Jon]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 7:17pm

When I saw it, there was not only "Burn Her", but another song for Sara Ramirez called "The Cow's Song".

At the point where the French guards are about to catapult the cow off the battlements ("Fetchez la vache!"), the action stops, and Sara comes out in an evening gown made of black & white "cow" fabric. She then sings an Edith Piaf-esque torch song about how it feels to be a cow about to be hurled to its death.

No, I am not kidding.

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 7:19pm

When in the show did "Burn Her" take place? Was it replaced by anything or just cut to save time? Did a main member of the ensemble play the witch?

I'm interested in hearing what else got cut in Chicago, especially anything that was in the movie.

[pli1018]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 7:21pm

Sara Ramirez played the Witch in the "Burn Her!" scene and she also was the vocalist in "The Cow Song". I believe these were the only major cuts from Chicago though. I have audio of both the cut songs if any wants a listen!

[commasplice]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 8:48pm

Amalia - "Burn Her" happened when Arthur was assembling the knights (I can't remember the exact place, but think of where they pick up Sir Bedevere, and stick the song in that spot), and it wasn't replaced with anything after it was cut. Ramirez/The Lady of the Lake played the Witch.

"When I saw it, there was not only "Burn Her", but another song for Sara Ramirez called "The Cow's Song".

At the point where the French guards are about to catapult the cow off the battlements ("Fetchez la vache!"), the action stops, and Sara comes out in an evening gown made of black & white "cow" fabric. She then sings an Edith Piaf-esque torch song about how it feels to be a cow about to be hurled to its death."

Oh God, I remember that song. She sounded great, but it brought the action of the show to a grinding halt, and stopped being funny very quickly. The show's definitely much better off without it.

(Also, considering the open talk of bootlegs, how is this thread still here?)
Updated On: 10/11/08 at 08:48 PM

[Jon]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 10:12pm

The "Burn Her" scene was right after the Lady of the Lake/ Dennis Galahad scene and song.

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 10/12/08 at 4:01am

Thanks much for the info about the cut songs. Sounds like the kind of songs that would sound great on a cast recording but didn't work in the show itself.

At least the memory of the witch lives on on the Shubert marquee, where "witch" is xxed out as "too expensive" in the list of what's in the show.

[Jon]

Posted: 10/12/08 at 1:42pm

I'll say this - with Sara R. having two additional scenes/songs in Act I, it really made "Diva's Lament" that much funnier.

The cow song was awful. The witch burning scene should have been shortened, not cut. Fans of the movie miss lines like "She turned me into a newt! ...I got better..."

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/12/08 at 1:55pm

I love how the discussion of bootlegs is so accepted now.