THE RITZ - aka Joe Mantello Gets Another Job

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 10:33pm

Really, Roundabout?

I mean...really?!?!?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 10:51pm

AWESOME!

I love this play, and I think it'll be a nice one for Roundabout.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 10:55pm

Nice to see McNally change his mind on letting it be produced. It is really a very solid farce.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 10:57pm

Nothing against the play.

Mantello? Problem.

Updated On: 5/30/07 at 10:57 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 10:59pm

Mantello may have been in a slump of late - his uninspired work on The Odd Couple, and blatant non-direction of Julia Roberts all come to mind - but he's certainly made up for his failures (in my eyes, anyway) with his powerful, no holds barred staging of Blackbird. In my years of theatergoing, I've never seen a production so flawlessly acted and directed. You leave feeling like you've had the wind knocked out of you.
Updated On: 5/30/07 at 10:59 PM

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 11:04pm

I did not get to see BLACKBIRD but I usually agree with you, Yankee. So, I'll take your word for it.

Hopefully this will be a good one.

[being.jeremiah]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 2:27am

If Mantello's direction of Blackbird will somewhat translate to The Ritz, then it should be amazing.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 3:21am

I love The Ritz! McNally was barring a revival for a while?

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 3:25am

Is it a play or a musical?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 3:34am

It's a play but there's some music in it, if I remember correctly. Rita Moreno got to sing "Everything's Coming Up Roses" in the original production.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 4:45am

Maybe now they will release the film version on DVD?!

Updated On: 5/31/07 at 04:45 AM

[Jon]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:18am

That photo just brought back memories of Treat Williams, in his Mickey Mouse voice: "See somethng you like?"

And Rosie Perez as Googie is inspired casting.

[Sykes24]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:59am

I think this will be loads of fun! Why would one criticize Mantello? He clearly picks very varied projects... I don't see many other directors in town going from the New York premiere of a great new drama to the revival of a farce! It looks to me like Mantello directs what he's interested in directing... it's not like he needs the money anymore. I think he should commended for his variety. Not to mention, he's a genius.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 10:25am

Rita Moreno's performance of "Everything's Coming Up Roses" is perhaps the funniest musical number I have seen in 45+ years of theatre-going.

The play itself is a little messy, but funny.

Rita's first line, entering wearing a raincoat and hat and dripping rainwater and looking to the second balcony and emphatically saying "F-----g Tex Antoine!" brought the house down.

Tex was a popular NYC weatherman in the 60s and 70s who always seemed a little (or a lot) tipsy and was always, repeat always, 180 degrees wrong with his forecast. If it was sunny, you took an umbrella. However he was so entertaining that the Channel 7 ratings went way up at 6:53 each weeknight because people wanted to see what might happen. One night he went too far and made a comment along the lines of if you are going to be raped, then why not lie back and enjoy it. Boom, no more Tex at channel 7 although Murdoch on channel 5 did hire him later.

[Danielm]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 1:07pm

What's the problem with Mantello? Have I missed something? Is he currently on the outs with the denizens of Broadwayworld?

[Heybeenfood]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 6:18pm

Danielm, Wicked, The Odd Couple, and Three Days of Rain, were major dissapointments because this is the same guy who has directed Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, and the revivals of Assassins and Glengarry Glenn Ross. I assume he knows McNally well from Love! Valour! Compassion!, so McNally feels comfortable with him directing it.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 6:42pm

Mantello seems to be one of the McNally go-to guys, having brilliantly directed the recent revival of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune and, as previously mentioned, Love! Valor! Compassion!.

He was in such high demand following Wicked/Assassins that I feel (and you can obviously tell) he burned out following Glengarry. Three Days and Odd Couple, the two shows he did in 2006, are the perfect examples (of a burnt out director). (I'm assuming) he took a much needed break prior to Blackbird, which is, IMO, one of his finest works to date.

Note: one of the reasons why he did Three Days of Rain was that he, Roberts, and Greenberg are all represented by CAA. Updated On: 5/31/07 at 06:42 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 6:46pm

I remember seeing the original with, I believe, Rita Moreno. I think James Coco was the male lead.

This revival is long overdue

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:06pm

For those curious...here it is -- Rita Moreno as Googie Gomez in the 1976 film-version of THE RITZ...performing, of course: "Everything's Coming Up Roses":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu5VCNFVwdQ

Here's Rita talking about the importance of line delivery (in reference to the stage version of THE RITZ):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARRcddQHUN8

[TapTapTapioca]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:20pm

He is also going to be doing Pal Joey.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:25pm

ANyone catch how John Baitz's tv series Brothers & SIsters has mentioned Wicked about 10 times over the past year? Baitz was of course Mantello's boyfriend for a long time so it can't be coincidence...

[Danielm]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:26pm

Well, Heybeenfound, he directed Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Assassins and Glengarry Glenn Ross in addition to one of the most successful musicals in recent history (Wicked). If two of his shows were dissapointing, I think he should be cut some flack. When he directs "Carrie" or "Moose Murders", then I will turn on him.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:30pm

True. We forget he directed the revival of WICKED.

[Danielm]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:39pm

(Who said Wicked was a revival?)

Also, why are Wicked and The Odd Couple dissapointments? They were both very successful--maybe you don't like them but Wicked seems to be doing well without your approval and The Odd Couple was always sold out.

[TapTapTapioca]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 7:45pm

The Odd Couple didn't sell because it was a good show, it sold because it had two stars in it.

After it extended it was up on TKTS.