TV Musicals Dead? (Did Stephen Schwartz kill them? :P )

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 9:54pm

I'm actually a Schwartz fan--more or less--and kidding by that line but...

For a while there it seemed tv musicals were doing well...Then we had the unecesary Music Man which I believe didn't do too well (?) and aroudn the same time I remember Disney's original musical with Stephen Schwartz, Geppetto which actually I'd like to see (was it ever released) as back then I only managed to tape the first 20 minutes... But I believe it was a big flop.

Of course the succes sof some of these tv musicals did indirectly lead to more Movie Musicals being considered (especially with Zadan producing many of them and producing Chicago)--

It's too bad though--I think in many ways with modern audiences tv adaptations of musicals, and even original TV musicals is a more commercially viable possibility than theatrical features... Even shows I love like Company I think would actually work better as an interestingly done more intimate TV movie (for HBO or somewhere of course, not ABC) than as a theatrical film

[theactorsociety]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 10:04pm

Well, there was a tv version of Once Upon A Mattress with Carol Burnette and Matthew Morrison. They were also planning a Hunchback live action tv musical.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 10:10pm

I believe ONCE UPON A MATTRESS was the last one, it took a long time to be released, and it was a major flop drawing an alarmingly low number of viewers. It didn't deserve to do any better though, the casting and direction (of course Kathleen Marshall was involved) were ill-conceived and the final product was mediocre at best, with Tracey Ullman making an embarrassing turn as Winifred.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 5/24/07 at 10:25pm

ABC just stopped making ones that were any good.

[jpbran]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 12:30am

I remember being quite surprised at how some of the first batch of 90s TV musicals did. I think I remember Midler's Gypsy being a HUGE ratings success.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 12:54am

I remember the TV version of "Bye, Bye Birdie" was pretty lifeless.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 2:54am

The TV Bye Bye Birdie went ON AND ON AND ON (seriously even with commercials three hours on tv is too long for something like Birdie--and I remember it even going past the three hour mark--they even added 2 new songs). It also had hideously awful Reinking choreography (which gave spark to my controversial thread that Reinking seems to kinda suck as a choreographer when she's not woorking in the Fosse vocabulary). Still I believe it was a minor ratings success

I forgot abotu Mattress because I completely missed it--I think I never knew when it was finally going to air... Sounds liek I didn't miss much. I did for a long time hope Disney's Hunchback would be given a chance.

Still I think TV is the ideal medium for certain shows (Besides HBO'S Company I could also see Sondheim's Assassins, for example, working far better as an HBO style tv movie than a theatrical show)

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 3:15am

For me nothing tops Disney's Rodgers and Hammersteins CINDERELLA...if it came on right now I would be glued to the tube.

I think Disney's hasn't picked the right musicals as of late....maybe they should do Hello, Dolly ! or OKLAHOMA.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 5:17am

Wasn't Dolly rumoured for a while? I know Mame was for ages(Which, while I'm not a huge fan of the show, would be a good choice I think)

E
Updated On: 5/25/07 at 05:17 AM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 5:24am

The rumor was MAME, Eric, unless I was unaware of a HELLO, DOLLY! TV movie rumor...though a Broadway revival was supposed to happen not too long ago.
MAME fell apart, as far as I'm concerned. Jerry Herman has been very vocal about wanting MACK & MABEL being turned into a movie, I believe this is the only medium where the show could actually work, it'd make a fantastic TV movie a la ME AND MY SHADOWS: THE JUDY GARLAND STORY. Jane Krakowski could reprise her great star turn as Mabel Normand.
I'd love to see DOLLY as a TV movie but the ideas of casting for a TV film kind of scare me.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 6:35am

MAME was indeed announced to be the next one after GYPSY.

And to confirm: MATTRESS was amazingly awful -- its sole redeeming quality was Bob Mackie. Not even Burnett seemed able to rise above the sloppiness of the production.

IMHO, the best musicals for TV are the smaller intimate ones that are more "realistic" than "theatrical": the stylization required for theatre just doesnt translate well to TV. I'd love to see HBO tackle THE WILD PARTY, for example, or, when the rights become available, AVENUE Q. But a big show like DOLLY? Without a particularly visionary director, it'd just look awful.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 8:22am

Right and a big part of Dolly is how lavish it is...

Wild Party would be a fabulous choice although I find it very stylized to be called "realistic"--but I still see how you would see it fitting tv--like I felt with Company and Assassins (and actually some other LaChiusa liek Hello AGain could work...)

I did forget one recent example that I don't think did too well--the Christmas Carol with Jennifer Love Hewitt... Which I admit to kinda likin gin a surreal campy way (I do like--more or less--the Menken/Ahrens score regardless and it was kept pretty faithful but...) And of course much earlier there was Herman's Mrs Santa Clause with Angela Lansbury...

E

[JulesReverie]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 12:17pm

Does Reefer Madness count as a TV musical, since it was done by Showtime?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 6:47pm

Of course! I can't believe I forgot it! And it's a good example of what I mean--a musical that didn't stand a chance getting a full theatrical movie treatment but was perfect for the small screen

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 7:34pm

Totally off topic, but, ray, where did Jane Krakowski do Mabel?

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 7:37pm

HBO did Company?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 7:50pm

Theaterkid, Jane Krakowski gave a raved about performance as Mabel in the 2000 LA Reprise! Concert of MACK & MABEL co-starring Douglas Sills and Donna McKechnie. Needless to say, she gave an inspired performance.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 9:50pm

Don't forget the Menken/Ahrens fiasco film version of A Christmas Carol. The only thing passable about that one was the score itself and possibly Kelsey Grammar.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 10:01pm

Matthew Broderick in The Music Man killed it.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 10:26pm

HBO *should* do Company

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 10:29pm

The BYE BYE BIRDIE movie is great - because it actually follows the stage show.

BUT it was so damn long, because they added like 5-6 new songs.

[Unknown User]

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

While I think in many ways it's better than the original version I'd hardly call it great--especially that jammed up dancing. I can think of three new songs--the title song form the album, I took a Giant Leap and some dull song for Vanessa but didn't that replace another song?

Just cuz something follows the stage show rarely makes it great SHame they didn't try to recreate some of the Gower Champion dancing

[dididda]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 10:36pm

well, high school musical is alive and kickin.

i think the right musical on the right station is key.
i agree the best result was cinderella

though, i personally love when they tape the b'way production.
i seem to recall hbo taping Caroline, boy, would i love to see that aired.

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 11:05pm

They used the title song written for the movie, "A Giant Leap", "A Mother Doesn't Matter Anymore", and "Let's Settle Down". I must admit, I really like the song "Bye Bye Birdie", mainly because I have memories of watching the 60's movie with my mom when I was little, and I really liked it used in that scene with the girls in the malt shop. However, the other three songs really serve no purpose, except to waste time. Seriously, what point does "A Mother Doesn't Matter Anymore" have except to give Tyne Daly more screentime? I love the woman, I liked her in that role, but I abhor that song.

I think there may have been a reprise somewhere too, one that I don't think was originally in the show...I want to say they gave Jason Alexander a short number based on "What Did I Ever See in Him" recovceived as "What Did I Ever See in Her"...or maybe a "Talk to Me" reprise? It's been forever since I've sene that movie, it has such little going for it for me.

[EdmundOG]

Posted: 5/25/07 at 11:38pm

I liked "What Did I Ever See in Her". I think if I were ever to direct that show, I would illegally and unethically add it. The others I could take or leave. I enjoyed "A Mother Doesn't Matter", but it's just two or three monologues chopped up and set to music. I'd lose "Spanish Rose", too. Lousy song.