Tell Me On A Sunday questions

[chernjam]

Posted: 2/15/16 at 8:30pm

Hey - so perhaps there's some ALW fanatics out here that know the answer to this.  I saw that Tell Me On A Sunday is being performed in California.  I know it has been revived and changed multiple times, but I thought after 2003 with the additional new songs, it was finally set.  Just looking at wikipedia though it look like it was changed again and that one of my favorite new songs from the 2003 version (Somwhere. Someplace. Sometime) was cut.  Does anyone know what the reason was for that?  I thought the 2003 was a pretty successful revival of the work

[otis33]

Posted: 2/16/16 at 7:04pm

Hi there - I worked on a production currently running in So. Cal.  Not sure if that's the production you're referring to. 

We discovered MANY different versions of the show, including a 2 act version with the first quarter of the story still taking place in London, with entirely new (and not great) songs.  The current version being licensed seems to be a mash-up of Tell Me...'s greatest hits.  The Girl is also nameless, and never referred to as Emma.  (tho, having grown up with the Bernadette version, we still lovingly refer to her by that name). 

The song you're asking about, Somewhere Someplace Sometime, is still in the show as an optional ending.  It's now called Dreams Never Run On Time. (GORGEOUS song, btw)  We opted to use this song as our ending because of it's hopeful and positive message.  Otherwise, the show ends with our girl basically saying she's going to go buy a new outfit and get a new hairdo to make herself feel better.  I LOVE (and have loved for years) the show, but it certainly is dated in some of its approach to a woman's search for love.  Our production fought hard to keep her positive and independent.  I think we succeeded as best as the script will allow. 

Updated On: 2/16/16 at 07:04 PM

[chernjam]

Posted: 2/16/16 at 7:43pm

Hi Otis - thanks so much for your response and info.  I never heard of the new lyrics (Dreams Never Run on Time) - I did like "Somewhere someplace sometime" - so would love to hear a recording of the new lyrics.

Tell Me is a very interesting piece. Definitely dated and has had a hard time being updated to current age - but musically it's a nice song-cycle - and for ALW fans, interesting to see him developing that style for himself which would be what he used for Phantom, Aspects Sunset - etc

Still surprised that none of the revised versions ended up in NY

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 2/16/16 at 8:13pm

I've often thought of creating a version that combines the songs from all versions into one cogent plot -- and placing a young gay guy at the center of it instead of a girl.