The Frogs

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 7:28pm

I don't really know anything about this show, except that the music is by Sondheim. What's the plot, characters, etc.

[iruvyou]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 8:20pm

I've never heard of that show

[Ruffian]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 8:24pm

Nathan Lane.

Thats all I need to know

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 8:45pm

Nathan Lane plays a Greek dude who is sent to save the world or something. Don't hold me to that.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 8:58pm

I have the CD and I still don't get it......

[DoReMi]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 9:14pm

It's about this:

All these forgs are having a ball. There's one lady frog who's really sick. So all the other frogs put her on a tire and shoot her through the roof.

Oy! What a mavalous show!

[NuggetMonkeys]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 10:31pm

it's about Dionysus, god of theatre, who makes a journey to the underworld to bring George Bernard Shaw back to life. But when he gets there, the god of the underworld is having a feast with all of the playwrights and they have a party. Dionysus meets Shakespeare and decides to bring him back to life instead. (((their journey gets delayed by frogs, hence the title)))

-d.b.j-

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 10:51pm

No wonder I didn't get it. There were no dancing kittins.....

[Jon]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 11:16pm

It's based on the play by Aristophanes - anyone familiar with Pirates of Penzance will recall the Major General singing:

"I know the croaking chorus from The Frogs by Aristophanes"

The Sondheim version was originaly done in the swimming pool at Yale. The chorus included Sigourney Weaver, Meryl Streep and Chrisptoher Durang - all Yale Drama students at the time. There was also a team of synchronized swimmers costumed as frogs who did "water ballet" sequences throughout.

While the new version is being done on a regualr stage, there may well be a portion of the stage with water. The Lincoln Center production of Twelfth Night (With Helen Hunt) had a small pool.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 11:33pm

Hmmm...is YALE in or around NEW YORK? Is this SONDHEIM show also going to be concidered a Broadway revival, just cuz' it played in or close to NY at one time, even though it never actually played on Broadway and is being billed as the first ever Broadway production?

[Plum]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 12:11am

There's no way this production will be considered a revival. Most of the book is newly written by Nathan Lane, and Sondheim wrote something like 7 new songs for it. And the other production was in the Yale friggin' swimming pool. In Connecticut.

But you were being sarcastic, right CatsNY?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 12:13am

indeed.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 10:11am

Then you really ARE in trouble. Suggest you get a copy of the original play by Aristophanes

[SamIAm]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 10:14am

The scenic designer is Giles Cadle, and the word from Lane has consistently been NO WATER in this version

[CaTheatreGirl]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 10:25am

Other than the water bottles the audience might bring into the theater.

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 10:31am

The source material for this will prove to be ripe for a wonderful update, and with the cast they have and Lane really putting himself into it, with both writing and performing, I'm more excited about it than anything on the theatrical horizon.

The recent recording is actually very lush and quite funny.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 10:35am

spraying the frogs that escape into the audience.

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 10:43am

CaGal if I sit with you and we are in the first row, hopefully nobody will spray anything!

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 11:03am

It's about this frog called Kermiticus who is shunned by everyone in school because he is green. He sings a plaintive song about his condition early in Act 1. Then a blonde goddess (Lane) descends from Mt. Olympus in a bubble and sings him a comfording song about how everyone in the world has issues with people being different and that it is no big deal. Then they all are magically transported to the Deep American South in the early 1960s and meet other bitter, jaded people and Kermiticus discovers that life is not so bad after all.

Updated On: 5/21/04 at 11:03 AM

[SamIAm]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 2:48pm

Oh, THIS I have to see!

[CaTheatreGirl]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 2:48pm

Eddie, for a good front row seat, it won't matter. I like frogs. I'll be prepared! Looking forward to the show and to see what synopsis will be the one we see!

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 3:36pm

Article in the june Vogue re this show. Not lots of info but some stuff.

[Chip1012]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 3:39pm

Hows is the score? I just ordered the CD. Updated On: 5/21/04 at 03:39 PM

[SamIAm]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 7:20pm

Oh, no! Front row seats. Frogs in your lap for sure! AND seltzer spraying ALL over you. You'd better bring the plastic sheets. Just like a Gallagher show!

[SamIAm]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 7:51pm

If you're talking about the original (which you must be because the new one isn't released yet), it is odd. I do like it but it is NOT typical Sondheim. I am looking forward to this new version, but listening to the old one and reading the original play is great background. Political satire and comedy. Great stuff.