UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN to Play Off-Broadway starring Beth Malone

[gleek4114]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 11:37am

Looks like its FINALLY coming to NYC...

https://www.broadway.com/buzz/196250/beth-malone-to-star-in-unsinkable-molly-brown-with-off-broadways-transport-group/

Updated On: 6/21/19 at 11:37 AM

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 11:37am

Here’s hoping for a transfer!

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 11:47am

glad it's getting a revisited book cuz' god knows its needed.

[ggersten]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 11:50am

MadsonMelo said: "glad it's getting a revisited book cuz' god knows its needed."

We saw the "new" version at the Muny is St. Louis in 2017.  I think I wrote out my thoughts about it on here back then.  It was good - but not exceptional. I think it lacked some of the poignancy of the film version.  I never saw a production of the original stage production.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 12:31pm

I've never seen a production of the original version either and I'd kind of like to but it's a title that doesn't seem to be produced often. I'm not a big fan of total revisals with all new books written to an existing score. That's basically a jukebox musical. I think the most successful revisal for me personally was Peter Stone's Annie Get Your Gun.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 12:32pm

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Here’s hoping for a transfer!"

 

Not. Everything. Must. Transfer.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 12:49pm

^It's like Sondheim's Cat paradox. "If it wasn't on Broadway, did the show ever even ran"

[\_(•_•)_/]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 12:53pm

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Here’s hoping for a transfer!"

So it could flop? 

Broadway is not the end place, you can be successful anywhere. 

 

I hate the new mentality that if a broadway name is attatched, that makes it automatically viewed as being transferable.  

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 12:57pm

I was thinking it would have been nice to see this production on Broadway with one of the non profits. This is a title that's never received a revival before.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 1:17pm

The original version of the show has aged terribly and is a total cheese fest. I am very curious if a new book can make this thing worth watching. I mean, why bother? I know this has been a passion project for those involved for many years, so hopefully this will make them happy. But I really don’t get the point.

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 1:32pm

I saw the first staged presentation of this  in Denver years ago at a new play festival at the DCTC. Marc Kudisch was in it. I enjoyed it. It was a bit of a big thing as that is the home of Molly Brown and the Molly Brown House is a museum there  I worked for Historic Denver and spent a lot of time in the house. Looking forward to seeing this.

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 1:32pm

Sorry! Double post.

Updated On: 6/21/19 at 01:32 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 2:30pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "The original version of the show has aged terribly and is a total cheese fest. I am very curious if a new book can make this thing worth watching. I mean, why bother? I know this has been a passion project for those involved for many years, so hopefully this will make them happy. But I really don’t get the point."

The point beyond salvaging the score? I think that has largely been the point with these revisals. If the original book is as terrible as you say and just wouldn't work today but the score is still a gem then I can understand it becoming a passion project for those who want to at least see the story and score on stage again. At the MUNY they also incorporated songs from the film and some Meredith Willson trunk songs which could be exciting to hear.

[After Eight]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 8:46pm

TheDistinctiveBaritone wrote:

 

"The original version of the show has aged terribly and is a total cheese fest."

Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha......

The original version was only like five hundred and fifty-five zillion times better and more entertaining than things like Once, Hamilton, Fun Home, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, The Band's Visit, Hadestown, etc., etc.--- combined!

[BroadwayMarley]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 8:52pm

I couldn't disagree more.  Unsinkable was fine but not in the same class as the others that you disparage. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 8:57pm

There have been other productions utilizing songs from the film “Colorado, My Home” and “He’s My Friend” including previous productions at the MUNY and the national tour with Debbie Reynolds. I wonder how those fit in within the framework of the original book.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 9:29pm

Saw the original production as well as the Music Fair production which starred Tammy Grimes and Howard Keel. The plot rambles but the score is very enjoyable.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 9:45pm

Dollypop said: "Saw the original production as well as the Music Fair production which starred Tammy Grimes and Howard Keel. The plot rambles but the score is very enjoyable."

I was browsing the MUNY archives on their website and there have been six total stagings of The Unsinkable Molly Brown at the MUNY including one starring Barbara Eden (1971), one starring Ann Reinking (1982) as well as the national tour starring Debbie Reynolds in 1989 and the revised version in 2017.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 10:16pm

Can’t imagine this has eyes for Broadway. I’d imagine it’ll be a smaller show considering it’s the Transport group.

[bk]

Posted: 6/21/19 at 11:12pm

Just to be accurate, Colorado My Home was written for the stage show and cut - it's in the overture.  It was added to a few productions prior to the film coming out.  Molly Brown was the first Broadway musical I saw - here in LA at the old Biltmore Theater, with Grimes and Presnell and several others from Broadway.  I loved every second of it, and did the show just three years later.  I was given a tape of the revisal long before Beth was involved - Kerry O'Malley did the original workshops - I hated all the interpolated songs, hated the way it began (on the Titanic), and didn't think any of the rewrites were all that good.  I obviously haven't seen Molly Brown on stage since Grimes did it in the round with Bruce Yarnell circa 1965.  I also saw it in the round with Nanette Fabray - THAT was horrifying.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 6/22/19 at 12:02am

It was about eleven years ago that I did the original version of the show in summer stock, but I don’t remember the score being much better than the book. Perhaps I’ve simply suppressed the experience from my memory.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 6/22/19 at 1:43am

Roundabout was attached to this at one point, the fact Transport group is doing it means Broadway is nowhere in the picture right now.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/22/19 at 2:05am

Would have been great at Studio 54.