What happened with the Mack & Mabel revival in 2001?

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 2:34am

I was searching for the Mack & Mabel London Concert Cast Recording on the web (I believe it's the only one I'm missing in my Mack & Mabel collection) and I came across this playbill article that talks about the Mack & Mabel revival that was supposed to star Douglas Sills and Caroline O'Connor in 2001. I had completely forgotten about this. I saw the Reprise! production in LA with Jane Krakowski as Mabel, Douglas Sills as Mack, and Donna McKechnie as Lottie and thought it was nothing short of brilliant. Producer Jon Wilner was supposed to transfer the production to Broadway and even when Krakowski became unavailable due to Ally McBeal he planned on bringing in O'Connor (she had played Mabel in London).
I was wondering what happened to this revival and what are the chances of seeing the show back on Broadway. I didn't think it'd have been a smart move to replace Krakowski who gained rave reviews in LA and gave one of my favorite stage performances(I've seen Bernadette Peters do "Time Heals Everything" many times live, and I can say Krakowski's rendition was just as haunting), but I still would've loved to see this show on Broadway.

Proposed Mack & Mabel Revival Updated On: 9/20/06 at 02:34 AM

[MrBundles]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 2:41am

I cant help you with your question, but all I can say is that I was at the closing performance of the London show in July...probably one of the most moving performances I have ever seen.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 9:39am

Without Krakowski, they lost their funding.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 9/21/06 at 6:47pm

Thanks, Michael Bennett.
It makes sense, on the playbill article Wilner said "the score is the star," and while this is somewhat true Krakowski was devine as Mabel and I'm sure her name would've helped to sell tickets.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 9/21/06 at 11:06pm

The clips i have seen with O'Connor where stunning, i think back then she was not that well know in the States.

The stuff i saw was back from when she did the saw in the mid 90's.

Just before she did Chicago in Australia.