What is Zanna Don't?

[JakeB]

Posted: 7/7/03 at 1:12pm

Someone explain, what is it? What's the attraction? What style's the music in?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/7/03 at 4:00pm

Zanna, Don't is a musical "Fairy Tale" that takes place at Heartville High School. In the world of Zanna, Don't, everything is totally backwards from what you rmember about high school -- The chess players are the sex symbols, the football players are the nerds. The gay kids are the 'normal' ones, the straight kids are the outcasts. The chess matches are the huge attractions -- not the varsity football game. Zanna is a young guy who has a magical power -- he like Cupid. His quest everyday is to find love, but he never finds it for himself. While working on the school musical -- which is about whether or not heteros should be allowed in the army ( aplay on the US's 'don't ask -don't tell' b.s.), two of Zanna's friends realise that they are straight and are in love with one another and are faced withe dillema of caoming out as straight or shaying in the closet. Prom roles around and they are 'outed'. Zanna wants nothing more than for everyone to be happy, so he sacrifices his power in order to cast a spell that would make it OK for his friends to be in love -- only when he casts the spell, instead of making it OK for everyone to love whoever they want, everyone ends up straight except for Zanna. Now he is the outcast. There is of course, the prerequisite happy ending.

The music is very 'pop'.

Standouts in the cast , to me, were Robb Sapp (Tank) and Anika Larsen (Roberta)
Zanna Don't official site

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 7/7/03 at 4:16pm

Here is a review from broadway.com:
http://www.broadway.com/template_1.asp?CI=26269&CT=39

[JakeB]

Posted: 7/8/03 at 1:21pm

Cheers - sounds funny.

[Duane Reade]

Posted: 7/8/03 at 2:25pm

I loved it when i saw it off-off-Broadway, but it was foolish to move it. It had an audience of about 12. (the others were all comped)... :)

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/8/03 at 2:27pm

I actually think Zanna would have done better in a smaller bway house -- Helen hayes or Circle in the Square. The problem I think, was that being off-Broadway, it didn't get enough exposure. Most people form out of town don't really consider looking into off-Broadway and the publicity that could be employed be a Broadway production would have helped a lot I think.

[Duane Reade]

Posted: 7/8/03 at 2:29pm

Yeah, we all read that New York Times story, too. But it was too gay, as sad as that may be. Producers have to be clear-headed about how to sell a show.

We'll see if "Avenue Q" really benefits from the extra "exposure" that you talk about. I give it a few months, unless they really sink all that "Rent" $$$ into it.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/8/03 at 2:30pm

I said that that was the problem with Zanna about two weeks before the Times article.

[Duane Reade]

Posted: 7/8/03 at 2:32pm

Yeah, and I said back in January that "Zanna Don't" wouldn't run more than a few months.

[Not Since Carrie Pipperidge]

Posted: 7/8/03 at 3:57pm

I'm just glad it got recorded! I love some of those songs.

[JakeB]

Posted: 7/8/03 at 4:28pm

What? So has it already closed after moving onto Broadway? I thought it was moving to Broadway..

[Duane Reade]

Posted: 7/8/03 at 4:29pm

It closed OFF-Broadway. To lessen the blow of the closing notice, the producer said he hoped to bring it to Broadway. Don't get your hopes up.

It's kind of like those ads that say a show "MUST CLOSE" when we all know that it really MUST CLOSE simply because people aren't buying tickets. Updated On: 7/8/03 at 04:29 PM

[JakeB]

Posted: 7/8/03 at 4:36pm

Got ya

[zannafan]

Posted: 7/9/03 at 3:04pm

I really enjoyed the show regardless of critics and theater-goers alike. I respect the opinions of the critics and the theater fans, but I am really glad that I had a chance to see it. The boys were cute, the songs were cute, and even though I'm gay, the girls were cute too. I had fun and sometimes that is all that I am looking for.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/9/03 at 3:06pm

I admit to a slight fondness for Robb Sapp. jared Zeus wasn't half bad either.

[slw]

Posted: 7/9/03 at 3:43pm

I'm bumed it closed- I thought it was great- I'm a big fan of Jai- and Anika-WOW what a voice. Can't wait for the cast recording to come out. I hope the try this out on Broadway- I think more people would go see it.

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 7/9/03 at 6:59pm

When is the recording coming out?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/9/03 at 8:34pm

In August.

[Grand Motel]

Posted: 7/9/03 at 9:20pm

I hear it may be delayed a few months.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 7/9/03 at 10:10pm

I saw Zanna Don't. It was lovely. I wish it all the best, but I could see why it wouldn't be best on a Broadway stage. The show just seemed to feel right in a small house. What a talented cast!

And, Grand Motel--I LOVE your nick (having done Grand Hotel twice) tee hee =)