What musical should Meron and Zadan do next? — Page 9

"People really need to put themselves in the mindset of a television executive, not a theatre fan, if this is going to be a realistic discussion."

Fine.


What about A Christmas Carol? Menken's version?

The Wizard of Oz?

Updated On: 12/7/13 at 09:40 PM

Disney only distributed RNH Cinderella. Whitney Houston's production company, Zadan, and Meron held the TV rights to Cinderella.

If it's going to be Peter Pan, I think it would be interesting to see an actual MALE actor as Peter. I'm imagining..Daniel Radcliffe!

Updated On: 12/7/13 at 10:37 PM

^Oh I remember alright...

I have a good feeling it will either be Peter Pan or The Wizard of Oz. But I really don't need to see any "she's no Judy Garland!" if it is done.

Updated On: 12/7/13 at 10:47 PM

My fair Lady: Seth MacFarlane and Anne Hathaway

The Music Man: Seth MacFarlane and Jessie Mueller

So, here's the thing. Beyond the now established fact that Carrie Underwood and Stephen Moyer were poorly cast, the biggest issues I had with "SOM Live!" were the look and feel. Those daytime soap opera sets looked so cheap and dated, the camerawork was pretty limited because it was happening live on a soundstage and everything felt a bit trapped and flat. The King and I needs to look lush and luxurious -- I worry about how chintzy that would look. And big dance musicals like West Side Story? Would the dancing feel dynamic when filmed on a limited soundstage? The other missing element for me was the audience. When the actors are performing pieces written for the stage (as opposed to tv musicals like Evening Primrose), many of these numbers cry out for applause and the audience and performer release that those moments provide. Without them, the transitions back into book scenes feel so awkward to me. In a film, you have post-production, cinematography, location, editing to give you more fluidity. I just don't see how this kind of project can ever be an artistic success. All that being said, I look forward to seeing a better-cast musical next year and I'm glad they're doing it.

NBC will not be able to d MY FAIR LADY since CBS owns the rights They fully backed the original Broadway production to get them.)

There are very few Broadway musicals that have the kind of Universal appear of SOUND OF MUSIC. The original production got very mixed reviews and even the positive notices were not exciting raves...More qualified and favorable maybe. But the show was a big hot in New York and especially in London.

The tradition of big musicals on TV around Thanksgiving goes back to at least 1957 when Mary Martin and Jon Raitt did a live TV version of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. A year later CBS riposted with Rosalind Russell in WONDERFUL TOWN. Of the titles suggested, PETER PAN might do best and Daniel Radcliffe still has enough boyishness to pull off the lead. But the show has a great 1st act and great final act but it sags a lot in the middle with much "filler."

Of the R&H Musicals OKLAHOMA! is perhaps second only to SOUND OF MUSIC in terms of popularity and name recognition.

Still, seeing Audra made me wish there had been TV version on RAGTIME (even In Concert.) I'm not suggesting it because it doesn't seem to have that kind of widespread appeal.

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They don't HAVE to lower the keys. I'm a tenor, and I can sing it in the original key. So can other guys I know.

That being said, I think Peter Pan is an awful choice. I fully agree with Best, in that the show is a full on kids show. Sure it evokes nostalgia from those adults that are old enough to have seen the original, but what about the ones that didn't? Sure the title is beyond recognisable, but it is recognisable as a children's show. Unless they go with a huge teen idol in the title role, I really don't see no other reason for teens and tweens to watch and if they do go with one of those, why would the childless adults watch? Not to mention that the most popular version nowadays is the Disney one.

I BELIEB! I BELIEB! (kidding, kidding...)

He's not big enough, but I kind of would like to see Daniel Huttlestone in the role.

Glee is ending soon, which means that the major crop of singing-dancing-acting TV young people will suddenly be without a major network contract. And as much as the quality has slid down over time (which is MUCH MUCH MUCH), the show retains its selling power and viewer appeal. Much like Darren Criss led to landslides of popularity during his short tenure in H2$, Glee star names will bring a certain demographic to these shows if they are peppered in once in a while.

If they're going to use a male Peter Pan, Chris Colfer looks the part and could sing the original keys- unless they're too low for him. He's certainly a B-lister under Daniel Radcliffe, but the odds of getting him for a TV musical are at the same time MUCH higher than someone who is at the top of his game like Radcliffe, who would probably only be able to take a few days out of his schedule for an SNL-type event.

We're also not looking at the other elephant in the room with Peter Pan. Not just the "how do you cast it" problem, or the "children's theatre" problem. Someone somewhere, and probably lots of someones, will flip out over the Ugg-A-Wug section, which is neither innocent enough to not be racist seeming, nor satirical enough to be obviously tongue in cheek. And without Ugg-A-Wug, and its traditional insane dance extension, much of the show's oomph will be taken away.

Have we ever seen Chris Colfer sing live? I wonder if it would be a recreation of the Martin production? Robbins choreography and all? or a closer readaption like the Rigby production! Which gave a nice authentic feel to the native characters. All they really need is a star Peter and a Wendy, Wendy doesn't have to be a singer. If they go for a girl performer for Pan, cast a younger actress in her 20s who's a name and has a lock in fan base. The rest of the cast can be filled by Broadway Talent. Borle can play Hook, Laura can play Mrs. darling and Wendy grown up, and Audra can narrarate. I think Kathleen Marshall would be the right person for the job to direct.

I wouldn't put him in as the draw, but if they wanted a male one, everyone is saying Radcliffe, and I suspect he would be nearly impossible to get for a live TV musical. Fill the cast with other notables to make up for a star power deficiency elsewhere, no matter WHO is the lead.

Especially Captain Hook. Hook is the showy role anyway. And it's a role that, like Captain Von Trapp, requires a rather minimal amount of singing ability.