Where's the Tap Number?

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 11:40pm

There was an Easter Bonnet entry a few years ago - it was the Mary Poppins cast - where the joke was that every show could be improved with a tap number - including West Side Story, South Pacific, Jersey Boys, and some show with a green lady.

So, I'm directing Legally Blonde this summer, and trying to figure out where to put a tap number. OmigodYouGuys? So Much Better? Tapped into Shape? My daughter is horrified by the thought - not sure where my choreographer is on the notion...and not sure how serious I am about the idea.

But if you have suggestions, I'll take them and if used, will put an attribution in the program. Of course, feel free to use this to improve other shows. Perhaps Ghost could be improved with a tap number?

I Think We Need A Tap Number

[Wynbish]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 11:45pm

What You Want could be more tappy. Blood in the Water, too, could have a part like Billy Flynn's tap solo in Chicago (the movie, at least).

[sephyr]

Posted: 5/30/12 at 12:42am

I definitely agree with Blood in the Water! The song has that Golden Age sound and a tap number would fit perfect.

Also, how about in Legally Blonde Remix when she finds out what the B. Stands for? That's an extended music break and you could work a Irish jig/tap number in there :)

[Bwaydide92]

Posted: 5/30/12 at 1:42am

When Elle is going into 'legal jargon' in What You Want would be the only logical place I could see tap. The rest of the musical doesn't really call for it.

I hope the comment about Ghost is a joke, Ball of Wax was just terrible.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/30/12 at 2:12am

Don't do it.

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 5/30/12 at 2:14am

I don't find it necessary for the show and it's storytelling.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/30/12 at 5:39am

I love tap dancing. It saddens me a great deal that it seems to be a dying art. However, can I just remind you that you are thinking of putting in a tap number BASED ON A JOKE? I, too, am getting ready to direct LB, and what you mentions, kind of horrifies me. (BTW, check out MTI's website, half the freaking country seems to be doing Legaly Blonde. It's nuts how many productions are scheduled.)

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 5/30/12 at 6:47am

When I saw this thread title I thought you were referring to the lack of tap in Nice Work if You Can Get It!

To me, Legally Blonde doesn't scream out for one.

[Patash]

Posted: 5/30/12 at 8:34am

I'm with you, Dottie. I was left speechless at the end of Nice Work realizing there was NO tap! WTF?

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/30/12 at 9:47am

Dramamama611, I just have to go through the phase of getting out all of my "bad ideas" - the "tap number" is one such "bad idea". Meanwhile, I'd love to share notes/ideas with you.

Part of the reason for the tap idea was that I'm having a real hard time with the book - and as a community theatre - well, we're going to try to for high energy and flowing set pieces - but it's not going to be easy for our company to cover up the flaws in the book. It's more clear to me now that Mitchell made the show work with glitz, pizzazz and constant movement. I'm having too many moments of "Really? That's the line? That's supposed to be funny?" not to mention certain well known absurdities such as no death penalty in Massachusetts, so why does Callahan sing "me or the chair," first year law students would not be backing up a trial, nor would an apparently just graduated law student be a second chair, nor would he dream of the title "associate", he would want to be "partner" (I'm a lawyer in real life so some of these bug me to no end)

Indeed, while I would like to have fun with the material, I don't know that it can take any number of "bad ideas" such as making Elle more of a stalker in Act I - having Kyle not be a studmuffin, but rather a more senior card carrying actor - Warner not be a "model" type such that you say "Really, Elle? Him?" So, for the moment, the plan really is to just play it as written.
But, if we don't find a live Bruiser, he will be a puppet!

[ggersten]

Posted: 8/14/12 at 10:34pm

Back to repor: We finished our two week run. None of my "bad ideas" made it into the show. No tap numbers - no odd casting - no stalker motif. We played it with a sense of "heightened realism" - not too cartoony. And our Elle made me cry nearly every show with her rendition of Legally Blonde. For the last show, she was actually crying as she walked off stage.

We had an amazing stage crew - an amazing lighting designer (I think there were something like 300 light cues) - a set design that worked - and 5 of our last 6 shows sold-out or had only a handful of tickets left - great word of mouth. We survived rehearsing all over town as our theater company space was not air conditioned and the heat was oppressive. And we survived the other usual community theater issues. It wasn't perfect, but I was very happy with what was performed on stage.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 8/14/12 at 10:38pm

For what it's worth, thanks for the update! Usually, people who ask for advice/tips on here never really say what happens later. It's just take-take-take.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 1:04am

Considering you're a community theatre and that show you're doing is a campy, cheesy, bubblegum pop show based on a romantic comedy... I don't think your audience will care about the "flaws" in the book you've pointed out. They're paying to see Legally Blonde, they know what they're getting themselves into.

[JeanGudio]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 7:56am

yes EVERY musical needs a tap number like spring awakening in the heights Fela and of course Next To Normal Light in The Piazza !!!
What a silly statement

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 8:57am

I was sad when they cut the tap number from Passion.

I think there is an expectation from many in the audience that if you have a "peppy" 1930s musical with Gershwin tunes, you need a tap number somewhere.

Just like every Sondheim show needs one good death ... or near death ... or discussion of death.

Every day a little death.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 8:59am

Or the death of hopes and dreams

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 9:01am

And without that one good "death," it's just not a Sondheim show.

See what happened with Merrily We Roll Along?

Kill somebody in it, and you'll have a hit.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 9:07am

Everything's pushing up daisies!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 9:16am

Death might suggest a rather macabre meaning to "Rose's Turn."

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 9:16am

See?

Gypsy -- the death of Vaudeville
West Side Story --- Tony, Riff, and Bernardo
Company --- Bobby's dead. That's the big secret. He's wandering around like that clueless girl from Carnival of Souls
Follies -- dead ghost memories in a dead theatre that's dying
A Little Night Music --- Madame Armfeldt
Pacific Overtures --- that shogun who kills himself with chrysanthemum tea
Sweeny Todd --- a whole lotta death goin' on.
Merrilly --- NO DEATH. BIG MISTAKE.
Sunday in the Park --- all the characters from Act I are dead in Act II, and Marie dies halfway through the second act.
Into the Woods --- they drop like flies in Act II
Passion -- Fosca
Assassins --- lots and lots of death. A big death pageant of killers.

Audience expectations.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 9:22am

Bobby is described as being a zombie.

You could even say that Charles and Ella turning into mannequins in Evening Primrose is all deathy. Updated On: 8/15/12 at 09:22 AM

[mc1227]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 8:49pm

"Fascinating Rhythm" in Nice Work should have definitely been a tap number. I can see Marshall not wanting back to back Act I finale tap numbers but it would have been a great addition to this show.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 8/15/12 at 10:19pm

But isn't Merrily about the death of ideals?

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 8/16/12 at 12:15pm

i'm still trying to get over the notion that a tap number in LB would betray the "storytelling" that can allow the inclusion of a Riverdance parody. HUNH?!?!?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/16/12 at 12:29pm

Best12, your line about Passion and their tap number cracked me up. I'm sure the show would still be playing if they just kept the tap number in.