Who made Bennett change the ACL ending?- Page 3

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:10pm

What is the Big Six!?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:10pm

Ironically, Kelly isn't a Leo. Her birthday is Feb. 28, same as Bernadette Peters.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:13pm

Well somebody in that big ass transcript says "I'm a Leo and the rest of the Zodiac better watch out!" :)

It's actually sometimes hard to tell who said what - they were obviously more concerned with getting the content down than being exact about who said it.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:15pm

neddy, look two posts up.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:17pm

Ironically, Kelly isn't a Leo. Her birthday is Feb. 28, same as Bernadette Peters.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:17pm

And of course, unlike the actual show - during the recorded sessions people are actually talking back and forth. There actually is about 15 pages of discussion about THE RED SHOES!

[ashley0139]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:21pm

It's actually sometimes hard to tell who said what - they were obviously more concerned with getting the content down than being exact about who said it.

Wasn't it Donna who had the story about her father not being there and pretending he was an indian chief? He was in WWII or something? Am I making that up?

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:24pm

"Wasn't it Donna who had the story about her father not being there and pretending he was an indian chief? He was in WWII or something? Am I making that up?"

The Indian chief story is Donna's. Parts of Maggie are based on her as well.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:25pm

Yes - the two pieces that are more or less intact from the recording sessions are Donna's fantasy about her father being an Indian chief and asking her to dance and most of Nicholas Dante's story which became Paul's monologue.

The rest is kind of like searching for one liners in a phone book. Sometimes it is neat though to, for example, read Bishop (I do believe it is Bishop) talk about going up a "steep and narrow stairway" to get to her danceclass.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:29pm

Actually, the character with the most pieces of Donna's life is Maggie. In fact, Maggie WAS Donna's character at the very beginning and her bit of "Ballet" is all Donna. Cassie was developed later on in needing some sort of new dynamic that would involve Zach emotionally. Cassie is probably the most fictionalized character in the show. So she switched to the bigger part, and Kay Cole came in to play Maggie. One of Cole's main contributions to the piece was in inspiring Hamlisch to write the "Mother" chanty in the montage, having mentioned that she was part Irish.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:31pm

MB- I'm quite jealous you got to read those. Though it sounds tedious, I would imagine it's neat to come across something like that.

A little OT, but the harmonies on that line (up a steep and very narrow stairway) are some of my favorites in musical theatre.

Updated On: 2/7/07 at 11:31 PM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:34pm

I am def. jealous too.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:35pm

MB- How could one get a hold of them?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:36pm

AS he said earlier, the Lincoln Center probably has copies that you can read.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:38pm

Yes but I live about as far away from the Lincoln Center you can get in the USA (with the exception of Hawaii).

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:40pm

So do I...so I just get to wait until I can travel up there. Which, for "A Chorus Line" the wait is worth it.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:45pm

F*ck the RED SHOES.

This all just shows the talent of Michael Bennet
and how the Broadway scene would have developed
if AIDS had not ravished it.
AMEN

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/7/07 at 11:47pm

*Moment of Silence*

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 11:41am

so, was Simon ever given any official writing credits? Of did he choose to remain anonymous?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 11:44am

Simon did it as a favor to Michael Bennett - they had worked together on PROMISES PROMISES. I don't think they ever really discussed payment or credit, but I guess Simon was a little surprised that Bennett's thank you gift for Simon's contribution was a pair of satin pillow cases. Bizarre.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 1:15pm

Simon says in his autobio that he was never compensated for his work on ACL.

Pam Blair once said in an interview that Simon had written some extra material for Val and Pam was glad when Bennett cut it because she didn't like it.

I always thought it was interesting that the creative team wasn't getting the expected reaction from the song "Dance Ten, Looks Three". It was originally in the Playbill as "Tits and Ass" and the creative team realized they were giving away the punchline, so they renamed it "Dance Ten, Looks Three".

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 1:16pm

I like that they also seem to think that "Let Me Dance For You" was NOT written for the film but "Who Am I Anyway?" was...(See the DVD featurette with Hamlisch if you doubt me)

[WestVillage]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 1:25pm

Simon was interviewed in THE LONGEST LINE about his contributions, and he said Michael Bennett gave him a very strange gift in thanks ... a pair of pillowcases (satin, I believe). On a subsequent Simon show, Simon asked Bennett for some assistance (thinking it would be complimentary since Simon contributed his work for free on ACL), and Bennett charged him for his services! I think THE LONGEST LINE is the only ACL book where Simon was actually interviewed.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 1:29pm

Ironically, Kelly isn't a Leo. Her birthday is Feb. 28, same as Bernadette Peters.

And Vincente Minnelli. And Tommy Tune.

And me. ;-}

[BwayLover]

Posted: 2/8/07 at 2:52pm

"Ironically, Kelly isn't a Leo. Her birthday is Feb. 28, same as Bernadette Peters."

Yes but she did state that she said "the rest of the Zodiac better watch out". In "On The Line" it says that they changed her birthday and she chose to be a Leo because that is a strong sign as well.

And this is indeed the most fascinating thread I've read in a while. And I LOVE Kelly Bishop. I would have picked Sheila over Cassie every time!!

Updated On: 2/8/07 at 02:52 PM