Why Aren't These Shows Revived? — Page 4

How about South Pacific? It's never been revived after all.

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Tune's Bye Bye Birdie never made it to Broadway. I can't remember why -- I seem to remember it was doing well on the road.

Bye Bye Birdie has never been revived since its original Broadway prodcution over 40 years ago.

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"South Pacific" had a major revival at Lincoln Center in the "70's; I remember seeing it, but cannot pinpoint the time (I think it was at what was then called the NY State Theater or something like that). The treatment of racism does not seem dated at all to me, anymore than Showboat's is.

No Strings would be great with a new book. They're Playing Our Song was minorly charming, but I can't see a revival. Oliver is done so much all over the country...there was (I think non-equity) major tour this year.

As Margo pointed out in another thread, the Broadway audience has flipped % in the past 30 years, from primarily "local" to primarily tourist. Capturing this tourist audience is no easy job, and so many ofthese revivals have failed.

Playing to packed houses, The Boy From Oz turned profitable only in ts final month! It's a tough business, for sure. That's why without a major name from movies or TV, most revivals will fail. Like her or not, Christina Applegate is the ONLY reason for the Sweet Charity run, whatever it turns out to be. And she helps to provide jobs for lots of regular theater folk, which is fine by me.

Updated On: 7/7/05 at 11:23 AM

The SOUTH PACIFIC revival has come up a few times on some other threads. I know that the R&H estate has considered two productions for Broadway transfer -- the first, a regional theatre production (Dallas Theatre Center) and the second, the RNT production (which ended up being a disappointment).

I'm sure its just a matter of time before its back on Broadway.

It's all about finding the right Fanny Brice, Parks.

Hopefully one will emerge one day.

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They'd probably cut the overture. They have that nasty habit with revivals these days

Margo et al,

I guess we'll see how "twentienth century" fares with audiences and critics very soon as it's this years Actors Fund Benefit Concert

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=3779

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I know there was talk of a Neeson led Camelot revival, but I'm not sure it ever got beyond the talking stage. Even with major stars, I'm not sure how well Camelot would fare now, though.

Last I heard, the Cameron MacIntosh "My Fair Lady" is supposed to tour the UK and then make it to Broadway in 2006 for a 50th Anniversary production.

And yes, Craig, I'm looking forward to the Encores On the Twentieth Century. I suppose if it's very well received, the possibility of a transfer might exist.

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The book of Camelot is so bloated and overloaded, it woould work better with 30+ minutes of cutting (especially in Act II).

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The odd thing is that "Camelot" was not really a big hit, even with that cast. I remember as a boy Ed Sullivan plugging it incessently on his Sunday night TV show...God, am I old? I remember the cast doing a number--wow!

Yes, Margo--that's the South Pacific revival. I remember the theater, since we were so high we had to watch the stage with binoculars...second balcony, maybe?

Camelot is playing in CA with, my love, Melissa Errico in August.

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Updated On: 7/7/05 at 03:43 PM