Why Aren't These Shows Revived?- Page 4

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 10:39pm

That is how I feel. The show is great for light fun. I think there is a chance it could have the family appeal like Grease and others - like you mentioned.

I think it could also pull in the crowds who see and love All Shook Up.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 10:54pm

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

[hrh_annette]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 11:19pm

Did the tour of Bye Bye Birdie with Tommy Tune (and I think Ann Reinking) ever get to Broadway? Or was it a touring production only?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 11:22pm

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.

[roquat]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:00am

"South Pacific"'s point of view on racism comes off as incredibly dated and naive now--almost like an afterschool special. Plus, Rodgers and Hammerstein gets so much overplay in regional and community theatres that a major Broadway revival only comes along if there's a bold new concept (Lincoln Center's racially charged "Carousel" in the late '90s) or as a star vehicle (the Donna Murphy/Lou Diamond Phillips "King and I."

[gymman]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 11:23am

"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

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 2:20pm

South Pacific has never had a major revival on Broadway. It has had limited runs I believe at NY State Theatre (not a Broadway house -- it's the building in the Lincoln Center complex that hosts the New York City Opera and the New York City Ballet and is still called NY State Theatre) and at City Center (also not a Broadway house) in the past 50 years, but the last time there was a Tony-eligible Broadway production with an open-ended run was when the original production ran in the 1950s.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 2:23pm

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.

[Parks]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 2:30pm

Ah, if they would revive Funny Girl, I'd go to see it just to hear that overture. SO good.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 2:35pm

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

Hopefully one will emerge one day.

[magruder]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 2:37pm

The Funny Girl Overture is great. But then, the show starts...

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 2:38pm

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

[MusicalDirector109]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 2:38pm

Wasn't there talk about a "Camelot" revival with Liam Niesson and Natasha Richardson? I would like to see "My Fair Lady", "Brigadoon (I believe the last revival was in 1980) and "Camelot". Did not like the Chamberlain revival of MFL a few seasons ago.

[Craig]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 2:50pm

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

[magruder]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 2:53pm

Or a stage hand will enter in dim light, and to a slow dirge from the orchestra, will sing sotto voce, "don't..tell me not to live..just sit and putter..."

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 2:56pm

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.

[MusicalDirector109]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 3:03pm

"Camelot" would need to be reworked.It really is a three person story anyway.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 3:33pm

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

[Craig]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 3:35pm

It's a shame Mac's OLIVER never hit broadway. From the bits I saw, it looked incredible (and a nice cast too). Way too expensive to be brought into a Bway house tho I am sure...

[gymman]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 3:37pm

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?

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 3:41pm

Shoshana Bean, I'm not saying she is a name, said she would kill to do Funny Girl.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 3:43pm

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

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

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 3:44pm

I've been way up there in New York State Theatre before. There are actually four levels of seating and if you're in back of the top one it can be hard to make out exactly what's even happening on the stage.

Updated On: 7/7/05 at 03:44 PM

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 3:46pm

If Shoshana does Funny Girl, I will shoot myself in the foot.

[Broadway_Bound_Star]

Posted: 7/7/05 at 3:49pm

Well, Little Me could be revived WONDERFULLY! I would love to see that show


What about cinderella? could that be revived again?