Will Rogers Follies Revival, Yay or Nay?

[Dallas Theatre Fan]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 9:19pm

I personally think it’s time.  The show holds a special place in my heart for being my first broadway show.  Tommy Tune created a wonderful show through his directing and choreography and making Will Rogers life a Vaudeville show.  It had some great songs like Willomania, Give a Man Enough Rope, Our Favorite Son and, I’ve Never Met a Man I Didn’t like.

 

Now, I know this show is divisive, people either love it or hate it. So, do y’all think it should be revived or only stay in our memories.

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 9:40pm

This one was a head scratcher to me back in the day;  I didn't find it as great as The Secret Garden or Miss Saigon, for example. Carradine and the cast were very good, but I felt the production elevated the source material.

I really can't see modern audiences running to see a revival of this unless it was a non for profit limited engagement. Look at the revivals from that same year we have now, they are not exactly big hits anymore. Some shows show that they belonged to a different time, I think this is a good example of that. 

[thirtythirtyninety]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 9:49am

if Hugh Jackman wanted to do it...

[MNC77]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 9:59am

This would flop so fast.

[greensgreens]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 10:14am

I would absolutely love to see a revival of this! And there is an audience - but I'm not sure they're going to NYC. Didn't this play for a very extended run in Branson with a fading country star? The only way I could see this working in NYC is perhaps with Blake Shelton (and he might actually be pretty good) or some other country star (with some crossover appeal) and at a non-profit in NYC. Or it could play a limited engagement in NYC with a big star and hope to make it's money by touring as a "direct from B'way" show. That might actually be the best model for this to actually happen.

[TheSassySam]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 10:28am

I could see Roundabout, LCT or MTC doing this!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 11:03am

I loved it, but it has to be a huge splashy spectacle like the original in order to work.  And these days, it would need a major box office name to star.  I don't see Roundabout or MTC doing it justice.

[little_sally]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 11:06am

I'd like to see this as an Encores! production.