Will we ever get a Michael Bennett review?- Page 2

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 7:58am

As I read this thread, I think Jessica Lee Goldyn should be the star of such a revue. I'd love to see her take on the Joey Heatherton number, as well as many others.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 9:47am

Years from now, these dances and stagings will continue to be recreated. How many of you think the recent lot of lackluster revivals will see the same type of honorable treatment? None.

The theatre cries out for another Bennett. Oh, Michael, you left us too soon. How Broadway aches for you. =(

A Bennett revue would certainly catch my attention, as well as the attention of nearly everyone I know who likes theatre. I think I'm the only one who doesn't take issue with a Hal Prince revue. I can see a show where his best stagings would be showcased with scenes like "Rainbow High" from Evita, recreated exactly as seen in the original production, lit floor and all. Maybe I just want to experience the thrill of his work again and be treated to bits of shows I'll never see on stage but I don't see what's so ridiculous about a Hal Prince revue.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 9:55am

I've heard that his estate, much like the estate for Robbins, can be extremely difficult to work with. Now I have no idea how true this is, and you also have to factor in that their primary focus has to be not only preserving his work, but making sure that when it is re-presented that it is done at a high level.

So many of the numbers mentioned to be recreated in something like this would be a dream come true though on stage all in one show!

[PattiLover]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 10:35am

"Maybe the problem is there is no one out there really championing Bennet's legacy, in the way Gwen and Anne were there for Fosse?"

Donna McKechnie for one. She was married to him. I bet Jennifer Holliday would be a vocal supporter - and I think she ought to be in it too, to add sing some ballads for variety (give her "Fifty Percent"). As a matter of fact, I would hope that she recreated some Dreamgirls scenes, i.e. "It's All Over" and "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going" including Michael's stroke of brilliance with the "wipeout" closing act 1. Even in non-dance numbers like "I Am Changing" would be thrilling to recreate, especially with the pinpoint spotlight that finally reveals Effie's costume change - thrilling theatre.

The problem is that Bennett burned a lot of bridges. But I don't think anyone would put personal differences over his creative skill. I can't remember who said it, maybe McKechnie, but Michael Bennett had a way of making a dance number, pardon the vulgarity, "cum." When you watch his stuff, that's really the most appropriate description.

Who wants to start raising money with me to make this happen?

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 10:43am

"I've heard that his estate, much like the estate for Robbins, can be extremely difficult to work with. Now I have no idea how true this is"

Very true. John Breglio, Bennett's lawyer, has the sole rights to much if not all of Bennett's legacy. He is super strict about what gets used and what doesn't.

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 10:43am

I disagree about having Holliday (or anyone else from Bennett shows) in the revue. Someone like her can't help but draw focus, and the intent of the show should be on Bennett.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 10:48am

Very true. John Breglio, Bennett's lawyer, has the sole rights to much if not all of Bennett's legacy. He is super strict about what gets used and what doesn't.

And we have him to thank for Mario Lopez in A CHORUS LINE.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 11:33am

I understand leaving financial decisions to a lawyer for an estate like Bennett's, but why the creative ones? This guy has artistic approval on all major productions, Broadway revivals, primary casts, producers, directors, etc. Not to mention licensing images, choreography, and video clips.

Bennett obviously trusted his judgement, but to me it sounds like asking a favorite tax accountant to paint your portrait.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 11:38am

"And we have him to thank for Mario Lopez in A CHORUS LINE."

Don't get me started on that, Morosco. For almost 2 solid years, actors in the A Chorus Line revival were chastised for the tiniest misstep or spark of originality in their performances - then all of the sudden, there's Mario, with his costume and staging changes. It was one of the biggest wtfs I'd ever seen.

To this day I can't figure out why after all his stringency regarding the original cast, Breglio allowed the total disaster that Mario was. Bennett's going to get him for that one.

Updated On: 7/18/12 at 11:38 AM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 12:15pm

The biggest challenge will be the fact that the majority of Bennett's iconic numbers are big ensemble numbers and a revue would require a HUGE cast, much like Jerome Robbins' Broadway. Some smaller numbers that should definitely be included are Music and the Mirror, Bolera D'Amour, You Could Drive a Person Crazy, Tick Tock (Company), and One Night Only. What about Nobody Steps on Kafritz from Henry, Sweet Henry?

Updated On: 7/18/12 at 12:15 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 12:41pm

I'd love to see the Nobody Steps on Kafritz!

Did you watch that Poor Little Person clip, Mister Matt? I'm obsessed by the fact that Bennett gets a hand with the girls' step and then another one with the cadets' step.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 1:04pm

I adore that Poor Little Person clip! Again, another fantastic ensemble number.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 1:21pm

Since we're talking about Michael Bennett shows - are there any videos of Tommy Tune doing "It's Not Where You Start But Where You Finish" from Seesaw? I can't find any.

Updated On: 7/18/12 at 01:21 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 5:58pm

I swear that the Mandelbaum book, which lists videos of his routines, said it was done on some variety show, but I can't find it. I've only seen the one picture (I think of Tune beside an even smaller, in comparison, Baayork Lee).

Is it Breglio that we have to thank for things like them being unable to, as planned, get the Tonys Dreamgirls clip as a bonus on the 2 disc film DVD? (I am sure he's the reason that back before all the legal trouble, Broadway's Greatest Treasures never used the Chorus Line or Dreamgirls footgae when those are definitely two of the greatest Tony clips--Bennett even directed the camera work for Chorus Line himself). It does seem strange though--the Lopez mess of course, and the fact that they allowed a fairly subpar Dreamgirls tour that *didn't* use the Bennett staging (when I had assumed it would be held as sacred as Chorus Line's).

MyOhMy, about a Prince revue you said:
"I think I'm the only one who doesn't take issue with a Hal Prince revue. I can see a show where his best stagings would be showcased with scenes like "Rainbow High" from Evita, recreated exactly as seen in the original production, lit floor and all. "

That would be swell, but even more expensive than Jerome Robbins' Broadway. The thing is, that doesn't seem to be even remotely what they're doing--Stroman, from all reports, is doing brand new choreography, etc.

"Years from now, these dances and stagings will continue to be recreated. How many of you think the recent lot of lackluster revivals will see the same type of honorable treatment? None. "

Agreed, but the problem is, while some of the stagings (Chorus Line, obviously, the Who's That Woman number too, which Avian recreated for London and Papermill used, with a few small changes) are very well documented on video, notated, have had people in various recreations, etc, a lot of the rest will be lost--certainly the technique--without the original dancers there to teach it. A revue like this would go a long ways to preserving much of that.

(It's too bad there's not a company like The Great American Dance Machine anymore, who recreated and preserved important Broadway routines).

[bk]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 6:03pm

"Who's gonna direct Bob Avian and Baayork Lee?"

Neither of them are directors, so I hope not. Recreating the numbers, sure, but not directing the cast or how the show is laid out. For that, you need someone who really understands structure and how to present this kind of thing. I thought the Fosse revue made just about every mistake you can make.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 6:09pm

I thought the Fosse revue made just about every mistake you can make.

Ditto that. The Tony for Best Musical just seemed like a tribute award rather than for the show itself.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 6:19pm

I partially agreed. I was glad to be able to see those fantastic routines live (once in Toronto pre Broadway--and then with a slightly different selection than the PBS broadcast or the Toronto one on a later tour), but the focus was definitely weird. (Wasn't Maltby Jr the director? Why he was chosen to do a dance revue is beyond me).

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 7:56pm

Because he did Ain't Misbehavin' and everybody thought that was the bee's knees.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/18/12 at 8:05pm

He's a fine lyricist, but I would hardly call him a dance expert.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/19/12 at 12:28am

Absolutely--very odd. I suppose with Gwen Verdon and Anne Reinking involved, they felt they needed someone to round it out who wasn't about dance, but it wasn't exactly a logical, or practical decision. (This is getting off topic, but Wiki says that Fosse ended with an encore of Beat Me Daddy from Big Deal--which is a brilliant number, and yet I'm sure everytime I saw it--including the PBS DVD, it ended with Sing Sing Sing and there was no Beat Me Daddy... And while I love Ben Vereen and his Fosse legacy, I wish they hadn't given him as much dancing in the PBS filming--particularly for Bye Bye Blackbird, when compared to clips of Valerie Pettiford doing it, or of course, Liza, he brings the whole number down).