Witches Of Eastwick

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 7:08am

Why has this show not been shown more love in the States?

Updated On: 8/19/14 at 07:08 AM

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 8:07am

Well, there *is* a production happening in Ogunquit, Maine next month :)

God, I wish I could go

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 8:49am

Same here, but sadly only on the west coast.

[DeNada]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 9:16am

I believe it's a rights holder thing - Cameron Mackintosh wanting only major productions to try and improve the show's profile, but none of the big regional theatres being interested, ergo most people can't get the rights to it even if they're interested.

[Up In One]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 9:42am

Saw the original in London, was a waste of a show slot for that trip. Completely forgettable. Has it been re-written?

[vassey]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 9:54am

It was rewritten in London during the original run and scale-down in the move to the Prince of Wales theatre from Drury Lane, then rewritten again for the Australian production. It was rewritten for the Signature Theatre, Virginia production and UK tour. The show has had a lot of rewrites lol!

Nowadays, Loose Ends is dumped, Eye of the Beholder is replaced with In Your Wildest Dreams (where Alex strips off), Darryl has a new song aswell.

[JRybka]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 10:14am

We loved it when it was at the Signature Theater. It was a wonderful production. I do wish it was a more popular show as there is a great score and a chance for three amazing female roles.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 10:21am

Saw it in London, admittedly late in the run, and I thought it one of the dreariest musicals ever mounted there (and I've seen some candidates, from "Good Old Bad Old Days" to "Mutiny on the Bounty"). Its satire of small-town America was more "Bye Bye Birdie" than post "American Beauty," rather toothless and unfunny, the feminist themes cliched, the magic uninteresting and the score just unmemorable. I saw only one of the original three witches, but it was a big yawn. And the audience was indifferent, even packed in on a Friday night in July. I can't imagine it doing well in today's marketplace. It has a great title for post-"Wicked" B'way. That's about it, at least from my memory. (Worth examining: have any of its songs entered the cabaret circuit? Did a hit emerge? None I recall.)

Updated On: 8/19/14 at 10:21 AM

[LALALand]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 10:34am

I saw the Prince of Whales production with a friend who had never been to a show before. He loved it, I liked it. The original cast was still in the show, minus Ian McShane. Enjoyable, but forgettable. The thing i most remember is Rosemary Ashe singing "Evil." She was hilarious and the vomit spraying from her mouth was a wonderfully gross effect.

[evic]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 10:56am

They did it about 5 years ago in Brazil. There is a lot of talent in that country. There is a diva there Claudia Raia who is very talented and beloved in Brazil. She was Sheila in A Chorus Line and did Charity and Cabaret. She recently did Crazy For You as Polly. She is around 50- a bit long in the tooth for the role but she is very personable and committed. All her videos can be found on youtube. And her boy toy lover is always her co star. It is a meh musical.

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 11:03am

"Worth examining: have any of its songs entered the cabaret circuit? Did a hit emerge? None I recall."

"Who's the Man" makes an appearance at auditions every now and then.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 11:29am

i missed the Australian production, but I do love the soundboard. hoping one of these days Cam Mac sees fit to stage a touring production.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 11:34am

The Ogunquit production is directed by an English director. I doubt it will be transferring anywhere, but at least they're using some high profile names.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/19/14 at 12:38pm

I will look up "Who's the Man." When I left London, I bought "Beautiful Game" and the Pryce "Fair Lady" CDs but passed on "Witches." And I buy everything. I'm curious if the songs land outside the show. I'm genuinely open-minded (we all have nights when we hear things differently).

FYI, unrelated: I saw the very first "Fair Lady" preview, after it moved from the NT to the West End. The a/c wasn't working, and it was a hot July in London. Odd evening. I got the seats waiting in the cancellation line that morning. The first preview was a Saturday night, if memory serves.