"Wonderland" - Broadway bound??

[philly03]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 10:34pm

I was skeptical when it was just debuting in Tampa, but there is now another engagement, immediately following the Tampa run from January 9 to February 14 at the Alley Theatre in Houston (where Wildhorn/Boyd(/Murphy)'s Jekyll & HYDE, The Civil War and Svengali all received world premiere runs).

Although Wildhorn's last few "world premieres" in the US never made it to Broadway (yet), including "Camille Claudel" (2003) and "Waiting for the Moon" (2005) (which also starred Lauren Kennedy - as Wonderland also very well may), seems like this one already has taken a few giant leaps getting two runs before plans for Broadway.

Anyone thinking this is Wildhorn's shot back to Broadway? Seems like it would logically be able to make a New York transfer for end of March / April?!

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 10:37pm

I'm pretty sure Wildhorn is still has 2 years left of Broadway probation.

[philly03]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 10:40pm

"I'm pretty sure Wildhorn is still has 2 years left of Broadway probation."

Haha why for giving Europe a glorious production of 'DRACULA, the musical' while we suffered during a showing of what a synthesizer and a drummer can do for 2+ hours?

[beltingbaritone]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 10:47pm

Personally, I'm ready for Wildhorn to be back on Broadway. He certainly has composed enough scores.

[philly03]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 10:54pm

"Personally, I'm ready for Wildhorn to be back on Broadway. He certainly has composed enough scores."

Yeah really! I think one of his problems is the stories/plots that go along with it. I love a lot of the 'Rudolf - The Last Kiss' score, but something tells me a sappy-love-mistress-esque story (to my understanding) wouldn't sell as great as something like his 'Count of Monte Cristo.' Then, again, audiences didn't buy his 'DRACULA, the musical' either!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 10:54pm

Bring him back & soon.

[beltingbaritone]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 10:57pm

He just does SO much that I sometimes can't keep track. Maybe once he begins exclusive work on a particular project?

[blaxx]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 10:57pm

What producer can even be sane to try another Wildhorn?

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 10:58pm

"Haha why for giving Europe a glorious production of 'DRACULA, the musical' while we suffered during a showing of what a synthesizer and a drummer can do for 2+ hours?"

Here here!

Updated On: 5/29/09 at 10:58 PM

[philly03]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 11:05pm

"What producer can even be sane to try another Wildhorn?"

Hahaha: Wildhorn Productions. He has his own production company (he must be extremely wealthy from all the record sales from his cast recordings, not to mention several of his pop-hits: Don't forget he wrote for Whitney Houston too!)

Also: I'm sure the 'DRACULA, the musical' producers would back him again -- didn't he try to save "them" money when he decided to do the "concept recording" with James Barbour/Shindle et al that never got released?

[blaxx]

Posted: 5/29/09 at 11:08pm

Well, he's always good for a laugh

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 12:07am

What kinda his previous productions is " : The Musical " after every title. I'm sorry, but the word "musical" has negative connotations in middle America, for the most part, so who wants to see some villainous character singing show tunes? I think "Wonderland" could prove more successful because it's a take on a known story, but told in a different way, and the title is pretty interesting.

I don't know many people who would wiling to go see "Dracula: The Musical."

[StageManager2]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 12:28am

Wildhorn is like the Don Bluth of musical theater. No matter how hard he tries, Bluth will always be a poor man's Disney. Never getting it right.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 12:33am

He writes some pretty bits though.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 12:35am

Ballads shouldn't carry a show by any means, but he can write the hell out of any ballad! LOVE me some Wildhorn ballads :)

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 12:44am

The power ballads he writes are the best I have ever heard.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 1:08am

He does write them well but I agree, power ballads do not make a show. It still has to be compelling.

Any other casting rumors?

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 3:30am

Brandi Burkhardt plz

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 11:06am

I think of FW as the energizer bunny of Broadway.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 12:49pm

I think of him as the manwhore of Broadway.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 12:53pm

Oh not just Broadway, pianolin. Not just Broadway.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 12:56pm

True, ok, I just like to think of him as a manwhore. :P

[philly03]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 3:28pm

"Any other casting rumors?"

It seems like Lauren Kennedy will be Alice most likely. Wildhorn & Brandi Burkhardt broke off their engagement, .. and considering Linda Eder only just started singing his songs again...I'm guessing Brandi is going to be a no show for any future projects (which would have only been Bonnie & Clyde - in which she was "replaced" by Laura Osnes anyway, and Rudolf - The Last Kiss -- which Kate Shindle did some work on.) Burkhardt replaced Kennedy for J&H - Ressurection btw!

Other rumors: Nikki Snelson (workshops) or Tracy Miller (ensemble of 'DRACULA, the musical' and is heard on the website for Wonderland) as the Mad Hatter, and I believe Michael Lanning is still involved as the Catepillar.

Lastly, I think his last name is Silverman? .. the new Raoul on Broadway I believe he is ... did some workshop(s) with Wonderland earlier this year, as I presume the unidentifiable man and character...that I think is supposed to be the White Knight.

I believe Julia Murney, Natalie Toro and a few other Wildhorn-regulars have also been slightly attached -- but who knows? The story/importance of characters is pretty unknown -- I know there's Alice, whose the mother to Chloe; they run into the Mad Hatter and the Catepillar..and I don't even know the basis material enough, but it sounds like Alice and the White Knight have a love interest involved!

All rumors of course! (Except I'd say Kennedy seems to be Wildhorn's last leading lady as of late!)

[Elphie3]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 3:38pm

Isn't Lauren Kennedy doing "Vanities" at 2nd Stage? Will she do both?

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 5/30/09 at 3:40pm

Wonderland doesn't even start until November, and Vanities is only a limited run I believe.