Wow - Encores is doing FOLLIES

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:36pm

And everyone moaned that after the small scale Roundabout revival, we'd never see a big mounting in NYC again. This will surely feature some very lush orchestrations - but will they be able to come up with the perfect dream cast that has always alluded these concert productions of FOLLIES?

Let the speculation begin!
https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=10663

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:39pm

Waiting on pins and needles to hear who'll get cast...

Wonder if City Centre will open the balcony for this run?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:40pm

This is a dream come true. After the dissapointing '01 run I thought it would be at least another 15 years before it was attempted again in New York.

I'm now curious if this has transfer possibilities if it's anywhere near as good as the '98 Papermill revival...

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:40pm

Very suprising and exciting news, for sure!

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:47pm

I hereby nominate Elaine Stritch for the role of Hattie Walker

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:49pm

How about some Barbara Cook???

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:50pm

I cannot wait to see who gets cast. They lined up brilliant actors for their shows last season, I expect big stars for this concert. I wonder if they'd care to record it.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:51pm

I dont think it will transfer, regardless of quality. It is, after all, going to be a concert version of the show, and I would bet - actually I would hope - they will gather an extraordinary cast of stars, who would probably not commit to a long running engagement.

My feeling, is that they must have some people in mind who are interested in the project for them to even choose a show that was so recently revived in the city.

God, how great would it be to have the Meryl Streep involved.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:54pm

I've always thought Streep would be brilliant in this if they ever made a film version, as well as Shirley Maclaine.

Also, I thought the article said it was going to be a "full-scale" presentation of FOLLIES. It's just going to be a concert?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:56pm

I think they mean full scale orchestrations. The Roundabout production, afterall, was a full scale production, but it received a lot of flack for using a very scaled down orchestra.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:57pm

Ah. I guess I misread that.

Oh, well. I'll still be there each night of the show... :)

[gustof777]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 12:32am

I will definitley make it for this! wow so exciting

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 12:37am

I missed getting tickets to the 1980's concert version with Barbara Cook and Lee Remick by mere minutes!

I'm gonna be at this one if I have to sell a kidney!!!!!

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 1:30am

I think this is an awful idea, Michael Bennett. It's really not a show that works well in concert. And I have little hope for the quality of what we'll get at Encores, though I'd love to be pleasantly surprised.

The gallery (balcony) is always open for Encores productions, kissmycookie.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 1:45am

It's really not a show that works well in concert.

You ARE joking? Or have you not heard of a 1985 2-night staging FOLLIES In Concert? RCA Victor released it as a 2 CD set, PBS filmed some of it (as well as rehersals) for a fascinating Making of...documentary. The concert that more or less started the vogue for reviving classic shows in concert.

I do wonder if they will be able to come up with a cast to compete with both the originals and the 1985 concert cast. And will they use the original script? THe revised script from teh cncert? The 2001 script? A hybrid of all versions?

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 1:54am

Why the nasty tone? I was at one of the two concert performances so, yes, I have heard of it. And I think the show doesn't work well in concert, though perhaps I'd change my mind if I attended a better concert version.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 2:02am

I think the score is incredible in any context.

((And Meryl Streep is a great idea!)))

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 2:34am

I apologize if I sounded nasty. I was going for incredulous, but that’s sometimes hard to tell when just reading text. (Maybe we need to include stage directions.)

It just seemed baffling that you would say the show didn't work as a concert when the concert in question still regarded as THE theatrical event of the season. In fact for many who dislike the book of FOLLIES the concert version should be the perfect solution.

So I have to ask, you were there and you didn't enjoy it?

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 2:55am

Yes, I was there and I didn't enjoy it much.

Most of the roles were miscast, even if they were miscast with very talented people (although I can generally live without Hearn and Patinkin under any circumstances). There was virtually no book in the concert, and for me those songs really don't work that well without the book. (MInority opinion, I know.) And what little book there was was mostly not even the original lines but horrible new stuff that Goldman wrote.

There were a few parts I enjoyed but mostly it was not a fun evening for me, watching material I love being eviscerated. And even the playing of the orchestra was not taken full advantage of. I thought when I went that even if I didn't love the cast, I'd get to hear all that great dance music played really well. I was wrong.

In my experience it was one of the first of those Broadway-related events of which we've now had so many, where the audience reaction is insanely out of proportion to the quality of the performance.
Updated On: 6/30/06 at 02:55 AM

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 4:02am

Had you seen the original production?

Many who saw it find any subsequent production and cast lacking.
As the years go by the legend of the original production grows so that nothing short of bringing all the original stars back from beyond, and getting all the original sets and costumes re-created will suffice.

Not saying your reaction is wrong, but it seems so far out-of-step with what audiences and critics alike felt at the time.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 4:33am

I did see the original production. But I know other people who were at the concert who hadn't seen the original and were just as underwhelmed as I was. I think that a lot of what went on at the concert had more to do with appreciation of the material (and a chance to show that appreciation to Sondheim) than with the performances.

And now that we have distance from the hysteria attendant upon the event, I think that not all that many people regard the recording as being all that great.

Even if no other production is likely to equal the original, I do think that a very good production is quite possible. Some of the regional productions over the years have had good performances in at least some roles.

I suppose, even if I question the appropriateness of Encores doing Follies, that I should hope for the best rather than expecting the worst. If we get the original book and the right people (and I think they're out there for most of the roles), it might be pretty good. Though a week and a half of rehearsal really doesn't seem enough.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 6:54am

I guess Paul Gemignani wanted another chance to conduct everything at the wrong tempos.

[jasobres]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 8:06am

Y'know, the weird thing is that isn't ENCORES supposed to be staging musicals that HAVEN'T had a revival in years?

And if they are really serious about doing Follies, let's hope they get someone to recreate Michael Bennett's choreography.

Updated On: 6/30/06 at 08:06 AM

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 8:23am

I have the DVD of the 1985 concert, which also features rehearsals and interviews. I would expect most of you also have it, but if you don't, I HIGHLY recommend it. As for the casting for that show, I thought some of the individuals were good choices, but not necessarily paired well together. Most notably, Mandy Patinkin and Barbara Cook were not believable as a couple.

For this production, I agree that Stritch seems like a great choice, but since she sang "But I'm Here" in her one-woman show and "Broadway Baby" in the 1985 concert, I'd rather see someone new take them on.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 8:32am

Wouldn't it be great if Encores! could get the four actors who played the youngsters in the original production to play their older counterparts this time around?