houdini- Page 2

[jo]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 9:09am

I agree that there is a real Houdini with whom physical comparisons will be inevitable. But hasn't there been many other stage portrayals which have been successful despite the differences in actual persons and the actors who portrayed them? There was a real Maria Von Trapp but did she look like Julie Andrews or Mary Martin? Did the assasins in ASSASINS look like the actual characters they portrayed? How did Frank Valli look like - like John Lloyd Young? And it is very, very likely that Yul Brynner never looked like the real King of Siam who was the subject of the diary/memoir by Anna Leonowens.

Re superhero movies -- in the minds of fanboys, the portrayal of a much-followed pop culture figure is very important ( down to the actual physical characteristics of the superhero figure, maybe even to the costume worn ) -- Hugh's height and pretty boy looks have been initially criticized when the series ( the first serious stab at comic book themes) was first adapted for the movies. But he has thrived in the role despite the fanboys' objections - LOL! All I am saying is that Hugh has successfully overcome major differences in the perceived personas of the roles he has portrayed.





Updated On: 6/2/13 at 09:09 AM

[Broadway Geek2]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 9:44am

Let's go with the obvious: they need Jackman. No one will care about physical resemblance (since [almost] no one knows what Houdini looked like anyway). They need the "name": look how successful his latest [almost] solo show was on Broadway. Also he is pretty/sexy enough to draw in women (any many men, for that matter).

[Nerwen]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 1:47pm

I´m not sure what that means for Houdini, but Stephen Schwartz is to write the score for a new Austrian musical with the working title "Schikaneder", which is to open in the 2015/2016 season in Vienna. I just wonder how it workds, I would think that the songs are in german or is he only the composer and someone else writes the lyrics?

I´m quite excited for this but hope it doesn´t affect Houdini negatively.

Here is the link for the article, sadly only in german:

http://kurier.at/kultur/buehne/schikaneder-vbw-planen-neues-musical-von-oscar-preistraeger/15.799.053

And I wonder how he does it, couse isn´t it planned that the prince of Egypt shall open on Broadway and that he and Menken are working on the score?!?!

Updated On: 6/14/13 at 01:47 PM

[Fan2]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 1:10pm

In the video interview with director Jack O'Brien, at about 16:30, they start talking about Houdini, and O'Brien says they now have a schedule, Hugh is committed to it, and they should go out of town the "autumn after this one" and open the following spring. So it sounds like it was delayed a year but is still happening.




Houdini at 16:30 Updated On: 6/18/13 at 01:10 PM

[Nerwen]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 1:14pm

What does this "go out of town" mean, is there a pre-broadway try-out?

So when is the opening supposed? Spring 2014 or 2015?



Updated On: 6/18/13 at 01:14 PM

[Fan2]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 1:25pm

If I heard him correctly, out-of-town would be "a year from this Autumn" which would be 2014 and Broadway in Spring 2015. Anyone else is free to click on the link I posted and listen and confirm.

Updated On: 6/18/13 at 01:25 PM

[Nerwen]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 3:42pm

I thought it was a broadway bound musical and that it then has no off Broadway try-out.

But it´s amazing that the musical isn´t dropped.

The link doesn´t work and I can´t find the vid.
Updated On: 6/18/13 at 03:42 PM

[jo]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 6:17pm

Last May, Cindy Adams wrote about the spring 2015 schedule of HOUDINI, after she presumably got an update from Rockwell and O'Brien --

https://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/cindy_adams/from_monologues_to_memoir_Z7u0N74UpNDBqLDk55cWcM

It seems David Ives is now on board as bookwriter.

I am liking what O'Brien is saying in the interview. It seems that there will be some great magic tricks also starring in the show - and contemporized for the 21st century ( whatever that means) and not like a Las Vegas act. It seems they will also dwell much on Houdini as a person ( and not just as a magician) as " he was a beautiful person inside, as he was outside". I wonder if the tryout will be in the West Coast - doesn't O'Brien have former links with a theatre company in San Diego?

Also, the news that Hugh continues to be attached may be an indication of great belief in the show itself...and Hugh, as a theatre-trained actor, knows what it takes to put a " magical" show on the road

[theatredk]

Posted: 6/18/13 at 6:46pm

Let's keep out fingers crossed for Hugh in Les Miz in Melbourne even if he is in it for the opening month

[Nerwen]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 12:45pm

I think it is a little bit strange that Aaron Sorkin dropped out of Houdini because of scheduling conflicts but now has apparently the time to write the book for another musical...

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Aaron-Sorkin-Writing-Book-for-New-Broadway-Musical-20130621

I would really like to know what the true reason for his Houdini cancellation is.

But I don´t care as long as Houdini opens off Broadway in Autumn 2014

Updated On: 6/21/13 at 12:45 PM

[behindthescenes2]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 5:38pm

Not enough drug and alcohol budget for the show

[jo]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 10:11pm

>>>But I don´t care as long as Houdini opens off Broadway in Autumn 2014<<<

Jack O'Brien mentioned an autumn 2014 tryout, not an off-Broadway ( as we know it) preview. Presumably he is referring to any of known tryout cities for stage productions?


Updated On: 6/21/13 at 10:11 PM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 10:15pm

I've heard rumors of an out of town tryout in San Francisco in the Fall of 2014 in advance of a Spring 2015 opening on Broadway, which matches up with the timeline laid out by Jack O'Brien in the interview linked earlier in this thread.

Updated On: 6/21/13 at 10:15 PM

[jo]

Posted: 6/21/13 at 10:21pm

That sounds very plausible -- Hugh's one-man show had its first tryout at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco in 2011! Carole Shorenstein Hays will welcome the chance ...Wicked had its first public preview at the same theatre.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 6/22/13 at 12:13am

How many days/weeks do out-of-town tryouts usually run?

[Nerwen]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 9:04am

New info on Houdini:

"Schwartz is "almost halfway" through penning the music and lyrics for his next Broadway show, "Houdini," based on the life of the legendary escape artist, with Tony-winning box office idol Hugh Jackman in the title role. The key ingredients suggest a project as sure-fire as "Wicked" -- but there has been a recent snag in the show's development. Aaron Sorkin ("A Few Good Men," "The Farnsworth Invention"), who was to write his first musical book for the Jackman vehicle, dropped out because he was too busy writing his new series, "The Newsroom," as well as multiple film projects. Schwartz says a new book writer has been signed, but he's not allowed to announce who it is.

"I'm not too concerned about people's expectations or anything else," Schwartz says. "That can be paralyzing. For me, it's just about getting the work done. The goal is to have both the book and score completed by the end of the year because there's going to be a New York reading with Hugh. We've got to do everything by certain deadlines with this show because Hugh's availability is on such a strict schedule."

So, if they plan to finish score and book by the end of 2013 then why do we have to wait so long for it to open in fall 2014?

Source: http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2013/7/6/wicked_puts_tunesmith_back_on_top.htm

By the way in that article is interesting stuff about Stephen.

Amazing to know that there really will be a reading with Hugh by the end of the year!


Updated On: 7/7/13 at 09:04 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 10:00am

Because musicals don't go from paper drafts to full productions overnight. There will undoubtedly be workshops, and raising money, and a thousand other details.

[justincharacter]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 10:06am

I'm extremely, and I mean extremely excited about this production, Schwartz is going to do a incredible job. I have a feeling this is going to be "the ROLE to play" for male actors, much like Elphaba or Eva for women actors. By 2015 or the fall of 2014 (whenever it premieres) Schwartz will have three shows of his running on Broadway. Any ideas for the actress who's going to play Bess?

[jnb9872]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 11:00am

Nothing against Schwartz, but I sincerely lament the lack of Elfman in this project's future. His music is so unique, so perfectly-tuned to the atmosphere of magic and mystery in the theatre, I would have loved to hear his score.

[Nerwen]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 11:07am

"Any ideas for the actress who's going to play Bess?"

Some people here on that board said that Willemijn Verkaiks run as Elphaba on Broadway was maybe some sort of a test for Houdini, if she can handle an american audience and she supposedly acted "a little coy" when asked about it.
But now, that she will be in Londons West End as Elphaba, for almost one year, as she said, I don´t know if this is possible. Because in 2014 will be a lot of Workshops and readings I think, and she would not be available, starting Wicked in November 2013 in London, unless she has little breaks in her run.

I have no idea, how many workshops and readings are in the "hot phase" of a producion and how long is such a workshop and reading?







Updated On: 7/7/13 at 11:07 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 11:20am

Three? Are you insinuating that Pippin is going to make it that long? While I suppose its possible (and I certainly loved it) most revivals last a year to 18 months.

I,too, would have been more excited by Elfman's contributions as well. Nothing against Schwartz, as I like a lot of his work as well. (Like, don't love.)

I'm just glad this is progressing. I've always been fascinated with Houdini...and Jackman.

[justincharacter]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 8:50pm

@Nerwen I sincerely hope that Willemijn will be apart of it, she's freakin' outstanding! I have never seen or heard anyone like her

[jo]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 10:25pm

Jack O'Brien did say that the tentative schedule was for a spring 2014 opening ( presumably to catch the TONYs in June) - not further into the following theatre season.

>>>We've got to do everything by certain deadlines with this show because Hugh's availability is on such a strict schedule."<<<

I wonder if Hugh already has any film commitments for the rest of this year -- before the workshops, casting, and rehearsals ( if things fall into place - although I doubt that funding will be much of an issue) start for this stage production. I wonder, too, how long is he committed to be in the play -- although this is still too far off into the future.

Other than "Bess", I thought the book was supposed to feature more prominent roles for Houdini's female antagonists re spiritualism. Are they departing from that? Will part of Sorkin's work ( which was presumably anchored on that subject) be made part of the new musical?

[Dessie]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 10:32pm

If the score is to be completed by the end of the year and a reading after that- it can't open in the spring of 2014.

[justincharacter]

Posted: 7/7/13 at 10:33pm

If Hugh Jackman departs due to scheduling (I don't think he will), even though he was supposed to star for a West End production of Houdini, Ramin Karimloo can always make his Broadway debut (or that's who I would think for a replacement)



Updated On: 7/7/13 at 10:33 PM