Posted by Gmerchant123 2012-11-18 00:56:02
Honestly I want more classics,such as sunset blvd., king and I, carousel,Oliver,and maybe if I REALLY pushed it Assassins,thoughts?We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Phyllis Rogers Stone 2012-11-18 00:59:03
No thoughts.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by MattDe 2012-11-18 01:25:42
Assassins a classic ??? don't think so
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by CurtainPullDowner 2012-11-18 01:39:54
Not sure if most would consider them "classics",
but CARNIVAL and IRMA are RIPE.
But I can't think of a working director or choreographer with vision to make them work.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Idiot 2012-11-18 02:01:47
Stafford Arima should stage a chamber version of GREASE but make it a statement about bullying.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by adam.peterson44 2012-11-18 02:05:52
I'd love to see the Goodspeed production of Carousel go to Broadway.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by My Oh My 2012-11-18 02:33:30
A perfectly recreated production of Broadway's original Evita, complete with those freaky helicopter launching pad lights on the stage deck, weirdo metal railings that represent the Casa Rosada, awesomely turning mic/balcony thing as Eva throws her arms up into that iconic pose, garish wood and mirror revolving door for "Goodnight and Thank You," and oddball solitary wooden door frame randomly placed stage right during "Another Suitcase in Another Hall."
A perfect, exact recreation, please, with Larry Fuller as choreographer and Hal Prince directing.
Maybe then we could celebrate one of the most thrilling theatrical presentations of our time, and bury the memory of the current, lackluster, pious tourist trap.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by chewy5000 2012-11-18 03:30:26
MAME, starring Lady Gaga.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Will42 2012-11-18 03:46:36
Arsenic and Old Lace with Benedict Cumberbatch (or Eric McCormack), Rosemary Harris and Angela Lansbury.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Dave19 2012-11-18 06:10:58
Miss Saigon
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Sant 2012-11-18 10:27:06
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
SUNSET BOULEVARD
MY FAIR LADY
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by mikey2573 2012-11-18 11:27:28
I think OLIVER! is ripe for a revival. Considering that the 1980 revival with Moody and Lupone had the same set and director as the original production, it is a show that has not had a NEWLY staged production since its original run almost 50 years ago. I would love to see the Macintosh version that has been hanging around the UK since 1994 make it to Boradway. But the last time he tried to bring it in, AE insisted he pay the Workhouse Kids for a full show even though they are only in the first ten minutes of the show and then are never seen again (except the 8 or 9 who are reused as members of Fagin's gang). Thus we were given the non-equity tour, which was still quite good. I wonder if he will bring the current UK tour over here to tour when its dates are done. It's a show that certainly has its fans.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Jordan Catalano 2012-11-18 11:31:16
I want an off broadway revival of THE HUMAN COMEDY.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by gabrieljwickedone 2012-11-18 11:38:05
I wish we could get that Funny Girl revival. Maybe Nina Arianda has the pipes? Or Sutton Foster?
My Fair Lady or The King and I at Lincoln Center would be ideal. Kelli O'Hara for both of those!
And I really want to see a revisal of The Unsinkable Molly Brown. I wish the production with Reba had come to fruition. That would be the perfect revival.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Jordan Catalano 2012-11-18 11:41:45
And definitely DREAMGIRLS.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Starship 2012-11-18 11:42:17
Hairspray with Rosie O'Donnell as Edna. And Tracy. At the same time.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by henrikegerman 2012-11-18 11:43:35
MAME with Toni Collette and Kristen Johnston
SHE LOVES ME with Kelli O'Hara and Josh Radnor
JUNO with Betty Buckley and Gabriel Byrne
PURLIE with Anika Noni Rose and Sahr Ngaujah
HIGH SPIRITS with Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Rachel York and Mary Louise Wilson or Harriet Harris
ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY with Kevin Kline and Kristin Chenoweth
MY FAIR LADY with Damian Lewis, Christiane Noll, and Alfred Molina
KISMET with Paolo Schott, Jane Krakowski, Andrew Samonsky and Jennifer Damiano
ERNEST IN LOVE with Penelope Keith, Laura Osnes, Sierra Bogess, Lee Pace, Santino Fontana, Jayne Houdyshell
MY ONE AND ONLY with Hugh Jackman and Tari Kelly
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Jordan Catalano 2012-11-18 11:46:05
AIDA with Chad Kimball, Montego Glover and Catherine Zeta Jones.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Dollypop 2012-11-18 11:52:35
GODSPELL. Now and forever!
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Wynbish 2012-11-18 12:00:35
She Loves Me (with Laura Benanti and Steve Kazee)
The Secret Garden
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by bestfreakinshoes 2012-11-18 12:27:59
BABY
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by egghumor 2012-11-18 12:30:14
THE MOST HAPPY FELLA
THE SECRET GARDEN
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
Does anyone know if the libretto for TOP BANANA is any good?
If it's decent I wish that show would be considered.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by canmark 2012-11-18 15:39:02
The Will Rogers Follies
Juno and the Paycock
The Glass Menagerie
M. Butterfly
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Someone in a Tree2 2012-11-18 16:01:09
Not to belittle anyone's choices here, but I never thought anyone would feel nostalgic for BABY or WILL ROGERS FOLLIES. Each show boasted a few nice songs, but never could make sense as a play as a whole.
My noms for musicals (I'll let others offer casting suggestions, but I'm dreaming of Nicholas Hytner-type direction a la the '94 Carousel for most of the shows on the list):
LADY IN THE DARK
BRIGADOON
THE APPLE TREE
DEAR WORLD (needs a major revisal deleting the title song)
MACK & MABLE
THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM
THE RINK
BIG RIVER
RAGS
CITY OF ANGELS
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND
1992 is sort of my cutoff year-- don't believe shows should be revived sooner than 20 years.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by GlindatheGood22 2012-11-18 16:27:57
I think we're due for a workable Damn Yankees - Jeremy Jordan, Nina Arianda, and Boyd Gaines.
And another Cabaret would be wonderful right about now.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Brave Sir Robin2 2012-11-18 16:36:37
CAROUSEL
THE KING AND I
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND
BABY
SUNSET BOULEVARD
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
MACK AND MABEL
MISS SAIGON
CITY OF ANGELS
THE WIZ
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by lupone76 2012-11-18 16:46:42
Cats
My One and Only
The King and I
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Miss Saigon
42nd.Street
Sunset Blvd.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by SNAFU 2012-11-18 17:30:46
Scandalous
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by goldenboy 2012-11-18 17:58:34
whatever it is.. please don't James Lapine near it.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by After Eight 2012-11-18 20:39:38
How about Broadway's longest running play, Life With Father?
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by MKunkel 2012-11-18 21:17:34
Hello, Dolly with Christine Ebersole
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by rougeduck 2012-11-18 21:28:11
I've said it in another thread.On a broadway where Spiderman is the champ and geeks are cool, I think Via Galactica would kill.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by South Fl Marc 2012-11-18 21:36:25
Dracula, the play, with the Edward Gorey sets and costumes and Benedict Cumberbatch as the lead.
Other plays: Bent, Amadeus, Sweet Bird of Youth, Sherlock Holmes (The RSC's version of the Gillette play). No Musicals, most have been revived ENOUGH.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by bobs3 2012-11-18 21:54:17
CARNIVAL! but it would take a genius director/choreographer to top Gower Champion's seamless staging in the original production.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Timmer 2012-11-18 22:20:11
I definitely agree about Carnival!
They're Playing Our Song
Hello Dolly
The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by madbrian 2012-11-19 09:15:36
Hello Dolly, starring Reba
Mame, starring Rachel York
Applause, starring Vanessa Williams & Beyonce
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by D2 2012-11-19 12:56:48
THE PERFORMERS. Maybe reunite the original cast? They're all still young enough, right?
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by mamaleh 2012-11-20 09:11:30
CITY OF ANGELS
WALKING HAPPY
BAKER STREET
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by newintown 2012-11-20 10:18:41
It's this kind of thinking that has reduced us to seeing only one truly good new work every five years. Everyone wants a re-run...
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by DEClarke 2012-11-20 10:30:39
In all honesty... no jokes...
Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash's ONE TOUCH OF VENUS starring Kristen Chenoweth as Venus.
Full staged. Big enough budget to utilize some special stage magic for the transformation from and to a statue. That show could be stellar. It's got a great score and it's a fun, bubbly show that is PERFECT for a Date Night and a Girl's Night Out.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Someone in a Tree2 2012-11-20 13:26:34
In answer to Newintown, should the Met be chastised for always remounting old opera classics? What about Symphony Orchestra repertoires?
There ought to always be a place on Broadway for brilliant shows of the past to get a remounting. Sometimes they'll hit gold (Chicago), sometimes not (On a Clear Day...), but give today's audiences a chance to see the fabled glories of Musical Theater Past and let them decide for themselves. Most of us play the old scores of LADY IN THE DARK or ONE TOUCH OF VENUS and try to imagine how those shows lived and breathed onstage. Staging a revival is our way of reaching back to the authors and audiences of 1941 or '44 and sharing the magic of Kurt Weill, Ira Gershwin or Ogden Nash.
I want to know what that magic is myself, and I want the generations of young theatergoers behind me to know it too. How else can we insure there will be new glories of musical theater to come?
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Ed_Mottershead 2012-11-20 13:50:32
I totally agree about Lady in the Dark. The problem is finding the right Liza Elliott -- it's a HUGE role and the person playing it has to be a one-of-a-kind/one-in-a-billion performer who can sing and act up a storm, plus dance, and have that undefineable persona known as "star quality." With all due respect to Mmmes. Chenowith, Murphy, Clark, Arianda, etc., I can't think of anyone who would fit the bill. In her younger days, Angela Lansbury would seem to have a been a perfect fit, but it never happened.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by newintown 2012-11-20 14:20:31
"In answer to Newintown, should the Met be chastised for always remounting old opera classics? What about Symphony Orchestra repertoires?"
It's a good question - opera and concert music are, as far as the masses are concerned, relatively dead "high art" forms, and what is new is generally (with a few exceptions) relegated to academia.
Theatre, however, doesn't need to succumb to being a victim of movies and television. It can stay contemporary and alive.
There are some, who, ignorant of anything that happened before they were 10 years old, feel that the relatively current glut of revived work is simply a result of a larger library of works available to be revived; a point of view so ridiculous it's difficult to know where to begin to refute it.
Revivals are best left to regional, stock, and amateur groups; the argument that they can't do it as well as "Broadway" is lame-brained. Perhaps they can't do it as expensively; but equating budget with quality is a strictly Republican mindset. "Talent," on the other hand, is a completely subjective word - you may not feel that they guy playing Bobby in a revival of Company in Duluth is as talented as Raul Esparza, but I'm sure there will be many who disagree with you.
Here in New York, we have the Encores series (which no longer makes much of a pretense at being a "reading" series anymore) and Paper Mill for good revivals.
But when almost half of the work produced in Manhattan (or more) is old work, on Broadway as well as Off, with fewer theatres and theatre companies in existence, it makes one sad that there isn't more good new work given to us. IMO, the most recent artistically successful musicals produced commercially in NYC were The Scottsboro Boys and The Book of Mormon, the more recent of which opened a year and a half ago. We're lucky to get one truly good new show every 2-3 years. Much of what is new is derivative and mercenary (wooden, lazy adaptations of successful films or public domain literature, that appear to be created more to make money than to be good).
So that's my point - it's easy to keep watching what we've already seen; let's work a little harder on new work, and avoid atrophying into a slack-jawed audience that can't enjoy anything unfamiliar.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by finebydesign 2012-11-20 15:21:17
Into the Woods
Sweeney Todd
Gypsy
Annie
Jesus Christ Superstar
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Someone in a Tree2 2012-11-20 17:34:02
To Ed, how about a LADY IN THE DARK with birthday girl Jan Maxwell?
To newintown, it's great to have a legitimate debate about the value of revivals on Broadway stages, and refreshing to up the level of discourse here. So here's my rebuttal--
I fail to understand why revivals are ok to produce in regional and community theaters but main stem theaters should be saved for new works. Is the Broadway calendar really a zero-sum equation? Are the creators working on new scripts being knocked out of contention for theaters and money because of the latest revival of ANYTHING GOES or FOLLIES? They seem to be two completely separate impulses to me.
Wouldn't a great production of ANNIE inspire juvenile theater-goers to come back to Broadway to check the untested new SPRING AWAKENINGS-type show next year?
As for the money spent on revivals, I have to say that my little set-designer's heart sinks down and feels dead every time another production of COMPANY or CHICAGO is staged like an Encore or Reprise concert, ignoring the contributions a Boris Aronson or Tony Walton could offer to shape the original gorgeous productions of those shows. Do I want to see a low-budget revival of BRIGADOON against a rental forest drop with some rental footbridge in foreground? Of course not-- I want Derek McClane to give me an evocative Abbey ruin and I want Natasha Katz to give it all the lighting magic the show deserves. I want the BROADWAY version of that show, dammit!
Lastly, I want the masterpieces of the past to not be lost and forgotten. How many theater goers out there have ever seen a production of ONE TOUCH OF VENUS, or LADY IN THE DARK, or THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM, or CARNIVAL, or ONCE ON THIS ISLAND? How many future lyricists, composers and librettists would benefit from learning how those earlier artists made their art?
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Brave Sir Robin2 2012-11-20 19:05:46
^ Not to burst your bubble, but ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is very popular in on the high school circuit.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Someone in a Tree2 2012-11-20 19:27:38
No kidding-- had no idea -- makes me really happy to know highschoolers are familiar with such a great show!
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by beautywickedlover 2012-11-20 19:29:54
'Beauty and the Beast' & 'The Sound of Music'
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by newintown 2012-11-21 11:17:24
"Lastly, I want the masterpieces of the past to not be lost and forgotten. How many theater goers out there have ever seen a production of ONE TOUCH OF VENUS, or LADY IN THE DARK, or THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM, or CARNIVAL, or ONCE ON THIS ISLAND? How many future lyricists, composers and librettists would benefit from learning how those earlier artists made their art?"
I get your point but:
I've seen One Touch of Venus at Encores; I love it, but a full Broadway revival with the original book and orchestrations would not be a success with the herd.
I've seen Lady In the Dark twice - the Marcovicci, and Maria Friedman at the National; it, too, would not fly on Broadway - it represents a sophistication that Wally and Wanda Wisconsin couldn't comprehend, and its take on psychology would be funny for the wrong reasons.
I've seen two full regional productions of The Robber Bridegroom, both excellent. It flopped horribly on Broadway originally; what argument would there be that it might be a hit now?
I've seen two full regional productions of Carnival as well as the Encores version. With so few theatres available on Broadway, why do it there again? Broadway is not the only place good musicals can be done.
As already noted, Once on This Island is done all the time.
I hate to beat a dead horse, but I should reiterate my main point that Broadway is trending towards a greater ratio of revivals to original work, which I find depressing as an indication that producers, writers and audiences just lack the imagination to create and welcome great new works except very rarely.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Someone in a Tree2 2012-11-22 00:34:34
^ wow, newintown, you've had enviable opportunities to see all these great shows that I'm still waiting to see! (Exceptions being ROBBER BRIDEGROOM whose original broadway production I thought was stupendous back in... '75, was it? And I also caught Maria Friedman's National production of LADY IN THE DARK-- very strange staging, and I thought Maria was badly miscast. So jury's still out on that show for me.)
I'm as eager as you to see brave new works on Broadway, but I look at the last dozen seasons and keep seeing unoriginal jukebox musicals like Jersey Boys, Mama Mia and Rock of Ages crowding those precious theater slots as much as the surfeit of revivals do. Faced with the choice, I'd prefer a season full of revivals like the '92 Guys and Dolls or '94 Carousel any day.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by newintown 2012-11-22 15:12:11
OK, we can happily agree there - I would prefer a revival of an interesting show any day over any jukebox musical. Including the few acceptably fun ones.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Timmer 2012-11-24 22:12:21
I saw Baby. OK, not great.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by pop61 2012-11-24 22:34:32
Mame
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Will42 2012-11-25 11:49:16
Here's Angela Lansbury singing My Ship from A Lady in a Dark: http://soundcloud.com/dplight/my-ship
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by beaemma 2012-11-25 18:52:10
Thanks for the link, Will42! It's lovely. Yes, Angela Lansbury should have been the one to star in a revival of LADY IN THE DARK. Too bad the stars weren't in alignment at the right time.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by DEClarke 2012-11-25 23:38:02
Um... with the right casting choices ONE TOUCH OF VENUS would be a huge hit on Broadway today. The book is clever, and because it has not been oft revived (I'm pretty sure that Encores was it's only NY revival thanks to a poop film adaptation), the jokes seem FRESH and VIBRANT.
I just saw a staged concert in Houston, TX this past summer. The piece is BRILLIANT!
I have no doubt in my mind that if they cast Kristen Chenoweth as VENUS her fan base would fuel the show until word-of-mouth could get it extended.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Mildred Plotka 2012-11-25 23:41:37
Wait a second! When did Sunset Boulevard become a "classic"?
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by newintown 2012-11-26 11:06:12
DEClarke, I think you should produce a One Touch of Venus revival; I'd happily go see it, but sincerely fear that you'll lose every cent of your investors' money...
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by canmark 2012-12-16 10:52:16
Not having seen a production of it (but having just read the play), I would like to see a revival of Martin Sherman's Bent. The original 1980 Broadway production starred Richard Gere (Ian McKellen starred in the original 1979 production at the Royal Court in London) and it was nominated for best play (losing the Tony to Children of a Lesser God). I don't think it's ever been revived on Broadway.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by trentsketch 2012-12-16 11:46:45
Starmites and Starlight Express in the same theater. The cast performs selections from Via Galactica after curtain call. It'll be a sci-fi on Broadway spectacular in rep.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by faithzilla 2012-12-16 13:27:44
Can we get a really lovely Christopher Durang play? They are butchered so often (and oh my goodness the monologues..) that I would love to see one done WELL.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by PTOPhan 2012-12-16 22:43:47
I'm with those who want a revival of "My Fair Lady." Unlike many musicals of the 40s and 50s, "My Fair Lady" has a story to which modern audiences can relate. However, if the show is revived on Broadway, I hope that someone casts an actor under the age of 50 to play Henry Higgins. I saw a touring production a few years ago at the Kennedy Center with the late Christopher Cazenove as Higgins. He was, I think, 63 at the time, and overweight. I have Arena Stage tickets for the new tour, starring Benedict Campbell-- a professorial-looking, older gentleman. The actor playing Higgins should be young enough to be the son of the actor playing his mother, and neither of them fit the bill.
I also disagree with George Bernard Shaw's misogynistic view that Eliza would marry Freddy. By "The Rain in Spain," it is clear that she is falling in love with Higgins. That means that Higgins has to have some charisma and sex appeal. This is hardly a radical notion -- Rex Harrison's nickname was "Sexy Rexy."
Here is my "My Fair Lady" dream cast:
Eliza Doolittle -- Emmy Rossum, Sierra Boggess, or (from what I've heard about Les Mis) Samantha Barks.
Henry Higgins -- Gerard Butler or Johnny Depp.
Freddy Eynsford-Hill -- any of the actors who have recently played "Raoul" in "The Phantom of the Opera."
Colonel Pickering -- Patrick Stewart or Geoffrey Rush or Alan Rickman or Jeremy Irons.
Alfred P. Doolittle -- Sacha Baron Cohen. (I can't begin to think of anyone else except Johnny Depp, whom I've listed as a possible Higgins).
Mrs. Pierce -- Miranda Richardson or Helena Bonham Carter.
Mrs. Higgins -- Maggie Smith or Judith Dench.
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by Jamminman 2012-12-17 09:02:30
Showboat with Sierra Boggess as Magnolia, Syesha Mercado as Julie and Lillias White as Queenie.
In the Saigon revival I would love to hear Jeremy Jordan sing Chris, and Laura Osnes as Ellen would be amazing
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by broadwaybabywannabe2 2012-12-17 11:57:02
I DO! I DO!...with patti lupone and mandy patinkin
ANYONE CAN WHISTLE...
( ASSASSINS was revived only 8 years ago...shouldn't there be some standard for time passing between revivals of a revival?)
We want revivals! But which ones?
Posted by My Oh My 2012-12-17 12:18:04
I second Show Boat, but then again, I don't know...
Don't think I'm interested in seeing the show boat rendered in cheesy CGI and projected upon a scrim. Nor do I wish to witness Queenie playing the tuba.
Maybe next year, or whenever current standards aren't sh*tty.
