On Your Toes at City Center

[lupone76]

Is the City Center On Your Toes going to based on the 1980's revival or the original mroe antiquated production?

[EricMontreal22]

I didn't think the 80s revival made significant revisions to the original--no new book writer is credited.

Of course they'll have to keep Balanchine's Slaughter ballet. Much of the rest of his dances have been lost, though I know Peter Martins and Donald Saddler did a good job of trying to reconstruct as much as possible, at least in the same style (technically Slaughter as used is a later version that Balanchine did for NYCBallet, anyway.)--so I'm curious who they'll have in the Makarova role.

[lupone76]

I know that the score was tinkered with for the 80's production. The 80's production which played the now Wilson then Virginia meant a whole lot to me cause it was one of my favorite shows that I enjoyed as a child. My favorites at the time were On Your Toes, 42 Street, My One And Only. I'm feeling nostalgic for this and hope its close to the 80's production I fell in love with as a young child.

[givesmevoice]

I'm also curious as to who they'll have in the Makarova role, Eric. I'd love if they cast a ballet dancer, but there are a few musical theater actresses I can think of for the part.

[frontrowcentre2]

I know that the score was tinkered with for the 80's production.

The 1983 revival was given praise for using the original orchestrations and attempting to re-create the look and sound of the show from 1936.

There were more changes for the 1954 revival, which shortly after opening dropped the characters of Phil Dolan's vaudevillian parents (and cut their "Two-a-day for Keith" number.) This led to the three actors (Father, Mother and Phil Jr) being dropped from the cast. That production also interpolated "You Took Advantage of Me" for Elaine Stritch to song, an no subsequent revival has done that. The orchestrations were redone for a decidedly 1950's musical comedy sound.

The 1983 revival was a reclamation.

[mallardo]

I saw a terrific production of it at Reprise in LA a few years ago - Jeff Denman in the lead - and it seemed to follow the cast recording of the 1983 production quite precisely.

[best12bars]

The 1983 revival was the first show I saw on Broadway (by one day). I was there for a week of seeing shows, and we took a chance on it, since it was still in previews. I liked it better than 42nd Street, which we saw 3 days later.

And Natalia Makarova was brilliant.

Actually, so was everyone else. The show felt very authentic in style, look, and sound. It was directed by George Abbott himself (with help, since he was almost 96 years old).

Lara Teeter, Christine Andreas, Dina Merrill, George S. Irving, and George de la Pena were all first-rate. I still remember the "dance off" choreography on the title number (between the hoofers and the ballet dancers) that stopped the show, plus the thrilling Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, and the hilarious Princess Zenobia Ballet.

[Smaxie]

The dance-off!

http://www.bluegobo.com/production/2883697/video/10405