THEATRE GOSSIP #517: The "Anyone can whistle, so why can't the Sweeney revival?" Edition

Previous thread

TITANIC sails again, in the UK.

Random question, but some Fela Kuti started playing on a Spotify station I was listening to on my drive home this evening and got me thinking about FELA! (the Broadway musical.)

Was it well received in NY? I saw the subsequent tour in LA starring the original Broadway lead Sahr Ngaujah and I absolutely loved it. Incredibly charismatic lead performance, an onstage band that played the hell out Fela Kuti's glorious Afrobeat music, a wonderful ensemble of dancer/singer/actors and great staging by Bill T. Jones.

Just what the world needs…another Titanic revival!

Title credit to r325 in the previous thread, at the suggestion of r343.

To answer r577 in the previous thread, I always thought Bajour was pronounced to rhyme with Bonjour, and maybe it is, but in the title song they chant it so it rhymes with Badger, which threw me.

But when they sing "Everybody's waiting for the big bajour," it's like "bonjour" but doesn't rhyme.

That quote attributed to Seldes by the person running the Follies of God site is fiction.

A stolen title. OP, are you from Buffalo?

I made stolen titles legitimate.

There is apparently a lot of speculation out there that all those quotes from FOLLIES OF GOD were made up by the author as he was never able to fully prove he actually had interviews with many of the quoted actors, directors and writers, including Tennessee Williams (who's quoted most often).

A friend and I saw that 1970s Delacorte TAMING OF THE SHREW and left at Intermission. We were not impressed, snarky Yale Drama School grads that we were.

That Paper Mill FOLLIES has gained a lot of affection in the years since but it was really not all that great. Sondheom was wise to keep it from Broadway. Donna McKechnie was a surprisingly effective Sally and Lawrence Guittard was a dashing Ben, and whoever played Young Ben had some hot shirtless bed scenes with Young Sally, but that was about it. Everything else was a bit shaky, if pretty to look at (but no competition with the Aronson and Klotz original designs). After all that I'll say it was still miles better than the Roundabout and Bernadette Peters revivals.

Norman Snow and his beautiful wife Mary Joan Negro were considered the biggest stars of the original Acting Company but their careers never took off like classmates Kevin Kline and Patti Lupone's did. For one thing, they couldn't do musical comedy like Kevin and Patti. Sadly, I believe Snow just died last year, in his early 70s.

Patti got off easy! You should see what John Houseman was like when really ticked off …

A bit of a swish in his step…

Rocky start to this thread already?

This thread needs Karen Ziemba! Only she can save the day!

Only Karen and her lopsided tatas can put a smile on everyone's face and a song in their heart!

[quote]The Paper Mill FOLLIES had some joys, but you could see why Steve wouldn't want it to come to Broadway.

So, please enlighten us as to why you think "Steve" didn't want it to come to Broadway? Or did he confide in you about this, seeing how you were obviously such close friends?

Has anyone seen Dancin'? Did they keep the ballet barre cunnilingus number?

Cybil Shepard messed up not one but two of those titles.

Was cause of death made public?

^ Houseman deserved the award, by merit and reputation…in the old days, those “bravos” cheers were the real deal (see Greg Peck’s win for a similar reaction).

That said, what a great set of nominees; top-notch performances all around.

Back to the last thread, comparing the 2 versions of "And the World Goes Round" shows the difference between technical competency and star power. Liza gets a lot of crap on here, but she has that power. Especially live, even in junk like The Act, she was just perfection.

r9, ? Hardly stolen. I acknowledged the poster who came up with it and the poster who suggested it for a title when I posted the link in the last thread. Immediately afterward the site went back into prime time so I was locked out and didn't get a chance to post it here. As soon as it was open again this morning, I posted it here.

The links for those who missed them:

Liza

Ramin wants you to stop ogling his body.

r26 I call BS...no way does Valjean need to be a body builder. He's a starving convict on the run. And there was no shirtless scene for Sydney Chaplin in the original Funny Girl.

“Pulling back from social media”. Jesus H. Christ—the 💩 way people write and talk these days…

r27, too bad.

There's no whistle in the new 'Todd' because they don't want any kids in the audience to cry.

.........

Broadway World on the whistle:

It may be a police whistle in the new one but the old production WAS a factory whistle. I have the score right infront of me and it says at the end of the Prolouge:

"The deafening shrill sound of a factory whistle blasts forth as the workmen pull down the drop. Blackout."

It also says before Pirelli's Miracle Elixer:

"The factory whistle blasts. Lights come up to reveal St. Dunstan's market place."

This obsession with a whistle is hilarious.

Whistle my ass - I've got one right here in my bag.

I’m confused by Ramin….so does that mean no more shirtless content?

I’m also confused about the part of the article that talked about conspiracy theories about his off work relationships. I’ve never heard any rumors other than possibly Sierra Boggess which was not even a really well founded rumor….have their been any legit talk about him having affairs with other women?

Are you involved in any legitimate affairs?

Ramin Noodles is hilarious.

Ramin takes his shirt off in public all the time. He’s ridiculous.

[quote] Norman Snow and his beautiful wife Mary Joan Negro were considered the biggest stars of the original Acting Company but their careers never took off.

She could make a comeback now.

Playbill.com has had a such an uptick in silly articles lately, or, I should say, articles with silly headlines that make me roll my eyes.

So when will we get an announcement about a stage musical of Everything Everywhere All at Once? It will probably be done in London first.

[quote]In his current role as Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl (now set to close September 3), the opening of Act II finds Karimloo shirtless underneath a dressing gown, which he admits was a bit of fan service. When the role is played by any of his covers, they have a tank top for the scene. As Karimloo explains it: “It’s a fleeting bit of fun, you know? He hears noise, he quickly throws on a robe. Of course, in reality, he’d be wearing one of those old-school tank tops to sleep. But we had a discussion, and I don’t wear one.” Karimloo ducks his head, looking the picture of a bashful schoolboy. He explains that the topic had come up in the rehearsal room: “There was a discussion. So long as it doesn’t get in the way of the story, I’m trying to get comfortable with what people want from me.”

So, in a nutshell, he's an insufferable hypocrite.

So apparently "Dear World" may need to postpone? Covid...

NYTW has indefinitely postponed its Sam Gold [italic] Three Sisters [/italic] I wonder what debacle Sam will foist upon is next

Please take your medicine, Dear World.

r44 that would suck. Source?

[quote]So when will we get an announcement about a stage musical of Everything Everywhere All at Once? It will probably be done in London first.

Very soon after Billy Porter opens in the "re-imagined for modern audiences" musical version of " Tar."

Ramin's standby is hot bearish Jeremiah James and he's far sexier.

Another hot cover for Ramin is FUNNY GIRL is the very hot Stephen Mark Lukas

Source is a cast member.

And a banjo in her hands!

Sorry, that R52 was meant as a response to the person who suggested that Karen Ziemba could liven up this thread with her frisky but cockeyed titties.

[quote]Cybil Shepard messed up not one but two of those titles.

And you managed to mess up both her first and last names!

Stephen Mark Lukas should learn not to take selfies when he's having a herpes breakout.

[quote] Our "Hercules must be white!" poster will be disappointed that the New York Times didn't step up to the plate and excoriate the production for casting a black actor in the title role, thus helping to end all of this nontraditional casting nonsense.

The guy playing Hercules was among the best things about the production. GREAT voice

Does anyone know what kind of rep Ramin has among his cast and crew colleagues at Funny Girl and at other shows and generally in the biz? Not about his talent but as a person? Honestly, he sounds like such an insufferable idiot in that article.

I had a friend who worked with him in Les Mis and had nothing but nice things to say about him. Also, when all the shit was going down with Beanie's shit attitude in Funny Girl, he and Jane Lynch were the ones who took charge of the company to keep their spirits up and make sure they were a company.

I'm hoping that the postponement of that Sam Gold 3 Sisters is actually because Sidney Brustein is moving to Broadway and making Oscar unavailable. Though I know reviews have been mixed I'm still very curious about the show and would like another chance at seeing it, hopefully at reduced prices (it's currently about $400'/ticket at BAM.

Also, wondering if Oscar's peeps are telling him not to do 3 Sisters as he's riding high from all his rave reviews as Sidney.

Saw BAD CINDERELLA. What a mess. Probably the worst show I’ve seen in the last decade, with a pointlessly convoluted plot, a weak message, a bad love story at its center, completely forgettable songs.

Saw Dancin’.

“Sing, Sing, Sing” opens the second act. It was originally the thrilling (and rightly so) finale of the original production. Now the show ends with a bunch of numbers from Big Deal, which featured… director Wayne Cilento.

And after “Fosse,” and the movie of “Charity” and “Liza with a Z” readily available on DVD, do we need to see underwhelming fragments of “Big Spender,” “Rich Man’s Frug,” and “I Gotcha” again?

The show looked like its own B-Roll. Oh, and monologues added of quotes by Fosse.

Is Dancin' selling any tickets? How big is the Fosse nostalgia audience?

Sounds more like a revival of Fosse than a revival of Dancin'. My friend saw Bad Cinderella yesterday and said it was one of the worst pieces of crap she has ever seen. She was just happy she didn't pay for the ticket.

[r63] was your friend DL fave Carolee Carmelo on her day off?

Is Andrew Lloyd Webber actively involved with Bad Cinderella? Is he at previews hearing audience reactions? Is Emerald Fennell still involved with the show or was new writer brought in to make the show even worse?

[quote] The show looked like its own B-Roll.

New play idea: I AM MY OWN B-ROLL

Anyway, the 3 SISTERS "indefinite postponement" at NYTW has nothing to do with Oscar Isaac/Sidney Brustein - Oscar was never on board for these new dates. It was GG who bailed.

r66, I don't get your post when you say that Oscar was NEVER on board with the 3 Sisters dates yet Greta Gerwig should be blamed for the production not happening? Not that I'm a GG fan. I couldn't bear to watch her play Chekhov....

[quote] I don't get your post when you say that Oscar was NEVER on board with the 3 Sisters dates yet Greta Gerwig should be blamed for the production not happening?

When 3 SISTERS was "re-announced" for this season, the only names attached were GG and Sam Gold.

Was Three Sisters supposed to be this summer? Because that would have been during Gerwig's Barbie movie blitz, so no wonder she bailed.

Annaleigh Ashford is giving a well oiled turn as Lovett, has the laughs and heart, if not the total vocal package at the moment. Groban is a slight touch as feared, a very bland Todd. That’s the overall energy with this revival. It is colorless, tiptoeing into every horror and desperate to be clean and precise. The leading man is unfortunately guiding the production with a safe from a distance performance that has very little fire and fury. I don’t care if my Sweeney sings sweetly, I want him to terrorize me with his vengeance. The ensemble is solid, the costumes atrociously amateur and the orchestra divine, if tepid in the big moments. This is a Sweeney Todd without a killer instinct and that’s a crying shame.

I was at one of the "Follies" at Lincoln Center concerts, and it was "The Right Girl" and not "Buddy's Blues" (unless he screwed that up at the other performance) that Mandy Patinkin screwed up his first musical entrance to, and stopped the NY Philharmonic, saying something like "Can we start again?" I could see some members of the orchestra shaking their head. His "Buddy's Blues" was annoying with him screaming the women's roles.

"shaking their heads", that is

There's something that smells fishy about "Three Sisters". I don't believe the Greta Gerwig story. Surely any competent actress could replace her. (Although it is NYTW, so competence doesn't seem to matter there).

Did no one think to contact Zachary Stains, who was infamous for a while for his nude Hercules in the opera "Ercole"? Don't know if he sings much anymore, but the opera was videotaped. Very cute guy, though this was probably over 10 years ago.

R70 - But what about the whistle?!

When I read this thread's title, I feel neglected.

Groban’s understudy is Black and, of course, a Hamilton and In the Heights alum

"Whistling In The Dark".......wokeness built in.

It's...a look.

“ He’d been asked to understudy several of the key roles in the debut production, but he declined. “I was like, I can’t, for my soul. I want to be onstage. I don’t want to be off-stage hoping to go on,”

I remember reading that about Follies that everyone was convinced that Lee Remick would be the fuck-up but she did a great job and Mandy was the disaster.

I'm surprised to hear that there was any trepidation about Lee Remick. Based on her lovely vocals for Anyone Can Whistle, I would think Phyllis' songs in Follies wouldn't have been particularly difficult, especially without the dancing. Or was she already ill at the time and it was about her health?

[quote] I remember reading that about Follies that everyone was convinced that Lee Remick would be the fuck-up

Which was strange because Sondheim probably went to great lengths to ensure Lee Remick was prepared. I imagine he helped her in every way he could. He was infatuated with her. I’m sure if he wasn’t confident she could do it, he would have put in a quiet word to cast someone else.

I assume she had some trouble finally nailing Lucy and Jessie.

Lee Remick (whom I admire a lot as an actress) had at best an incidental relationship with pitch. She made Alexis Smith sound like Dolores Gray in that music.

There's a reason that "There Won't Be Trumpets" was cut from the original ANYONE CAN WHISTLE and only released on the cast album in the CD era.

I think Lee Remick's singing of "There Won't Be Trumpets" is just fine, and I don't hear any pitch problems at all. FOLLIES IN CONCERT was 20 years later and she had not kept up with her singing, which is probably why she sounds a bit tentative in some places, especially on the high notes.

Love Lee, *but*...her vocal talents were on the smaller side. Unfortunately her Desiree, where it would have been fine, was not to be. I wish they'd cast a stronger singer in I Do! I Do! and how she got Lola is beyond me.

Two perfect Desiree's that, sadly, were never to be: Lee Remick and Natasha Richardson although the latter at least played her in concert.

R85, I think Lee originally thought there would be more BOOK in the concert, so she could act. And remember, Herbert Ross choreographed “Anyone Can Whistle,” and I’m sure she thought she would have a big dance number (and Lee could move) during “The Saga of L & J.”

I think Sondheim let himself get blinded by his crush from twenty years earlier. He told me Lee was always his first choice. Who else could’ve (or would’ve) done it in 1985?

Julie Andrews? Shirley MacLaine? No way. Juliet Prowse? Sure. Gretchen Wyler and Connie Towers were not A List. Debbie Reynolds is a Sally who who moves like a Phyllis, so she wrong. She was a Carlotta if anything, but Steve heard her call Burt Shevelove a “faggot” when he was rewriting the book for Irene, and he never forgave her. For better or for worse, Lee was perfect casting for a concert and had the pedigree.

Phyllis Diller was the first choice to play Phyllis. But when she heard Burnett was playing the sexpot role, she said, “If they’re not going to take this seriously, then I’m outta here.”

r18 - I saw Dancin' at the Old Globe. I found it so disappointing. I'm too young to have seen the original. Really, all I knew of it was Sing Sing Sing and those fabulous TV commercials on YouTube. I hope they largely recast for NY. The performers in San Diego were too green and VERY few of them had any style or character as dancers. I couldn't imagine Fosse actually casting any of them. I can't imagine that show being remotely interesting without great dancers. With merely competent ones it's like dinner theatre and cruise ship entertainment with a slightly bigger budget.

Personally, I think you see better Fosse dancing at those Fosse Verdon Legacy dance classes that get posted online.

I don't know a thing about Mary-Joan Negro's life offstage/-screen, but I do know that she's breathtaking in both of her LAW & ORDER appearances -- "In Memory Of" and "White Rabbit," the latter of which true believers consider 1 of the best-ever episodes of the series.

On the other hand, I'm still recovering from the shock of seeing her in a SIX FEET UNDER cold open in which another character drops dead during a performance of THE SEAGULL -- M-JN plays Polina, with no lines as I recall. Even in this context she can't get a break (Polina? Why not Arkadina?).

David Schramm was also in that original Juilliard class.

Young Patti

Wait. ATC's "Ann" is 90???

Wow, THAT's David Schramm? He looks like David Selby.

She's not that old, but her post sort of seemed to say she was midway between 80 and 100. I'd say she was closer to mid 60.

Whatever happened to MikeR? Is he still knocking boots with every stagedoor Jonny in his dressing room?

What about SummerTheater? He definitely died of Covid, right?

Who were Michael Bennett’s male lovers?

Episode 74 of Broadway National, which is the 3rd of a 4-part interview with Paul Gemignani’s biographer, Margaret Hall, is ALL about the whistle. Published last August.

Worth a listen.

*Broadway Nation

Fucking autocorrect

Anna Uzele could not be more ordinary. Jesus!

Gemignani was a drummer. Couldn’t find middle “C”on a piano if his life depended on it! Conducted by counts for fifty years. Total fraud.

Creeper asshole, who’d try to fuck any woman out of town.

Truly, a sub drummer on the original “Follies” who charmed his way into a career.

Hal couldn’t sing a note either, (nor Mike Ockrent,) and Steve liked to be the smartest guy in the room, always.

King of the Lucky Club. Even though Paul Ford’s autobiography is full of venom, he’s right about one thing Gemignanii is/was a hack. Dementia now.

R61 , Sing Sing Sing was most certainly NOT the finale of the original Dancin' . Not even close! It opened the third act, and was followed by Here You Come Again, Yankee Doodle Dandy, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, (I'm Glad I'm Not In) Dixie, and others.

Damn R103...tell us how you really feel!

Gemignani was indeed a drummer but he was very respected by his peers. Not sure where the piss and vinegar are coming from?

I saw SIDNEY BRUSTEIN and I doubt it would transfer. Everyone knows that the play is a rough draft that Hansberry was too sick to improve; sad, because there is so much joy and grand language and passion there. The acting in this production is marvelous, top to bottom. But the audience for this play -- well, they all saw it at BAM, and that's the audience it would have, Oscar and Rachel's brilliance notwithstanding.

re Sidney Brustein: That stupid blonde bitch in Act 2 was terrible.

I’m sorry but why would Sondheim ban Debbie Reynolds from his work for hearing that Debbie Reynolds called someone a fag, when HE HIMSELF put the same word in one of his big songs from his own show that he wrote with You Could Drive a Person Crazy? He wrote that song 2 years before Irene rehearsals.

Seth Rudetsky’s new book Broadway for Dummies just got released. I love his theatre books—he’s a fun writer.

Anyone read this one yet?

That doesn't mean he approves of it. Do you understand the concept of writing for a character?

" Approved." He's dead.

ATC's Ann is in her early-mid 70s. That was pretty clear from her post about the MERRILY film, as she inferred she was about 10 years younger than Richard Linklater. So she would be in her early-mid 90s, if alive, when the film is released.

[quote] I’m sorry but why would Sondheim ban Debbie Reynolds from his work for hearing that Debbie Reynolds called someone a fag, when HE HIMSELF put the same word in one of his big songs from his own show that he wrote with You Could Drive a Person Crazy? He wrote that song 2 years before Irene rehearsals.

There's a difference between writing for three fictional characters wondering about the possible reasons for a man's emotional unavailability versus using it in real life as a slur against a writer brought in to save your failing show.

Where did this story of Debbie's slur against Shevelove and Sondheim's reaction to it become documented? Who heard Steve's reaction to Debbie's comment or did Steve write about this incident himself? I'm not doubting his reaction or that Debbie said it, just curious about how it's been passed down.

He wrote about murdering people and then serving them in meat pies, so why should he care if someone wants to actually do that!?

Debbie Reynolds was at a party at Sondheim’s house. She made the “fag” statement and then was going to make a grand exit. She flounced to the door, opened what she thought was the coat closet to retrieve her mink, and saw a young man hanging by a leather strap. She was mighty pissed off that Sondheim spoiled her theatrical exit. She was further pissed off that the young man was a chorus boy in her show. She chewed bitter grapes that night, I can tell you.

I love the Sondheim apologists saying he was writing for a character which is why he wrote FAG in Company….never mind that audiences for 20 years got to sit and listen to that word be sung at them…but that Debbie Reynolds of ALL people was unredeemable.

Barbra Streisand is on tape saying she felt like a faggot in this video…yet he worked with her forever

[quote] I love the Sondheim apologists saying he was writing for a character which is why he wrote FAG in Company

Starting in the 1980s, productions changed the word to “drag”.

It ruins the song for savvy audiences because they sit there wondering “are we going to hear the less offensive ‘drag’ or is this bold director going with ‘fag’?”

Why aren't there any good character ensemble members anymore. Richard Korthaze, John Mineo, Michael Kubala, Jill Cook, Bruce Anthony Davis just to name a few. Everyone these days is so dull and uninteresting.

R119, you're pretty good at making sweeping generalizations, but sweeping generalizations are annoying and foolish.

Wait, I'm sorry but Stephen Schwarzman's wife is producing "Fat Ham" on Broadway?? The cognitive dissonance must be off the charts—producing shows like this on Broadway while being married to rightwingers like Stephen Schwarzman or Steven Roth.

Are there any working playwrights on this thread? Just wondering.

Who actually makes a living writing for the theatre? Besides Lin-Manuel, that is.

A Roy Orbison jukebox musical!

We could do worse, I guess.

The Harder They Come might be the last nail in the jukebox musical coffin.

I hate Follies. I piss on it.

It's always spoken very highly of you, r125.

[quote]The Harder They Come might be the last nail in the jukebox musical coffin.

I wish that were true, but the success of the Neil Diamond and Michael Jackson jukebox musicals says otherwise.

Pitch problems? PITCH PROBLEMS?

Fuck it, honey, nobody even notices.

The Neil Diamond musical, based on today's box office numbers, is going down the toilet with Pictures From Home and Some Like It Hot.

[quote]I call BS...no way does Valjean need to be a body builder. He's a starving convict on the run.

He wouldn't be Schwarzenegger, but he was sentenced to hard labor so he would be lean but definitely muscled.

J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Teams With Broadway’s Ambassador Theatre Group For Stage Projects:

Oh great. More superhero musicals.

R132, speaking of which:

R114, I worked in a production office when the London revival of Follies was gearing up, and read the casting notes about SS’s opinions of names brought up to play Carlotta (the one role for which they wanted to bring an American over; director Mike Ockrent was unfamiliar with nearly every name they was suggested, so it fell to Sondheim to explain to him who they were.) They were initially excited about the prospect of Chita doing the role (the one performer Ockrent had heard of,) but her brother/manager asked for too much money. Other names that were suggested (followed by Sondheim’s comments) included Debbie Reynolds, and in the notes was SS’s remark about her calling Shevelove a fag; in addition, he was insulted that she rewrote the lyrics to “I’m Still Here” for her Vegas act without his permission (and indeed, they were super cheesy, even including a musical quote from the “Star Wars” theme; Sondheim rewrote them himself for Shirley MacLaine when she played a thinly veiled version of Reynolds in “Postcards From the Edge.”) IIRC, only three women actually came in and auditioned (Vivian Blaine canceled at the last minute, claiming stage fright): Tammy Grimes, Helen Gallagher, and the gal who got the job, Dolores Gray, who was remembered in the U.K. for originating the title role in Annie Get Your Gun in London and replacing Lansbury in the London production of Gypsy (in the notes, SS’s initial reaction to Gray was “Dolores does one thing. SING LOUD.”) But she must have impressed him enough to get the job, although it’s the sloooooooowest version ever performed.

I would've killed to see Tammy or Helen or Vivian play Carlotta and sing I'm Still Here!

Though Helen would've been more perfect for Broadway Baby.

No, Helen would have been best in “Who’s That Woman?” with that sly, self-mocking delivery of hers.

And she could dance it, r136.

The other thing about that Follies is that Dolores desperately wanted to be in the mirror number and everyone else thought it would be disastrous. But Bob Avian kept gettting calls from her agent/manager? pleading with him to put her into the number.

That’s too bad about Chita. She would have been an amazing Carlotta.

The Neil Diamond musical is this season's CHER -- a really bad show can't save itself no matter who the pop icon is.

Too bad about the demise of the theater thread.

Instead of moaning about its demise, r141, why don't you contribute some gossip? Or a question about the theatre?

[quote]o, please enlighten us as to why you think "Steve" didn't want it to come to Broadway?

Because he thought it was the “Disneyland” version of Follies, completely missing thd show but delivering some well done songs. But he was acutely aware of causing people grief with his turn down. How the rumor that Goldman’s wife was the culprit developed is peculiar, since this was all occurring in May- June 1998 (the show closed end of May) and Goldman didn’t die until the end of October 1998.

‘Sweeney Todd’ Takes $1.5M And Fills Every Available Seat:

[Quote] Too bad about the demise of the theater thread.—Anonymous

[Quote] Instead of moaning about its demise, [R141], why don't you contribute some gossip? Or a question about the theatre

AS frequent here as Follies minutiae.and should Sally Bowles sing

[quote]How the rumor that Goldman’s wife was the culprit developed is peculiar, since this was all occurring in May- June 1998 (the show closed end of May) and Goldman didn’t die until the end of October 1998.

Well, maybe the theory was that she was pulling the strings even though he was still (barely) alive. But also, there's no reason to believe the transfer would necessarily have happened immediately. If it was going to happen, it obviously wouldn't have opened in the summer. Fall of '98 would have been the earliest, if not the spring of '99.

Sorry, but that "Disneyland" comment has always struck me as really foolish, especially coming from one of the show's creators. Many people feel that what doomed the original FOLLIES to a shortish run, despite it's greatness, was that there was SO much bitterness and anger and regret in the book. In my opinion, there was certainly enough of that left in the Paper Mill production to make the point, but there was a comparative lightness of touch and less of an emphasis on sturm-und-drang. And maybe that's just what FOLLIES needed to have been a success in revival on Broadway. Of course, the Roundabout production that wound up opening on Broadway instead was vastly inferior to Paper Mill's in almost every detail.

Nobody cares if Josh Groban is the right choice for this revival. He sells tickets. It will be a hit no matter the reviews.

*See Also*

The Music Man

R147 Will they replace with some guy who can actually act the part?

[quote]Who actually makes a living writing for the theatre? Besides Lin-Manuel, that is.

Oh that one's easy. Abso-fucking-lutely nobody. (Miranda is a quite rare exception)

You come from money, or you marry money, or you teach, or you shift to writing for film/TV.

"theatre" and "making money" have always been opposing concepts.

Not entirely true, R149. If someone writes a play (or musical) that winds up receiving lots of productions in regional theaters, high schools, etc., there can be a considerable amount of money in that, even absent a movie sale and even if the original Broadway or Off-Broadway run (assuming there was one) wasn't a huge moneymaker. I remember that, years ago, Charles Busch was part of a panel discussion about playwriting, and he begged to differ when one of the other panelists said "You can't make any money writing for the theater," because Busch at the time was still flush with the success of THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST'S WIFE. And going back a bit further, I have heard that Stuart Ross and Dan Goggin respectively made tons of money from FOREVER PLAID and all of the NUNSENSE shows, so there are two more examples for you.

Look at John Cariani. At its peak of amateur/stock productions, Almost, Maine was bringing him close to $1m a year in revenue.

An old friends mom was in the London Follies and loved to tell the story of when Dolores had an accident (I think she tripped outside the theatre and injured her leg) her understudy took over BUT Dolores was wheeled on stage every night to sing I'm Still Here. Then she was wheeled off and the understudy went back in. It always sounded too bizarre to be true but, hey, you never know.

I enjoyed the show at Papermill, but it wasn't really Follies, more like "These Old Broads Put on a Show."

[quote]Instead of moaning about its demise, [R141], why don't you contribute some gossip? Or a question about the theatre?

Okay, why are DL queens so obsessed with a flop show like " Follies"? Are they envious because they all want to play Sally or Loretta or whoever is in this theatrical disaster? And, if it is so magnificent, why is it not produced more often? Producers afraid of losing their shirt? How's that?

The story I always heard was that Sondheim called it "Jerry Herman's Follies". Don’t know if that’s true or not, but having seen it, I think it was a fair characterization. The "dark" stuff was played very lightly, very quickly and in a sitcom-y manner. In the end, you remembered the musical comedy fizz and little else.

American playwrights who write genuinely commercial plays like John Shanley, Donald Margulies, Richard Greenberg, Paula Vogel, David Auburn, Richard Nelson, and a few others I'm blanking on, make a ton of money with the foreign rights to their plays, even plays that were premiered 20, 30 years ago. You'd be shocked by how many productions of Doubt, Dinner With Friends, The Baltimore Waltz and Proof are still being done all the time, around the world, in all languages. And then there's all the college productions....

Bad Cinderella down 116,000 from previous week, 89% capacity. Doesn’t sound a hit. ALW hasn’t had a hit on Broadway after Phantom. He lost his magic touch 35 years ago. Somewhere Patti is laughing.

The old audience for juke box musicals is out there but it's aged considerably and I think the Neil Diamond musical will suffer for that. If Jersey Boys opened today I doubt it would do as well as it did 15 years ago.

The poster for the Papermill production of Follies (also on its CD) certainly did make it seem like a “Disneyland” version.

That's true of everything at Papermill. It's not known for its deep theatrical experiences.

Lynn Nottage is the most produced playwright of last year, thanks to Clyde's.

R158 Jersey Boys was the rare jukebox musical that has a good book.

If Dolores is around, make sure your antiques are nailed down.

[quote] Lynn Nottage is the most produced playwright of last year, thanks to Clyde's.

Which is crazy, since it was a flop and a terrible play.

JERSEY BOYS was definitely the gold standard of the juke boxes. When is that filmed version with Nick Jonas as Frankie going to appear?

Didn't the fabulous Hilary Knight design the Paper Mill FOLLIES poster?

Nottage also wrote the libretto for the noxious MJ musical, sidestepping the pedophilia which is bullshit.

[quote] If Jersey Boys opened today I doubt it would do as well as it did 15 years ago.

There's a current West End revival that has been successful.

I am the “worst thread ever?“ troll, and I take it all back.

[quote]The poster for the Papermill production of Follies (also on its CD) certainly did make it seem like a “Disneyland” version.

Hardly, r159. You must be thinking of Knight's CD artwork.

Oh, r154, I love the way you hate it when I'm happy and you're not.

I had always heard the quote as “Jerry Herman’s Follies” as well.

[quote]Which is crazy, since it was a flop and a terrible play.

To each his own. I liked it a lot and it got some very good reviews. And it was a limited run Second Stage production, so I’m not sure it was a flop.

I’m Still Here was written specifically for Yvonne de Carlo based on her career. She started out playing vamps and later in her career was playing the mother on the campy tv show The Munsters. Nobody sang it like Yvonne.

Certainly true, since DeCarlo already had "Can That Boy Foxtrot" in the show, and that wasn't working, and not really due to her. It was apparently considered a one-joke number, and had a very long middle section that went on and on. It's a cute number when you see it or hear it in "Side by Side by Sondheim", but at that point I believe it was cut down considerably. DeCarlo was a big name at that time, due to her recent tv series, and she needed a better number. Sondheim wrote her a glorious number, and when she didn't screw up the lyrics (which has happened to other performers over the years), she really delivered.

[quote]JERSEY BOYS was definitely the gold standard of the juke boxes. When is that filmed version with Nick Jonas as Frankie going to appear?

It would be an all-black version and The Four Seasons would be rappers.

It’s too bad DL fave Vivian Vance didn’t perform I’m Still Here. I guess nobody ever suggested to Viv that she could have done a fantastic solo cabaret act. By the time Follies came around, she was doing one-off appearances on tv, but I imagine she still had enough of a singing voice to put over a few numbers and some funny stories.

Incidentally, what happened with that Temptations jukebox musical that opened one year before Covid and was selling like hot cakes. Was nominated for a shit load of Tonys, too. Then when it reopened, it lasted less than a year.

r165...seeing as how Clint Eastwood filmed it in 2014, I wouldnt hold my breath for too long.

Sing! Sing! Sing!

R155, I strongly disagree that the dark stuff was played "in a sitcom-y manner." It just wasn't hammered home with a sledgehammer. I think FOLLIES seems most problematic when directors and producers insist on stressing and underlining the dark stuff in order to flatter themselves that they are producing SERIOUS THEATER (all caps). For example, in the original script, Sally has a line in which she pretty much comes right out and says that she has attempted suicide in the past, and even implies that she did so more than once. I'm almost certain that line was cut from the Paper Mill FOLLIES, and as far as I'm concerned, that was all for the best.

Are you guys fighting over the credit for a 25 year old theater poster/ad from suburban NJ.

SWEENEY will be at $1 million a week by Memorial Day -- which is barely breakeven. It's no Music Man. Once the reviews come out, demand will temper.

Plus more shows will open in the next two months which will draw audiences away from Sweeney.

Jesus, enough with the FOLLIES talk. I'd sooner wax poetic about the OBC of DROOD!

Lots of major and future stars in that cast: George Rose, Howard McGillin, Betty Buckley, Cleo Laine, Patti Cohenour, Donna Murphy, Judy Kuhn, Paige O'Hara, Alison Fraser, Karen Morrow...Loretta Swit! Not to mention a young Rob Marshall as Gracie's dance captain.

It's by no means a perfect musical, but in the Park and at the Imperial...it was a really fun night out in the theatre. Apparently there was even some in-fighting between some of the ladies and Donna M when she took over the part...wild!

I’m surprised Cleo Laine never did Broadway again. She got a warm reception

Follies-adjacent ... considering the idea of the Paper Mill production opening during the '98-'99 Broadway season led me to look up musicals (or what got musical nominations) on the whole:

REVIVALS -- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, On the Town, Peter Pan, Annie Get Your Gun, Swan Lake, Little Me

CLOSED -- Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk, Titanic

OPENED -- Fosse, Marlene, The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm, Footloose, The Civil War, Parade, It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues, Band in Berlin

STILL RUNNING -- Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Jekyll & Hyde, Chicago, Cats, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Rent, Beauty and the Beast, The Sound of Music, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Cabaret, Ragtime, The Lion King

You bitches are slipping. Patti Lupone just announced during her concert that she broker her wrist and sprained her knee falling face first into a scissor lift while filming her new Wandavision series

Hmm ... sounds to me like *Patti* is the one who's slipping.

R149-Walter Bobbie and Joe Mantello beg to differ.

R182/R183 they said the same thing about Lea in FUNNY GIRL. That it would open big but then run out of steam after one month.

No, they said that about Beanie, not Lea, and it was true. Groban isn't as overwhelmed in the part as Beanie was, but he's not driving the show. Ashford is, and that's a problem.

Some people on here predicting that when Lea took over for FUNNY GIRL all the hoopla would die out after a month and the show would still end up losing money.

They should film Funny Girl for PBS. The UK filmed their version with Sheridan Smith.

They need to up the melodrama and stakes of SWEENEY. This meat pie is half baked right now. Not nearly enough blood, thrills or chills. The comedy is working (thanks largely to Ashford) but there's no Victorian melodrama afoot. No Grand Guignol! (Mary!)

Get that fucking whistle in there, flood that stage with hot red light when those throats are slashed and dirty up those costumes. We're missing SIZE and STYLE here. It has to be approached like a Shakespearean tragedy. That's why Cariou was so successful...he had those legit classical chops to lean into. John Cullum would've been a powerful Sweeney too for this same reason.

I always wondered how Donna ended up being Betty's replacement in Drood when she wasn't the understudy. She did understudy Cleo and Judy Kuhn was the Drood understudy but left around the same time Betty did.

Watch out of Singapore/Fuckin' Fling will drag you for giving directing advice, too! (Though you're probably right).

R157, ALW has had a hit since PHANTOM: his last new show on Broadway, THE SCHOOL OF ROCK. It recouped, it toured, it licensed.

Just fled Bad Cinderella at intermission. Totally free of wit or warmth. Bad book and lyrics. Some pretty melodies but the songs are drama-free. Understudy for the Prince was good. Actress playing Cinderella was charm-free. Whoever here said the show was campy was mistaken. It’s just stupid.

[Quote] This meat pie is half baked right now.

Bwah ha ha ha ha hardee har har

If the idea of someone selling Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pies isn't too popular for intermission at "Sweeney Todd", can I interest you in some Carol Channing Corn?

R200 Wait for Shucked, honey.

So is DEAR WORLD happening this week or not?

[quote][R149]-Walter Bobbie and Joe Mantello beg to differ.

And how do two Broadway directors represent what playwrights earn?

Yeah Joe Mantello earns a shit-ton of money from...a Broadway musical that's run for 20 years.

One can earn a very tidy living in many fields on Broadway, but plays never ever break even. If you write a book for a monster musical hit that runs for years, sure.

And I do concede I wasn't aware of the foreign licensing market for commercial American plays that R156 brings up. I could see where that could be a solid source of writing income.

But the number of talented off-Broadway playwrights who crossed over into film/TV in recent years is huge.

[quote]One can earn a very tidy living in many fields on Broadway, but plays never ever break even. If you write a book for a monster musical hit that runs for years, sure.

Again, if someone writes a play that gets lots of productions beyond Broadway -- in regional theaters, community theaters, colleges and high schools -- that can yield LOTS of money, regardless of how long the play runs on Broadway or Off-Broadway. Several examples were given above, so I don't know why you're ignoring those. Or maybe you didn't read them.

If what I'm reading and hearing about SWEENEY lacking bite and danger and darkness is true, it sounds to me like the major blame for all of that goes to the director, Thomas Kail, who has had his share of flops and disappointment along with one fairly big hit and one monster hit. Maybe he's distracted by being married to Michelle Williams and having fathered two children with her over the past three years.

HELLO, FOLLIES! was what I heard that Sondheim called the Paper Mill production. (It also had some terrible Goldman rewrites.)

Sweeney Todd needs to start passing out Morton Pot Pies at intermission. Stat!

I'm free to hand out corn bread!

Sweeney Todd could hire a few barbers to give haircuts at intermission.

I'm all for a scary and bloody Sweeney, but maybe other audiences won't be as fussy. Maybe Sweeney Lite will. be just as pleasing to them, just as they were eager to embrace a Music Man that was misguided in many ways.

Miss Kit would be so over-the-moon proud of Annaleigh.

A Strange Loop changed their Twitter handle to @StrangeLoopLDN.. West End incoming

Does anyone know what all the drama was about at the end of Bway? Lots of vaguebooking, no facts

I don’t recognize the names of the two leads in the London production of Mrs. Doubtfire. Where’s it being done, the Everyman in Mudchute?

R194, bravo on your post, I so agree. Here’s a problem with Groban, and it might be a fatal flaw already baked into him as an actor. He doesn’t seem to truly look at his fellow performers, there an anxiety about his stage work, it’s REALLY evident In SWEENEY TODD, sort of like he’s drowning and accepting it while going down. He’s distant and struggling with way too much effort in the acting demands and he’s singing it as if he’s doing a spot on The Mike Douglas Show. Everything is thrown out of whack by his nebbish heart, he’s a Seymour NOT a Sweeney…

Neither Phyllis nor Sally.

r215 - nebbish is such a good word to describe Groban. I'm holding out hope this Sweeney revival will run long enough that Groban will eventually be replaced by a legit actor with both the vocal and dramatic chops for the role.

Unlikely...I know.

[quote]Neither Phyllis nor Sally.

We're on Groban as Sweeney now. Try to keep up.

Groban yourself into a tizzy, r218.

Had he been able to sing a lick -- Richard Burton would've made one scary Sweeney. Chris Plummer too.

and Elizabeth Taylor if she could really sing, might have made a formidable Mrs. Lovett, maybe like a funnier Martha from "Virginia Woolf" mode, opposite Burton.

[quote] maybe that's just what FOLLIES needed to have been a success in revival on Broadway.

Not with cheesy old broads like Ann Miller, Kaye Ballard, and Phyllis Newman, it wouldn’t have.

Ann Miller was great at Paper Mill. It was like seeing an MGM movie come to life, and she really delivered her big song. Fortunately I was able to see her sing and really dance back in "Sugar Babies" opposite a very funny and on his game Mickey Rooney.

What Ann Miller “delivered” had nothing to do with I’m Still Here. It was tap dancing on a can, noisy and busy, just like her soup commercials.

[quote]That's true of everything at Papermill. It's not known for its deep theatrical experiences.

I beg your pardon! I played Rose in "Gypsy" there and killed every laugh in the script!

Oliver Reed would've made for a scary Sweeney on film in the early 80s. I imagine him opposite Glenda Jackson as Mrs. Lovett, with Ken Russell in the director's chair.

Did the world really need another poorly sung movie Sweeney? Mr. Depp was enough for me.

Ann Miller as Mrs. Lovett would've been interesting.

Didn't Miller have a memorable appearance on daytime TV (I think the Dinah Shore Show) where she expressed her absolute disgust with Sweeney Todd?

Zsa Zsa Gabor trashed 'Sweeney' on tv, saying she walked out (about 5:30 in vid.) I'm glad Dorothy Loudon didn't let Zsa Zsa's review sway her from seeing the show.

Didn't sway her from replacing Lansbury either several months later!

I wonder how much John Cariani has made from Almost Maine. It only ran for a month off Broadway but it's become one of the most produced plays in the US every year for the last decade.

[quote] Didn't sway her from replacing Lansbury either several months later!

A girl’s gotta eat.

[quote]Ann Miller as Mrs. Lovett would've been interesting.

How about Carol Channing?

When Alexis Smith, Dorothy Collins, Gene Nelson and Yvonne De Carlo were first announced for FOLLIES it sounded like extremely cheesey casting back then.

Honest question so please don't flame me, but who/what is Josh Groban's fan base?? Middle aged fraus.....or what?

When Za Za Gabor walks out of a show…you know you are in trouble

Whenever Zsa Zsa walked...it was trouble.

I see the comments about a nebbishy Sweeney and if Groban were a better actor, it could work. It would be a different take, but he could b a loser (so easily swept out of the way by the judge and beadle) who comes back and snaps into a real Hinckley type lunatic

Little Red sings "Hold On" from THE SECRET GARDEN revival.

What say we?

She's got at least one Petra in her future, I say.

R235 you just can't help it, can you?

Where's our DEAR WORLD insider? Is it still looking like it might be postponed for illness?

I don’t know about Petra….but I think she would be good Vashti in a revival of the musical Giant

[quote] ALW has had a hit since PHANTOM: his last new show on Broadway, THE SCHOOL OF ROCK. It recouped, it toured, it licensed.

Interestingly, when School of Rock was advertised, ALW's name was no where to be found

That Secret Garden clip - Nothing like putting a full-figured gal in a big solid bright white pinafore. The lighting designer (and actress) must have wanted to kill the costume designer.

[quote]When Alexis Smith, Dorothy Collins, Gene Nelson and Yvonne De Carlo were first announced for FOLLIES it sounded like extremely cheesey casting back then.

Gene Nelson was in the original production of FOLLIES?!

I've been posting on this thread since fall of 2018 so have become very familiar with the many mentions of FOLLIES but still don't know what it is. haha

Anyway, I have recently become acquainted with the tall, blonde, and handsome singer/dancer Gene Nelson and have been discovering his movies.

I guess I'll need to check out FOLLIES after all.

SWEENEY ticket prices are nuts

Talk about a sacrifice just to see a show!

I wonder if Sweeney will be a hit though after the initial crowd? Josh Groban has a huge fan base….but a lot of them like hearing him sing Ava Maria not “Epiphany”

[quote]When Alexis Smith, Dorothy Collins, Gene Nelson and Yvonne De Carlo were first announced for FOLLIES it sounded like extremely cheesey casting back then.

Cheesey isn't the right word, r235, it was just that the star power seemed low wattage. When the show opened, the casting made sense.

[quote]but a lot of them like hearing him sing Ava Maria not “Epiphany”

Was Miss Gardner's middle name "Maria"? Who knew?

[quote]SWEENEY ticket prices are nuts

Haven't prices really soared in general since Broadway reopened? Which, of course, is kind of nonsensical when you're trying to get people to come back to the theater following the pandemic.

Who Needs A Shave? 'Sweeney Todd' Is Back:

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 2016, "Disaster!" opened at the Nederlander Theatre.

[quote]THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 2016, "Disaster!" opened at the Nederlander Theatre.

And was revived on Apr 24, 2022 under the new name " Funny Girl" Starring Elizabeth Greer Feldstein.

disaster

Does anyone know anything about the play, Flex, coming to the Newhouse this summer?

I'm curious who is covering Groban in Sweeney. Because I'm dying to see it, but cannot afford it. But when he's out, the ticket prices might be lower? That's what I did for The Music Man - I saw Max, not Hugh Jackman. And Night Music, I saw Jane Patterson (sp?) instead of CZJ.

By cheesey, r250, I meant a roster of has-been stars you'd expect to see at the Kenley Players in Ohio, a typical summer stock cast. I think cheesey is the perfect word, though, of course, I'll readily admit that all four actors proved themselves to be perfect casting once FOLLIES opened. I'm just expressing what men and my snarky young friends initially thought.

Just read a press release on FLEX, r257, which said it's about a 1990s all-girl high school basketball team, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz. Sorry not to link it but it's out there online now.

Who's going to SHUCKED tonight?

read upthread r258. try r77 and r80

PS you lazy cunt

When FOLLIES was first publicized, it had the aura of another nostalgic trip down Memory Lane, in the same manner as the previous hit revival of NO NO NANETTE. When I first saw it, in May of 1971, I was 22, surrounded by an audience made up of mostly older people, drawn to it by memories of those stars, and the lighthearted entertainments of yore.

What they got was a bitter mirror held up to them, exposing their aging daydreams of youthful ambitions gone sour. Probably because there was no intermission, most of them stayed, though I did notice a couple walkouts. Not me, of course. I was enthralled, and I was 22.

Decades later, I caught the recent revival when it went to L.A. It was just OK, with too many of the performers acting less and showing off more. More of an entertainment than an exploration. But the shock was that now I was the same age as the older audience that had surrounded me in ‘71. Dreams deferred, loves lost, compromises abounding.

I think the original FOLLIES abides, because of its unflinching courage to look at life changes, in however that may apply. Not pretty, never easy.

You’ll never be a kid again, kiddo.

What a great conclusion to the Follies discussion.

Similarly, I'm eager to see Jeanna deWaal play Mrs. Lovett. Adore Annaleigh and will see her next week, but I think the former Princess Di might be an interesting Nelly.

Anyone know how long Groban is committed to the show?

The original Follies stars may have seemed like cheese when announced, but they proved to be anything but with their dazzling performances.

In the case of Ann Miller et al at Papermill, the cheese was real and stank up the show. Only Donna McKechnie and Larry Guittard knew what they were doing and delivered. (Dee Hoty was good but oddly underpowered and robbed of her best song).

[r266] depending on reviews, anywhere from 6 months to 6 weeks

Dee made a persuasive case for Ah, But Underneath, r267. John Simon was *very* positive about her.

[quote]men and my snarky young friends

Pics please.

[quote]In the case of Ann Miller et al at Papermill, the cheese was real and stank up the show. Only Donna McKechnie and Larry Guittard knew what they were doing and delivered. (Dee Hoty was good but oddly underpowered and robbed of her best song).

I don't agree with your comments about "Ann Miller et al.," and I'm wondering if you can explain specifically what you didn't like or what you found "cheesy" about Tony Roberts' performance.

[quote]What a great conclusion to the Follies discussion.

It was very incisive, but, of course, on DL, there's no such thing as a conclusion to a "Follies" discussion.

Not sure why Donna is singing with a British accent, but I am very excited to see this one. Hope the rumor about it being delayed is not true.

Well, Ms. Murphy certainly is....articulating.

[quote]Well, Ms. Murphy certainly is....articulating.

What's " articulating" mean?

One doesn't usually refer to a singer as "playing" a song.

The accent is overdone and unnecessary. It's what I disliked about her Dolly: she created a "character" that came. off as phony and forced. (And I like Donna generally.)

R276 Oh yes they do.

I typically like Donna but…eeeek….that was no bueno

A Strange Loop will be getting a 12-week summer run at London’s Barbican.

I’m looking forward, but this is bizarre producing. Anything Goes or a breezy family summer show it ain’t.

are we taking bets on how early it will close?

OMG, R226! That would’ve been amazing.

Too bad I’m not sure Ollie would’ve been in any shape to do it by then - though he might’ve been, just a few years after The Brood - but what a thought. Russell, Jackson and Reed - certainly the version I would’ve wanted to see.

Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot in a throuple?

I smell a big stinker.

[quote]Sorkin and I talked about the book for the original production of the musical. He said: “I’ve always loved that Camelot’s first and second acts end not with musical numbers but with speeches. As a writer, I thought that was one for my team. And as the writer of a new book, I wanted Camelot to work as a play with songs. I think that’s what we’ve got here.” Sorkin added that he likes much of the original book’s approach to the spoken word. “I’ve always loved that Camelot’s first and second acts end not with musical numbers but with speeches. As a writer, I thought that was one for my team. And as the writer of a new book, I wanted ‘Camelot’ to work as a play with songs. I think that’s what we’ve got here.”

Incredibly, what I quoted above is exactly how this section appears in the article. It really does seem that, nowadays, people write articles or reviews and they are literally published as is, without being edited or even proofread by anyone.

Yeah, oops.

Maybe he said the same thing twice!

Moss Hart is rolling in his grave.

[quote]"And as the writer of a new book, I wanted ‘Camelot’ to work as a play with songs. I think that’s what we’ve got here."

A rather questionable approach for a musical that has a glorious score and an overly long, too-talky and ill-conceived book.

My single "My Single is Dropping" is dropping.

So Camelot has surprise, anal now?

I think Donna's accent is about creating a fragile little old lady type character and the speech pattern is about that delicacy. When she's wigged and costumed and heard and seen in the context of the show, it will make more sense.

Well, if they can wheel her in they can wheel her OUT!

Is Sorkin alluding to a homosexual attraction Arthur might have for Lancelot in that interview? It sounds like it. It sounds like it.

R195, it is not that common for understudies to be replacements.

Does it sound like it, r293?

Can we just have Donna do 'Anyone Can Whistle' again?

Donna can be great and the again, she can be awful. Hated her in Into the Woods and her vocal imitation of Lenya in that Musical I can't remember anymore was hilariously bad.

[quote]Dee made a persuasive case for Ah, But Underneath

Thanks for posting that, R269. Hoty works hard to sell the song.

But "Ah But Underneath," IMHO, remains one of Sondheim's worst efforts: unmelodic, unpleasant, inauthentic, contrived. The language sounds tortured, as if translated from Albanian and then force-fed a rhyming dictionary. It's a perfect Exhibit A for the few folks who don't love Sondheim: all of his worst, laziest habits in one brassy nothing-burger of a song.

How's the free-wheeling patio number in the new Sweeney? (It does have one, of a sort.) And did they put the second half of The Contest back in? I hate it when it's cut "for time." Please, it's about three minutes. Might as well cut Chrysanthemum Tea from Pacific Overtures. (Oh, wait, some productions do...)

Does the chorus wear hats, r299?

[quote] And did they put the second half of The Contest back in?

Pirelli is a wasted character. They should cut him completely.

I prefer Angie's version.

I want to know if the Judge’s “Joanna” is cut or not.

[quote]Pirelli is a wasted character.

What are you going to do about the Eye-talian, r301?

Who's really Irish! Dueling Tenor Types!

[quote] Pirelli is a wasted character. They should cut him completely.

I do!

Why wasn't Bernadette Peters in Follies in Concert?

"How to Handle A Narcissist?"

R300 Doris—those liner notes indicate that the idea of a new “hip” original musical that ends up a piece of shit is …nothing new.

But, at least that show gave us young Scott Jacoby…a teen-crush (so many guest appearances of Scotty on 70s tv).

R307, at that point the idea of Peters in a Sondheim musical seemed a bit weird since she was identified with schmaltz.

And age-wise she was between the generations needed for the characters. (And too big a name for the younger characters.)

Pirelli is important because he recognizes Sweeney and his murder by Sweeney cements Sweeney’s ability to kill at will

[quote] Pirelli is important because he recognizes Sweeney

Meh, that bit could be handled by the Beggar Woman.

Do we think Groban will get significantly better, or is that all there is...?

Somebody sent him this thread, and the previous ones

Send, not sent

Can't believe after all this time we are talking about Follies again. It's not as obnoxious as before thank goodness.

I've heard that the Pirelli in. this production is great. And the actor is the Sweeney US.

[quote]I want to know if the Judge’s “Joanna” is cut or not.

Is "Joanna" the nickname he gave to his dick? I'm guessing Joanna's uncut.

Hey r316, you got something else, bring it.

I'll buy the rewrite when Lance sings "If Ever I would. Leave You" to Arthur.

I like the idea of a quieter, more tortured Sweeney, but if you can't build to or sell the anger in a song like "Epiphany", you shouldn't have been cast. Sweeney doesn't have to be one-note rage from the start, but he does have to be intimidating and frightening when he finally snaps. The clips I've heard have Groban sounded excellent, but there does seem to be a fire missing.

Donna’s pianist in the clip is godawful.

I prefer “Ah, But Underneath”. It’s concise and to the point. “The Story of Lucy & Jessie” is too confusing on first listen.

New York, New York.

Dancin'

Jeff enjoyed " Sweeney"

[quote]"Ah But Underneath," IMHO, remains one of Sondheim's worst efforts: unmelodic, unpleasant, inauthentic, contrived. The language sounds tortured, as if translated from Albanian and then force-fed a rhyming dictionary. It's a perfect Exhibit A for the few folks who don't love Sondheim: all of his worst, laziest habits in one brassy nothing-burger of a song.

But, alas, Sondheim apparently insisted that the Paper Mill FOLLIES use that awful song rather than "Lucy and Jessie," which despite its flaws is still far superior.

r324

Wowza, that bites.

Goddamn, that NY,NY rehearsal clip above is cloying AF. It feels like they're all doing their senior year BFA showcase at CCM.

There's no grit to any of these performers any more. They're either too low key (the lead) or they're swishy and sassy, mugging up a storm. Fosse would be losing his shit at the lack of specificity and character.

[Quote] Not sure why Donna is singing with a British accent

Because she’s French, silly. Didn’t you see Les Miz? jeez.

To answer all the questions about Sweeney material, from someone whose friend taped the first preview: Judge's Johanna is out, as is the tooth-pulling half of The Contest, and -- not that anyone asked -- the Beggar Woman's Lullaby. In fairness, the tooth-pulling slows the show down and is kind of grisly, we don't need the Judge's Johanna sequence to know he's evil, and the Beggar Woman's Lullaby was an attempt to force the big reveal on the audience at a specific moment after they discovered people were figuring it out at different times. As Sondheim himself attested in his Hat books, they wrote the lullaby, and people still figured it out pretty much whenever, so no real need to keep it if it didn't fulfil its intended purpose.

Angela's Aurelia voice...

Nobody named “Josh” should ever play Sweeney.

Joshes should only play Matts or Kevins.

[quote] we don't need the Judge's Johanna sequence to know he's evil,

I agree with you on Tooth Pulling and the Lullaby (which I never liked anyway), but I think the Judge’s “Joanna” is important. It makes him an irredeemable villain.

Also, I like that all three men get a song about Joanna, from three very different perspectives. It gives a balance to the show.

Eh... it won Best Musical without it. I like it, but I can see cutting it.

Betty's Aurelia--London premiere

R300, I can’t believe that ran for nearly 400 performances. From the synopsis, it sounded like the only place it would run was right out of town. So that was the genesis of “I’ve Gotta Be Me”. Did Eydie get a hit number as well? It sounds like a really trying show.

Maybe ripe for revival by apparent Eydie Gorme lookalike, Maya Rudolph?

Poor Betty Buckley. I’m sure she thought her London revival of Dear World would open doors for her, but it seemed to have closed them shut!

Don't you worry about me, I'll be back in the high life again! All the doors that once were shut will open up again!

"At that point the idea of Peters in a Sondheim musical seemed a bit weird since she was identified with schmaltz?"

It didn't seem weird to the Tony Award nominators when they nominated her for Best Actress the year before in Sunday in the Park.

[r341] thank you!! I thought that was an odd comment that Bernadette had just given a career best performance in an original Sondheim musical and yet that previous poster said that she wouldn’t be thought of for a Sondheim piece.

Interestingly she was older than Patinkin at that time and if they cast him, they could have cast her.

Wow! My timeline was off!

I thought Follies was a few years earlier than it was!

My mistake.

But my comment was based on how people thought it was odd that Peters was in Sunday in the Park. After Sunday, Peters was thought of in a very different way.

No one thought it was odd that she was in Sunday in the Park. Everyone thought it was perfect casting. It's a losing battle with your argument.

We're all Shucked.

Hurry and get your tickets for " New York, New York," before they're all gone.

"Shucked"

"Shucked" outdoors

Hey Jeff. at r326! Asshole! What about me?

[quote]Hey Jeff. at [R326]! Asshole! What about me?

Which one were you?

[quote]The Beggar Woman's Lullaby was an attempt to force the big reveal on the audience at a specific moment after they discovered people were figuring it out at different times. As Sondheim himself attested in his Hat books, they wrote the lullaby, and people still figured it out pretty much whenever, so no real need to keep it if it didn't fulfil its intended purpose.

I don't understand this. It would seem to me that, ideally, the creators of the show wouldn't want anyone in the audience to figure out the big reveal before Sweeney does. Of course, they couldn't prevent some people from figuring it out earlier, but again, I would think they'd want the truth to remain a secret for the bulk of the audience until that incredible moment in the final scene. That's why I really HATE it when the Beggar Woman's lullaby is inserted, because if people in the audience DO guess the truth at that moment, to me that's the equivalent of a premature ejaculation. Far more effective if we don't "get" it till Sweeney does.

Of course, I realize this can only happen the first time one sees the show, but if it does, it's a stunning moment.

Here's a musical no one asked for.

Well, no one under 70.

[quote]The musical is set on New Year's Eve 1942 as a 27-year-old Italian-American singer is about to step onto the stage of New York's Paramount Theatre. As Sinatra's career skyrockets, he struggles with balancing the love of his wife, Nancy, against the demands and temptations of his career. When he begins an affair with Ava Gardner, his records stop selling and the press turns against him, but one of the greatest comebacks in showbiz will follow.

Well, if the show covers all that, then maybe the beginning of this description should have read: "The story begins on New Year's Eve 1942...." But anyway, the combination of director and book writer here does not bode well.

R342, I've heard rumors that Bernadette is still older than Mandy to this day.

I guess many people know that Sondheim's Epiphany lyric, "And my Lucy lies in ashes!" is his subtle clue to the Beggar Woman's identity. I doubt that many picked up on that first time around.

The kids on BWW are going nuts for Shucked's first preview...

They go nuts for everything.

R348-Wait, did he actually sing "When I wasn't raising corn"???? You don't raise corn, you grow it. Strike One.

[quote] I guess many people know that Sondheim's Epiphany lyric, "And my Lucy lies in ashes!" is his subtle clue to the Beggar Woman's identity. I doubt that many picked up on that first time around.

But at that point in the story, Sweeney has no clue that Lucy is alive. Lucy lies in ashes because she’s dead, as far as he knows.

The real clue is the repeated “Don’t I know you, mister?”

It's not Sweeney's clue. It's Sondheim's.

That’s way too clumsy for Sondheim.

[quote]I guess many people know that Sondheim's Epiphany lyric, "And my Lucy lies in ashes!" is his subtle clue to the Beggar Woman's identity.

Honestly, that never occurred to me until you mentioned it. At the very end of the show, Mrs. Lovett does say something about the Beggar Woman "picking spuds out of ash cans," so I guess that supports your theory. But I think it's still a bit of a stretch, because "lies in ashes" doesn't mean the same thing as "picking spuds out of ashcans."

It's more of a music clue than a lyric clue, R362.

Is that my cue?

Not my theory. Sondheim has said as much.

Where?

But he's DEAD.

[quote]What do you get when you pair a semi-neurotic, New York comedy writer with two music superstars from Nashville? A hilarious and audacious musical about the one thing Americans everywhere can’t get enough of: corn. Shucked is the new musical comedy that proves sometimes tearing down a few walls, rather than growing them, is the only way to preserve our way of life. Shucked is about to turn Broadway on its ear and offer a kernel of hope for our divided nation.

Playbill's synopsis makes the show seem like a country version of " The Prom." Just substitute lesbians for the cornpones.

SHUCKED!

Of course the kids are going nuts for Shucked!

1) They/them cast

2) no real plot that makes them uncomfortable or learn

3) kids today hate melody in songs and enjoy straight tone singing

[quote]kids today hate melody in songs and enjoy straight tone singing

So do contemporary Broadway composers.

[quote]It's more of a music clue than a lyric clue, [R362].

How do you mean that? The melody for the phrase "And my Lucy lies in ashes" is heard more than once throughout the show, including in the organ prelude at the very beginning. In fact, it's the first melody we hear on the original Broadway cast recording. But that melody is not specifically associated with the Beggar Woman in the show -- at least, not till the moment when Todd slashes her throat, and that melody comes crashing out of the orchestra, which is arguably the biggest clue to the Beggar Woman's identity until it's actually revealed a few minutes later.

R368, just to be clear, that synopsis of SHUCKED was not written by anyone at Playbill. It's from the show's press releases.

[quote] Of course the kids are going nuts for Shucked! 1) They/them cast

What happened to “Go woke go broke!”?

Now it’s “how dare they appeal to the youth audience!”

R344, I was working for an organization that did not have a great relationship with PH, which might have colored the view of it around the office.

But many thought Peters was a surprising choice.

Realize that her last three Broadway appearances were in flops--Mack and Mabel, On the Town, and La Strada. Most of us had seen her on in films where she did not sing (Silent Movie, The Jerk, Pennies from Heaven) and when we did see her sing it was on Carol Burnett. She was well-known, but not the first person you thought of for a sophisticated musical.

She was so fantastic in Sunday in the Park that after that our bosses wanted her for everything.

Here's Bernadette singing in THE JERK...

My brain is tired, what’s PH?

I saw a very early preview of Sweeney, and remember the Judge's Joanna and the tooth pulling sequence. But I also could swear that Sweeney mistakenly killed Joanna at the end, (as well as almost everybody else.) It must have been changed very soon after. Does anyone else remember that?

R377, Playwrights Horizons. The producer of Sunday in the Park.

Thx.

I think the Judge's Johanna was only in for the first preview? I saw the show early after opening and remember the tooth-pulling sequence. (I think it stayed in throughout the Broadway run?) It adds to the running time, but I thought it provides both comedy and was also a little grotesque.

I’ve seen several productions of Sweeney that have included the Judge’s “Joanna”.

[quote]Betty's Aurelia--London premiere

Her voice was already shot 10 years ago. She was not pleasant to listen to, although I'm aware the recording quality was poor.

[quote]I saw a very early preview of Sweeney, and remember the Judge's Joanna and the tooth pulling sequence. But I also could swear that Sweeney mistakenly killed Joanna at the end, (as well as almost everybody else.) It must have been changed very soon after. Does anyone else remember that?

Hoo boy, I think your memory is seriously muddled as far as Sweeny mistakenly killing Johanna. There is that moment when he finds her hiding in the trunk in sailor's garb, and he ALMOST kills her, not realizing who she is, but then he hears Mrs. Lovett scream from the basement so he leaves Joanna in the barber shop and runs downstairs to see what the screaming is about.

As others have pointed out, the ending as it stands is heartbreaking because, aside from everything else that has happened, Johanna remains alive but she has no way of knowing that Sweeney was her father and the Beggar Woman was her mother. Nor will she ever know, because everyone who had that knowledge is now dead.

"Funny Girl" has announced its closing date - September 3, 2023.

It was originally set to close on May 28, when Lea Michelle's contract was to expire, but they got her to extend through Spetember (bring in those summer tourists they missed out on last year) and she will make it one year in the role.

Get your tickets today !

Good for her.

Are you posting from last week, R385?

Maybe there should be a whole crowd of beggars accosting characters throughout 'Sweeney' instead of just Lucy. She can still be the pervy one, and the nosy one, but she'd blend in better if there were always other beggars around, cuz London's full of 'em, sir.

Bernadette has always been a darling in the NY theater world, even in the 1970s and 80s, despite her Broadway flops (where she was rightfully never held to blame), her films (some of which were schlocky but, again, she was not blamed) nor her appearances on TV variety hours which always seemed to lift those shows to higher standards because of her Broadway cred.

So her casting as Dot was a huge coup and very much raised the expectations on Sunday, especially because it was starting out off-off-Broadway at PH, a very unusual circumstance for Broadway musicals at the time, A Chorus Line not withstanding. I find nothing about her casting surprising or odd.

Playwrights Horizons was (and is) Off-Broadway, not Off Off.

What I find odd is Bernadette had a good run with Sunday, Into the Woods and then Goodbye Girl….but then she stayed away until Annie Get Your Gun. I wonder if anything came to her during the 5 year hiatus that she would have been good for?

By the late 70s - early 80s or so, Bernadette appeared pretty regularly on late night tv shows like Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" where she would usually do two songs per appearance: the first one would be a cutesy up-tempo and the second one would be a torch song like "Mean to Me" with Bernadette exhibiting real tears in her eyes. Girl knew to do contrasting pieces back then, too.

Unfortunately, Bernadette's role in "Goodbye Girl" was as a stick in the mud; couldn't wait for Martin Short to come back on stage. Her character was better dealt with in the film -- musicalizing her anger and issues just slowed down the show and didn't do it or Bernadette any favors. Short was delightful though, but then again, so is Richard Dreyfuss in the movie as well.

Marty Short was the MVP of that underbaked "Goodbye Girl". Bernie didn't have a chance to break out from that underwritten part. Short was also spectacular in Little Me (bailing out a miscast Faith Prince), Encore's Promises, Promises and The Producers in LA.

He might be older, but I think he'd KILL as Pseudolus in a limited revival of "Forum". I think that role actually gets funnier with someone decidedly over-the-hill in the part (like Silvers or Frankie Howerd when he revived it in London in the 80s). Like Nathan Lane, he's one of the few remaining Broadway stars that actually understands vaudeville/burlesque and how to play musical comedy.

Between Sunday and Into the Woods, Bernadette did Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song & Dance, which the song Unexpected Song was added. When she left, Betty Buckley took over.

I'm pissed off at modern Broadway part writing. I'm a bass-baritone and the men's ensemble parts are all written for rock tenor.

Are they serving a Pirelli's Miracle Elixir-tini at intermission?

Bernadette Peters' voice - speaking or singing - lets my tith on etch.

SETS.....SETS......

I believe in the early 1980s "off-Broadway" was still considered commercially produced shows at theaters like the Lortel (or Theatre de Lys, as it was then called), the Variety Arts, the Orpheum, the Westside Arts, etc. "Off-off-Broadway" was then the term for all those non-profit theaters like Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Theatre Club, the WPA, the Hudson Guild, Theatre for a New City, and a few others.

So, a show like Steel Magnolias that began off-off-Broadway at the WPA would become an off-Broadway show when t moved to the Lortel/de Lys.

R370 I can’t speak for her work on Shucked! but Brandy Clark is a damn good storyteller/songwriter.

R400, you are completely wrong about off and off-off Broadway.

Those institutional theaters had off-Broadway contracts and were listed in the papers as off-Broadway.

Off-0ff-Broadway were either non-union or under showcase code. The theater were usually much smaller, often under 100 seats.

You might want to look at some histories, like Playing Underground by Stephen J. Scott-Bottoms to get a clearer picture.

Paging Scott—Bottoms! Mr. Scott—Bottoms!

r402, I started my professional theater career in NY in 1978 and worked in every one of those venues I mentioned in my post, so I don't have to consult any histories.

I will say, however, that "off-Broadway" and "off-off-Broadway" were never really officially differentiated by those labels in contracts and "off-off-Broadway" was simply never used or applied in any theatrical union's contractual terms as a designator.

And, scene

THR reviews "A Doll's House":

Deadline:

NYT:

R400 / R404, no matter how vehemently you keep insisting that you're right about the definitions of Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway, the fact is that you've been proven wrong.

"Right up until a stunning coup de théâtre in the closing moments (no spoilers here),..."

Can someone who's seen "The Doll's House" please spoil it for me?

Nora takes a shit in Torvald’s mouth.

Pics please.

Nora doesn’t actually exit the house, instead the house exits stage left and leaves her behind.

It's a great coup de theatre: The house is swept up by a cyclone, does a few spins, and than lands on Nora.

^when Nora makes her final exit: she opens a stage door in the back wall and you see her exit directly onto the street, live.….

It’s not that original… if you’ve seen Audrey Hepburn in The Nun’s Story…just recall the final scene of the convent side door opening and watching Audrey exit directly into the bustling world beyond.

R404, I was also there at the same time and you truly are just wrong. In fact, this is an error I have never heard anyone make before.

No one EVER called Playwrights Horizons in the 80s an "off-off-Broadway" company.

Maybe you should look in the Friday Listings or Sunday Arts Guide in Times Wayback machine. You will see Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Theater Club, The Public, etc listed as off-Broadway.

Or read a book on New York Theater History in the 80s. Or biographies of Sondheim and James Lapine's book. Or even grab Frank Rich's compilation of his reviews at the time.

Does Nora hop in an Uber?

In SWEENEY is the Judge’s Johanna scene the self-flagellating scene? Does any production keep that in anymore?

^ Something like that was done in the Broadway version of Network—two characters leave the stage for a conversation, and on a video screen we see them outside—on the sidewalk—acting live amidst the street scene…

They did that in the OG production of Network at the NT, Lady Mary and Douglas Henshall walked around the South Bank.

I love the idea that Nora’s Uber driver arrives.

R415, once the reviews for A Doll’s House come out, Chastain will open the door and keep walking.

R420. In NY it was sex-on-a-stick Tony Goldwyn and that Tatiana whatsername? I was watching only Tony🤙🏼

Word is the only half the house can see this magical inventive [italic] COO [/italic]

The ending has Jessica Chastain ripping off her wig and mask, only to be discovered as Faye Dunaway.

[quote] Word is the only half the house can see this magical inventive COO

If you are going to A DOLL'S HOUSE make sure you are sitting house right.

[quote]The ending has Jessica Chastain ripping off her wig and mask, only to be discovered as Faye Dunaway.

This is like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE.

Remember when the little Japanese ballerina would peel off her face and it would be Martin Landau?

Interesting video on the reconfiguration of the Bway for HERE LIES LOVE.

I will definitely be there.

Thanks, R416. Clearly, R404 (etc.) is one of those "know-it-alls" who actually know a lot less than they think they do.

R428, the set looks pretty cool.

Sadly the show itself was just meh when I saw it at the Public Theatre

“audaciously minimalist “= Cheaply unimaginative in plain speak.

There are some Instagram photos of the pre-set and curtain call of CAMELOT's first preview on BroadwayWorld. Gotta say it looks beautifully austere and elegant and timeless in the best way, and the few posters who were there all thoroughly enjoyed it, complaining only that its needs some cutting and quicker pacing, which it's sure to get.

With all the fractured fairy tales trash we're now seeing on Broadway, I think CAMELOT will be even more lauded and praised and a huge hit for LCT.

Thanks for the link R423

Here's a glimpse of CAMELOT curtain calls.

It appears they're all setting up tents to camp out under the Tri-Borough Bridge.

My friend went to see the meat pie show and texted after, “Teeny Sweeney” followed by, “It’s a VEGAN Sweeney Todd, where’s the beef?”…they were grateful for the orchestra, had faint praise for the leads, loved the Beggar Woman, Pirelli and Tobias. All Singing, All Dancing, No Killing!

Who knew Bad Cinderella would be so gay? She of the title role is just not up to it. First time I've been to a show in years where the audience in the Orchestra stayed seated for the curtain call.

[quote]First time I've been to a show in years where the audience in the Orchestra stayed seated for the curtain call.

A bad sign, indeed.

I always though that was good luck?

Phillipa Soo is damn beautiful! So nice to see with the 2 great looking leading men. Old-time Broadway!

*

I'm not anti-Sondheim, but I would get a kick out of Camelot beating Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd for Best Revival at the Tony Awards. Heads will explode.

Does anyone besides the nominated producers even really care about the the Best Revival Tonys?

[quote]Heads will explode.

Why, r441? People understand Sondheim isn't responsible for anything but the music and lyrics.

Camelot costumes look nice. Sets look like an airline terminal, but we see only a glimpse.

SHUCKED!

About once every two years or so we see a show land in NYC (usually Broadway, sometimes not) that is aggressively over-hyped while giving strong indications that it's a steaming pile of shit.

"Shucked" feels like one of those shows.

I can't believe it, but Camelot was good! I was surprised how well the new book (no magic, more military /royal duty focus) fit with the songs.

King Arthur is better since he is a young king who is a bad fit for the traditional royal traditions while creating the round table. Never seen the actor before but liked him especially when interacting with the traditional, violent knights who turn on him. For the first time, I enjoyed "Fie on Goodness" and the audience seemed to understand and really like it too. There are a couple of nice reprises I hadn't heard before.

Actors mainly stick to American or transatlantic accents, which I expected.

Morgan Lefay and Merlin are odd b/c they're in it so little but mentioned heavily in this book. If you've seen the older versions/concert versions you might hate their treatment b/c that means less magic/wizardry. Maybe some pissed off Wiccans out there...

Overall, it was a pleasant surprise. If you didn't know about the old book or who wrote this, you might enjoy it even more. I couldn't help comparing some old things I liked with some new ones (no Nimue, no "Persuasion").

How was Jordan?

Burnap was one of the best reasons to see The Inheritance.

Burlap was one of the best reasons to visit a dressing room after a performance.

Sorry, BURNAP.

Good gawd, they could certainly pick up the pace of that Camelot curtain call…jeez, what a bore. So now that King Arthur is portrayed as a cuck, he’s no longer the star of the show? Who’s the squat little influencer they have playing Guinevere? I’d bet my life she has Heathers on her CV.

Is THAT Phillipa Soo? Good gawd, get her some heels.

R447, does Arthur still have his big speech (Question…?) or did Sorkin replace it with a walk and talk?

r452, Arthur has always been portrayed a cuckold, for centuries. Are you that unfamiliar with the source material?

And I'm guessing this is a temporary curtain call to get them through early previews. Though everything about this production looks so damn austere and tasteful, this may be all we ever get at the end. Personally, I'm all for the look of this. At least there's a strong point of view.

I don't like the color of the Camelot stage. Looks like a daycare in the 90s.

Clearly I’m unfamiliar with much of it, R455. I’ve previously only read it, a long time ago, but I know it’s always been about a love triangle. I thought I’d read here that Sorkin has turned it into a throuple.

And full apologies to Phillipa Soo for my stupid remark. I love Phillipa Soo, thought she was really good in Dopesick. Though I still think she’d do well to get a pair of stately high heels.

Camelot set - talk about Spartan. It looks so bright and shiny!

What a Lulu...

[quote]^ Something like that was done in the Broadway version of Network—two characters leave the stage for a conversation, and on a video screen we see them outside—on the sidewalk—acting live amidst the street scene…

I remember that, r420. The Rocky Horror revival did something like that as well, but it was prerecorded.

If half the audience cannot see the coup de theatre, was it a coup?

Demi-coup, r461.

Linedy Genao ruins Bad Cinderella, and since she's playing the titular role, that's a problem. Jordan Dobson brows with each progressive scene and his first act solo is gorgeous. I've never seen such overtly gay chorus boys but they are gorgeous and such fun to watch. The families in the audience were left perplexed and disgruntled. It's a show for the boys in the band.

^grows.

Egad!

Songs cut from or re-written for Broadway shows.

Genoa is certainly not great, but what ruins bad Cinderella is a convoluted plot and terrible songs. And yes, the audience also stay seated at the curtain call when I saw it as well. It was actually one thing I liked about the night, since standing ovations are given out way too freely these days.

I hated Bad Cinderella on Broadway this week. Witless and charm-free. One of the worst books I’ve seen. And I saw Metro!

"Witless and charm free"= Sir Andrew's Aspects of Love, the single worst evening I ever had in the theater.

Love, r469, love changes everything.

[quote]Overall, it was a pleasant surprise. If you didn't know about the old book or who wrote this, you might enjoy it even more. I couldn't help comparing some old things I liked with some new ones (no Nimue, no "Persuasion")

If there's no Nimue, does that mean "Follow Me" has been cut, or does someone else sing it? I think it's a beautiful song, and it would be sad to lose it.

I agree about " Aspects of Love." Absolutely dreadful. So, having seen this from London, I might have to change my mind, but I doubt it.

r470 Love changed nothing.

Love never dies. Except in the West End.

^This

R463 R467 R468, what’s the gym scene like? Sounds like they’re trying to get a young male “Mamma Mia” chorus number in there.

Aspects of Love was not all bad. I thought this was a nice song.

Next to Starlight Express, Aspects of Love was Gypsy!

AOL sucked dirty toes.

You've got mail, r479.

Aspects of Love was indeed awful, but it had a few beautiful melodies, some repeated over and over and over. Bad Cinderella has no redeeming features. Even the hunky, sometimes shirtless male soldiers grow tiresome as second-rate Gastons from Beauty and the Beast.

You want bad? Listen to Tim Rice’s Blondell. Even Elaine Paige couldn’t sell it.

Parade will win the Tony for Best Revival, not Camelot, Into The Woods or anything else.

^^Elaine Paige trying to sell Blondel.

This is not the first time that the BroadwY Theatre seating was redesigned. In October 1972 the seating was redisgned for DUDE which lasted a mere month on Broadway. Many of the cast came from a hole in the ceiling and it depended how long in the run how many did that. I saw the show...... When it closed in 1977 it was used for a revival of CANDIDE which had played at the Brooklyn Academy and transfered to Broadway. They were able to use that seating making it a theatre in the round, like a circus with sawdust on the floor and we were given peanuts and we were told to throw the shells on the floor. It ran for 740 performances. After that it returned to its normal theatre seating.

Maybe they'll have drawings for replicas of some of Imelda Marcos' shoes to lucky ticketholders, too?

dude butt

Soo looks lovely in that CAMELOT clip, surprised to see people on DL complain about the curtain call being simple: Go see SIX if you need some splashy trash for your Instagram story.

Anyway, no preview will change the fact that the leads' voices are two sizes too small for a score like CAMELOT.

I was there last night at Vivian Beaumont for Camelot, I agree with R432. While it needs to be cut—3 hours 15 minutes—it’s going to be a hit for LCT. Loved Jordan, he hit it out of the park. Everyone is going to be talking about him! Soo and Burnap are superb, rest of cast is excellent getting their dotting for sure.

Oops “footing for sure”

r463, Linedy Genao?

Sounds like a bad anagram for Genie A. Doyle

Speaking of both Guys and Dolls and immersive theater, the Hytner production at the Bridge in London has sensational WOM - reviews next week. Will be interesting to see if there is momentum to bring it to Bway.

I'm still waiting for Hytner's immersive Bridge production of Midsummer Night's Dream to come to the US. I've watched it far too many times on National Theatre at Home. (And what's Oliver Chris up to these days anyway?)

I'll be seeing that G&D at the Bridge in a few weeks! Can't wait.

I'd heard that the G&D that was recently done at the Kennedy Center was prohibited, even before it opened to sensational reviews, from moving forward to Broadway because of rights issues. So, I don't know if that means the Hytner production has dibs on the next Broadway revival of the show.

Hal Prince's Candide ran at the Broadway Theatre from March 1974 to July 1977. Dude closed in 1972.

Is immersive theatre the future of Broadway?

Immersive FOLLIES!

Most DLers are old enough for immersive Follies. I call dibs on Hattie.

I love sets and costumes

Thank you for sharing, r499. And they love you.

I like blue

Did somebody actually get paid to edit this video?

[quote] Hal Prince's Candide ran at the Broadway Theatre from March 1974 to July 1977.

You're both wrong. Hal Prince's Candide ran from March 1974 to January 1976.

R493 That was a stunning production. And Gods, Oliver is dreamy as fuck.

Oh, how I wish Elaine Paige starred in a musical about Joan Blondell.

It's the green dress that Sally should have worn in "Follies" that should be desired by all potential Sallys (and probably a good percentage of DL).

R506 The braying mule wore the green dress at the National.

Oliver Chris is doing a lot of tv series

Maternal

Trying

Motherland

I woulda worn this green dress...

[quote]I love sets and costumes

You might be disappointed in the new production of "A Doll's House."

I love how the " Follies" trolls continually try to randomly bring up a show reference in the middle of other show's discussion in an attempt to hijack the thread and please themselves for what they did. Sad.

Okay r319

How about the first preview for Camelot and the first preview for the straight play Life of Pi, anybody go?

I love how you hate it when we're happy and you're not, r511.

“Follies trolls”? This is the internet’s premier message board to discuss Follies. If you don’t like it, fuck off.

We’re STILL HERE!

...at the Roxy

r510 that’s what I meant

Just back from Life of Pi. It’s wonderful. The lead and the three-person tiger puppet are great.

Life of Pi from London

[quote]Speaking of both Guys and Dolls and immersive theater, the Hytner production at the Bridge in London has sensational WOM - reviews next week. Will be interesting to see if there is momentum to bring it to Bway.

At least they will probably film it for NT-Live. They've done several others from the Bridge.

Well, if another producer has the Broadway rights to Guys & Dolls, could they prohibit a filming of the Bridge's G&D?

Will they have to change the title " Guys and Dolls" in order not to offend the feminists?

If I attend an immersive Follies, does it mean I'll be tripping over myself and kicked by a bunch of chorus boys?

R523, does Follies even have chorus boys?

Oh come now. Are you 12?

Blythe Danner bumped into many a chorus boy when she was Phyllis.

And yet she was STILL Tony nominated.

do you really enjoy saying the same thing every thread?

R527 = *b r u i s e d* chorus boy.

[521] of course, it will have to now be called "They & Them" and Marry the man Today will be cut because it promotes patriarchal cisgender heteronormative behavior

[quote]I’m confused by Ramin….so does that mean no more shirtless content?

HE'S the one who's confused, and/or a hypocritical blowhard.

[quote] sure don't enjoy reading it

What on earth made you think we were posting for your amusement? Nobody gives a shit what you enjoy.

r530 Perfectly said...what a clown!

*

I wore that green dress better...

Have a seat Keira...

This dress?

R534 Keira, doll, you have no tits to fill out the top.

[quote]...at the Roxy

What happened to that show about the Minnesota man who fell in love with a Mississippi girl and sacrificed everything and moved all the way to Biloxi? Isn't that what's playing at the Roxy?

[quote]Isn't that what's playing at the Roxy?

No.

A definite threat to hs theater productions is adult interference and both right and left cancel culture. But, it can be worked out if the parties are mature. You can be sure that this hs production sold out.

Holy shit, that Dolores Gray clip was horrendous! Her voice is fine, but what the fuck is she doing? She has no idea what she's singing, even though she's pretty much doing an ASL show to help explain it.

Dolores Gray either had ASL or ALS

Geez, Dolores. “I’m Still Here” isn’t a funeral dirge. Speed it up. Maybe take a page from Liza Minnelli’s book and sing songs at a faster tempo than necessary.

Do we think Liza always intended her songs to be sung that fast or did the musicians just have to keep up once the cocaine kicked in?

I think Dolores had a GTO.

[quote]Do we think Liza always intended her songs to be sung that fast or did the musicians just have to keep up once the cocaine kicked in?

Of course not.

[quote]I think Dolores had a GTO.

And multiple STDs.

The ridiculous degree of back phrasing in that Dolores Gray performance of FOLLIES is even more egregious, if possible, than the ridiculous degree of back-phrasing when Polly Bergen did it. Both of them effectively destroyed the song. Their musical directors should have said to them, "I'm sorry, but if you cannot sing this song as written, we're going to have to make a casting change."

[r548] what’s funny is I think that DL gave Paul Ford WOULD say that to someone

Polly's version isn't too back phrased, or too slow.

Incidentally, Elaine Paige really ruined the song in the KC engagement. But somebody (Sondheim?) coached her before Broadway not to backphrase so much, and it was vastly improved in New York.

[quote]Polly's version isn't too back phrased, or too slow.

In my opinion, it definitely is/was, though not quite so egregiously as Dolores Gray's.

[quote]What’s funny is I think that DL gave Paul Ford WOULD say that to someone

I'm guessing that was supposed to be "Dl fave." Anyway, I am not Paul Ford, but I stand by my opinion.

Grosses for the week.

" A Doll's House" opening night celebs.

This is the Best Revival?

why are you you queens reading this when you should be watching [italic] this ?

PS dropped tonight on the anniversary of the scrabble concert. Audio of lots of cut songs. Gay heaven

Just heard Len cariou sing marry me a little better than anyone since

So, Mr.Rodgers had "enthusiasm and admiration" for Steve's...lyrics.

Knock yourself out...

PS? What?

[r557] what is PS and where is this audio?

It’s the link posted at r556, which includes unreleased material from the Scrabble concert.

I have a bootleg of the entire Scrabble concert. Got it years ago, but from where? Don't remember.

P.S. your cat is dead

Where did you leave you shoes? Don’t remember. Did you take your pills? Don’t remember.

Do you remember tress? Bare as coatracks?

What does PS mean? Don’t remember

How to be a religious Christian without hate.

Sing X 3

Pacific Overtures at Signature Theater is excellent. See it if you can!

“Sing X 3”? Is that what your friends Bobby and Annie called it?

Where Silicon Valley meets Tin Pan Alley...

Signature in VA?

Spring has (almost) sprung...

Liza in a hurry.

Last night's performance of Parade was cancelled, due to technical issues with the projections.

It's Oscar night, theatre peeps.

Who are you wearing?

I’m getting a bit bored with the “play goes wrong” productions. The first one was funny but that shtick gets boring very quickly.

Some title suggestions for the next TG thread:

The Thread Goes Wrong

Spring Has (Almost) Sprung

Time to Get SHUCKED

Before the PARADE Passes By

Signature on 42nd Street is doing Pacific Overtures

No, they aren't.

Signature in Virginia is doing Pacific Overtures.

for Helen Keller at R581...

Elaine... is that you?

5580 day job, keep it.

r580, your day job, keep it.

SHUCKED!

Director: "My God she's got on her costume for the second act."

Neely: So, I'll do the second act first."

Director: "Somebody call Mr. Merrick and get the understudy ready."

New thread:

Do Signature productions ever transfer to New York?

Mickey Jo like The Bake Off musical. Maybe it's a British thing.

Not everything needs to transfer to New York. In fact, there are some of us who don't give a fuck about the crap that's on Broadway.

I never heard about “The Red Shoes,” I never saw “The Red Shoes,” I didn't give a fuck about “The Red Shoes.

SHUCKED is on Broadway. Why should I care? From what I heard, I can watch an old episode of HEE HAW and get the same thing. CAMELOT is on Broadway. Why should I care?

[quote] I never heard about “The Red Shoes,” I never saw “The Red Shoes,” I didn't give a fuck about “The Red Shoes.

I saw it. Not even Roger Rees could save that stinker.

Jules Styne...How I dream of a new Jules Styne score...

Noted, R592, but I was merely asking because I'd like to see it but can't swing a trip to Arlington this spring. Sorry for putting a bee in your bonnet.

Jule Styne.

Julie Andrews.

Big Julie.

[quote]I never heard about “The Red Shoes,” I never saw “The Red Shoes,” I didn't give a fuck about “The Red Shoes.

Incidentally, does anyone remember THE RED SHOE DIARIES, a '90s soft porn series on Showtime that starred David Duchovny?