TOP TEN: BROADWAY MUSICALS WE'D REVIVE
Starting this week, we have a new weekly column: THE TOP TEN." Ricky and I will discuss, week to week, various subjects, ranging from theatre to film, music and whatever else tickles our fancy that week. This week:
TOP TEN BROADWAY MUSICALS WE'D REVIVE
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RICKY'S CHOICE TITANIC - This was another revival that we were teased about arriving to Broadway this season but unfortunately never came. The original production won 5 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Maury Yeston's score is hauntingly beautifully and the great Peter Stone's script is equally impressive. Now, it’s an expensive show to produce. The cast is huge and well....you have to sink a freaking ship on stage! But I do believe that tourists would buy tickets, if anything for the curiosity of a musical about the Titanic.
MATEO'S CHOICE STARLIGHT EXPRESS - Am I serious? Kind of. But not really. But... kind of...? Okay, being honest, EVERYONE knows this isn't a good show. It's seriously one of the goofiest shows on the planet. Every actor in the show plays a train, is on skates, and the trains fall in love! Race each other! And song after song reminds you that this is around the same time that Webber wrote another one of his bizarre musicals, Cats. Seriously that must have been his Crystal Meth stage. But to have a SUPER LIMITED run and play up the camp as just that, CAMP, it could be a ridiculously fun summer alternative for tourists. Tracks that the actors skate down can swoop over the audience and race around everyone in the theatre. It would be ridiculous. It would be cheesy. It would be awesome.
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RICKY'S CHOICE SHENANDOAH - I adore this show and it's such a shame it is never done! Based on the 1965 movie starring Jimmy Stewart and set during the Civil War, the musical has a rousing score and, in my opinion, on the best scripts of musical theatre. It is a hard show to sell but the lead part is ideal for a celebrity casting. The role, which won John Cullum his first Tony Award, is a perfect part for a film actor to take on because it's not a very difficult to sing but is a perfect for a dramatic actor. The musical is an excellent blend of big Broadway dance numbers and story that is a tearjerker. If directed right, by the end there shouldn't be a dry eye in the house.
MATEO'S CHOICE THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW - In 2000 there was a successful and ridiculously fun revival of this cult hit that ended up closing early due to financial losses after 9/11. Rag tag theatres produce this every year and audiences turn out in droves. So why not bring it back!!! Putting it back up in Circle in the Square or even The Helen Hayes Theatre would be ideal, and it would be perfect to get a parade of guest stars to come through and play in this insanely fun show. Last time around, the Narrator was stunt cast over and over. This time it could open with one cast and then ALL the major roles could rotate every so often. Great for bigger TV or Film actors to come in for a brief time commitment and could fill in those seats. I can just imagine P!nk filling in those Magenta heels now...
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RICKY AND MATEO'S CHOICE KISS OF THE SPIDER-WOMAN - Kander and Ebb's classic musicals usually are very successful on Broadway. Chicago is going to outlive us all and the current remounting of Cabaret is selling out almost every night. Spider-Woman swept the Tony Awards in 1993 and ran for over 900 performances. This wonderfully dark musical about cell mates in a Latin American prison features the best script that Terrence McNally has written for the musical theatre. Recently it was an industry reading of the musical directed by Tony Award winner John Tiffany starring Audra McDonald and Alan Cumming. Hopefully, this will lead to a Broadway run.
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RICKY'S CHOICE THE WHO’S TOMMY - After the wonderfully awesome rock opera of AMERICAN IDIOT a few years back, I have been wanting to see what Michael Mayer would do with The Who's Tommy. His success with shows like Spring Awakening and Hedwig, he has become the go to director for rock musicals. The 1994 production of Tommy was a big success and it could very well be a hit all over again.
MATEO'S CHOICE MARTIN GUERRE - Okay so TECHNICALLY this wouldn't be a revival since it never made it onto the Broadway stage. But as flawed as the book is, the music is really good, and has the same epic feel as Les Miserables (currently enjoying its second revival on Broadway). Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil's beautiful score captures the tragic and epic tale of the man who came back from war claiming to be Martin Guerre only to see a town begin to question who he really was. It ran several times in London with two sets of scores. Put the best of both of them together, rework the book, and bring it on home to BWay!
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RICKY'S CHOICE MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG - It is about time this Stephen Sondheim musical got another shot on Broadway. Since the original production in 1981(which only ran for 68 performances), there have been numerous rewrites and changes to make it more successful. There was even critically acclaimed production in the West End a couple years ago. Yet sadly, it is rarely done, even in regional theaters. It is my favorite Sondheim show and I know it has the potential to be a hit..
MATEO'S CHOICE THE WILD PARTY (Lippa version) - Though this version of The Wild Party was never on Broadway (it was produced Off Broadway in 2000 while at the same time the John La Chiusa version that starred Eartha Kitt hit the Great White Way), it has become a staple of Theatre kids and fans who fell for its infectious score and Pop heavy sounds. The tale of Queenie and Burrs throwing a lavish party to end all parties in the roaring 20's would be a perfect vehicle for someone like Sutton Foster who has fame both on the stage and screen and can not only belt beautifully but can cut a mean rug too. It would also bring in a younger audience in droves. Encores! this year will produce a staged reading of it with Foster and Joshua Henry (Violet). Hopefully this will lead to a quick transfer and get this incredible musical on the Broadway stage it belonged on 15 years ago.
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RICKY & MATEO'S CHOICE CAROUSEL - How has it been over 20 years since this Rodgers & Hammerstein masterpiece has returned to Broadway?!? It seems like such an obvious choice. It could return to the Vivian Beaumont Theater. Bring back the team that brought us the successful revival of South Pacific. This is what Bartlett Sher does best! Imagine Laura Osnes as Julie Jordan and Jessie Mueller as Carrie Pipperidge. And Steven Pasquale is a perfect Billy Bigelow. I personally would like to see it not romanticize Billy Bigalow in this version (he is, after all, pretty much a dickhead).
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RICKY'S CHOICE FALSETTOS - This is my favorite musical and I have been craving for a Broadway revival since I first saw a regional production of it. With the success of The Normal Heart and the ongoing spotlight on the importance of marriage equality, it is perfect time to bring it back! More people need to know this musical! William Finn's score is heartbreakingly beautiful. There many theatre actors that would shine in the roles of Marvin or Whizzer. Neil Patrick Harris could even headline it to put butts in the seats and introduce this piece to a wider audience. (Editor’s Note: JUST ANNOUNCED! It's coming back to Broadway in 2016!)
MATEO'S CHOICE URINETOWN! THE MUSICAL - One of the smartest, wittiest musicals to come around in ages, and the springboard that launched Hunter Foster, Urinetown is ripe for a revival here, especially after the reimagined version was such a hit on the West End. Zachary Levi, so ridiculously charming in the lukewarm First Date a few seasons ago, could prove he's a real leading man here. Annaleigh Ashford would be a hilarious Little Sally as well.
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RICKY'S CHOICE 1776 - This would be great revival for the summer! Market it well, put it in a small house like the Circle in the Square, and American tourists should flock to see it. Peter Stone's script is expertly written and it has so many wonderfully juicy roles for actors to sink their teeth into. It would also be great for parents to take their children to theatre and learn about this country's history. It hasn't revived since 1997(starring Star Trek's Brent Spiner) and it's about time!
MATEO'S CHOICE BRING IN DA NOISE, BRING IN DA FUNK - If you were lucky enough to see this show stopping production, you'll know why I'd love to see it again. It's a celebration of black history and the tapping is incredible! Hell, bring Savion Glover back! Bring the tappers from the too short lived After Midnight. Hire some So You Think You Can Dance hoofers! Just bring it back!
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RICKY'S CHOICE PARADE - Poor Jason Robert Brown. While many musical nerds and critics consider him one of the best composers working in the theatre today, his shows are never a commercial success. They are usually embraced by the critics, even win Tony’s, but never recoup their investment. Bridges of Madison County, 13, Urban Cowboy, and now his current Broadway production Honeymoon in Vegas, which even got a love letter great review in the New York Times but the grosses just aren’t good. A revival of Parade could very well end this streak of bad luck. The original won JRB his first Tony but the show lost the big award to the musical revue Fosse. It arguably his best score and is such an epic show! Hopefully, the one night only concert at Avery Fisher Hall this month will generate the buzz this brilliant musical needs to return to a Broadway stage.
MATEO'S CHOICE ANYONE CAN WHISTLE - It's bizarre, strange, bold, and perfectly bonkers. Obviously it didn't work the first time. But the 2010 Encores! staged version starring Donna Murphy, Sutton Foster, and Raul Esparza became a huge hit, so why not pack it full of marketable Broadway stars and bring it back! It's always a good time to revive Sondheim; he's got a cannon of incredible shows. This particular one, taking place in an imaginary town that's gone bankrupt, goes from a fake miracle in Act I, includes an insane asylum, and at one point puts the actors in theatre seats holding programs and applauding the audience. Bonkers yes. But bold and different. True, it probably would have a longer life in a restaging Off Broadway. But it sort of needs to be BIG, and Broadway can do BIG. Time to take a chance and Whistle.
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RICKY'S CHOICE A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM - It has been 17 years since the last time this was revived on Broadway ergo it’s about time that we travel back to the forum. It was teased earlier this season that Tony Award winner James Corden would star as Pseudolus but since he was offered to replace Craig Ferguson on The Late Late Show, the project was put on hold. While this was perfect casting, there are still many reasons why the musical should come back soon. The biggest reason and of course the most important for producers is that it would make money! Audiences of all ages eat this show up! There is the classic score by Sondheim but the script is one of the most clever and hilarious of any musical comedies. And it shouldn't be hard to find someone to replace Corden. Many celebrities would love to play that role. Hell, every actor who has played Pseudolus has won the Tony award. I've always been strangely interested to see what Jack Black would do with the role. Jessie Tyler Ferguson could make his return to the stage as a perfect Hysterium. So let us hope the Gods of the Theatre grace us with a revival soon rather than later.
MATEO'S CHOICE SUNSET BOULEVARD - This is by far my favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ever, and I was lucky enough as a young'in to see one of the final performances with Elaine Paige. It's epic score, it's grand story (based on the fantastic Billy Wilder film), and it's juicy roles (particularly for Norma Desmond) make it a GREAT choice for revival. Sadly, the original production failed to make back it's investment because it is a very expensive show (at least how they did it). A scaled down version is possibly in the works with Donna Murphy attached. Not only would Murphy be wonderful in the role, but a scaled down version could emphasize all the beauty of the story and score and keep the budget down, thus keeping it on Broadway long enough to be a "hit."
MATEO MORENO is an actor, playwright, and director. He owns and runs TheArtsWireWeekly.com and has had several of his plays produced in the New York area and the Midwest. He is currently working with Boomerang Theatre on a short play piece and spends his days working on Broadway hits like MATILDA and IT'S ONLY A PLAY. He resides in New York City.
RICKY JONES wears a red coat on most days and is constantly trying to get people to watch Survivor and Big Brother with him. He succeeded in getting Mateo obsessed with Survivor and marks this as one of his greatest victories. He is obsessed with theatre and was once married to it. He resides in New Jersey.