Variety: "Remember that scene in the 1968 tuner 'Promises, Promises' when leading lady Fran breaks out in the familiar Burt Bacharach-Hal David song 'I Say a Little Prayer'?
Actually, you don't. That moment wasn't in the original.
But it's in the current revival (now in previews at the Broadway Theater for an April 25 opening), along with another Bacharach-David song, 'A House Is Not a Home,' folded in to the songwriters' original score."
4 comments:
I am really glad that producers and directors are taking this step to make some of the "classic" musicals their own and putting their own spin on the show to improve both its artistic and financial merit. One of the biggest problems I often have with revivals is the tendency to remount the original without taking into account changing social, political, and economic environments or the changing theatrical world with respect to both technology and practices. It is also nice to see that the producers are trying to stay close to the original artistic vision by adding songs by the original composer.
I think that it's important, when reviving older shows, to consider what can be changed to make the show better. We revive shows that have been very popular in the past, but they were only popular to past audiences, and sometimes it can be beneficial to edit shows to fit a more modern audience. Also, I think it's interesting to consider how you can experiment with new designs/concepts of how to make the show intriguing and more relevant for modern audiences.
I am very supportive about re-vamping older shows by adding new songs. Firstly, it allows artistic minds of the current time to add their ideas into an already well-known production. Also, I feel like it gives the shows themselves a greater appeal to certain audiences, and inspires people who may have already seen the show to re-visit newer productions. In my opinion, as long as the show is not completely changed by its new additions, it will probably be benefited by them.
I agree, I think revamping shows is a pretty stellar idea, especially when they become as outdated as most classic musicals have become, and if the changes go towards furthering the quality of the show, rather than just pleasing the audience. When the actors change, the characters normally can too. So if you have different takes on characters/sets/costumes/etc., why not add new songs? It's not a new concept either. Gypsy's London revival, for instance, had several changes, including new scenes, choruses, acting interpretations, etc. Shows should never stay the same, they should always grow and develop and change. That's why I love theatre at least, it's an inconsistent art form.
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