BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS Coming to Broadway; Rob Ashford to Direct!

[morosco]

How about Carlin Glynn's daughter as Mona? Mary Stuart Masterson!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Ashford screwed up his last 2 musical revivals, let's see how he screws up this one. His choreography (and more-so direction) can't hold a candle to Tune's imaginative ways.

If they are gonna do it. it should be Reba, and throw in a few other Country Singers for good measure.
And a bunch of Hot Auggies.

[Auggie27]

Why not?

[Jarethan]

I can't believe that anyone would invest the dollars to bring this back to Broadway in 2015. I will be shocked if this is a hit. Maybe they are doing it for potential road revenue. I have to admit that I did not like this much the first time around, so maybe I am just being short sighted...but I don't see it.

[MarkBearSF]

Reba McIntyre and Tom Wopat

[MarkBearSF]

Perhaps not on stage, but Dolly Parton's associated with it via the movie - and although 9to5 flopped, she was well-received (who doesn't Love Dolly??)
Maybe a new song or two?

[BwayBaby18]

Yes she is too young... I get it, but isn't Ashford all about young sexy casts? And Matt Morrison was just a name and a hunk to plug in...

[Mr. Nowack]

What an unusual announcement!

I love the original cast album and liked the movie, but I've never actually seen the show. The stage score is very solid though, probably some of my favorite "country-flavored" Broadway music. I do wonder how a show about a whorehouse sells to the tourist trade in NYC though. Was the subject matter a problem last time around?

And can they top that original poster art??

[Jarethan]

Why would Matthew Morrison want to do Whorehouse...as written, the primary thing I remember about the role -- besides its being played by a 60 year old man originally -- was the comedy, not the singing. Also, it is NOT a big role. If they need a name, and Kelsey Grammer wants to come back to Broadway, how about him...or Vince Vaughan, if he wants to try B'way.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Ditto Reba as Miss Mona! But if they went younger with Mona, Cheyenne Jackson would be hot as Ed Earl.

[BwayBaby18]

Jarethan, did you not read what I wrote? I just plugged a name. It looked empty with only one.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Love the idea of Mary Stuart Masterson. It's crazy she doesn't do more Broadway musicals, especially since she stayed with NINE throughout its entire run.
And though I never saw the original production, I do think it has one of the best Broadway cast recordings of all time. It's like no other cast recording I've ever heard, but there's something so unique and wonderful about it. Would love to see a revival.

[Auggie27]

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw for 4-6 months; McGraw goes back on the road and lesser C&W stars and B'way actors take over. Do a flashy Branson-styled version, and stand to wipe up. The title sells. The original ran for years and was a big ol hit. It's a show with great chorus numbers, lots of flesh on display for everybody, and it's a genuine good time. As a commercial prospect it's as good as anything I've read lately. And it doesn't suffer from revival fatigue. We haven't seen a WHOREHOUSE since the original.

[newintown]

Carlin Glynn may have been 38 when the original opened, but she definitely read more mature than that. Which really gave the ending, when she and Ed Earl part (without that ridiculous Disney happy ending of the movie), a great deal more poignance than it would with two more youthful actors.

[Gothampc]

"We haven't seen a WHOREHOUSE since the original."

Actually we have. The laughably bad sequel "Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public"

[madbrian]

Maybe Megan Mullally as Miss Mona?

[Gothampc]

No love for Allison Janney as Mona?

[madbrian]

Her singing was just so bad in 9 to 5, I can't see her in another musical. And she is sucj a great actress, I really wanted to like her. If only they would revive Aunite Mame, Janney would be perfect.

[GlindatheGood22]

This is unexpected but marvelous news. It's one of my favorite scores - Good Old Girl, Doatsy Mae, The Bus From Amarillo are my favorites. I can't wait to see this live. I'm not particularly partial to anyone as Miss Mona but I am very interested to see who'll play the relatively thankless role of Doatsy. Could go the way of Andrea Martin in Pippin if they do it right.

[Gothampc]

I think Toni Collette would also be a good choice.

[BWayBound115]

Not huge stars, but I'd love to see Orfeh and Marc Kudisch in this.

[Auggie27]

I'm sure Janney's performance as a southern matriarch in THE HELP comes to mind. But as wonderful as she always is, she's not the earthy self-made sophisticate required for Mona.

[JoeKv99]

Isn't Orfeh too young/ Wikipedia says she's 14.

[newintown]

The almost single-minded focus on casting Mona and Ed Earl also shows that people seem to think that, like the movie, the stage version is The Saga of Miss Mona and Ed Earl, although it's an ensemble piece, and Melvin P. Thorpe, Angel, Jewel, the Governor, Doatsy Mae, etc., are all equally important in the book and score. (In fact, "The Bus from Amarillo," easily one of the best character-defining songs in the show, was originally Angel's number, until Carlin Glynn, the director's wife, demanded it, causing the original actress playing Angel to quit.)

[Mystic Pasta]

I agree this is a horrible idea. Why take up space with a cheesy, very dated revival when there could be room for a beautiful new original musical? If we are going to keep American Musical Theater alive, we need to see more than revivals being brought to Broadway in 2015. I'l admit that I do not like Sassy Madame characters in any show. So, maybe I am biased. I suspect this press release is a tactic to raise money from investors and the project will go away like Rebecca or Pump Boys on Broadway.

[tazber]

There is always some revival that everyone seems to think is a bad idea at first. And then it turns into the hit of the season.

I'm not saying that will be the case with Whorehouse, I'm just saying we know nothing about this production. It could end being a Pippin level re-imagining or a lazy Bye Bye Birdie style rehash.

I don't think the idea of reviving it is a bad decision. It's well liked and I'm sure they're going to use I Will Always Love You in the marketing.