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Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.

Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.

E.Davis Profile Photo
E.Davis
#1Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 2:05am

Can anyone tell me how it worked with the addition of Oscar's new song and some of the liberties they took with the score?

Also I was reading that they took out "Love to cry at Weddings" for the out of town-tryout and put "If There Were More People" in for Herman. Although "Weddings" was re-inserted.


"I think lying to children is really important, it sets them off on the right track" -Sherie Rene Scott-

Mildred Plotka Profile Photo
Mildred Plotka
#2Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 2:17am

I believe "Big Spender" opened the show at one point.

The changes weren't really the problem. Cilento's uninspired, dull choreography was. Proved the show really worked because of Fosse's vision. If they were intent on not using the Fosse choreography, they should have gotten a director/choreographer. I wonder what Stroman would have done with it...

Oscar's new number didn't bother me. Probably because Cilento's choreography wasn't involved and it was a nice break for the eyes.

They also ripped "Rhythm of Life" to shreds (as you can hear on the recording) with the new arrangements. The original orchestration/vocal arrangement is one of my favorites in all of musical theatre. Hearing it slaughtered was like having to witness my baby kicked repeatedly. I've never shook my head and groaned so much during 1 production. Truly awful. The entire show deserved much, much better.


"Broadway...I'll lick you yet!"

ljay889 Profile Photo
ljay889
#2Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 2:20am

"You Should See Yourself" was also cut out of town, but was brought back in Boston or for Broadway.

The ending of the show was completely rewritten by Simon and closed with Charity's reprise of Bravest Individual.

CATSNYrevival Profile Photo
CATSNYrevival
#3Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 2:35am

I LOVED the new ending. It was a lot more satisfying than that stupid fairy.

#4Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 2:38am

eember hearing about Big Spender opening the show at one point, but none of these other changes! What was the new song? And If There More People? Were they Coleman/Fields songs?

The ending of the piece always seems to be an issue for people, although I like the original ending. From all the clips I saw I thought the choreography was quite uninspired (Cilento is a great dancer, but I've never been impressed by his choreography).

I know I always carp on here about how important the original choreography is for a show--depending on a show, but recent examples like various versions of iconic dances Bennett originally did like Who's That Woman and Turkey Lurkey Time prove what an unenviable task it is to do new versions.

But I think this is particularly true for Charity--I don't think ilento even tried hard, but I still can't imagine anyone improving on the original Rich Man's Frug. I've seen (a recording) of the 1980s Fosse supervised Charity revival, which of course made its own changes like the new Bravest Individual, dropping the Soliloquy--which I believe Gwen often did anyway--using the movie version of the title song... That said, in most respects it replicates the original 1967s production and what's most amazing about the staging isn't so much the iconic dances, most of which I knew anyway, from various shows and the movie, but just how well the show flows from scene to scene--with the clever set that opens and closes on various areas of the stage like a camera iris.

bwayphreak234 Profile Photo
bwayphreak234
#5Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 2:44am

I saw the national tour with Paige Davis and really enjoyed it. I loved the ending. The effect of the wings closing in across the entire stage and showing Charity's silhouette as she walked of into the sunset was breathtaking.


"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "

Gypsy9 Profile Photo
Gypsy9
#6Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 6:33am

Eric Montreal: you mentioned the "Rich Man's Frug" in the SWEET CHARITY context. But, that number was from the 1962 glorious production of LITTLE ME, one of the best shows I have ever seen and THE funniest musical I have ever seen. Apparently, that number was left out of both Fosse anthologies, for some perverted reason.

I saw the 2005 SWEET CHARITY and remember little about it, except that it was mediocre.


"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"

#7Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 6:53am

Nonono, that was The Rich Kid's Rag! Sweet Charity definitely is The Rich Man's Frug. Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.

But I've heard them described as sorta companion pieces, and the photo I've seen of it in the original production--all knock kneed awkwardness, looks brilliant--I actuallyw as hoping it would be apart of Fosse.

CarlosAlberto Profile Photo
CarlosAlberto
#8Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 7:02am

RICH MAN'S FRUG = Sweet Charity

RICK KID'S RAG = Little Me

songanddanceman2 Profile Photo
songanddanceman2
#9Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 7:51am

The best thing about the revival was Applegate who was just so full of charm in the role, she was a sheer delight. Yes not the best dancer or singer but still very good, i think she acted the hell out of that role.
Poor Molly Ringwald on the national tour however......bless her for trying


Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna

husk_charmer
#10Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 7:59am

I didn't see the revival, but I know when it comes to listening to the score, I always pull out the 2005 recording. I love Applegate as Charity, and really wish she'd come back to musical theatre. The genre is full of "not-so-strong" singers who get by just fine (Angela Lansbury comes to mind first).


http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer

once a month Profile Photo
once a month
#11Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 8:22am

I loved BIG SPENDER, but thought the production lagged throughout. It was my big Fosse weekend, I saw Charity and Big Deal. I also found and bought videotapes of Cabaret and Pippin at that time. Too bad about the cancellation of DANCIN! once again.

mallardo Profile Photo
mallardo
#12Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 8:46am

The new song for Oscar was "Good Impression" in the 2nd act - very well done by Denis O'Hare and the guys. Was it a cut song from an earlier version of the score? I've never been sure.


Faced with these Loreleis, what man can moralize!

Gypsy9 Profile Photo
Gypsy9
#13Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 8:59am

Eric Montreal and Carlos Alberto: I stand corrected re. "The Rich KIds' Rag". At any rate, I wish you were old enough to have seen the 1962 LITTLE ME. Sid Ceaser was so very funny and the supporting cast of big busted Virginia Martin, Nancy Andrews, and dancer Swen Swenson was terrific--a highlight of my life of theatregoing and my favorite Fosse musical. Even the cast album brims with joy.


"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"

newintown Profile Photo
newintown
#14Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 10:14am

Re: Cilento vs. Fosse - it's always sad when a mediocrity tries to compete with a genius.

Re: 2005 Sweet Charity - Applegate was just so dang normal, I found her utterly uninteresting to watch. Sweet, pretty, charming, sure; but absolutely nothing surprising or eccentric about her at all. (And the set and new orchestrations just seemed cheap and bus & truck).

Mister Matt Profile Photo
Mister Matt
#15Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 10:55am

I loved Cilento's work on Tommy and thought his Tony was well-deserved, but the choreography for Charity was just meh. Unfortunately, I caught the Chicago tryout when I Love to Cry at Weddings was replaced with that drab, sappy number. It ground the second act to a halt and there was nothing remotely interesting about the song. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why they made that change. But I loved Applegate and was happy I saw her perform. She was really the only reason for seeing that production.


"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#16Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 8:41pm

Gypsy, no worries--it's precisely the kind of mistake I make on here all the time. Little Me seems to be a production that has never worked post Fosse (and yes, I know even that production closed earlier than expected) and is great on the CD--I wish I could have seen it too. Fosse should have had at least one number from it, I have seen the performance of Deep Down Inside on the Ed Sullivan Show which is a lot of fun. In Razzle Dazzle, a book about Fosse, Swen Swenson is quoted that his male striptease routine to I've Got Your Number actually caused women to rush out of their seats and chear--surely he was exagerating? lol

I don't own the 2005 cast album, what I heard didn't sound too inspiring, but is the new song A Good Impression credited to Fields and Coleman or a different lyricist? I know a bunch of songs were cut from the original--and of course at least one, Poor Everybody Else was later used in Seesaw (it was replaced by Brass Band in Charity, out of town I believe, because Gwen found it way too hard to dance and still, that late in the show, sing a song that had so many held long notes during a dance number).

One critic said that Rhythm of Life for that revival was made more "hip hop" but the sample on amazon.com doesn't make me think that... Of course the Debbie Allen revival did give a more R&B arrangement to Bravest Individual and a more synth 80s feeling to Where Am i Going, which surprisingly I think kinda works.

Mister Matt Profile Photo
Mister Matt
#17Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 8:51pm

In the Chicago tryout at least, Rhythm of Life wasn't hip-hop at all. It had more of a Hair hippie vibe than the usual mid-60s Mod effect. I don't remember anything about the choreography other than it was far more static than I expected. Fluid movement without covering much ground.


"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

Bettyboy72 Profile Photo
Bettyboy72
#18Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 10:08pm

Applegate-committed,inspired, enchanting, heartbreaking, athletic dancer.

Ringwald-flat, buffoonish, pathetic, backfat,danced offstage during "Im A Brass Band" and came back out at the end. Total waste.


"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal "I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello

CATSNYrevival Profile Photo
CATSNYrevival
#19Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 10:46pm

mallardo, "Good Impression" is explained in the Sweet Charity CD booklet as being from an unproduced musical by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields called Elenore which was a bio musical about Elenore Roosevelt.

CurtainPullDowner Profile Photo
CurtainPullDowner
#20Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/7/11 at 10:52pm

AMERICAN DANCE MACHINE (How I wish they were still around) used to do THE RICH KIDS RAG, it was very funny and def foreplay for Fosse's FRUG in CHARITY.

#21Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/8/11 at 2:41am

I wish more of American Dance Machine's performances were saved on commerical recordings--or they were still around, it was such a great company and concept. The only numbers I know of are the Michael Kidd Can Can and Gower Champion Shriner's Ballet (from Birdie) on that weird Tom Bosley hosted special, and youtube used to have what looked like a commerical recording of the June Is Busting Out All Over dance break as performed by them...

Mister Matt, to be fair that sounds a lot like the Fosse rhythm of Life as done on stage--compared to some of his other Charity numbers it didn't have much travelling and was pretty static, as well as hippy inspired.

Gypsy9 Profile Photo
Gypsy9
#22Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/8/11 at 6:49am

Another word about the 1962 LITTLE ME, which critic Walter Kerr called, "A Blockbuster that's as gentle as a breeze"-- what a great quote. There was a newspaper strike going on at the time of the opening of LITTLE ME--critics' quotes were broadcast on the radio-- and this strike which affected all of the then 7 daily newspapers went on for some time, preventing shows from utilizing valuable and necessary print advertising. This caused a pre-mature closing of LITTLE ME. There was no TV advertising of Broadway theatre at that time that I can remember. PIPPIN seems to have been the initiator of TV advertising and was credited with giving that show a great sales boost.


"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"

SonofRobbieJ Profile Photo
SonofRobbieJ
#23Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/8/11 at 11:04am

"compared to some of his other Charity numbers it didn't have much travelling and was pretty static"

Charity was the first Broadway show I ever saw (Debbie Allen version). The biggest choreographic impressions on my 12 year old mind were the fact that, in Big Spend, the chick with the cigarette never let it move a millimeter, and the entrances of the ensemble members in Rhythm of Life. One group entered on their feet, another on their knees, and another on their asses. I remember thinking, 'How are people entering onstage on the ASSES?' I was easily impressed in those days.

kingslim
#24Sweet Charity 2005 Revival Changes.
Posted: 9/8/11 at 2:38pm

I thought the revival was pretty bland, Christina while
being a great actress just was not a good dancer or singer,
I respect the producers for wanting to try something different
with the colorful sets and costumes but it didnt work, oh and
the choreography was just terrible beyond belief, This show
doesnt seem to work without the fosse choregraphy and verdon
herself,I wish someone like vanessa williams or sutton foster
could tackle this role, it needs a strong dancer with great
comic timing