CINDERELLA to close in January

[ClydeBarrow]

Sorry to go OT for a moment but this is what happened when I saw darrey's new avatar.

[Musical Master]

LOL

That's exactly what happened to me when I have "seen" the 2002 FLOWER DRUM SONG revival. I hope Hawng is banished from the Broadway community for what he did.

[Fan123]

Musical Master, would you be interested in telling more about what went wrong with the revised Flower Drum Song book? If not, no worries. I'm mostly unfamiliar with that version and am curious.

[Musical Master]

^The best way to explain the changes is by reading the plot lines to both versions as seen here, because it hurts me to have to explain why the new book is horrible:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_Drum_Song

[darreyl102]

@ ClydeBarrow - What you got against Constantine Rousouli and Gay Rights? LOL

[mjohnson2]

Clyde, I have to agree with you. I don't so much mind the shirtless actors and models, but the profile pictures seem to be getting increasingly vulgar to the point where people should probably change them

[darreyl102]

OMG!! Really?? You really consider a guy in his underwear vulgar? It's a guy in his underwear- lighten up. LOL

[darreyl102]

But back to Cinderella- I wonder who will do better in the role- Sherri or Nene (I'm betting Nene).

[Mr. Nowack]

Regardless of the questionable book, that score sounds GLORIOUS! The arrangements alone are worth sitting through the admittedly overwrought book (though I agree the telecast script, while lovely, is hardly a masterpiece). Plus the original cast gave some stellar performances.

I don't think it would have really affected the show's performance if they had gone for a more fairy-tale / less modern & ironic route. I would bet most people that went to see it would have been fine with a more traditional old-fashioned book, seeing that it is a fairy tale and not a modern story. Personally I think that the modernized book slides into the silly end a bit too often, though it's certainly a more solid musical than past attempts.

How fascinating to think what it would have been like if Hammerstein had expanded it for Broadway himself?? Who knows what subplots he might have added in or what other routes he might have taken with the story and characters.

[Musical Master]

He probably would've made the sub-plot romance more developed and made an interesting treatment of both Ella and the Prince.

[darreyl102]

Agree with the OBC- They were the best! Glad Harada and Clark are still with the show- And of course Bartlett too! Harriet Harris was my favorite in the OBC (Well, Actually it's a toss up between Harris and Clark. LOL)

[degrassifan]

If Hammerstein would've written it, there definitely would've been a well-developed secondary lovers subplot (Rolf/Liesl, Tuptim/Lun Tha, Cable/Liat). Also, there probably would've been a social issue.

While this show's book wasn't the best, the music was what made it soar. I used to listen to the cast recording every single day. Those orchestrations, arrangements, and voices were everything!

[JohnyBroadway]

I think the secondary lovers subplot that Beane structured was with Gabrielle and Jean Michelle. It would've been interesting if Hammerstein thought of structuring a similar subplot. I think it would've been cool if the prince had a younger brother, etc. The possibilities are endless.

[degrassifan]

Yeah, Beane did it with Gabrielle and Jean-Michel, but I think it could've been better. They didn't even sing in the final version of the show (Yeah, I know they sang in the previews). Cinderella is my favorite fairy tale, so it's sad seeing it go. I hope Ever After makes it to Broadway by 2016!

BTW, if anyone knows a way for me to listen to the cut song "I Have Loved and I've Learned," please let me know! I've been wanting to listen to it for over a year now!

[mjohnson2]

I'm not arguing that the original book was perfect, but it was actually in the spirit of the piece instead of what we ended up with. I'm trying to think if there are any playwrights out there who could have strengthened the book and adapted it for the Broadway stage properly. Perhaps Marsha Norman.

[Starship]

[Musical Master]

Marsha Norman is an interesting choice to be a book writer, maybe if HOUSE OF FLOWERS got revived maybe they can call her to revise that book.

[JohnyBroadway]

Tom Briggs Adaption that was done for the last major national tour was pretty great. It embraced the normal fairy tale aspect vs. the social, however it was pretty camp, and to undeveloped for Broadway. Again, Beanes adaption was not 100% perfect! but he took a nice modern take on the stories characteristics of kindness and charity. Robyn Goodman only agreed to produce the work if he story had a progessive angle, and that is what Beane did. Beane turned down the project a few times. It would be interesting to learn if other writers had submitted other treatments. I what Harvey Fierstein could've done with the show? But in the end nothing can beat those songs and those arrangements. Also, for anyone wondering rehearsals for the tour began today. It has been reported that Beth Glover is Madame per her Twitter account.