I don't know if there has been a thread about this yet - is there a Cats Revival Recording in the works? I think it would interesting because some of the newly added lyrics/compositions. Any rumors?
Not personally a huge Cats fan, but I do find it a frustrating reoccurring trend with all of the major British shows with, for whatever reason, never wanting to produce cast albums with the American casts. For example, outside of the original Broadway cast album, neither of the Les Miz revivals got recordings, and there are no Broadway cast albums for Phantom, Miss Saigon, or Mamma Mia. Or they will bring over most all of the leads from the London production, (as will be done with the upcoming Saigon revival this spring) and therefore defeating the purpose of re-recording a Broadway cast album. Which again, I personally dislike. I know we aren't ever entitled to cast albums for every production or revival but it is always an excellent way to preserve different (and at times far superior) casts.
Personally, I'm not bothered. I'm not a fan of the changes they made for this revival and I'd rather they not be preserved but I also know how frustrating it is to want a cast album that just never gets made.
Saw the show in August and I would love to hear the new arrangements again, especially the additional music and dance arrangements, Pekes/Pollicles, etc.
CATSNYrevival said: "Personally, I'm not bothered. I'm not a fan of the changes they made for this revival and I'd rather they not be preserved but I also know how frustrating it is to want a cast album that just never gets made. "
Have you seen it yet? or are you still complaining about changes that you haven't seen?
rangersrule132 said: "CATSNYrevival said: "Personally, I'm not bothered. I'm not a fan of the changes they made for this revival and I'd rather they not be preserved but I also know how frustrating it is to want a cast album that just never gets made. "
Have you seen it yet? or are you still complaining about changes that you haven't seen?
I can sympathize with CatsRevival as well. The show was amazing with it's original staging - then again, the show needed a revamp.
I thought that there were stories of ALW entering a recording studio with the new Grizabella. The whole thing's kind of surprising. We got a full Broadway revival recording of Evita when they had made a London one with the same Eva (Elena Rogers) - bizarre
In Phantom's case, the three leads are the exact same in the OLC and OBC... I did find the Meg on the OLC to have a really annoying voice though. LOL
I would rather have a full cast album of the Original Canadian Cast of Phantom instead, because it is an utter shame to merely have Rebecca Caine's FAR SUPERIOR soprano voice on a "highlights recording".
chernjam said: "I thought that there were stories of ALW entering a recording studio with the new Grizabella. The whole thing's kind of surprising. We got a full Broadway revival recording of Evita when they had made a London one with the same Eva (Elena Rogers) - bizarre"
Not too bizarre at all. They had a record charting pop superstar in the cast on Broadway. They knew that all the people who were flocking to see the show because of him would not be satisfied with a recording that featured Elena Roger (no "s" at the end of her name) and not Ricky Martin.
MoDance0934 said: "rangersrule132 said: "CATSNYrevival said: "Personally, I'm not bothered. I'm not a fan of the changes they made for this revival and I'd rather they not be preserved but I also know how frustrating it is to want a cast album that just never gets made. "
Have you seen it yet? or are you still complaining about changes that you haven't seen?
I can sympathize with CatsRevival as well. The show was amazing with it's original staging - then again, the show needed a revamp.
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The original staging was phenomenal, I have zero issues with the original production. But there is this idea that the revival should have just been a reboot of the original. What would the point of that be? Some would say it would be so people can see how good it was. But no, people hate cats, cats is the laughing stock of the Broadway community and theatre as a whole. What would give people, who hated the production in the first place, any incentive to go and see the revival. They hated it back in the 80's and they will hate it again. It doesn't matter if they like it again it's about how can you get the butts in the seats and sell those tickets.
Listen I love everything about lynns choreo its grisly remarkable in my eyes, but why the heck would you wanna see it again? You already know you like that. The point of a revival in my eyes is to show the world the same production in a different way with some exceptions to that statement.
rangersrule132 said: " The original staging was phenomenal, I have zero issues with the original production. But there is this idea that the revival should have just been a reboot of the original. What would the point of that be? Some would say it would be so people can see how good it was. But no, people hate cats, cats is the laughing stock of the Broadway community and theatre as a whole. What would give people, who hated the production in the first place, any incentive to go and see the revival. They hated it back in the 80's and they will hate it again. It doesn't matter if they like it again it's about how can you get the butts in the seats and sell those tickets.
Listen I love everything about lynns choreo its grisly remarkable in my eyes, but why the heck would you wanna see it again? You already know you like that. The point of a revival in my eyes is to show the world the same production in a different way with some exceptions to that statement.
"
I think the point for the revival being pretty much a reboot of the original is that it ran for 18 years and was the longest running broadway show (until Phantom beat it) - when it closed in 2000. A 16 year absence from the NY boards, they probably figured there was a good amount of interest on the part of theatregoers to see it again (despite some snobs who want to deride the show - which even though Cats is far from my favorite, I respect it's appeal to vast numbers of people) Particularly after they had done good business in London withe the two limited seasons.
And for the most part, it seems that's been the case. The grosses have been pretty healthy - and should it close, they could probably take the production on the road pretty easily.