Bette Midler: Why it took 50 years to return to Broadway ... and my 'unforgettable' visit with Carol Channing

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 3:43pm

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-divine-bette-midler-hello-dolly/

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 3:48pm

Does show have no promo footage? Besides video of the curtain call they only showed pictures with audio of the show playing over it. Seems like they really want to keep this production a secret as possible 

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 4:55pm

A very interesting interview.

I was particularly struck by Midler's comments on what happened to the musical:

" "It changed considerably. It wasn't musical comedy anymore. It was more musical theatre. It became much more serious. I wanted musical comedy."

So did I. So did many. So did 99.9999% of the theatregoing public, no doubt. But our wants mattered not. Indeed, it was because of our wants that we were deliberately given just the opposite. 

And we know exactly those responsible for that.

Boy, must they ever be gnashing their teeth at the success of Dolly!

Well, good!

Updated On: 5/21/17 at 04:55 PM

[Steve C.]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 5:04pm

Not really quibbling...but we know HD and Bette are THE success we hoped it would be but they are being so stingy with the "outside the theater" PR, sales and etc., (really, they could throw us a chicken bone, Bette does).

No video, a short CD, no photos, the CD booklet is lovely but could have used a few pictures. Yes, it's a HIT ! I guess they want to keep up the hype at every level to buy a ticket. We're going again next week so I'll be quieter and more calm by then.

Updated On: 5/21/17 at 05:04 PM

[A Director]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 5:30pm

After Eight - Are you still living?

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 8:32pm

A Director, do what I do and use the block button. You can pretend he's dead.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 8:55pm

Steve C. said: "Not really quibbling...but we know HD and Bette are THE success we hoped it would be but they are being so stingy with the "outside the theater" PR, sales and etc., (really, they could throw us a chicken bone, Bette does).

No video, a short CD, no photos, the CD booklet is lovely but could have used a few pictures. Yes, it's a HIT ! I guess they want to keep up the hype at every level to buy a ticket. We're going again next week so I'll be quieter and more calm by then.

Stingy is the right word. the musical seem to be under lock and key. I was really hoping for some dialgoue on the CD. Her monologue before Parade, her banter during the opening number. It's not like Hello Dolly has spoilers lol

I sense there's no live footage because her voice is raspier than usual and has aged, and I don't think she wants that getting out there. She's fantastic, I adored her, but the voice is markedly different. It's been cleaned up on the CD. 

 

[DAME]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 9:18pm

Bettyboy72 said: "Steve C. said: "Not really quibbling...but we know HD and Bette are THE success we hoped it would be but they are being so stingy with the "outside the theater" PR, sales and etc., (really, they could throw us a chicken bone, Bette does).

No video, a short CD, no photos, the CD booklet is lovely but could have used a few pictures. Yes, it's a HIT ! I guess they want to keep up the hype at every level to buy a ticket. We're going again next week so I'll be quieter and more calm by then.

Stingy is the right word. the musical seem to be under lock and key. I was really hoping for some dialgoue on the CD. Her monologue before Parade, her banter during the opening number. It's not like Hello Dolly has spoilers lol

I sense there's no live footage because her voice is raspier than usual and has aged, and I don't think she wants that getting out there. She's fantastic, I adored her, but the voice is markedly different. It's been cleaned up on the CD. 

 

 

"

This is not true.  Not true at all.

[Cat Guy]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 10:12pm

I don't see the interview video in the original post (if it's there and I missed it, my apologies).  But, here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEsHQn1HPrE

[binau]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 10:24pm

After Eight said: "A very interesting interview.

I was particularly struck by Midler's comments on what happened to the musical:

" "It changed considerably. It wasn't musical comedy anymore. It was more musical theatre. It became much more serious. I wanted musical comedy."

So did I. So did many. So did 99.9999% of the theatregoing public, no doubt. But our wants mattered not. Indeed, it was because of our wants that we were deliberately given just the opposite. 

And we know exactly those responsible for that.

Boy, must they ever be gnashing their teeth at the success of Dolly!

Well, good!

 

"

The thing is..for the most part Broadway is a free market and the rules of capitalism would suggest that if there was indeed a market for more old fashioned musical comedy, we'd get it. People will do anything to make a dollar. I'd find it hard to believe that there are investors and producers out there that would miss such an opportunity if it existed?

Broadway styles are shifting where the market is going for the most part, not the other way around.

[EthelMae]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 10:32pm

Thank you Cat Guy! The initial link didn't work for me and the one over on Talkin' Broadway didn't either. Don't know why. Yours did! Extra excited to see the show on June 10th (courtesy of some very kind wealthy friends!)  after this  lovely interview.

I know the press is accentuating the fact that Ms. Midler hasn't been in a musical production in 50 years but she still worked her butt off all alone recently in I'll Eat You Last. I know it's "only a play", but she hasn't been a total stranger to the stage. Including her Broadway appearances in her concerts.

[carnzee]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 10:33pm

Bettyboy72 said: 

I sense there's no live footage because her voice is raspier than usual and has aged, and I don't think she wants that getting out there. She's fantastic, I adored her, but the voice is markedly different. It's been cleaned up on the CD. 

 

I don't think there is any way to clean up a voice on CD. There is auto tune for pitch, which isn't Midler's issue anyway, but even then it's obvious what's going on. It was recorded during rehearsals and her voice was fresher on the day they recorded. 
 

 

 

 

[carnzee]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 10:42pm

After Eight said: "A very interesting interview.

I was particularly struck by Midler's comments on what happened to the musical:

" "It changed considerably. It wasn't musical comedy anymore. It was more musical theatre. It became much more serious. I wanted musical comedy."

So did I. So did many. So did 99.9999% of the theatregoing public, no doubt. But our wants mattered not. Indeed, it was because of our wants that we were deliberately given just the opposite. 

What does this mean? 

And we know exactly those responsible for that.

Boy, must they ever be gnashing their teeth at the success of Dolly!

Well, good!

 

Who's responsible?  The critics who have raved about this revival? 

 

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/21/17 at 10:43pm

Cat Guy, I just tried the link in my original post again.

It takes a few seconds to upload, but it works for me.

Oh, well. I'm glad your link works for others, too.

As for Midler's rationale on why she took so long to return to Broadway, there was a point where musicals turned more serious (i.e., Sondheim). Remember how many folks hailed ''The Producers'' as the ''return to musical comedy''? ... And yet, ''Hello, Dolly!'' has always been musical comedy, and it's not as if everyone stopped doing the show because it's too dated or old-fashioned, etc. People nowadays still love Michael Stewart's book and Jerry Herman's songs. If Bette really wanted to do a revival of ''Hello, Dolly!'' years ago, I bet it would've been just as welcome as it is today. For whatever reasons, she's ready to do it NOW, and hooray for that!

Updated On: 5/21/17 at 10:43 PM

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/22/17 at 4:23am

"the of capitalism would suggest that if there was indeed a market for more old fashioned musical comedy, we'd get it."

Uh, the elites and agenda crowd are motivated by their own rules.THEY decide what's to be given to the public. The public craves oranges, but the powers that be want them to have only lemons? Then the public is served only lemons. But that doesn't mean people stopped craving oranges. It just means that they were deprived of them. The  public most assuredly wasn't clamoring for the likes of Follies, Passion, Marie Christine, The Wild Party, Parade, The Bridges of Madison County, etc, etc. And yet we got them anyway, to our and our theatre's everlasting misfortune.

 

Updated On: 5/22/17 at 04:23 AM

[SweetLips]

Posted: 5/22/17 at 6:14am

A8 you've got verbal diarrhoea and you keep just ****ting out the same old garbage--you need a double dose of Gastro Stop.

[Public User]

Posted: 5/22/17 at 6:55am

It seems that every wingnut in existence has been emboldened by the Grand Idiot in Chief.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/22/17 at 7:44am

Well I love lemons!!!

[BJR]

Posted: 5/22/17 at 1:44pm

I also noticed there was no new footage used for the interview, but only the bows, which is all that's been released.

I think it's Rudin being classic Rudin and keeping everything hidden away to make ticket buyers more curious. You want to see how she is? Buy a ticket.

He's done it with several shows.

[JBC3]

Posted: 5/22/17 at 7:55pm

After Eight said: ""the of capitalism would suggest that if there was indeed a market for more old fashioned musical comedy, we'd get it."

Uh, the elites and agenda crowd are motivated by their own rules.THEY decide what's to be given to the public. The public craves oranges, but the powers that be want them to have only lemons? Then the public is served only lemons. But that doesn't mean people stopped craving oranges. It just means that they were deprived of them. The  public most assuredly wasn't clamoring for the likes of Follies, Passion, Marie Christine, The Wild Party, Parade, The Bridges of Madison County, etc, etc. And yet we got them anyway, to our and our theatre's everlasting misfortune."

There is no such entity as the public.

There are many, many publics.

Thankfully an array of theatre offerings address those varying tastes and interests, some seasons more than others.

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/23/17 at 5:49am

"Thankfully an array of theatre offerings address those varying tastes and interests, some seasons more than others."

 

How many seasons have provided an "array" of musicals like Hello, Dolly! and musical scores like that of Hello, Dolly! In the past 40+ years? 

[carnzee]

Posted: 5/23/17 at 6:47am

After Eight said: ""the of capitalism would suggest that if there was indeed a market for more old fashioned musical comedy, we'd get it."

Uh, the elites and agenda crowd are motivated by their own rules.THEY decide what's to be given to the public. 

 

Do they decide all this at the Bilderberg group meeting? 

I wonder if The New World Order has decided that we will never get a Mame revival? 

[MoveOnGypsy]

Posted: 5/23/17 at 6:57am

carnzee said: "After Eight said: ""the of capitalism would suggest that if there was indeed a market for more old fashioned musical comedy, we'd get it."

Uh, the elites and agenda crowd are motivated by their own rules.THEY decide what's to be given to the public. 

 Do they decide all this at the Bilderberg group meeting? 

I wonder if The New World Order has decided that we will never get a Mame revival? "

THAT is hilarious! LOL Thank you Carnzee.

 

 

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/23/17 at 8:19am

"I wonder if The New World Order has decided that we will never get a Mame revival?"

 

I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that we will never get a new musical like Mame, one with music that's actually musical, and which would fill people with good cheer. (Yeah, believe it or not, once upon a time musicals were actually like that!) For as we know all too well, nowadays, that's strictly a no-no. Just listen to the scores --- if you dare --- to the likes of Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Groundhog Day, Fun Home, etc., etc. 

Hear anything like Mame in these?
 

[Valentina3]

Posted: 5/23/17 at 9:15am

After Eight said: ""I wonder if The New World Order has decided that we will never get a Mame revival?"

 

I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that we will never get a new musical like Mame, one with music that's actually musical, and which would fill people with good cheer. (Yeah, believe it or not, once upon a time musicals were actually like that!) For as we know all too well, nowadays, that's strictly a no-no. Just listen to the scores --- if you dare --- to the likes of Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Groundhog Day, Fun Home, etc., etc. 

Hear anything like Mame in these?"

A8, I really can't tell if you're trolling or not. For every Fun Home, we got a Gentlemen's Guide To Love & Murder. Every season in the last decade has had either a great revival of musical comedy, or a new musical with a "more traditional musical" sound, if not both.

And no, stop pushing the agenda that there's a hidden deep state within theater. Authors are writing what they want to. Writing comedy is not easy, and if the material is not good, why should I be forced to watch it? If they want to write more serious musicals, I'm very much open to it as long as it is good. And so is "the public". I'm sorry you feel cheated out of comedy and fluff theater, but there's no one out there trying to sabotage theater (well, except maybe Davenport but that's a whole another story).