I would've loved to have seen these songs included in the original Broadway production of Jekyll & Hyde: I Need to Know Love Has Come of Age The World Has Gone Insane
"Darling!" from MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG "Love and War" from LEGALLY BLONDE "More to the Story" from SHREK "I Could Be in Love with Someone Like You" from THE LAST FIVE YEARS "We Deserve Each Other" from WICKED (although parts still exist in "The Wicked Witch of the East")
And I'm not sure if this counts, but I was upset when "I'm Not Alone," "It Hurts to Be Strong," "Heaven," and "Heaven (Septet)" were cut/replaced in the Off-Broadway revival of CARRIE.
I really enjoy "World, Take Me Back" and "Love, Look in My Window" from Hello, Dolly! They were put back into the show when Ethel Merman joined the cast, but never reinstated for subsequent productions.
"Do you know "Bang" from A Little Night Music? It was replaced by "In Praise of Women," but I think Bang is way creepier, and therefore more appropriate. "
Bang! was performed in Boston, as the live recording shows (along with Silly People and a few other changes...) I love it, but I also love In Praise of Women. I've heard the reason for the replacement was In Praise of Women allowed the cinematic scene change *during* the song--Bang! was more static. Either way, Bang! was cut from the revised version of Marry Me A Little last year, and it was one of the songs I was most sorry to see go.
I missed this thread the first time around--on the first few pages a number of people mention The Girl in 14G as being cut from Millie. I always thought it was just a one off by Tesori and Scanlan--anyone know the story? Did it ever make it into performances?
""It's Getting Hotter In The North" from SHOW BOAT. The show is so long already, what difference does another 8 minute dance number make!"
I think a few weeks ago this came up in another thread. I *love* the song, and I get the point of having such a jazzy song at the end of the show makes, but I really can't see any production sustaining it. It simply is too long, and has zero dramatic weight in terms of the story, for 3 hours into the musical...
But ya had to make me look bad, didn't ya, Blanche?
As you and I were discussing yesterday, Eric, I think we could include "We're Going to be Alright" in this list. Yes, a simplistic, "p*uck you" Richard Rodgers, version appeared in DO I HEAR A WALTZ?
But the real (and brilliant) lyric was discarded until SIDE BY SIDE.
This, for me, is the best song cut from a Broadway musical. Not because it's a particularly good song, or that it's even from that great a show, but that it offers a fascinating glimpse into the mind of the composer/lyricist. I shall explain.
Let's assume for a moment that you're Jim Steinman. You're finally getting your chance at Broadway after years in the rock world, and struggling on other shows that either never made it past Off-Broadway/regional or were major but never quite managed to make the Great White Way. Dance of the Vampires is your ticket. And you can't tell people how many things are the opposite of what you want. Your producer(s) bought an opera, and decided it needed to be a musical comedy. Your temperamental star is writing all of his own jokes, and cutting those of his co-star(s). Your choreographer can't choreograph. The show at the Minskoff is becoming a runaway train. (Depending on whose version of the story you believe, Jim would either get fired or quit in short order.)
They want a comedic number for the villagers in the first act just before the innkeeper is brought back after being found frozen in the woods. And, in your own quirky, bizarre way, you intend to deliver. See, you had to learn to live with the way things are, so now they have to.
This never even made it into rehearsals, although sheet music for it exists if anyone wants to give it a go. But just look at the lyrics, and you'll see what happens on a project when someone is so done with everyone's shit.
My favorite song from Shrek's stage version was cut from the Bway rendition - More To The Story. It is so perfect for Sutton's voice. I can see how it's too serious for a children's show, but god there's so much depth in this song and her performance.
Caption: Every so often there was a rare moment of perfect balance when I soared above him.