Prince Reveals New Plans for PARADISE FOUND

In a new interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in which Hal Prince reflects on the current state of musical theatre, the influx (and 'need') of Hollywood stars on Broadway for limited runs and more, Prince also talked about plans to revise and continue work on Paradise Found, noting that: 

"We did it in London in a theater that's too small for it, and it really impeded my, if I will allow myself the word, vision and the author's. But again, the only people who were willing to put money into it were willing to do it only in a small theater. The material is great. But it should be big, and it's almost like a few years ago when I did [the revival of] 'Show Boat.' I started rehearsals saying, 'Oscar Hammerstein said, 'Show Boat' is big; it's got to be big.' And 71 people were in that cast, and we were a hit and we made money, and it ran a long time. That's the fate I should have assigned to 'Paradise Found.' And now I have to do it and do it somewhere where there's a large chorus.

We had wonderful actors, but everyone was doubling and tripling. We had Shuler Hensley and Mandy Patinkin and Judy Kaye and Kate Baldwin, just an extraordinary cast, but they were doing chorus work as well. That's not what the material demands, so now I have to do it that way. In fact, I'm meeting with the authors the week after next, and we're going to aim for it.

It's not just stubbornness. I know it's wonderful, but you should hear the music played by 20 instruments, not seven. It should be lavish, then the audience gets lost in that, which is what you want."

Paradise Found ran at the Menier Chocolate Factor in London and closed on 26th June 2010, playing to a set of mostly negative reviews. The Book is by Richard Nelson, Lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh, Music by Johann Strauss II. The show is adapted & Arranged by Jonathan Tunick

The Shah of Persia is feeling low. So to lift his spirits he's off to Vienna with his Eunuch in tow for some new adventures. He promptly falls in love with the Empress of the Empire, much to the dismay of her husband, so a resident of the local brothel - who is a double for the Empress - is substituted for a night of passion. But she's in love with a Baron, who's having an affair with the Soap Manufactuer's Wife....

Based on the novel The Tale of the 1002nd Night by Joseph Roth, Paradise Found, set to the music of Johann Strauss - was co-directed by two titans of musical theatre: Harold Prince and Susan Stroman and starred Mandy Patinkin, John McMartin, Judy Kaye, Kate Baldwin, Shuler Hensley and George Lee Andrews.

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski

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