Hairspray changes: Pre Broadway - Broadway- Page 2

[Starship]

Posted: 4/7/13 at 11:38pm

Gretchen Biebers "Velma's Revenge," so amazing omg.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 4/8/13 at 12:43am

"Velma's Revenge" is her reprise to "Crabs". It has the "Sammy Davis Black/Jew" reference. "SYATTE" has the Sammy Davis Section, but it is its own song.

[NJBway]

Posted: 4/8/13 at 8:25am

is there a video anywhere of keala settle's it aint over til the fat lady sings, says you need to buy the album to get this song online on both itunes and amazon?

[Kad]

Posted: 4/8/13 at 9:37am

I really don't think "Crabs" is as complicated as you're making it, Gaveston. I haven't heard of anyone faulting it for its change in who is being addressed. It's pretty clear it's Velma mostly reminiscing of her past "glory" while the audition is going on for the first half of the song, and then it switches her to "applying" that viewpoint to Tracy. It's heightened reality, just like the rest of the show.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 4/8/13 at 6:26pm

But reminiscing to whom, Kad? Clearly to Amber, at first, where the "screwing the judges" line originates.

A mother who makes such an admission to her daughter is NOT a beacon of public decorum, IMO.

I know people let it roll by without storming the concession stand, but that doesn't mean the number actually makes any sense.

I'll shut up now. I get that HAIRSPRAY is a broad comedy and most viewers are no more demanding precise verisimilitude than a viewer of FORUM or NO, NO, NANETTE. But I'll continue to think "Miss Baltimore Crabs" is Shaiman & Co.'s weakest effort.

Updated On: 4/8/13 at 06:26 PM

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 7/20/13 at 5:02am

I saw the tour again a few days ago and randomly thought, does anyone know if Loretta Devine as ever considered as a Motormouth replacement? On a related note, does anyone know of anyone other 'names' who were offered roles who turned them down? I believe John Goodman turned down Edna multiple times

[chewy5000]

Posted: 7/20/13 at 5:25am

As catchy and/or important as the song is, it does come off as a one-joke song.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 7/20/13 at 5:41am

Crabs is a great 2 AND A HALF MINUTE song- let's just leave it at that.

[Joviedamian]

Posted: 7/21/13 at 10:59pm

Darreyl102, why was "Crabs" cut in the Hollywood Bowl? Susan Anton was Velma and she can sing!

[darreyl102]

Posted: 7/21/13 at 11:10pm

Both times Susan has played Velma (Vegas and Hollywood Bowl) Crabs and Revenge were both cut out. This of course really messed with Velma's Character and took a lot away from her. What singing Susan did do came off as a little odd to me- but it might have been her mic- which during the first night at the Bowl stopped working and she had to switch to a hand held one.

[Joviedamian]

Posted: 7/21/13 at 11:26pm

WOW, crazy! She was great in All Shook Up..her voice seemed fine...I guess they cut them for time reasons..I know both venues had to be clocked in at a shorter time then a regular show does.

Updated On: 7/21/13 at 11:26 PM

[darreyl102]

Posted: 7/21/13 at 11:42pm

Yeah Jerry Mitchell explained that they had to shorten for time.

[zamedy]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 10:49pm

HAIRSPRAY has a great score. It's my favorite musical. But 'Baltimore Crabs' has always been, in my opinion, the weakest song in what is one of the best musical scores to come out of that decade. I never saw Linda Hart perform it live (I would have loved to), but on the OBCR I think she does a wonderful job with the material she was given. One of the biggest problems with 'Crabs' is that if you have a weak Velma (or a very young Velma, which was often the case on the non-equity tour) the number can fall flat. There are some pretty funny lines in the song, but they can easily be lost by poor delivery.

I remember reading on this board when HAIRSPRAY was still running that the producers approached Goodman several times to play EDNA. There was also a rumor that Loretta Devine was going to be the next Motormouth. That, of course, never materialized unfortunately.

Updated On: 7/22/13 at 10:49 PM

[gchris11]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 12:00pm

Sat next to Linda Hart at 54 Below for Arron Tveit show. She was really nice.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 12:51pm

I especially LOATHE these lyrics:


I would say
Oy gevalt!
If i wasn't miss baltimore crabs


Of course not
But u can bow and exalt
Cuz i am miss baltimore crabs!

[zamedy]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 1:58pm

I almost ran right into her at the closing performance of HAIRSPRAY. She had dark hair so I hardly recognized her. She seemed very nice and very classy.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 4:10pm

Okay, I can offer more in depth commentary later, as I don't have long now, but I see the problem with discussing "Crabs" in this thread.
Some people are discussing the finished stage version of the song, the lyrics on the CD (which was recorded before Broadway previews and has notable differences) and the film version. So the conversation here has become rather muddled.
If we are discussing the film, I can monologue for days about THAT, but as written and staged for the original Broadway production, the song is more clear.
Yes, one can argue that it is the weakest number in the show, but I actually like it.. and no, in the stage version, Velma is NOT reminiscing to Amber. She is reminiscing to herself about how none of the girls are up to her false standards.. and yes, it is SUPPOSED to establish the fact that Velma is NOT the moral guardian that she pretends to be.. and that is reinforced in spades later in the libretto when she mentions the bed in her office, blackmailing the governor with pictures, etc. If staged even REASONABLY well, it is incredibly clear as to when Velma is in her own head as the audition happens around her and when she is interacting with the scene around her. VERY easy.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 4:11pm

"New Girl in Town" is still In the stage version, but only as underscoring in scene 1.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 4:16pm

I love New Girl in Town!

The only time I truly enjoyed Miss Baltimore Crabs was when Beth Leavel sang it at the Hairspray concert in Baltimore this past January. Always made me wonder why she never played the role on Broadway.

Updated On: 7/23/13 at 04:16 PM

[darreyl102]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 5:03pm

Linda Hart is INCREDIBLY KIND, I remember meeting her after seeing her in Catch Me if you can and we ended up talking for about an hour- it was an experience I will never forget. we talked about acting, she gave me incredible advice and we talked about just general stuff- the weather, New York. and of course Hairspray! In my eyes, she will always be my favorite Velma. I saw all who played it on Broadway after her- Walsh, Hocking, Keating, Mason, Pawk, Birdsong. Also saw all the Tour Velma's as well as the ones in London. While many were amazing, Linda still in my eyes was the best!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/24/13 at 1:13am

Was this Shaiman/Wittman's first big show? What's their story? I feel like they should have taken off by now, and sure they worked on Smash, but other than that they really haven't had another substantial hit. Do they ever write original musicals?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/24/13 at 1:22am

Ripped, they have both had very long and substantial success in life and career. Hairspray was their first hit Broadway musical, but have worked extensively in film writing scores and songs for a very long time as well as writing songs and musical directing for many, many, MANY big artists.. not the least of which is Bette Midler, where there is a long association... since Hairspray debuted 10 years ago, in addition to the new stuff for that film, they just opened a new show in London, they had Catch Me if You Can, Martin Short's one man show..