There has GOT to be a major star(s) attached to the On The Town revival, otherwise the producers don't have a snowball's chance of turning a profit in that theater.
I agree that the Miss Saigon revival would be a better candidate for the Lyric, rather than a show that the majority of the public has never heard of. The Lyric is just a bad space in general; when I saw Young Frankenstein from the balcony I felt like I may as well have been sitting across the street at the New Amsterdam.
Although I have to say, I'm very happy about the name change. I thought 'Foxwoods Theater' was an awful name, as was 'Ford Center For The Performing Arts' and 'Hilton Theater'.
"You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!" - Betty Parris to Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible
The success of the Barrington Stage production was due to the small scale of the production. Opening it up, especially in a theatre like this will most certainly lose the feel that made it unique last Summer.
For all we know they're giving the producers a major break in rent just to have something in there for a short time, until KONG is ready to pounce.
The last revival in 1998 at the similar behemoth Gershwin lasted all bur 5 minutes.
So with timing and how likely this will last and depending if the West End revival of Miss Saigon, which opens in May is well recieved this still could be possible for Miss Saigon to open at the newly renamed Lyric next spring or fall. But then again this won't happen as Cameron Mackintosh and the Shuberts have an extrodonary relationship going back years.
>But then again this won't happen as Cameron Mackintosh and the Shuberts have an extrodonary relationship going back years.<
Apart from Oklahoma! at the Nederlander-owned Gershwin. Or Five Guys Named Moe at the Jujamcyn-owned Eugene O'Neill. Or Swan Lake at the Nederlander-owned Neil Simon. Or the 1984 Oliver! revival at the (then) Nederlander-owned Mark Hellinger.
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.
It seems like they are really trying give that whole theatre a makeover. Starting with the name change.
Going back to that classic musical theatre piece seems like a marketing strategy. Plus, you know, 42nd street (a similar show to OTT) ran there for four years so, it's not totally hopeless?
I think if Miss Saigon came to Broadway, it would likely be in its original home The Broadway but I imagine Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would likely have its eye in it as well as the Lyric since it needs a big theatre,
I really hope ON THE TOWN isn't taking the Lyric. It'll close within weeks.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
I think this is a filler whilst King Kong sorts itself out. The show is heard of and know and could do alright with tourists wanting to see a typical broadway-esq show but unless it has some major star names I can't see it being a money spinner at all... But hey, be nice to see the show large scale and hopefully with full dance.
Cameron apparently fell out with Nederlanders a while back and for the last 20 or so years only goes into Schubert venue. The Oklahoma broadway revival wasn't cameron produced I don't think...
King Kong I would imagine is looking at Summer 2015...I think Charlie could end up at The broadway theatre and Miss Saigon at the Schubert Theatre if I had to guess...
Agree with the posters that it will mostly be lost at the Lyric. Its two previous Broadway revivals at the Imperial and the Gershwin were major failures and it had a modest run off Broadway in the late 50's. Why is it called such a beloved musical-- there's been little audience love for it since it was originally done. Beloved musicals are more like "The King and I", "Fiddler on the Roof", "West Side Story," "The Music Man", "Guys and Dolls", "Oklahoma!" and "Carousel". I would be more excited to see any of those shows than "On the Town", and what is an intimate musical doing in such a large theatre anyway?
>I think that there Are so many other classic musicals that could work here that On the Town seems strange.<
Such as? Revivals of Cabaret, The King & I, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, Les Miserables, Into the Woods, Hello, Dolly!, Funny Girl are either on stage now, or in early talks or advanced development for an upcoming season. The past 15 years have had major revivals (with varying degrees of success) of Kiss Me, Kate, South Pacific, The Music Man, Oklahoma!, Bells Are Ringing, Jesus Christ Superstar (twice), Follies (twice), La Cage aux Folles (twice), Gypsy (twice), Guys & Dolls, Man of La Mancha, Sweet Charity, Wonderful Town, The Pajama Game, Company, A Little Night Music, A Chorus Line, 110 in the Shade, Hair, West Side Story, Pal Joey, Bye Bye Birdie, Finian's Rainbow, Anything Goes, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Porgy & Bess, Evita, Annie and Pippin, among others.
If there are so many other classic musicals that haven't been revived recently, what are they?
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.
Jas, you may dislike On the Town--but the general consensus seems to be the last two major revivals simply didn't work (in the case of Wolfe's, apparently ti did play better in the park.) This production has had nothing but praise (admittedly in a much smaller theatre...) It makes sense to me to import it, especially if they just want a stop-gap show that already has designs and a staging.
Smaxie - the one that comes to mind is Carousel, but that just misses your cut off date by a few years.