Got Tu Go Disco

[missthemountains]

After coming across Ali Stroker's powerhouse performance of "Bad Glad Good And Had" from GOT TU GO DISCO while scrolling through the old IF IT EVEN RUNS A MINUTE, I was wondering -- is there a recording of this show anywhere? Has it ever been done again? Anyone see it and have any good GOT TU GO DISCO stories? I'm quite intrigued.




"Bad Glad Good and Had" from GOT TU GO DISCO

[After Eight]

I saw it. It was one of those so-bad-it's-funny shows. In fact, it holds a secure place in the pantheon of the genre. Accordingly, I laughed a lot and had quite a merry time. In the end I savored the experience. At the show's end, people were invited to go up on stage and dance. I myself declined that invitation.

The songs were not great, but they were tuneful and enjoyable in their own way. After having suffered through a veritable funeral march of parched, tuneless horrrors through the decades, I would take those songs any day over the dreary, dismal specimens (Sunday, Passion, Parade, Floyd Collins, Piazza, Bridges, etc,) that win accolades and awards and are torture to listen to and sit through.

So here's a toast to Got Tu Go Disco! Do we ever need its like now!

[Mr Roxy]

All I remember is a character called Cassette played by Irene Cara & that Miami Vice alum Phillip Michael Thomas (I believe) was in it. I also remember it being beyond horrible. A musical only Ed Wood would love.

[ARTc3]

I saw Got Tu Go Disco and if you do a search you'll probably find some posts - including some of mine - which discuss this show.

Basically, it was Cinderella told from a contemporary perspective. Cassette (Cinderella) worked in a clothing store that sold "high fashion" for the disco - Studio 45 - that sat above it. More than anything, she wanted to go to Studio 45, but for whatever reason, class, economics, etc. she was uninvited. She had a wicked step-mother and sisters who had perhaps the singular worst scene of dialogue I have ever seen on a Broadway - heck, any - stage. It was so bad, it was hysterically funny: the scene was between the sisters and went something like this... "Well, I never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never..." [Other sister] "No, I never, never, never, never, never, never, never..." This went back and forth for quite some time. The audience was first shocked with mouths agape, then rolling in the aisle.

The set was interesting as it was to feature this amazing new technology: the stage deck was to have swirling colored water woosh through it. It was also capable of increasing its rake quite substantially. They actually had to do some major construction at the Minskoff Theatre installing a pool to contain the water. The price tag was alleged to be enormous. (It was later rumored that the show was actually a money laundering scheme, but I don't know the truth about that piece of gossip.) The effect never worked.

There were some very interesting moments though. One such spectacular moment was the open number which had the cast appearing what seemed to be nude (it was very dark, black light lit and the dancers wore flesh colored body suits) and they got dressed in the trendy "disco fashion" which consisted of wildly colored and shaped pieces of stretch fabric that were attached by the dancers literally leaping into them. It was actually visually quite stunning.

There are lots more I could type, but I think this gives you the idea.

[EricMontreal22]

It seems so weird that Casablanca Records was behind this, but used their B-level, at best, writers for the songs. Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Bob Esty, hell Paul Jabara who to be fair had had his own Broadway flop, would have all fit the material much better. I mean how great would Donna Summer's own Cinderella disco concept album, Once Upon a Time been on stage? OK probably not great, but...

[CarlosAlberto]

Philip Michael Thomas wasn't in GOT TU GO DISCO. He did however star with Irene Cara in the 1976 cult film, SPARKLE.

At the bottom it reads: Cast Album on Casablanca Records and FilmWorks. A cast album was planned and obviously scrapped when the show folded.

[CarlosAlberto]

Casablanca did release the show's title song as performed by Pattie Brooks.


HEAR IT HERE

[Mr Roxy]

Wasn't Casablanca to do the cast album of that mega Turkey Rachel Lily Rosenbloom?

[CarlosAlberto]

No. RSO Records was slated to release the Rachel Lily Rosenbloom cast recording.

Robert Stigwood and Ahmet Ertegun were the producers. Robert Stigwood owned RSO Records, so it made sense that his record label would have released it as he had a financial stake in the show...and they eventually lost their entire $50,000 investment. The recording never saw the light of day.

[Wilmingtom]

What I found distressing about this show, aside from the material, was that the audiences made fun of it as it was happening. The poor actors were in flop sweat from the opening number on. It was like the early stages of American Idol, when they trot out some inept, pathetic girl from the sticks so the television audience can riidule her. I don't believe laughing *at* a failed attempt, however lame, is good theater etiquette. Save it for the bar where you can really rip it apart, but not during the performance, please.

[LuminousBeing]

Gabrielle Hamilton's memoir, "Blood, Bones, and Butter" reveals a few stories about her father, one of "Got Tu Go Disco's" designers. I read the book for culinary school--it's not remotely theater-related, but it does incidentally give some insight about what happens to folks who are involved in flop shows, and their families.

[BrodyFosse123]

[BrodyFosse123]

[missthemountains]

Sounds fascinating to say the least. Seriously, what were they thinking?

[MVintheheartland]

Well, the "Got tu go Disco" song is catchy, at least. Thanks for posting!

[chanel]

In the cast list, you'll notice the character Marc, played by Marc Benecke. Benecke was the real-life Studio 54 doorman, playing himself. Badly.

[ARTc3]

On laughing - making fun - during a performance... I tend to agree that this is very bad form. However, having typed that, there was no physical way, short of getting up and leaving the theater, that anyone could have sat through the evil sister's scene and not break out into hysterical, embarrassing laughter. Honestly, I am a total advocate for best behavior while in the theater. This was just that outrageously bad. I couldn't have contained my laughter had I tried.

[WithoutATrace]

Just bumping this thread from five years ago to say:

Happy 40th Anniversary of Opening Night of GOT TU GO DISCO!

[smidge]

WithoutATrace said: "Just bumping this thread from five years ago to say:

Happy 40th Anniversary of Opening Night of GOT TU GO DISCO!"

I miss Without A Trace. Glad to see him back!

[WithoutATrace]

Awe, thanks! I've always been here lurking, still seeing tons and tons of shows and loving the theater just as much as 23 years ago when I saw my first Broadway show.

[After Eight]

A fun memory of a one-of-kind show. No question about it: going to the theatre was a lot more fun 40 years ago. Now it's akin to punishment for a crime one didn't commit.

One thing's for certain. Got Tu Go Disco was a helluva lot more entertaining than such dire entities as Once, Spring Awakening, Hamilton, Fun Home, Dear Evan Hansen, The Band's Visit, Hadestown, etc., etc.

 

[tbonesbr]

As I said on a similar thread on All That Chat,I was the attorney for the production. It was one of my more interesting experiences in the theatre. Happy to discuss it with anyone interested.

[markypoo]

Tucked away in my storage space are copies of all the published reviews.

[missthemountains]

tbonesbr said: "As I said on a similar thread on All That Chat,I was the attorney for the production. It was one of my more interesting experiences in the theatre. Happy to discuss it with anyone interested."

I would love to know. Honestly, this recording of Bad, Glad, Good and Had is what made me fall in love with Ali Stroker. Man I wish I couldve seen how this show looked. Sounds wild.

[missthemountains]

Are there any pictures of it?