I'm actually most excited to see Sarah Chase in this. She is hilarious and I love her in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (and still blown away by her at the Gramercy School of Rock.)
The casting seems less related to the characters in the movie and more in line with what you'd expect from a Cole Porter society musical. Drew doesn't seem quite as robust as Gregory Peck but... I don't know what you'd call it... he fits that older musical type of lanky guy who looks good in a suit. It makes more sense as casting for a stage version of High Society.
Any chance to see 20+ cole porter gems highlighted in a broadway caliber show is cause to celebrate!
Will this go to broadway? maybe
Will it be a blockbuster? very unlikely (how many viewers saw roman holiday when it came out in 1950?) If it makes broadway, it'll likely be more like holiday inn type of run-appreciated by many but gone fairly soon....
I think this would do much better if they picked a more modern movie/story more people could relate to even if it was a modern telling of a more classic story (the last sabrina with harrison ford for a not that great example) so it had more of a built in fan base (hairspray, ghost, kinky boots, matilda)
I would like to see them musicalize the biopic De-lovely, which did a pretty good job of laying out coles works and telling his life story.
in any case, will enjoy this more than once and be sure and let everyone know how the show is....
I think Roman Holiday is a gorgeous movie and I think it's about as dramatically interesting as something like An American in Paris or Anastasia. It just leaves out the extra war bits that detract from the central story. With the right composers, I think a stage adaptation could be as beautifully rendered as the movie. But then Bridges of Madison County didn't last very long.
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 live in Minneapolis, and saw the Guthrie production of RH 5 years back. Honestly I don't honk this is Broadway ready or there's an audience for this particular show... it was a perfectly pleasant evening, with one really great dance number in the second act. I found the book perfectly adequate, but nothing more. Overall it wasn't a bore, but it left no lasting impression on me, and I struggle to remember much of anything about it... given today's outrageous production and ticket prices, aside from licensing rights, I don't see any reason to bring this to Broadway... this is not nearly as strong or a show as Holiday Inn... which was far from a perfect show IMHO...
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