Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
#1Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 12/26/16 at 6:25pm
I know I've mentioned this on these boards a few times, but I'd like to hear your take on the subject.
There's obviously a lot of anticipation for the upcoming revival of Hello, Dolly!, but the one (slight) concern I have is that it's being directed by Jerry Zaks. In 1986, he made a successful Broadway debut as director with the original production of The House of Blue Leaves. He would go on to helm several more successful productions that included Anything Goes (1987), Lend Me a Tenor, Six Degrees of Separation, Guys & Dolls (1992), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1996).
But since he tried to fix The Capeman, his track record on Broadway hasn't been the same as when he started out. Some of his credits after that included The Civil War, Little Shop of Horrors (2003), La Cage aux Folles (2004), The Addams Family, Sister Act, and most recently A Bronx Tale.
What are your thoughts on Jerry Zaks' track record as of late.
trpguyy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
#2Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 12/26/16 at 6:30pm
and the tour of 101 Dalmatians, which was the biggest atrocity to happen in a theater since the Iroquois Theatre fire.
Alex Kulak2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/11/16
#4Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 12/26/16 at 6:49pm
I really like the Broadway version of Little Shop
#5Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 12/26/16 at 6:51pm
I might be biased-- in another life I worked on Jerry's original 1985 production of HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES. But I will also say that very few musical revivals have ever given me so much pleasure as that 1992 revival of GUYS AND DOLLS. Part of the magic of that show was the brilliant sets and costume designs of Tony Walton. Well blessedly he has the genius Santo Loquasto doing the sets and costumes for DOLLY, along with lighting design by the gifted Natasha Katz.
So I for one have high hopes and optimism for this.
Alex Kulak2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/11/16
#6Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 12/26/16 at 8:26pm
He has a good track record of reviving classic Broadway shows, and most of them are pretty solid.
#7Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 12/26/16 at 8:39pm
That track has been pretty well covered with dust. When was his last successful musical, classic or otherwise?
#8Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 12/26/16 at 8:54pm
I thought his staging of the Broadway incarnation of Sister Act was vastly underrated. He did wonderful work with the pacing and movement of that show.
He does seem to be hit or misses recently, but when he's on his game, no one stages a musical comedy as well as he does.
#9Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 12/26/16 at 8:57pm
HogansHero said: "That track has been pretty well covered with dust. When was his last successful musical, classic or otherwise?
Sister Act? I'm pretty sure it made back its investment, toured extensively, and is produced all the time regionally now. It wasn't a massive hit, but I would definitely call it a success.
ScottyDoesn'tKnow2
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/22/14
#10Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 12/26/16 at 10:32pm
Not to tempt fate, but how badly can he ruin Hello, Dolly! if he sticks close to the material and the staging we're all used to?
#11Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 3/16/17 at 7:48am
According to early preview reports, Hello, Dolly! seems to be a long-awaited return to form for Jerry Zaks...
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1099717&dt=154
He apparently joins the ranks of John Doyle, Diane Paulus, and Bartlett Sher as theatre directors who are much more successful on revivals as opposed to new musicals.
#12Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/14/17 at 10:31pm
I think Jerry Zaks is a very talented director who knows what his vision is and sticking with it whenever it's plays or musicals. Of his "weak" work after Capeman, I think that the woefully misconceived and miscast La Cage Aux Folles revival from 2004 is by far the most disappointing in Mr. Zaks' resume and that the producers bewilderingly chose Gary Beach as Albin over everyone else who deserved the role over him (and Beach's unfocused performance certainly didn't help matters). It wasn't until Sister Act where my faith in his talents slowly came back and the rave preview reports of Zaks' direction for Hello Dolly has truly redeemed him in my eyes that I might see the show earlier than planned.
I agree with Jeffrey that Zaks is at his best when he revives old shows (with Sister Act being a personal exception) and what's interesting is that it's what both Jerry Zaks and Bartlett Sher have in common despite the two having vastly different direction styles.
Oh and Bartlett Sher making revivals of either Dear World or Mack and Mabel would be freaking incredible! :)
#13Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/15/17 at 11:14am
Musical Master said: "I agree with Jeffrey that Zaks is at his best when he revives old shows (with Sister Act being a personal exception) and what's interesting is that it's what both Jerry Zaks and Bartlett Sher have in common despite the two having vastly different direction styles."
Although Jerry Zaks did win his first three Tonys for taking on new plays such as The House of Blue Leaves, Lend Me a Tenor, and Six Degrees of Separation. You could almost say the same thing about Bartlett Sher where the most success he's had with new works have pretty much been on The Light in the Piazza and Oslo.
"Oh and Bartlett Sher making revivals of either Dear World or Mack and Mabel would be freaking incredible! :)"
I'm not familiar with either one of those musicals, but they both sound like Jerry Zaks would be a better fit.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#14Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/16/17 at 3:21am
Well...only one of those is a musical, so...
And I liked his direction of Sister Act. I thought it was a lot of fun and the design/direction were really detailed and beautiful. I'm excited to see Hello Dolly in June.
#15Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/17/17 at 11:25pm
RippedMan said: "Well...only one of those is a musical, so..."
Um, Dear World and Mack and Mabel are both musicals and the both of them have music and lyrics by the wonderful Jerry Herman. If revivals for those shows happen, Dear World is a show I could see Bartlett Sher directing; while Jerry Zaks could do magnificent things for Mack and Mabel.
#16Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/17/17 at 11:44pm
RippedMan said: "Well...only one of those is a musical, so...
And I liked his direction of Sister Act. I thought it was a lot of fun and the design/direction were really detailed and beautiful. I'm excited to see Hello Dolly in June.
I agree. The direction and staging in Sister Act was extremely underrated.
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#17Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/18/17 at 8:14am
Jeffrey Karasarides said: "
Although Jerry Zaks did win his first three Tonys for taking on new plays such as The House of Blue Leaves, Lend Me a Tenor, and Six Degrees of Separation. You could almost say the same thing about Bartlett Sher where the most success he's had with new works have pretty much been on The Light in the Piazza and Oslo."
Atlhough The House of Blue Leaves had never been on Broadway before when Zaks directed it in 1986, the play was already well known. It was first produced off-Broadway to great success in 1971.
#18Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/18/17 at 8:16am
Clearly these concerns were premature. He pulled it off!
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
ggersten
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#21Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/18/17 at 8:37am
He does musical comedy very well. I remember enjoying his work on the revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He even made a cameo appearance during Whoopi Goldberg's last performance.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
#22Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/18/17 at 1:16pm
PalJoey said: "Jerry Zaks is a comic genius."
His productions of Guys and Dolls, A Funny Thing Happened and so many more are proof of that statement. :)
#23Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/18/17 at 2:24pm
Not to thread-jack but can anyone explain why the 2004 La Cage revival was so ill-received? I remember loving it but I didn't have any knowledge of show itself back then.
A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.
#25Thoughts on Jerry Zaks?
Posted: 4/18/17 at 4:01pm
I'll try my best to give you two an answer. It was ill-received to people (and me) because the revival felt like it was going through the motions and not giving any spark of theatrical punch nor memorability when it came to the cast and crew in comparison to the wonderful 1983 original production. Only Daniel Davis giving his best as Georges, the Cagelles, and William Ivey Long's beautiful costumes we're the only things that kept the revival from being a bad mess. Gary Beach wasn't right for the role of Albin and seeing his disjointed, uncomfortable performance certainly didn't help. There was some debate about whether or not that Davis either quit or was fired due to him fighting with Beach or wanting to do a different show, but either way, Jerry Zaks did the best he can by hiring Robert Goulet as Davis' replacement but in doing so was one of the final nails in the revival's coffin. Despite winning the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical in a very weak season, it didn't boost ticket sales and the show got a closing notice soon afterwards.
Basically, the revival failed to live up to it's huge expectations to a good amount of people. It only took the cast and crew of the scaled down 2010 revival years later to bring that spark back to a beautiful old-fashioned musical that pulled off the smallness beautifully well.