CAROUSEL or MY FAIR LADY?

[MattRVA]

A springtime NYC trip may be in the works. Absent a miracle bringing HADESTOWN to Broadway before season’s end, I’ll spend my money on either CAROUSEL or MY FAIR LADY.

If you could see one of these revivals - and only one - which would you choose and why?

[cjmclaughlin10]

My Fair Lady based solely on the creative team. I love Bartlett Sheer and am unsure about Jack O'Brien (love Joshua Peck though...)

I love the cast of Carousel though...

I will probably end up seeing both if the price is right and I can work out a fiew other logistics

[caringtype1]

My Fair Lady because it's the superior musical imo and the director has a better track record than the director of Carousel. 

 

[cjmclaughlin10]

Also, I'm fairly sure Lincoln Center has developed a reputation for lavish productions and not cutting corners when it comes to the orchestra or set pieces. They know their subscriber base has come to expect it

[GeorgeandDot]

It's really impossible to say at this point. My Fair Lady is being done by the incredible LCT who is known for putting on lavish, brilliant productions under the direction of Bartlett Sher. The cast isn't super flashy, but the cteative team is. Carousel is being done by an incredible team as well, but O'Brien hasn't had a great track record recently (although neither did Zaks before he directed Hello, Dolly!). The cast though is made up of some of the finest musical theatre singers around right now and also stars opera legend, and literally the greatest voice alive, Renee Fleming. I would try to see both, even if you have to rush one of them, but at this point it's impossible to tell which one will be better. Check out the cast, creatives, and the musicals themselves and to find which one is more to your interests.

[KathyNYC2]

My Fair Lady for sure. LCT productions can't be beat.

[Cat Guy]

"Carousel," if for no other reason than to thrill to the voice of Renee Fleming, an American treasure.

 

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Both productions are, on paper, going to be fabulous. 

But Lincoln Center's My Fair Lady at the Vivian frigging Beaumont has iconic written all over it.

[MCfan2]

My Fair Lady, no question. It's one of my all-time favorite shows. 

[Call_me_jorge]

I feel like they will be pretty equal. I know Jack O’Brien is the director of carousel, and he doesn’t really have a good track record, but we can’t forget about who’s really in charge. Scott Rudin knows how to put on a fantastic show and he wouldn’t have hired Jack, unless his vision was truly phenomenal! I can’t wait to see these two shows duke it out!!

[SundayInThePark2]

I love My Fair Lady. It was one of the first musicals I was exposed to when I was about 3/4 years old, and I have loved it ever since. However, that being said, the cast for "Carousel" can't be beat: Jessie Mueller and Joshua Henry. I'd probably choose to see Carousel over My Fair Lady, simply because I've seen MFL numerous times. 

[dramamama611]

Tough call indeed - and they are the two shows I have yet to schedule, but know I will.   I'll go with the masses here: My Fair Lady.   Should be stunning.

[Robbie2]

My Fair Lady ~ Produced by LCT and Bart Sher and his amazing creative team...enough said!

 

[VintageSnarker]

With the casting, I feel like when I see it in a few months my expectations will be appropriately lowered for My Fair Lady and it will probably be entertaining because the material is great. I would be surprised though if I end up loving the performances more than I think I would have if they'd cast actors I prefer.

I haven't gotten a ticket for Carousel yet but I think it has more potential for being amazing. To me, My Fair Lady is the safe choice that won't be exceptional. Depending on the direction and performances, Carousel could be exceptional. It could also be a dud. It's impossible to say at this point but that's what makes it a more exciting show for me right now.

[mc1227]

Tough decision but I choose Carousel because I love the songs from that show and Jessie Mueller so much.  Reasons enough for me.  I’m sure they will both be wonderful, so you can’t lose.  

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

I don't know if you've made up your mind yet, but I'd go with My Fair Lady. With Bartlett Sher at the helm, you know that this production has got to be something. As much as Carousel is one of my all time favorite musicals, Jack O'Brien directing this upcoming revival does give me pause for concern.

While Jerry Zaks also had an inconsistent track record before Hello, Dolly!, he at least proved to be successful with revivals of classic musical comedies before (Anything Goes, Guys & Dolls, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum). Whereas with Jack O'Brien, what has he done that makes you think he should do Carousel?

[Jarethan]

MFL.  I have never seen a production of Carousel in which I did not get a little bored at times (and that includes the last one at Lincoln Center).  Amazing highs, but definitely lows.  I don't think any decent production of MFL has much in the way of lows, and I am expecting this one to be stellar.  Can't wait to see what Sher does with that stage, especially in the opening number in Covent Garden and at Ascot; he creates such memorable moments in that theatre.

Re O'Brien, I can't think of major director with as inconsistent a track record as he has.  He had career highs with the epic drama, The Road to Utopia, also at the Beaumont and with Hairspray, but he also had a string of misses, several of which were disastrous IMO.  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Times They are a Changing,  and Catch Me if You Can -- all fairly recent musicals -- fit the disaster moniker IMO, and I would assign a sizable portion of the blame to him.

Also, I have not seen anyone comment on the logo being used for Carousel, but I find it incredibly dark; looks like something they'd use to advertise a Guillermo del Toro movie.  I will definitely wait for the reviews (or at least message board feedback) on that one.

[Musical Master]

My Fair Lady. I think the reason why I have doubts about the Carousel revival is that while the cast has truly talented people in it, Jack O'Brian is a director who I don't think was right for the job due to his really spotty track record (Love Never Dies being an infamous example), but one could argue that Jerry Zaks had the same problem but he was always great with reviving old musical comedies. The LCT production of My Fair Lady is going to be something to behold: a very interesting cast, a 30 piece orchestra, the huge stage/thrust stage, and not to mention Bartlett Sher and his talented team at the helm, Michael Yeargan on sets, Catherine Zuber on costumes and Donald Holder on lighting. Bartlett Sher has a talent at digging into old musicals and finding something fresh that speaks to us about today along with his interesting way of setting up/staging a scene. How and why hasn't Bartlett Sher tackled a Stephen Sondheim musical yet is a complete mystery to me but I think he would try one eventually.

So yeah, I'm looking forward to My Fair Lady out of the both of them.

[Cesare2]

FWIW, unlike CAROUSEL, MY FAIR LADY is using the original orchestration with full orchestra.  Also, MY FAIR LADY has a lot more laughs than CAROUSEL.  IMHO, MY FAIR LADY is one of the funniest musicals ever written.