FOLLIES to return next season to RNT; cast recording in the works

[QueenAlice]

And perhaps life beyond?

 

The Stage reports that The National Theatre's production of FOLLIES will be revived next year, per director Dominic Cooke.

The production also recorded a cast recording following their final performance, which is set to be released later this year.

"It will come back to the National, and hopefully beyond the National, but we haven't got any concrete plans. We haven't got any dates yet but it will probably be this time next year," he told The Stage.

Read the full article in The Stage here!


https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/FOLLIES-Will-Return-To-The-National-Theatre-Cast-Recording-To-Be-Released-20180130

[Jordan Catalano]

It was a gorgeously staged production. Maybe this time they’ll get a cast to match it.

[QueenAlice]

I would still love to see Joanna Riding as Sally.

[JVJ93]

This should come to the Beaumont or to BAM

[raddersons]

Would be marvelous at BAM, but they don't really do extended runs at the large theater (Peter J Sharp?)

[IdinaBellFoster]

I still can't forgive them for lowering the keys for Staunton. 

[QueenAlice]

It just seems to me that it would be so cost prohibitive to duplicate this production in the states. Even at the Beaumont. But that seems like it would be the only place in New York City that it could happen.

 

BAM would be great -- but again, how would this pay for itself?

[qolbinau]

The cast is very underwhelming when we consider we just had people like Jan Maxwell, Jayne Houdyshell, Danny Burstein, Mary Beth, Victoria Clark in LA and yes - even Bernadette Peters. Staunton absolutely destroyed (in the bad way) In Buddy’s Eyes and Too Many Mornings. They will certainly be the worst ever sung on record. But of course given it’s Staunton accolades are thrown at her. When I listen to Bernadette’s “were wrongggggg” note it is remarkable just how good it sounds now.

Say what you want about the last revival, but it’s going to be hard to top that cast.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Broadway's next Follies revival shouldn't be until Laura Benanti and Kelli O'Hara are old enough.

[IdinaBellFoster]

BroadwayConcierge said: "Broadway's nextFolliesrevival shouldn't be until Laura Benanti and Kelli O'Hara are old enough."

Thank you. 

[CurtainPullDowner]

Where is Jan Maxwell (and her bag)?

[TotallyEffed]

BroadwayConcierge said: "Broadway's nextFolliesrevival shouldn't be until Laura Benanti and Kelli O'Hara are old enough."

Kelli is a requirement. She might be the only person alive who can do the role true justice.

I’ll take Laura or Sutton for Phyllis.

[qolbinau]

They'd be such a good pair. Kelli has (and hopefully will have) the voice - and is great at pathos (see: Bridges of Madison County. The role she probably should have won a Tony for). Benanti has the glamour and humour for Phyllis. I would just love to see this.

So that we might actually get a great revival in 10 years time, I just pray those attached to this production lose some hubris before they consider transferring this anywhere near New York. Just as there would be no commercial market for Staunton's Gypsy to justify a transfer, there would be no commercial market for this production of Follies so soon. It would be a mistake.

[QueenAlice]

Laura and Kelli could play these roles now.

[BrodyFosse123]

Laura and Kelli could play these roles now.

Sally is 49 in FOLLIES.  

Benanti is 39 and O'Hara is 42. 

[Musical Master]

I'd rather have a LCT Broadway revival directed by Bartlett Sher with choreography by Christopher Wheeldon; plus either Kelli O'Hara or Kristin Chenoweth can play Sally while Laura Benanti could be the perfect Phyllis.

[Gorlois]

Lately, a lot of people have been suggesting this Benanti-O’Hara pairing for a “Follies” revival and I’m convinced that it will become everyone’s go-to answer for “Who should do ‘Follies’?” and then in 10 years Bart Sher will announce he’s reviving it at the LCT and everyone will get excited for the Benanti-O’Hara pairing, and then he’ll cast Lauren Ambrose in both roles.

(No shade to Lauren— am actually really excited to see her as Eliza, but it did feel like her name came out of left field)

[QueenAlice]

BrodyFosse123 said: "Laura and Kelli could play these roles now.

Sally is 49 in FOLLIES.

Benantiis 39 and O'Hara is 42."

Yes, I know how old the women are. And by suggesting that they are not too young to play the parts now, I am not meaning to demean them for being the age they are. Many women have very successfully played those roles, including Dorothy Colilns is in the original production who were younger than the characters’ actual ages.

One certainly would not have to wait 10 more years for them to pull it off believably. O’Hara and Benanti are both already looking back on twenty year careers in show business.

If anything, I would argue that these roles, including in the national theater production are usually cast by women a decade or more too old to play the characters’script ages.
 

[qolbinau]

I take your point but I wonder if in 1971 age 49 meant something quite different than it does now.

[QueenAlice]

49 has always meant 'in the shade of 1/2 a century old.'    In other words, too late for most people to succeed at a failed dream. That's all that matters in FOLLIES.  The women are twenty something years away from being chorus cuties and in a place where its doubtful that life is going to change for the better. Casting a 60 year old Sally doesn't, in my opinion, give the story or character more validity to a current audience. 

[ljay889]

American women most certainly looked different at 49 in 1971 than they do today.
O’Hara and Benanti still appear too young, for me.

Also I’m in the camp that finds the lowered keys almost unforgivable. Sally’s music should soar, even Ivey and Peters managed to work through the original keys.

[mfmcaleer]

You are very right. This show was one of several shows I saw during a week in London that was a massive disappointment. The Brits get a lot of credit for doing subpar theater in my opinion. This production had no soul, no concept, the clothes other than the showgirls were deplorable and the staging redundant. Keep it out of NYC.

[JBC3]

mfmcaleer said: "You are very right. This show was one of several shows I saw during a week in London that was a massive disappointment. The Brits get a lot of credit for doing subpar theater in my opinion. This production had no soul, no concept, the clothes other than the showgirls were deplorable and the staging redundant. Keep it out of NYC."

Definitely a minority opinion.

[Musicaldudepeter]

I agree re Ivey, I thought she did a perfectly fine job with the vocals in the 2001 revival, much better than Staunton. Don't know why she (Ivey) gets such a bad rap as Sally - she did everything in the original keys, and she has quite a lovely voice. Surprisingly lovely for such a 'straight' actress - I've seen bootlegs of the show and I really love her performance in the role. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Sally - Kristin Chenoweth
Phyllis - Idina Menzel
Ben - Norbert Leo Butz
Buddy - Christopher Fitzgerald
Weismann - Joel Grey
Hattie - Carole Shelley