Tell us your dream Broadway revival!

[thebookofwhizzer]

I was inspired by the “revive a Broadway flop” thread, and I know there already is a thread on this same subject but I thought I would make a new one so that we can share new ideas. I want to know what your dream Broadway revival would be. Include as much as possible, cast, director, theatre, etc. I love hearing your ideas and who knows, with the lack of musical revivals for next season we might see one of these come true! 

 

As I mentioned on the other board, my dream revival is Carrie. I think Carrie is a fantastic show and a revival could become a hit unlike its 1988 original. 

   

 Firstly, I think Carrie would work perfectly in a small Broadway house, particularly staged in the round at the Circle in the Square. I think something like the recent-ish  LA revival could work really nicely. As some other people on the flop thread mentioned, the show could also be pretty awesome if it was an immersive production. Personally, I’m thinking something semi-immersive like Great Comet or again like the LA Revival.

 

I think that the 2012 revised score should be kept and I think they should also clean up and revise the script for that revival as well.  Also, I thought it could work if they modernized the show ala Mean girls. I honestly have no reason why I think this would be good but surely the audience this should would bring in would relate to it better. 

 

As for cast, I think that they definitely should cast a newcomer or relatively unknown young actress as Carrie. I think that if they were to cast a “name” it would be in the role of Margaret. I could see someone like Meryl Streep playing her. They could decide to cast less of a name, I think Carolee Carmello would be utterly fantastic. For Sue Snell, I think that someone like Alex Finke would be great. And Jason Gotay playing Billy is a personal dream of mine!

 

I think this show would work best as a limited engagement around Halloween time with a “name” to boost ticket sales.  I could see someone like Michael Arden directing this as well. Sorry for the long explanation, but Carrie is musical that has grown very near and dear to my heart and a revival is my biggest Broadway dream.

[QueenAlice]

Well, if your dream is a semi immersive, in the round production of Carrie, than what you want is the Los Angeles revival which did it already. I honestly can’t imagine another production of that show topping it. I still don’t think the material is all that great but that revival sure made you think it was for the two hours you were watching it. And Emily Lopez as Carrie was just astonishing I thought. I do love the idea of Carolee Carmelo or maybe Donna Murphy as Margaret. Meryl would never do it and the role really isn’t that big. The character is on stage a lot las than you think.

[ND_2000]

I would love a Bartlett Sher/Lincoln Center production of "The Sound of Music." Just imagine the set for the Von Trapp mansion!

[little_sally]

I want a Guys and Dolls revival with Tony Yazbeck, Rob McClure, Alysha Umphres, and Stephanie Umoh.

[Elegance101]

Lincoln Center/Bartlett Sher-directed "Oklahoma!" is high up for me. With a great cast, it would be top-notch.

Michael Arden-directed "Urinetown," "Cabaret," and maybe "Into The Woods" (not quite ripe for revival, honestly). I know "Cabaret" was just on Broadway, but it was a remounting of an old production and Arden could do something cool with it. And although "Into The Woods" hasn't be on Broadway for a while, I think the movie, Off-Broadway, and the fact that it's been done millions of times in school and regionally makes it so we're not really hungry for a revival yet.

Roundabout/Kathleen Marshall-directed "Damn Yankees" (think this might be happening because of the concert back in December). Again, it really depends on the cast for this one.

"Aida." I don't care who does it, but "Aida." I know we don't all love her, but Cynthia Erivo would make a great Aida or Hailey Kilgore in a few years.

Someone make "Merrily" work and give her her moment!

[Dollypop]

My dream revival is currently playing at the Shubert Theater. I couldn't ask for anything better.

[Deena Jones]

Dreamgirls with the original costumes and staging including the scaffold ascending into the flies at the end of the Act 2 opener.  No,L"Listen".  

[BroadwayConcierge]

Three dreams:

- Bart Sher/Lincoln Center's Into the Woods at the Vivian Beaumont.

- Evita starring Lady Gaga.

- Kiss of the Spider Woman starring Heather Headley.

[americanboy99]

A revival of GUYS AND DOLLS with Jessie Mueller and Annaleigh Ashford alternating between the two female leads.

[Markie27]

I would really love to see Love! Valour! Compassion! and I would also love to see Joe Mantello to direct it again with an all gay cast like the boys in the band... I wonder who could play buzz...

I was hoping that Bent which was revived in Los Angeles would be transferred here but alas it wasn't meant to be. Would love seeing that on stage.

Lastly I hope they can revive Sweet Charity but with the original Bob Fosse choreography. I am dying to see the rich man's frug! (Or was that just in the movie?) 

[Melissa25]

I can’t wait to see Kelli O’Hara play Margaret Johnson in the revival of The Light on the Piazza.

 

[JVJ93]

Laurie Metcalf or Frances McDormand in a revival of Doubt.

Bryce Pinkham and Jessie Mueller in Parade

That much discussed and hoped for Bartlett Sher “Follies” with Kelli O’Hara

If the London production of Company transfers, I’d Love to see Carmen Cusack as “Bobbi” opposite Patti LuPone. Heaven

[HamilHansen]

Urinetown with Chris Sieber and Andrew Rannels

 

Seussical with Christian Borle, James Monroe Iglehart, and Amber Grey

 

How To Succeed with John Mulaney

[Theatrefanboy1]

I swear. I would start saving my dollars to produce a revival of Aida with Cynthia Erivo Aaron tveit and Lea Michele. But because of the apparent dislike for lea in that role I would also love annaleigh ashford or Megan hilty Really Aida is top on my list!!!

[whatacharacter]

Carrie and Aida are tops on my list as well, but both need work...

Aida is set in Egypt!  Nobody looked like Sherie Renee Scott in ancient Egypt...  just as nobody looked like Heather Headley in Anetevka, yet that has never been an issue to cast or depict the class differences in the plot.  Fix it and get Cynthia on board and it will be wonderful...  and cut Like Father Like son because I hate it sooooooooo much!

For Carrie, I think the key is the casting and the spectacle.  It will never be a "great" show, but it can be very entertaining.  Something that was often criticized about the original production, but that I greatly missed in the off-Broadway revamp is the idea that the show contains two separate scores...  one for Carrie and her mother, and one for the rest of the cast.  This choice truly defines the two worlds of the show.  That gets muddled with Dreamer in Disguise, You shine, and most markedly with the rewrites in "In", where now from the outset we see that the students are all self-aware of their flaws and insecurities.  Sue is really the only character that this would work for in the context of the story.  I would also love to hear the score with a full broadway pit...  and again being specific in the orchestrations and instrumentations to define the two worlds.

As far as casting goes, there are many viable choices.  I think the "key" is that Margaret needs to be in Betty's key, belted to the rafters!  This intensity is needed and was missed greatly in Marin's performance.  I think an age appropriate newcomer for Carrie would be best, but Margret should be age appropriate too.  In "I remember how...", the lyrics bring to mind a young innocent Margret, perhaps on prom night like Carrie is now... That would need her to read in her mid 30's.  While Carollee and Donna would vocally be wonderful, they could be her grandma.  Here are my selections that I wouldn't be mad at, in no particular order:

From the Broadway world:

Heather Headley

Jennifer Simard

Mandy Gonzalez

Sara Ramirez

Julia Murney

From the Pop world:

Alanis Morisette

Florence Whelch

Paula Cole

Jennifer Nettles

Bjork (would be amazing!!!)        

[Theatrefanboy1]

Also. Parade with Jeremy Jordan

Hairspray with Harvey Fierstien (for me it’s his Hello Dolly)

Little mermaid (reworked) with Harvey as Ursula (drag Ursula from now on)

Sound of Music Directed by Sher

Mame with Cher and Meryl.

I really wish The off broadway Sweeney would work on broadway. Because in my opinion it’s perfection

Chess.

.... or really anything that would get Johnathan Groff and Cheyenne Jackson back on stage

[CedricOates]

I would love In The Heights at the Circle In the Square. Really interested to see how that would be staged 360 degrees. Also, would love to see Jordan Fisher as Benny. 

[QueenAlice]

Isn’t Margaret in the book like 30 when she has Carrie? And the kids are all going to be actors in their 20s so Indont think she needs to be that young. Misty Cotton in the LA production was also incredible (and read about 40 which was perfect) but I’m guessing they would want a bigger name for Broadway. Maybe Carmen Cusack could do it.

My personal dream revival would be Jesse Mueller in FUNNY GIRL. I’d also love to see Katrina Lenk as the Leader in ZORBA. Frances McDormamd in DOUBT would be brilliant! That’s a great call

[hurahaw]

Say what you will, but when I close my eyes at night, all I can see is Ana Gasteyer as Margo Channing in an Applause revival. 

[Bwayornoway]

Gotta bring up Mame- would just love this classic gem to shine again - I really think that is the only way Bette could top herself from Dolly.  Not sure if she will take on another show though.- She won her Tony!  

[Elegance101]

I've thought about Michael Arden directing Carrie too! So good. Have another open call situation for Carrie (worked with Kilgore). I think Carrie reading a little younger than the rest of the teens actually wouldn't be terrible; it would emphasize how different she is. However, no 17-year-old could sustain that score 8 times a week, so the actress would need to be at least 20 or 21, which wouldn't be too young in comparison to the other teens being actors in their twenties.

Dream Margaret: Emily Skinner.

Arden, make it happen!!! Set a date right now!

[kasim]

Melissa25 said: "I can’t wait to see Kelli O’Hara play Margaret Johnson in the revival of The Light on the Piazza.

"

That was such a gorgeous musical with her.

 

I did get to se Patrick Swayze in Guys and Dolls years ago in London

[uncageg]

PLATINUM.

I loved the music. Saw it twice in Philly before it went to broadway. Maybe an updated book would be good.

[JudyDenmark]

I love the multiple Circle in the Square references in this thread, because that's mine too... with Children of Eden. How gorgeous would that be in an intimate setting? I just want them to go to town with the vocal arrangements and orchestrations. (Thanks for inspiring all of us, Once On This Island!)

I also really want a Bartlett Sher Man of La Mancha. And while we're all on the 'cast Katrina Lenk in everything' train, she'd make a hell of an Aldonza.

Also, I want City of Angels back! Andy Karl would be a perfect Stone. 

[Collingswood]

Melissa25 said: "I can’t wait to see Kelli O’Hara play Margaret Johnson in the revival of The Light on the Piazza.

Directed by Victoria Clark!