Sondheim's Assassins to Receive New Off-Broadway Revival

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 12:54am

This is great news!

https://www.theatermania.com/off-broadway/news/sondheims-assassins-to-receive-new-revival_88178.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=20mar2019

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:06am

yeah i cant wait for (checks notes) another minimalist John Doyle musical 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:38am

I know he’s polarizing as a director. I’ve only seen one production of his, The Color Purple, and I thought his pared-down approach worked very well for the most part.

I’m also quite behind on seeing Sondheim shows. In fact, the only staged Sondheim production I’ve seen is Sweeney Todd at Barrow Street. I loved that! (I skipped Merrily We Roll Along last month because the consensus seemed to be that it is a problematic revival that worsened the already problematic original). So color we excited to hopefully see this.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:48am

ive been living here too long I guess having seen the revival reunion a few years back and then Assassins at Encores Off Center two years ago, CSC season is really boring....

[amaklo]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 9:19am

I hated Doyle's Sweeney Todd and Pacific Overtures. Even though I love Sondheim and have never seen Assassins, I'll probably skip this one.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 9:26am

That production of Pacific Overtures was ghastly. I’ll wait to hear reports on this one.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 10:06am

I think it could be very cool if he returned to his actor/musician roots with this production.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 10:18am

I think Doyle makes a very strong first impression- particularly as most people will have their first impression of him with a property that is very strong (ie- Sweeney). 

But after seeing many Doyle productions now over the years, it's diminishing returns for me. It's the same thing, over and over. I've seen his work on new work and revivals, on modern texts and on classic texts, on musicals and on plays and it all just blends together into... Doyle. 

I can't wait to see Fromme and Moore deliver their sitcom-y scenes ten feet apart and looking at the audience. 

Updated On: 3/21/19 at 10:18 AM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 10:23am

Loved the Encores! Off-Center production a couple years ago, but I will be sitting this out because I honestly just can't do another minimalist Doyle production.

[Shh_413]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 10:26am

I mean if the Balladeer and Hinckley already play instruments on stage in a lot of the productions of Assassins, it's not gonna be 'experimental' if Doyle does it, right?

[Andy51]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 11:49am

Doyle's minimalism can be hit or miss, but I found it worked particularly well with Pacific Overtures (I was also a fan of his direction of Carmen Jones and The Color Purple).  For those seeking what is likely to be a much more traditional production of Assassins, I saw that Signature in Arlington, VA is doing it in late summer/early fall 2019.  I attended their last two Sondheim productions (A Little Night Music and Passion) and have been very impressed.

Updated On: 3/21/19 at 11:49 AM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 11:58am

Eh...I don't care one way or the other.  Assassins is one of my least favorite Sondheim shows.  I've seen it three times in my life (the third time was obligatory)  and that was more than enough.  I rank it just above The Frogs and Wise Gold Bounce Show.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 11:59am

I think the intimacy of the CSC space is what excites me the most about this. The show always feels a little too small for a big venue like Encores or even Studio 54.

For what it's worth, programming a public domain work (Macbeth), a pair in rep (Dracula/Frankenstein), and 2 shows directed by the artistic director (Macbeth and Assassins) is probably a cost-saving measure.

[EthelMae]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 12:06pm

Sorry, overused but, snore.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 12:10pm

This show already is intimate and creepy so I think it works in John Doyle’s wheelhouse.

It’s already short so there’s not a bunch he’s gonna cut.

If he cuts anything it’ll just be some of the longer draggy book scenes cause some of the book scenes do drag cause they don’t really go anywhere. They’re just interstitials.

Also this show is absolutely effective in the way it wants to be.

I’m amazed people feel so lukewarm about it. It’s really a masterpiece if done well.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 12:18pm

I find it hilarious that so many on this thread are "boycotting" a show that will sell out at CSC within 5-10 minutes!

[amaklo]

Posted: 3/21/19 at 1:12pm

JSquared2 said: "I find it hilarious that so many on this thread are "boycotting" a show that will sell out at CSC within 5-10 minutes!"

I didn't have any trouble getting tickets for Pacific Overtures, unfortunately.

Even if what you say is true, have you never heard of Stubhub?

 

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/25/19 at 12:35pm

I think a major Assassins revival will garner much more interest than a Pacific Overtures revival, which was never one of Sondheim's more popular shows. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/25/19 at 1:05pm

JSquared2 said: "I find it hilarious that so many on this thread are "boycotting" a show that will sell out at CSC within 5-10 minutes!"

 

I don’t think anyone is encouraging a boycott, or wishing any financial failure on them.  Maybe you and I defined the word “boycott” differently, but it seems to me that several individuals choosing not to go based on their own artistic taste, does not constitute a boycott. If it sells out , it sells out, and none of the nay-sayers in this thread will be the worse for it. 

As for me, I’m sure this will be the same old routine I usually go through with Doyle productions: it’s announced, I complain, then they announce a cast full of talented people playing great roles, I end up going anyway, and I inevitably dislike it. Let the cycle continue!

 

[AADA81]

Posted: 3/25/19 at 10:56pm

amaklo said: "I hated Doyle's Sweeney Todd and Pacific Overtures. Even though I love Sondheim and have never seen Assassins, I'll probably skip this one."

I saw them both as well, and didn't like either. 'Assassins', when done right, is a very involving show.  I saw it at the New Rep (Boston) in 2014 and it was both polarizing for the audience and mesmerizing as well.  If you haven't seen it, it's a very worthwhile and disturbing piece, regardless of the production.

 

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 3/25/19 at 11:08pm

I have not been able to see a production of Assassins (I've only listened to the off-Broadway cast album on repeat, I adore that album so much), I'm super trilled to hear about this. I haven't seen any Doyle productions either, but ignoring Doyle's trend of minimalism, that style would seem to lend itself to show (from what I can tell, again only have listened to the music and seen some clips off Youtube)

Updated On: 3/25/19 at 11:08 PM

[AADA81]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 11:51am

Kad said: "I think Doyle makes a very strong first impression- particularly as most people will have their first impression of him with a property that is very strong (ie- Sweeney).

But after seeing many Doyle productions now over the years, it's diminishing returns for me. It's the same thing, over and over. I've seen his work on new work and revivals, on modern texts and on classic texts, on musicals and on plays and it all just blends together into... Doyle.

I can't wait to see Fromme and Moore deliver their sitcom-y scenes ten feet apart and looking at the audience."

 

That is too funny.  I saw the 'Sweeney Todd' revival and hated the production, but I was familiar with the show.  The woman I was with was not and there were several times when she wasn't clear where a scene was taking place or exactly what was happening because characters who shared a scene faced the audience yards apart while speaking and singing the material.  I knew exactly why it was confusing to her; and annoying to me.

 

Updated On: 3/26/19 at 11:51 AM

[amaklo]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 7:10pm

AADA81 said: "amaklo said: "I hated Doyle's Sweeney Todd and Pacific Overtures. Even though I love Sondheim and have never seen Assassins, I'll probably skip this one."

I saw them both as well, and didn't like either. 'Assassins', when done right, is a very involving show. I saw it at the New Rep (Boston) in 2014 and it was both polarizing for the audience and mesmerizing as well. If you haven't seen it, it's a very worthwhile and disturbing piece, regardless of the production.

I don't mean to denigrate 'Assassins'.  I'd love to see a first-rate production of it.  You have more faith in Doyle than I do, if you'll give him the benefit of the doubt after what he did to 'Pacific Overtures.'  I hope you're right and his 'Assassins' is a triumph.

 

Updated On: 3/26/19 at 07:10 PM