West End Prince of Egypt

[DoTheDood]

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-THE-PRINCE-OF-EGYPT-to-Open-in-West-End-February-2020-New-Songs-Creative-Team-Announced-20190502

Please let this transfer

[Call_me_jorge]

Interesting note that DreamWorks Theatricals is now a division of Universal Theatricals (or has this always been the case?)

I’m so confused why they are keeping Scott on. <<edited by BWW staff>>

[rosscoe(au)]

They need to replace Scott 

[Joviedamian]

“Interesting note that DreamWorks Theatricals is now a division of Universal Theatricals (or has this always been the case?)”

Well, Universal just recently acquired Dreamworks, so it seems pretty fit.

[JennH]

^^^THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEATING ME TO THE PUNCH. Ugh, let this NOT transfer until/unless the whole book and concept is overhauled, replace Scott (honestly this the priority), and give this show the huge, epic, sweeping, spectacle feel this deserves. And these aren't necessary mutually exclusive things either. Anyone who's been around these boards since the world premiere production knows I've been, and will continue to be, VERY vocal about this. I saw said world premiere at TheatreWorks and it was ranging from underwhelming too bad. This is a very rare film in which not much revamping is needed to adapt it to the stage, just tweak the spots that need tweaking for the stage, put it on stage, and be done with it. The story is there, it's already so potent, but the end result at TW was all over the place. 

Oh and...REPLACE SCOTT. I really wish this weren't wishful thinking, as father won't get rid of son that easily. 

[JennH]

I also am wondering why it's a limited run...regardless of end result on stage, people WILL see this, it's a beloved film to pretty much everyone on the planet with access to movies and a TV.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Absolutely excited that this movie is finally getting the big big stage treatment after two stage runs, but really disappointed that Scott is still involved. Either he needs to step up his game and stop with the “actors spelling out everything for the audience” method or needs to let someone who knows how to treat a epic movie right for a stage like West End.

I would hate to see him ruin a Broadway transfer for a deserving show a la Hunchback.

[JennH]

^^^ ALL THAT. And THREE stage runs actually. It was at Tuachan last year, and I think there might have been/be a fourth I forgot about...maybe?

I still have no idea why Denmark was advertised as the World Premiere when it 1000% was not. It seems Denmark wasn't much different that TW, but Tuachan stepped up the game in terms of production quality, it was very much a spectacle which is what it should be. As we all know, it's sweeping epic. It needs that feel on stage as well. As for any writing changes when it was at Tuachan, I can't say. Unless the writing and book are changed to focus on the brothers, and do it well at that, epic production quality is still meaningless. 

[ggersten]

If you are going to do "epic," then the Dominion is not a bad theatre for it - it is huge.  But, then, there are a lot of seats to fill.  I mean, a lot of seats. Over 2000. 32 weeks to me doesn't seem very limited!  But, if its successful, it could extend, because I don't think it's a theatre that's very much in demand.

[rosscoe(au)]

I loved hunchback, but it’s biggest problem was Scott’s direction and that the actors needed to spell everything out. Lets hope he’s learned from that.

[rpvee]

Very excited to hear about this! Hoping it transfers. This is one of my all time favorite movies, in part because it features the late, great Ofra Haza (whoever plays Yocheved will have big shoes to fill).

Also exciting because this could be the next opportunity for a Broadway show to feature rather authentic sounding Middle Eastern music (and actors!), since we lost The Band’s Visit. This should at least be a new score heavily influenced by the genre without being cliche.

[JennH]

rosscoe(au) said: "I loved hunchback, but it’s biggest problem was Scott’s direction and that the actors needed to spell everything out. Lets hope he’s learned from that."

That's the thing, he hasn't. he did for too at TW and Denmark. What I DO hope is that he payed attention to the audiences reactions. The reviews didn't seems to say much at all, but many audiences did say this "isn't what we hoped for..." 

 

[darquegk]

It’ll never get re-conceptualized. For better but usually for worse, Stephen Schwartz and son are synonymous with story theatre: Godspell, Pippin, Hunchback, Children of Eden, even the early drafts of Wicked rely on this style.

[JennH]

^^Yep, that too. But it works for Pippin, Godspell, and C of E, because at least they weren't contending with a super popular source material. Ok, the latter two are based on the Bible, but somehow it still works for them. 

[CATSNYrevival]

I really hope they can pull this one together. Based on what I've seen of Scott Schwartz's work I hope he has it in him to give this show the scale it deserves for the West End and hopefully for Broadway. I'm almost more excited for the eventual cast album than the actual production if it's going to be another Hunchback affair.

[theaterlyfe19]

I just hope they get the casting right this time around.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

NEW TEASER featuring the show's artwork.

[CATSNYrevival]

I liked the artwork better without the floating head.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Scott is 100% learning from his productions. There's going to be a real set, unlike his other productions, and I'm already emotional looking at it. Breathtaking!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Full-Casting-Announced-For-THE-PRINCE-OF-EGYPT-in-London-Plus-Get-a-First-Look-at-the-Set-Design-20190905

And brand new music and it's so good!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/VIDEO-Watch-Performances-From-New-Musical-THE-PRINCE-OF-EGYPT-20190905

[CATSNYrevival]

Just that one set already looks better than anything we’ve seen before from past productions. Fingers crossed they pull this off! I’d really like a cast album.

[JennH]

The new songs seem to be the same as before, all of which were underwhelming...but regardless, Production quality has improved tenfold. Great, it’s a step in the right direction. But until that book is redone, I don’t hold much hope. Shiny production quality isn’t a substitute for meaningful storytelling.

[CATSNYrevival]

JennH said: "But until that book is redone, I don’t hold much hope. Shiny production quality isn’t a substitute for meaningful storytelling. "

Tell that to Wicked.

Personally, I didn’t have a problem with the book in the Tuacahn production.

[darquegk]

I keep telling people, expecting Stephen Schwartz to write a straightforward representational show that isn't fourth-wall-breaking presentational theatre or story theatre is like expecting Sondheim to write "Tarzan" or "The Prom;" nothing in his career highs OR lows would indicate that he is either capable of or interested in going there.

[JennH]

^^ Fair enough, but P of E as a film was pretty straightforward. It's closest he's ever gotten, it cut right to the point.

CATSNYrevival said: "JennH said: "But until that book is redone, I don’t hold much hope. Shiny production quality isn’t a substitute for meaningful storytelling. "

Tell that to Wicked.

Personally, I didn’thave a problem with the book in the Tuacahn production."

Yeah but at least Wicked works on a good few levels. It's themes, structure and flow are what saves it  storywise, I think. And while the writing and development is admittedly iffy, it's certainly not a travesty to the theatre canon. P of E, at least what I saw at T.W. was basically a travesty and much of it missed the point to why the movie is a much beloved masterpiece. Of course I can't speak on the book for any other production after T.W. but if they didn't overhaul it, it's gonna have a rough road if they're gonna take it to NY, and it's seems like that's the plan considering this West End production, limited though it may be. 

 

[CATSNYrevival]

JennH said: "P of E, at least what I saw at T.W. was basically a travesty and much of it missed the point to why the movie is a much beloved masterpiece. Of course I can't speak on the book for any other production after T.W. but if they didn't overhaul it, it's gonna have a rough road if they're gonna take it to NY, and it's seems like that's the plan considering this West End production, limited though it may be."

I'm wondering if the book was drastically different or at least revised. The Tuacahn production was pretty straightforward and staged in a large amphitheater so the design was large scale like the West End production looks to be shaping up to be. The pictures from Theatre Works do look like the production was very sparse and presentational. I imagine the book must have been revised somewhat to adjust for the change in scale.