Breaking: New Version of THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, EVITA, MACK & MABEL & More Set for NY City Center's 2019-20 Season

[SomethingPeculiar]

givesmevoice said: "What exactly is Jeanine Tesori's role at Encores? I'm sure it was her and the other authors who brought up the idea of producing a new version of Millie. I also always forget that Millie premiered in 2000 at La Jolla - I just remember that it moved to Broadway in 2002."

She used to run Encores! Off Center and now she's a "creative advisor" for Off-Center. But Millie probably just stems from her involvement and prior collaboration with the team that runs Encores!.


"I also disagree that the past few seasons have been lackluster: Lady Be Good, Paint Your Wagon, Cabin in the Sky, 1776, Do I Hear a Waltz?, Big River, The New Yorkers, Grand Hotel and Me and My Girl were all highlights for me. I also really enjoyed Call Me Madam and High Button Shoes, but I do agree that those two were not as great as some of the other shows they've done."

Well, most of those are older than 2 years ago. My complaint was about the past 2 seasons (Hey Look Me Over and this year's 3 being duds, and last year's Grand Hotel and Me & My Girl being delightful).

[Pashacar]

Music_Maker42 said: "givesmevoice said: "I had seen the three Encores! shows last week because I saw that I could renew my subscription, but I didn't know Victoria Clark was directing Love Life and that Ashley Park is starring in Millie! I really hope they bring back Alexandra Socha and Douglas Sills for Mack and Mabel.

Also I definitely did not see that Evita gala. I assume this will not be a 40th anniversary reunion special?"



I really hope Alexandra Socha and Douglas Sills reprise their amazing performances. They were really good in their segment of Hey, Look Me Over. They should be playing these roles. I was completely enchanted by their performances.

"

Agreed! I have such fond memories of SIlls tearing the roof off of NYCC and I hope to see him take on the full role. You have to assume some of this decision was based on the success of that segment, so....

[SmoothLover]

If Hey Look Me Over was a retrospective of past works does that mean that Mack and Mabel has been done before? Here's to hoping that the coming season will be better than the last.

[StageStruckLad]

In the immortal words of Forbidden Broadway: "Hi, I'm Thoroughly Modern Millie, the WORST Best Musical ever!" I'm stunned that Encores has subverted their mission this much to produce a PC version of this mediocre musical. With decades worth of neglected musicals to showcase at Encores, THIS show cried out for a new (and revised) production? And regarding this new policy, will only living composers be allowed to rework their flawed musicals for Encores, or if the original artists are gone will we start getting more awful "revisals" like the David Henry Hwang Flower Drum Song? This really strikes me as a cynical move to fix a troubled show so that it can have a second life, which is not what Encores was supposed to be about. I think it's time for Jack Viertel to move on.

[Jordan Catalano]

Agreed. I’m still here waiting for “Coco”.

[SporkGoddess]

I'm wondering how much of Millie can be salvaged. I feel like a lot of what's offensive about it is pretty integral to the storyline, to the point where you'd need new songs instead of just a revised book.

[Jordan Catalano]

Millie is already so tame and old school, I just think trying to make it even “tamer” is going to result in a boring mess.

[missthemountains]

SporkGoddess said: "I'm wondering how much of Millie can be salvaged. I feel like a lot of what's offensive about it is pretty integral to the storyline, to the point where you'd need new songs instead of just a revised book."

I could not agree more. It is a show fundamentally based on racist tropes. One thing that could maybe soften the blow is if Mrs. Meers is actually played by an Asian woman albeit an Asian woman in "disguise" so that it's not as Yellow Face-y (or I've seen versions where Mrs. Meers is a man in drag, so having an Asian man play this role could work too I guess). The whole thing with the brothers and the subtitles is trying too. I think the intent behind it is that it would be less racist to have the characters sing in their native tongue, but with subtitles, but it actually really others them and exoticizes them. Certainly having Millie also played by an Asian woman helps, but how empowering is that actually without it being a conscious choice in the text, since in the world of the play, race is a part of the plot (except for when Muzzy being played by Sheryl Lee Ralph in the original, where no one bat an eye that Muzzy was black).

IMO the fact is that this show is fundamentally very, very dated in almost irreversible ways in the original storytelling and I think they are truly swimming upstream with this one. Plus, what really matters is that if they get it right by some miraculous chance, that versions in regional and high schools where the show is performed often follow suit--which they wont. The fun thing about art is that its subjective, and I'm sure that someone hear can totally defend this and give an argument that could convince me otherwise. The thing is, I think there are plenty of period shows that can be revived without changing a word and still carry a lot of relevance (BOYS IN THE BAND, TORCH SONG, among countless others). Again, it's subjective--I just think a TMM overhaul would be more trouble than it's worth, and better time would be spent just making a new musical.

[raddersons]

Oh, come on people. They can still have asian characters that are funny & integral to the plot that aren't racist caricatures. I see no harm in letting them try. And if it stinks, well at least you can still enjoy Forget About The Boy.

[VintageSnarker]

I imagine that if the new Millie works, it might be adapted for licensing. I've only listened to the album but the offensive stereotypes seem completely divorced from the romantic plot. I guess there's an argument for representation and also having something dramatic in the second act but I kind of wish they'd completely cut that subplot out of the show. I'm surprised to hear so much hate. It's a very charming, enjoyable score. I get why they would want to have a version that people would feel comfortable performing. 

I'm curious who they'll cast in Evita to try to bring in money.

Mack and Mabel is the one I'm thinking of seeing without knowing anything else. Obviously I've heard a lot about it over the years but I've never looked into the score or show beyond the songs performed at concerts.

[Cesare2]

IMHO, MILLIE is garbage, but it will probably sell the most tickets.  (Don't a lot of schools do it?)  If doing MILLIE makes it feasible to do LOVE LIFE and MACK & MABEL, so be it.  I can skip MILLIE and see LOVE LIFE and/or MACK & MABEL a second or third time.

If Benanti can walk a tightrope, she'd be great in LOVE LIFE.  She'd be a great CARMELINA or even COCO.  But GIGI, no.

[Emmaloucbway]

SmoothLover said: "If Hey Look Me Over was a retrospective of past works does that mean that Mack and Mabel has been done before? Here's to hoping that the coming season will be better than the last."

 

"Hey Look Me Over" was a revue of shows Encores! had not yet done at the time, but (I think) were often suggested as possible productions for future seasons. And yes, Mack and Mabel was one of the highlights of that revue, and I'm thrilled that the full Encores! production will finally happen!

[blaxx]

InTheBathroom1 said: "I would hardly call Ashley Park an up-and-comer."

What would you call her then?  A Broadway icon?

[ACL2006]

Interested to see what changes they make to MILLIE. It's such an old fashioned show that I'm curious to see what changes could still make the show work.

[sethepstein12]

blaxx said: "InTheBathroom1 said: "I would hardly call Ashley Park an up-and-comer."

What would you call her then? A Broadway icon?"

Are those the only two options now?

[MichelleCraig]

Jordan Catalano wrote: Agreed. I’m still here waiting for “Coco”.

But who could deliver like Kate? "Scan the hills, rake the skies!"

[SmoothLover]

Emmaloucbway said: "SmoothLover said: "If Hey Look Me Over was a retrospective of past works does that mean that Mack and Mabel has been done before? Here's to hoping that the coming season will be better than the last."



"Hey Look Me Over" was a revue of shows Encores! had not yet done at the time, but (I think) were often suggested as possible productions for future seasons. And yes, Mack and Mabel was one of the highlights of that revue, and I'm thrilled that the full Encores! production will finally happen!"

 

You are absolutely right. I had forgotten that the numbers were from shows they had never done. I know that many audience members have requested Mack and Mabel over the years because it comes up all of the time during the Saturday after show discussions.

I think it was smart to extend the Gala show to 2 weeks. Brigadoon could have played to packed houses for an extra week.

I look forward to AfterEight weighing in on the new season.

 

[raddersons]

Also if we’re talking Evita... if they wanna go with a latinx actor, Eva Noblezada would be a no brainer if she’s not still in Hadestown come November. She will look VERY young, but you can’t deny that voice.

[jbird5]

sethepstein12 said: "blaxx said: "InTheBathroom1 said: "I would hardly call Ashley Park an up-and-comer."

What would you call her then? A Broadway icon?"

Are those the only two options now?"

 

I found it amusing that she was named “Most Promising Newcomer” last year while in her fourth Broadway show (Mama Mia, TKAI, Sunday & Mean Girls).  She played Tuptim for the entire run for Pete’s sake.  I guess there are worse fates than to always be the hot new thing.

[AEA AGMA SM]

raddersons said: "Also if we’re talking Evita... if they wanna go with a latinx actor, Eva Noblezada would be a no brainer if she’s not still in Hadestown come November. She will look VERY young, but you can’t deny that voice."

Eva Peron was 33 when she died, so it's not like you need someone who looks even middle-aged for the role.

[CarlosAlberto]

BrodyFosse123 said: "Also I definitely did not see that Evita gala. I assume this will not be a 40th anniversary reunion special?

THIS needs to happen. Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin and Bob Gunton. In a concert-staging, this is realistic and physically possible for them. God knows vocally LuPone and Patinkin still have the chops. Hearing LuPone sing the full score again with her mature voice wouldbe thrilling. "

NOT. GOING. TO. HAPPEN.

[Fan123]

A LOVE LIFE cast recording, please!

I'm glad to hear that MILLIE is getting a revisal, by whatever means. It's a fun score IMO, even if it is derivative and so forth. It would be nice if the show could be salvaged for modern audiences.

[MarilynMonroeSmash]

Does anyone think MILLIE could result in a full production?

[goldenboy]

After seeing spectacular producions of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Brigadoon at Encores,  I must say the last three outings at Encore were substandard.  And why the heck are they doing Thoroughly Modern Millie when there are so many unseen shows worthy of being seen?

High Button Shoes, except the Keystone Ballet was a major disappointment with a miscast Harrison Floy. Promenade, a cast album I have adored for years was directed so oddly that I couldn't wait for the damn thing to end. And tonight.. to put the nail on the coffin.. Road Show. What a disappointment in spite of a stellar cast.

Okay. I'm glad they did Road Show. I have never seen it.  But now I have and the plot is paper thin. Two guys go out in the world to make their fortune.. they lie steal cheat and marry and die. and that's it.  No character to care or or root for. There is only  one great song in the show "The best thing that ever happened to me" but the rest feels like derivative deja vu Sondheim. And the direction of the thing as a Radio Show did not make any sense because there was staging half way into the show.

Encores has lost its magic touch.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

MarilynMonroeSmash said: "Does anyone think MILLIE could result in a full production?"

At the very least, I would think it's a trial run for licensing, to replace the original (badly outdated) version. Maybe it would lead to some regional productions or a tour. We'll have to see how it is.