MadsonMelo said: "glad it's getting a revisited book cuz' god knows its needed."
We saw the "new" version at the Muny is St. Louis in 2017. I think I wrote out my thoughts about it on here back then. It was good - but not exceptional. I think it lacked some of the poignancy of the film version. I never saw a production of the original stage production.
I've never seen a production of the original version either and I'd kind of like to but it's a title that doesn't seem to be produced often. I'm not a big fan of total revisals with all new books written to an existing score. That's basically a jukebox musical. I think the most successful revisal for me personally was Peter Stone's Annie Get Your Gun.
I was thinking it would have been nice to see this production on Broadway with one of the non profits. This is a title that's never received a revival before.
The original version of the show has aged terribly and is a total cheese fest. I am very curious if a new book can make this thing worth watching. I mean, why bother? I know this has been a passion project for those involved for many years, so hopefully this will make them happy. But I really don’t get the point.
I saw the first staged presentation of this in Denver years ago at a new play festival at the DCTC. Marc Kudisch was in it. I enjoyed it. It was a bit of a big thing as that is the home of Molly Brown and the Molly Brown House is a museum there I worked for Historic Denver and spent a lot of time in the house. Looking forward to seeing this.
The Distinctive Baritone said: "The original version of the show has aged terribly and is a total cheese fest. I am very curious if a new book can make this thing worth watching. I mean, why bother? I know this has been a passion project for those involved for many years, so hopefully this will make them happy. But I really don’t get the point."
The point beyond salvaging the score? I think that has largely been the point with these revisals. If the original book is as terrible as you say and just wouldn't work today but the score is still a gem then I can understand it becoming a passion project for those who want to at least see the story and score on stage again. At the MUNY they also incorporated songs from the film and some Meredith Willson trunk songs which could be exciting to hear.
"The original version of the show has aged terribly and is a total cheese fest."
Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha......
The original version was only like five hundred and fifty-five zillion times better and more entertaining than things like Once, Hamilton, Fun Home, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, The Band's Visit, Hadestown, etc., etc.--- combined!
There have been other productions utilizing songs from the film “Colorado, My Home” and “He’s My Friend” including previous productions at the MUNY and the national tour with Debbie Reynolds. I wonder how those fit in within the framework of the original book.
Saw the original production as well as the Music Fair production which starred Tammy Grimes and Howard Keel. The plot rambles but the score is very enjoyable.
Dollypop said: "Saw the original production as well as the Music Fair production which starred Tammy Grimes and Howard Keel. The plot rambles but the score is very enjoyable."
I was browsing the MUNY archives on their website and there have been six total stagings of The Unsinkable Molly Brown at the MUNY including one starring Barbara Eden (1971), one starring Ann Reinking (1982) as well as the national tour starring Debbie Reynolds in 1989 and the revised version in 2017.
Just to be accurate, Colorado My Home was written for the stage show and cut - it's in the overture. It was added to a few productions prior to the film coming out. Molly Brown was the first Broadway musical I saw - here in LA at the old Biltmore Theater, with Grimes and Presnell and several others from Broadway. I loved every second of it, and did the show just three years later. I was given a tape of the revisal long before Beth was involved - Kerry O'Malley did the original workshops - I hated all the interpolated songs, hated the way it began (on the Titanic), and didn't think any of the rewrites were all that good. I obviously haven't seen Molly Brown on stage since Grimes did it in the round with Bruce Yarnell circa 1965. I also saw it in the round with Nanette Fabray - THAT was horrifying.
It was about eleven years ago that I did the original version of the show in summer stock, but I don’t remember the score being much better than the book. Perhaps I’ve simply suppressed the experience from my memory.
joined:5/24/13
joined:
5/24/13
Posted: 6/21/19 at 11:37am