Reading of New Sondheim Musical with Nathan Lane and Bernadette Peters- Page 5

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 9/17/21 at 8:09pm

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "The Tweeter was a reputable, soon-to-be-published author who is a cut above literally anyone else associated with OnStageBlog, in my estimation. I asked her the minute the Times reported the opposite, and she said, in what I felt was honesty, "I'm not saying anything anymore. I've had information given to me and revoked about 12 times today. At this point I am considering everything up in the air." Her intel always comes from those she works with, and given the subject of her forthcoming book, she is assuredly in a position to know. This was not speculation. The confusion is not her fault."

She also could have just not tweeted.

[BJR]

Posted: 9/17/21 at 8:41pm

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "A separate source entirely, another reporter who would be in the know (with some digging),had simply this to say when I asked them: "I'm hearing reports of three different projects at various states right now, so truly I do not know which is titled Square One. If he doesn'tclarify in the next couple of weeks I'll shake him down to save my own sanity."

Well, the good news hidden in the confusion is that, with three different projects in varying states of completion, he is far from done, and -- even posthumously -- this sure ain't his last."

I was going to say, it increasingly sounds like there is more than one project. The project Nathan and Bernadette did doesn't sound like Bunuel since that has a larger cast in earlier readings...and wouldn't The Public presumably be producing such a reading if it was?

But that letter saying they're back at work on it has me thrilled. To think we may get two more shows is incredible.

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/17/21 at 9:28pm

My thing is, Sondheim is a notoriously self-admitted slow writer. He’s spent nearly ten years writing the Buñuel piece, would he really have had time to work on this other project? I’m sure anything is possible with free time during pandemic, but it just doesn’t seem likely to me. Of course, I’d be ecstatic with more than one musical.

[joevitus]

Posted: 9/17/21 at 10:30pm

BJR said: "g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "A separate source entirely, another reporter who would be in the know (with some digging),had simply this to say when I asked them: "I'm hearing reports of three different projects at various states right now, so truly I do not know which is titled Square One. If he doesn'tclarify in the next couple of weeks I'll shake him down to save my own sanity."

Well, the good news hidden in the confusion is that, with three different projects in varying states of completion, he is far from done, and -- even posthumously -- this sure ain't his last."

I was going to say, it increasingly sounds like there is more than one project. The project Nathan and Bernadette did doesn't sound like Bunuel since that has a larger cast in earlier readings...and wouldn't The Public presumably be producing such a reading if it was?

But that letter saying they're back at work on it has me thrilled. To think we may get two more shows is incredible."

This fills me with the opposite of confidence. Multiple projects means scattered attention and seemingly no strong commitment to any of them. As LJ points out, Sondheim writes very slowly. And at his age, it's quite possible that, posthumously, all these works will still be unfinished.

If the one that recently had a reading has more financial backing, that could mean he's focusing on it and it will be seen through to completion, but who knows what the chance of that is? Road Show/Bounce (/Wise Guys/Gold!) seems to indicate that those who produce Broadway musicals no longer wish to produce new Sondheim. 

Updated On: 9/17/21 at 10:30 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 9/17/21 at 10:52pm

I think we are getting awfully far afield on the strength of a bunch of unsubstantiated rumors, most of which are themselves equivocal. I am quite confident there is one and only one project under way not matter how much some of us want to dream. Patience. 

[bear88]

Posted: 9/18/21 at 1:41am

This whole thing is as clear as mud. We’ve got TV announcements of a reading and Sondheim’s televised hope to have a new musical ready next season (with a title). We’ve got Twitter gossip. We’ve got a New York Times story that appears to be contradicted by a letter from Sondheim himself, unless it’s not.

It’s a fun little mystery to watch, I must say.

[A Director]

Posted: 9/18/21 at 2:47am

Why are people convinced Nathan Lane and Bernadette Peters were the ONLY actors who were part of the reading?

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/18/21 at 9:39am

A Director said: "Why are people convinced Nathan Lane and Bernadette Peters were the ONLY actors who were part of the reading?"

I was thinking this as well. While the show about the couple would make sense for them, I am sure there’s roles for them in the Buñuel. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 9/18/21 at 10:14am

bear88 said: "It’s a fun little mystery to watch, I must say."

And no one loves puzzles more than Sondheim. 

[Kad]

Posted: 9/18/21 at 12:55pm

Short of an official announcement, at this point everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt. It’s certainly exciting that a project is being worked on, but having a reading and optimistic hopes do not necessarily mean much. How many times have projects been casually mentioned on talk shows or in interviews that never come to pass?

[binau]

Posted: 9/18/21 at 2:13pm

I know you're right...still I would hope/guess that if there was a relatively complete show that Sondheim & Ives weren't embarrassed about one or more of the prestigious off-broadway theatres (i.e. The Public, Playwrights Horizons etc.) would not hesitate to mount it immediately with any cast though. And if the show has Nathan and Bernadette attached and the material perceived to be at least (or hopefully more than) derivative Sondheim, maybe even a chance on Broadway. 

I would guess the biggest thing that might get in the way of the show being mounted somewhere is simply if Sondheim has not/does not finish the material or decides he is not happy with it and stops it from happening. 

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 9/18/21 at 2:24pm

This is probably still the musical inspired by Bunuel's work. Square One is a title that works for a film based on Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, which is a film that often finds it's characters running around in circles. Nathan Lane and Bernadette Peters would also fit the Bunuel types that appear in Discreet Charm and The Exterminating Angel. I also didn't get the impression that the reading was just Lane and Peters and it seems like this will no longer be premiering Off Broadway first. Sounds like it has financial backing for a Broadway opening.

Could it be possible that the reports that the Bunuel project was completely dead were incorrect and it was only dead at The Public?

Updated On: 9/18/21 at 02:24 PM

[binau]

Posted: 9/18/21 at 2:28pm

Nathan Lane was explicit that the reading had Bernadette Peters and a “whole group of wonderful people”.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 9/18/21 at 2:47pm

Georgeanddot2 said: " it seems like this will no longer be premiering Off Broadway first. Sounds like it has financial backing for a Broadway opening.

Could it be possible that the reports that the Bunuel project was completely dead were incorrect and it was only dead at The Public?"

Nothing appears or seems or sounds like anything beyond what has been said (in contradistinction to guessed). There is zero indication it will not premiere off-B (nor would that be inconsistent with having financial backing {of which there is no mention anywhere} nor is there any indication that it was ever "completely dead" {what does that even mean?} or that it was only dead at the Public {including that it would not go forward at the Public if/when it is ready to go forward. Let's try to separate facts from guesses and, above all, be patient. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/19/21 at 12:49am

I still wish we got a good "Bounce" production. I think it's a solid show but just never seemed to gel. 

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 9/19/21 at 1:44am

wasn’t there a rumor several years ago that Sondheim and Ives were adapting one of the segments of All In The Timing as a musical?

[binau]

Posted: 9/19/21 at 4:45am

RippedMan said: "I still wish we got a good "Bounce" production. I think it's a solid show but just never seemed to gel."

hahaha really? The show has had public productions by 3 highly respected (sometimes legendary) directors: Sam Mendes, Hal Prince, John Doyle. They even tried a reading (apparently directed by Eric S) with Bernadette Peters herself involved. I honestly believe if there was any "Gold" in the show these people would have found it. Otherwise, keep trying to revive this dead horse feels a little like a "Waste" at this stage. 

[binau]

Posted: 9/19/21 at 6:27am

Only trying to have some fun:

 

Updated On: 9/19/21 at 06:27 AM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 9/19/21 at 9:20am

binau said: "Only trying to have some fun:

It really bugs me that your square is a rectangle but otherwise I like it a lot. 

But I hear Nathan's contract requires that his name appear on the left...

 

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/19/21 at 12:25pm

binau said: "RippedMan said: "I still wish we got a good "Bounce" production. I think it's a solid show but just never seemed to gel."

hahaha really? The show has had public productions by 3 highly respected (sometimes legendary) directors: Sam Mendes, Hal Prince, John Doyle. They even tried a reading (apparently directed by Eric S) withBernadette Petersherself involved. I honestly believe if there was any "Gold" in the show these people would have found it. Otherwise, keep trying to revive this dead horse feels a little like a "Waste" at this stage."

I agree, we need to be done with this show for now. Road Show has a lovely score with several true Sondheim gems, but the overall book isn’t strong and the characters are hard to relate to or care about. It was quite exciting to hear the score received well by audiences in the recent Encores! staging.

I think what excites me about about the Buñuel piece the most is that the plot of both films is pure Sondheim material, it’s right up his alley. It seems much more fitting than the show about the couple.  

[NameGreg]

Posted: 9/19/21 at 1:58pm

I have no idea what the original films are like, but I have the utmost faith in this being great. Sondheim’s worked on it for long enough to make a quality piece. He’d probably have let numbers come out even if it never got released, but I don’t think he’d make a complete show at his age if he didn’t think he had something strong on his hands.

I’m also so happy at the idea of Nathan Lane doing another musical, though unlike Sondheim writing another show, I figured he had one more musical performance in him. I just got the feeling he wouldn’t want Addams Family to go down as his final musical, not while he had plenty of time left to do another.

[binau]

Posted: 9/19/21 at 2:44pm

If anyone is curious what Nathan Lane and Bernadette sound like together(ish):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgh2MI6s0P8

 

 

[Lunalaaaaaaaa]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 3:12pm

NYTix recently added Square One to their future show lists to premiere in October 2022 at the Bernard B Jacobs Theatre. (Where Company currently is)

They also have The Nanny at the Bernard B Jacobs Theatre to begin previews in March. Although Company will be there until June?

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/27/21 at 8:46am

Now that Sondheim is dead, I wonder what will become of this project.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/27/21 at 9:48am

Everyone is wondering about this. Hopefully if Sondheim knew he wasn’t long for the world, he made arrangements for what would happen with it.