When will CHITA close?- Page 2

[Sluggy]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 10:56am

Hey there, Margo -

According to a post on ATC, the Times directory is saying,

"Last Weeks Prior to International Tour."

Haven't seen the Times myself to check it out.

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 10:59am

This has always seemed like a really insular show - I mean, Im as big a Broadway dork as anyone, but if I were in NYC right now, this show isnt even the top of MY list to see.

"camp persona?" - i, too, am curious.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:05am

International? As in overseas? Has she ever performed in Europe? Are there even 50 people in London who have ever heard of her?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:07am

Sleeper2, I don't even know if that is even an option. I don't think Hollywood Squares exists anymore!

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:24am

Sadly Squares is no more...

Peter: Oh Paul

Paul: Yes Peter?

Peter: In Alice in Wonderland", who kept crying "I'm late, I'm late?"

Paul: Alice, and her mother is sick about it.

[Sleeper2]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:25am

Excuse me, my 1970s are showing. Could you pass the botox needle?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:27am

She did BYE BYE BIRDIE and WEST SIDE STORY in London. And we all know Chita is one of the biggest stars in Japan. The cast album of BAJOUR went like triple platinum there. :)

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:29am

Ah...... I see........

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:34am

She also brought her Roxie in the Chicago revival to London, opposite Valarie Pettiford as Velma.

[algy]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:37am

I'm from the UK and I've NEVER heard of her. OK, I'm only 22, but when I first arrived on these boards I was totally mystified as to who she was, and why everyone was so excited about her show.

I can't see it selling very well if it comes over here, although there are a couple of theatres that might be empty for a couple of months as they wait for big new shows.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:39am

Add KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN to her London credits as well. She probably has done enough theatre there actually, to justify a month long run - though yes, "international tour" sounds a little optimistic.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:43am

The Cast Recording of Bajour went triple platinum in Japan?
Updated On: 2/9/06 at 11:43 AM

[DAME]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:49am

I see s little engagement here and there. But I would much prefer her restructuring the show and making it into some kind of nightclub act. She had a killer act in the 70's. What was it called? " Chita plus 2" or somethinglike that? Margo or MB would know.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:52am

Yeah, CHITA PLUS TWO was actually pretty inspired - certainly more so than her current show on Broadway, though it was the same basic concept - but only two dancers - two amazing male dancers from Broadway Dance Machine.

The show partly was better also, because RIVERA, though still an amazing performer now, was really at her absolute peak as 20 years ago.

[DAME]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:58am

And it was written by Kander and Ebb.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 12:00pm

I'm sure one of the reasons Chita really felt the need to evolve her show into something bigger though- is because the "club" circuit doesn't really exist anymore. If she were to try to tour the show, she'd of course end up playing in a lot of 2400 seat auditoriums, and that just wouldn't work.

[DAME]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 12:01pm

You know.. there are some great smaller theaters across the country. All it takes is someone to plan a tour and think out of the box.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 12:16pm

I'd LOVE to hear her Autobio show translated and performed in Japanese. Wouldn't that be fun?

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 12:31pm

Here's a link from playbill.com:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/97844.html
Updated On: 2/9/06 at 12:31 PM

[Edge]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 12:41pm

Thanks Michael Bennett. Is good to see there's at least one person in this blog who doesn't talk out of their ass like Margo and Dottie.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 1:30pm

The producers and directors of this show really blew it to make the show a success. The reviews and board chatter after the SD engagement (which I attended) gave very clear indications as to how the show should be fixed. Instead they made very few changes and this is why the show is sinking.

Chita is wonderful but the show really sucks- the book, the direction, the choreography, the structure. You go in expecting some great biographical tidbits and some great showstoppers. Instead you get bland stories and not one showstopper as far as I'm concerned. The Flaherty & Ahrens songs add nothing to the show and should have been chucked in favor of old favorites.

This show could have been a hit with a different book writer and a different director (Think of what Jerry Mitchell could have done with this!).

[jimmirae]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 3:51pm

I agree fully, and whomever this EDGE poster is she needs to get a life since all she can do is call the rest of us names and such. I think it is Marty Bell actually, trying to figure out if there are any cheap gimmicks left that he hasn't used and that he can afford with what is left of the last million. Chita is Divine, But this show is awful. But look at the bright side, we don't have to look at that creepy kid doing "Young Chita" anymore. WHAT was all that about anyway?
"All That Jazz" is your finale and you have to have that creepy kid next to you to ruin even it? I DO hope this is not up for BOOK or DIRECTION - I think the first death of this show was TM and GD. I agree, Jerry Mitchell would have made it fabulous! He would have dumped the Director, The Book, The creepy Kid and made a night of Theatre worth seeing many times over. Oh well...

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 3:57pm

Couldn't have said it better myself BroadwayBaby6 and Jimmirae, but then again, what would you expect from someone who talks out of their arse!

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 3:59pm

Oh please, just because Edge made a semi-negative comment about Margo does not mean they need to get a life.

I thought it was well known that Chita has performed many times in London. Considering there is an Original London Cast Recording of BYE BYE BIRDIE.


"All That Jazz" is your finale and you have to have that creepy kid next to you to ruin even it?

- Is that really called for? Something I've ALWAYS found hilarious is when grown men (or woman, usually men though) have to poke fun at a child. Don't be jealous because that isn't you up there performing one the best musical numbers in history next to one of the best Broadway dancers in history.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 4:03pm

Who the hell is jealous??? You need to chill out girlfriend!