Threaded Order Chronological Order
| re: what's become of all the lesser known/newer William Finn musicals? | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 11:06 pm EST 01/04/22 | |
| In reply to: what's become of all the lesser known/newer William Finn musicals? - Chazwaza 10:45 pm EST 01/04/22 | |
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| Actually I'm seeing Romance in Hard Times was revived at Barrington with a new book by Sheinkin in 2014... but then nothing. Did anyone see it? (either production)? | |
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| Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane | |
| Last Edit: Singapore/Fling 12:08 am EST 01/05/22 | |
| Posted by: Singapore/Fling 12:00 am EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: re: what's become of all the lesser known/newer William Finn musicals? - Chazwaza 11:06 pm EST 01/04/22 | |
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| It's my favorite William Finn show, with the caveat that I've never seen it, which might be a plus for this one. There are so many stunning musical numbers, from the opening song to the main character's big solo cri de coeur to the oft-recorded "All Fall Down" to the ravishing "That's Enough for Me", and it's a real crime that Lilias White's performance wasn't recorded, because she was a force of nature in that role. But that being said, it is not a surprise that it's rarely done. It is 100% batshit crazy, and I think it demands that an audience just go along with the absurdity of the show in order to get those gorgeous, gorgeous songs, and not get invested in the strange comings and goings of the plot. It's my number one choice for an Encores! concert that gets us a recording, and a concert setting might be the best way for us to experience the storytelling, which is loose and loopy. BTW, thanks for posting this. It sent me down a very fortuitous internet rabbit hole. |
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| re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 12:05 pm EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane - Singapore/Fling 12:00 am EST 01/05/22 | |
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| It's my favorite William Finn show, with the caveat that I've never seen it and it's a real crime that Lilias White's performance wasn't recorded, because she was a force of nature in that role. But if A is true, then how do we get to B? :-) |
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| re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane | |
| Posted by: Singapore/Fling 02:33 pm EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane - Chromolume 12:05 pm EST 01/05/22 | |
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| Oh, there are ways. Maybe I dreamt it… | |
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| re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 12:22 pm EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane - Chromolume 12:05 pm EST 01/05/22 | |
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| Your post sounds like an alternate verse of "Now". | |
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| re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 06:27 pm EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane - BroadwayTonyJ 12:22 pm EST 01/05/22 | |
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| Ha! Either that, or "See How The Fates Their Gifts Allot." :-) | |
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| Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? | |
| Posted by: Quicheo 10:59 am EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane - Singapore/Fling 12:00 am EST 01/05/22 | |
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| I seem to recall that in a fit of pique after the Public staging, Finn literally threw everything he could out the window to blow away. | |
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| re: Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? | |
| Posted by: Ann 11:20 am EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? - Quicheo 10:59 am EST 01/05/22 | |
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| Which sounds like a good basis for another autobiographical musical. | |
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| re: Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 11:45 am EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? - Ann 11:20 am EST 01/05/22 | |
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| For whom? William Finn or Peter, Paul, and Mary? Bob Dylan's music has already been featured in at least 4 Broadway shows. Here's a challenge: how about a bio-musical about Dylan with a completely original score, perhaps by Jason Robert Brown, something like what Jule Styne did for Fanny Brice and Gypsy Rose Lee? I guess the answer is blowing in the wind. |
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| re: Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 06:29 pm EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? - BroadwayTonyJ 11:45 am EST 01/05/22 | |
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| Am I missing something, or how did Dylan get into this thread?? :-) | |
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| re: Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 11:04 am EST 01/06/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? - Chromolume 06:29 pm EST 01/05/22 | |
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| Quicheo posted that William Finn's orchestrations were blowing in the wind. Ann said that would be the basis for an autobiographical musical. Since Dylan wrote the song "Blowing in the Wind", I (being in a whimsical mood) queried if the proposed show should be about Finn, Dylan, or Peter, Paul, and Mary. | |
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| re: Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 05:15 pm EST 01/06/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Weren't the original orchestrations and lyrics destroyed? - BroadwayTonyJ 11:04 am EST 01/06/22 | |
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| Got it, lol. ;-) | |
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| re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane | |
| Posted by: PJ 07:25 am EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane - Singapore/Fling 12:00 am EST 01/05/22 | |
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| Agreed with everything you say here, S/F. The fact that the original Public Theater production went unrecorded in 1989 is one of the biggest failures of the era. The vocal performances, orchestrations (Starobin at his...most Starobin-esque), and the subject matter and time period/musical style mashup deserve proper preservation. What I wouldn't give for a reunion at the Public, either at Joe's Pub or perhaps even a weekend at the Delacorte (expand the orchestra! put them onstage! celebrate the score and downplay the ridiculousness of the story!), that results in a complete live recording for digital release. If not a true original cast reunion, then maybe Patina Miller or Lilli Cooper could tackle Henny? Sherie Renee Scott as Zoe? Kate McKinnon as Eleanor Roosevelt? It's up there with A NEW BRAIN, FALSETTOS, and ELEGIES as far as Finn scores go. If you don't love those scores, please go read another post. ROMANCE IN HARD TIMES is, to me, the other side of the LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS coin: ambitious, ridiculous off-Broadway musical that requires a just-go-along-with-it attitude from its audience with a score that saves the day every time the story almost careens off the road. Of course, LITTLE SHOP has one clear thread where ROMANCE has a tangled mess. And it has source material. From what I understand, the BSC revision added a "William Finn" character framing device/narrator who explained the fate of the original production. The whole thing got a little smaller, a little simpler, and a little bit more produceable - though I don't think it spawned a single subsequent production. The great orchestrations of the original were dumped and the musical reduction is disappointing. Probably a bad move in hindsight. Hopefully this score doesn't disappear, especially now in the days of semi-easy-to-release cast albums. |
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| re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane | |
| Posted by: tocop 08:36 am EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane - PJ 07:25 am EST 01/05/22 | |
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| A Cast recording is long overdue--saw it 3x back in 1989...the score--a treasure! | |
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| re: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane | |
| Posted by: schauspieler 01:33 am EST 01/05/22 | |
| In reply to: Romance in Hard Times is Incredible and Insane - Singapore/Fling 12:00 am EST 01/05/22 | |
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| I was fortunate to have been invited by a friend to see ROMANCE at The Public and we both LOVED it. My first time experiencing the magnificent Lillias White. I too wondered why the show had such a short life. . |
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