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| Chazwaza - I love your passion for this show | |
| Posted by: standingO 01:59 pm EDT 03/16/22 | |
| In reply to: I don't really mean "Have you lost your mind???" - KingSpeed 07:25 am EDT 03/16/22 | |
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| I keep thinking of the line in "My Body": "I know what I'm doing, I know who I am If you got a problem, I don't give a damn" To your point, THE LIFE lead Tony nominations in 1997. 12! It seemed like the favorite in May, although no show was a lock. (STEEL PIER had 11 noms; the real Tony favorite was the revival of CHICAGO). My memory is Rosie's love for TITANIC helped bolster support for that show and helped it win. (I enjoyed TITANIC, but it's pre-Broadway buzz (from Riedel maybe?) was so bad that there was a sense it may be a disaster). Also, THE LIFE's Tony number is one of the few times when the performance mattered for sales. I remember talking to an usher after the Tonys and they said sales picked up after the "My Body" number aired. I wouldn't be surprised if THE LIFE's year-long run was sustained by interest due to that performance. Ah, 1997 Broadway. When Riedel and Rosie mattered nearly as much as Brantley and jukebox-based/movie-based musicals weren't as ubiquitous. Does anyone still wear a hat? |
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| re: Chazwaza - I love your passion for this show | |
| Posted by: JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 03:53 pm EDT 03/16/22 | |
| In reply to: Chazwaza - I love your passion for this show - standingO 01:59 pm EDT 03/16/22 | |
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| The spring of 1997 was such an odd time. There was all this anticipation for a slew of new musicals that would be opening. I mean, come on...a new Maury Yeston musical (TITANIC), a new Kander and Ebb musical (STEEL PIER) and a new Cy Coleman musical (THE LIFE) not only opening in the same season, but all opening that spring. People were vibrating with excitement. The well-received revivals of CHICAGO and 1776 had opened and both were transferring into commercial runs. It was shaping up to be a spectacular end of the season. And then...well...all these shows actually opened. And none of them got the rave reviews. All the reviews were kind of ho hum and shoulder shrugging. TITANIC became a hit of sorts because Rosie O'Donnell liked it and promoted it pretty heavily on her show. In fact, it featured in the animated opening credits. And it later won Best Musical. I felt bad for Manhattan Theatre Club that spring because they'd opened a pretty good little musical down at the old Variety Arts Theatre called THE GREEN HEART (based on a film called A NEW LEAF), with a score by Rusty Magee and a starring turn from Magee's wife, Alison Fraser. THE GREEN HEART couldn't attract press or audiences for love or money because of all the anticipation for the shows opening on Broadway. And, to be honest, that show didn't get strong reviews either (but no better or worse than the shows uptown got), but the creative team kept working on the show and it became a very special little jewel over the course of its run. But no one saw it and no cast album was made. And it disappeared just like THE LIFE and STEEL PIER would. But, at least, those got cast albums. |
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| re: Chazwaza - I love your passion for this show | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 01:18 am EDT 03/17/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Chazwaza - I love your passion for this show - JereNYC 03:53 pm EDT 03/16/22 | |
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| I saw THE GREEN HEART twice. Ruth Williamson had a showstopper in it. Remember that? Something like “The Easy Life.” | |
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| re: Chazwaza - I love your passion for this show | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 07:40 pm EDT 03/16/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Chazwaza - I love your passion for this show - JereNYC 03:53 pm EDT 03/16/22 | |
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| That's a shame, I've never heard of The Green Heart! Obviously because of what you said and the lack of cast album. I feel endless sympathy for the creators and cast of any musical that doesn't get a cast album ... it's nearly impossible to have a life after the premiere production without one. And even if a show is rarely produced and flops, if the score has quality or potential, the album gives the writers a calling card to help lead to other notable projects. How sad. | |
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