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| re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 07:08 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
| In reply to: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? - EvFoDr 04:46 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| I have no idea what the revisal will be like, apart from what is in the press release, but I think the show doesn't hold up very well, at least on the page. It's too dark and advanced to be enjoyed as a piece of fluff not meant to make sense, but it's not well integrated and coherent enough to work as we expect modern musicals to work. I am doubtful revisions will make it work (especially revisions taking it this far from the original), but I guess we'll see. |
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| re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 07:34 am EDT 06/01/23 | |
| In reply to: re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? - AlanScott 07:08 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| I've only seen two stage productions of Pal Joey. The 2008 Broadway revival was disappointing, although I did like the performances of Stockard Channing and Martha Plimpton. I thought the interpolation of 2 Rodgers & Hart songs (from other musicals, I assume) was pointless. Matthew Risch was competent, incredibly good looking, and sexy, but lacked the star quality necessary to make the character work, just IMO of course. However, in 2013 I saw the truly outstanding production at Porchlight Music Theatre in Chicago. Adrian Aguilar really nailed Joey Evans and was well supported by Susie McMonagle (Vera), Matt Orlando (Ludlow), Laura Savage (Linda), and Sharriese Hamilton (Gladys). As in the 1940 original, Ludlow and Gladys sang "Plant You Now, Dig You Later" and "Do It the Hard Way". Porchlight's production team was an embarrassment of riches with direction by Mike Weber, Music Direction by Doug Peck, and Choreography by Brenda Didier. I can't imagine I will ever see a better staging of Pal Joey, but I'll keep hoping. |
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| re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 01:23 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
| In reply to: re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? - BroadwayTonyJ 07:34 am EDT 06/01/23 | |
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| Glad to hear that you've seen a good production of Pal Joey, and that it seems to have stuck closely to the original version. Sometimes smallish local theatres really are better than the big theatres. |
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| re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 03:41 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 03:37 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
| In reply to: re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? - AlanScott 01:23 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
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| Well, there's also the legality issue, though in the past that hasn't stopped regional/local theatres from making unauthorized changes, but it's harder to do than it used to be. Broadway productions can often get the kind of support from writers/estates that others can't. But even then, I do agree that changes that are made in the materials don't always work well at all. Trusting that a show will still work as written, without the lure of that big shiny "NEW AND IMPROVED" banner all around it, is often tougher than it should be. |
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| re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 03:50 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
| In reply to: re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? - Chromolume 03:37 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
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| What is interesting to me is that Porchlight seems to have done the 1940 version (really, 1941 version since I would guess they did "What Is a Man?" rather than "Love Is My Friend") when for so long only the 1952 version was available. I don't know if the 1940-1941 version is now generally available or if (now that the 1940-1941 version has been published) Porchlight was given special permission to do the 1940-1941 version. Another factor that I think weighs in some local theatres' decisions is that revised versions, when licensed, generally have orchestrations for fewer players. (I know that's not what you were talking about.) And now I'm wondering if Porchlight was given the original Spialek orchestrations or the 1952 Walker orchestrations. Or if perhaps they simply worked from a piano-vocal score. Anyway, yes, it is now harder for local theatres to get away with revisions and cuts. |
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| Hasn't this African-American rewrite been bruited around since pre-pandemic? (re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey?) | |
| Last Edit: Marlo*Manners 05:11 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
| Posted by: Marlo*Manners 05:06 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
| In reply to: re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? - AlanScott 03:50 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
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| I seem to remember that names like Corbin Bleu as Joey and Vanessa Williams as Vera were being thrown out there. Also wasn't there another rewrite being talked about very long ago with Lena Horne as Vera - maybe Ben Vereen as Joey???? I think a black Joey and a white Vera would be provocative and interesting - Vera really taking a walk on the wild side for that 20th century time period. There was a big hullabaloo about it here and some producers were pushing it for Broadway - this might be a tryout of the new book/revision? Also was the book of the original "Pal Joey" that bad? What I do know is that certain once popular musicals fall out of the repertory due to changes in public taste and fashion. The rights holders then decide to maybe punch up the book (usually) and change stuff to bring it up to date - revisals. The hope is that the revisal will take off and give the show new currency - for example the Lincoln Center revival of "Anything Goes" in the 80's really spurred interest in an old show and is now the standard performing version. It even was the text for the Sutton Foster revivals in New York and London. Also the once popular and often revived "Unsinkable Molly Brown" was reworked in a chamber version off Broadway with Beth Malone and kind of came and went. Then there are the beloved flops with great scores everyone is trying to "fix" - usually a failed hope. I think the estate of Rodgers and Hart have similar hopes. Also that revival of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" with Ashley Park I think was designed to quell criticism of Asian stereotypes in the book with the Chinese white slavers led by Mrs. Meers. Encores was probably working with the rights holders as a launching pad for the new version which hopefully might spur and revival and lead to more regional/amateur productions of a show that was becoming politically incorrect and racially insensitive. Marlo Manners (Lady Barrington) |
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| re: Hasn't this African-American rewrite been bruited around since pre-pandemic? (re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey?) | |
| Last Edit: AlanScott 05:48 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 05:41 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
| In reply to: Hasn't this African-American rewrite been bruited around since pre-pandemic? (re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey?) - Marlo*Manners 05:06 pm EDT 06/01/23 | |
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| Lena Horne and Clifton Davis starred in what was called Pal Joey '78. The much-troubled production played in Los Angeles and San Francisco to negative reviews. Link to more info. [EDIT: ovrtur seems to have gone down for a bit but I imagine the link will be working again in a while.] You are probably right about this new version having been announced as being in the works a few years ago. There have been so many reworkings of Pal Joey that it's hard for me to remember them all. The original book (or at least the 1952 book) has good stuff and, IMO, not-so-good stuff. But it doesn't have much plot, it just sort of meanders around. |
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| Link | Pal Joey '78 |
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