| 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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| Previous: | re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey? - AlanScott 03:50 pm EDT 06/01/23 |
| Next: | re: Hasn't this African-American rewrite been bruited around since pre-pandemic? (re: What do people know about the "rework" of Pal Joey?) - AlanScott 05:41 pm EDT 06/01/23 |
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