ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ย. 2024
- Director Lonny Price and writer Abigail Pogrebin, members of the original cast of Stephen Sondheim and Hal Prince's show, "Merrily We Roll Along," discuss Price's new documentary "Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened," about the cohort of young performers in that 1981 production and what happened to their lives as well as the musical's legacy in the 35 years since the musical abruptly closed after only two weeks on Broadway.
Taped: 11-18-16
Theater Talk is a series devoted to the world of the stage. It began on New York television in 1993 and is co-hosted by Michael Riedel (Broadway columnist for the New York Post) and series producer Susan Haskins.
The program is one of the few independent productions on PBS and now airs weekly on Thirteen/WNET in New York and WGBH in Boston. Now, CUNY TV offers New York City viewers additional opportunities to catch each week's show. (Of course, Theater Talk is no stranger to CUNY TV, since the show is taped here each week before its first airing on Thirteen/WNET.)
The series is produced by Theater Talk Productions, a not-for-profit corporation and is funded by contributions from private foundations and individuals, as well as The New York State Council on the Arts.
Watch more Theater Talk at www.tv.cuny.edu/show/theatertalk
This wonderful film is on Netflix now for anyone interested. Highly recommended.
I happened to be on a sabbatical in New York when "Merrily" was in previews and I believe that I saw the show four times (all with Jim Walton as Frank) over the course of several weeks, the last being on opening night when, amazingly, I was able to get a rear mezzo seat at TKTS. The show was a mess the first time I saw it, but, as Lonny and Abby say in the program, it clearly improved as previews continued, to the point that it was certainly a respectable Broadway musical by its opening. I look forward to seeing the documentary when it gets to this area.
Well I guess there was - and still is - something wrong with me, because I saw that original production (I was 23 and in grad school) and I loved it, I was moved by it, I was devastated by it, I remembered it and I still remember it, and I still prefer that original production over the l later versions I've seen (1994, 2003, and I think one more). I left the theater floating on air but also in tears.
You kids got to me big time.
I haven't seen this documentary yet (it's April 2019 now) because I don't do streaming and I can't buy a copy. I will have to learn how to stream.
Let me know when Stravinsky has a hit!
Don't you have Netflix??? It's on there. you must see it. I've watched it 5 times and cry everytime. it's wonderful.
I recently started listening to the original cast album, basically on repeat, and I love it. I found a (very) poor quality video recording of the original run of the show on YT. I've watched about 30 minutes of it so far. From what I can tell, it starts slow and picks up pace. A lot of the jokes don't really land early on, which is tough to watch. It's also not helped by the fact that it can be a bit tricky to get your bearings on a first viewing.
One thing that gets mentioned a lot is Hal Prince's decision to have the characters wear shirts with their names on them. From what I've seen personally, that was a lazy directorial solution to what was essentially a problem with the book. For a first time viewer, it's tough wrapping your head around meeting these characters at the end of their story arcs, only to be (officially) introduced toward the end of the show.
The ending --> beginning narrative flow is an emotional way of telling the story, but I think there were issues with the book and direction that needed to be resolved, and weren't. I think if the production team had figured out those particular problems, the show probably would have been a hit. The music is excellent, the story is emotionally gripping (once you figure it out), and it's hard not to empathize with these characters, seeing where they started but knowing where they're headed. It's a shame the original cast didn't get an extended run with the show.
Fantastic film, seen three times. Also great was documentary on the recording of Company original cast album.
Looking forward to seeing this. Did it even play in LA?
I had tickets and it closed before I could it
2:20 does anyone know where that footage of Len Cariou as Sweeney Todd is from?? I've been looking for properly filmed footage of his performance for ages but haven't been able to find anything at all except for a bootleg on TH-cam
I think it was from the L.A. production (post-Broadway) which was broadcast (PBS?) back in the 80's and was available on VHS.
@@jimlees2550 oh I see... I thought the L.A. production filmed had George hearn as Sweeney Todd
@@tharanpillay358 I'd have to check, but I think you're right. I'm not sure where the Len Cariou footage came from. From what I've heard most Broadway shows do get video recordings but (unfortunately) the footage tends to be unavailable to the public.
@@shauncagney2811 You are correct. I saw Sweeney 3 times with Len Cariou and once after Hearn took over, all in NY at the Uris (now Gershwin) with that huge stage setting. I also saw the touring production with the reduced staging (movable walkways and such) in Philly with Hearn. I'm certain Cariou only did his original run in NY. After that, everything was Hearn. For years nobody else could handle that role.
I believe the archival recording is, or at least was, on YT. Some of those seem to be leaking out into public sources. Also, there's a delightful 30 aecond TV ad that played in NY during the original run.