Hello Dolly after Bette

[bostonman]

Still like Streisand to take over and little rehearsals needed. She did the movie!!!!!!!

 

I'll say it again. The screenplay is not the same as the stage show. The opening number is different. The song arrangements are different. Plus, movies are not shot in sequence, nor in a short time span. She has NEVER done the actual show. Totally different experience.

 

Let alone that obviously all the staging/choreography would be entirely different than anything she did in the film.

 

She would need as much rehearsal as anyone else would. Maybe more.

 

And regardless - that was almost 50 years ago!

[bostonman]

Still like Streisand to take over and little rehearsals needed. She did the movie!!!!!!!

 

I'll say it again. The screenplay is not the same as the stage show. The opening number is different. The song arrangements are different. Plus, movies are not shot in sequence, nor in a short time span. She has NEVER done the actual show. Totally different experience.

 

Let alone that obviously all the staging/choreography would be entirely different than anything she did in the film.

 

She would need as much rehearsal as anyone else would. Maybe more.

 

And regardless - that was almost 50 years ago!

[N13]

Re: "Hello Dolly" the movie:

..... Just got it in BlueRay and Wow !!!

With all due respect to jerrybythesea, What Movie Did You See??? The movie of "Hello Dolly" has to be one of the worst movies I have ever watched. Gene Kelly's direction is embarrassing! Amature to the extreme. Aside from Streisand being mis-cast, Mathieu walking through his role, Michael Crawford being insipid, while the rest of the cast mugged their way through while chewing the scenery, what could be bad? Even the very bad "A Chorus Line" is a masterpiece in comparison to this debacle. imho

[N13]

Re: "Hello Dolly" the movie:

..... Just got it in BlueRay and Wow !!!

With all due respect to jerrybythesea, What Movie Did You See??? The movie of "Hello Dolly" has to be one of the worst movies I have ever watched. Gene Kelly's direction is embarrassing! Amature to the extreme. Aside from Streisand being mis-cast, Mathieu walking through his role, Michael Crawford being insipid, while the rest of the cast mugged their way through while chewing the scenery, what could be bad? Even the very bad "A Chorus Line" is a masterpiece in comparison to this debacle. imho

[bostonman]

Re: "Hello Dolly" the movie:

With all due respect to jerrybythesea, What Movie Did You See??? The movie of "Hello Dolly" has to be one of the worst movies I have ever watched. Gene Kelly's direction is embarrassing! Amature to the extreme. Aside from Streisand being mis-cast, Matthau walking through his role, Michael Crawford being insipid, while the rest of the cast mugged their way through while chewing the scenery, what could be bad? Even the very bad "A Chorus Line" is a masterpiece in comparison to this debacle. imho

 

You had me until the last line. There is no circumstance on earth where that Chorus Line film is a masterpiece.

 

As Dolly (the stage show) was being developed, at one point, the title was going to be Dolly - A Damned Exasperating Woman. Hard to imagine that, lol - it's good that they changed it. But IMO, that's who Streisand is playing in the movie. Right from that new opening number, she mugs her way through, consciously trying to make sure we know just how damned hard she is working to make it through...and the rest of the film is no respite. Channing was, of course, also very eccentric in her own way - but she had WARMTH, which is ultimately what made you care for her. From what I hear, Midler also has a welcome warmth in her performance. Streisand didn't. She was just playing a damned exasperating woman.

[bostonman]

Re: "Hello Dolly" the movie:

With all due respect to jerrybythesea, What Movie Did You See??? The movie of "Hello Dolly" has to be one of the worst movies I have ever watched. Gene Kelly's direction is embarrassing! Amature to the extreme. Aside from Streisand being mis-cast, Matthau walking through his role, Michael Crawford being insipid, while the rest of the cast mugged their way through while chewing the scenery, what could be bad? Even the very bad "A Chorus Line" is a masterpiece in comparison to this debacle. imho

 

You had me until the last line. There is no circumstance on earth where that Chorus Line film is a masterpiece.

 

As Dolly (the stage show) was being developed, at one point, the title was going to be Dolly - A Damned Exasperating Woman. Hard to imagine that, lol - it's good that they changed it. But IMO, that's who Streisand is playing in the movie. Right from that new opening number, she mugs her way through, consciously trying to make sure we know just how damned hard she is working to make it through...and the rest of the film is no respite. Channing was, of course, also very eccentric in her own way - but she had WARMTH, which is ultimately what made you care for her. From what I hear, Midler also has a welcome warmth in her performance. Streisand didn't. She was just playing a damned exasperating woman.

[+ WilliamM]

Channing was, of course, also very eccentric in her own way - but she had WARMTH, which is ultimately what made you care for her. From what I hear, Midler also has a welcome warmth in her performance. Streisand didn't. She was just playing a damned exasperating woman.

 

Not everyone agrees on who has warmth, and who does not.

 

My comment is not related to the performers who have played Dolly, just a general comment.

[+ WilliamM]

Channing was, of course, also very eccentric in her own way - but she had WARMTH, which is ultimately what made you care for her. From what I hear, Midler also has a welcome warmth in her performance. Streisand didn't. She was just playing a damned exasperating woman.

 

Not everyone agrees on who has warmth, and who does not.

 

My comment is not related to the performers who have played Dolly, just a general comment.

[+ RyanDean]

I have no idea if it would be inspired or horrific but I am perversely fascinated by the notion of Cyndi Lauper doing a run in this role.

[+ RyanDean]

I have no idea if it would be inspired or horrific but I am perversely fascinated by the notion of Cyndi Lauper doing a run in this role.

[bostonman]

I have no idea if it would be inspired or horrific but I am perversely fascinated by the notion of Cyndi Lauper doing a run in this role.

 

That's an interesting idea. No idea as to whether or not she'd want to do it, but interesting...

 

And Kinky Boots is only a block away, lol.

[bostonman]

I have no idea if it would be inspired or horrific but I am perversely fascinated by the notion of Cyndi Lauper doing a run in this role.

 

That's an interesting idea. No idea as to whether or not she'd want to do it, but interesting...

 

And Kinky Boots is only a block away, lol.

[jerrybythesea]

I predict (hope I'm wrong) that Dolly will close after Bette leaves in Jan.Donna Murphy cannot keep it going. But even if it closes, the show made tons of money I am sure. Unless a big name superstar takes over, that will be the end of the line. And keep in mind, the winter months have closed many shows for lack of good sales. Perhaps they will talk Bette into extending her run.

[bostonman]

I predict (hope I'm wrong) that Dolly will close after Bette leaves in Jan.Donna Murphy cannot keep it going. But even if it closes, the show made tons of money I am sure. Unless a big name superstar takes over, that will be the end of the line. And keep in mind, the winter months have closed many shows for lack of good sales. Perhaps they will talk Bette into extending her run.

 

I wouldn't be quite so sure that Murphy "cannot keep it going" - we'll see. (Though they absolutely do need to step up the marketing - if they don't, that's death to the show right there.)

 

But you are right that the winter are the cruelest months, lol. I do hope the show survives that. I still have not seen the show, but most people do say it's a top-notch production in general, and it would be sad to see it go so soon.

[jerrybythesea]

I wouldn't be quite so sure that Murphy "cannot keep it going" - we'll see. (Though they absolutely do need to step up the marketing - if they don't, that's death to the show right there.)

 

But you are right that the winter are the cruelest months, lol. I do hope the show survives that. I still have not seen the show, but most people do say it's a top-notch production in general, and it would be sad to see it go so soon.

 

 

I fully agree

[jerrybythesea]

I fully agree

 

Wondering if Bette would do a movie remake, although, in my opinion, it would be very difficult to top the Streisand orig. If not perhaps a television live event .

[bostonman]

Wondering if Bette would do a movie remake, although, in my opinion, it would be very difficult to top the Streisand orig. If not perhaps a television live event .

 

I do think that Dolly would be great in a TV presentation. I don't know if Midler would do it or not, but I am one of the (seemingly few) people that did love her filmed-for-TV Gypsy in 1993, though part of that also has to do with the faithful treatment of the material in general. (Something which we don't often see much of anymore - the shows are way too adapted/rethought - though of the new live shows, they did leave The Sound Of Music and Hairspray pretty close to the original material. All of the other Zadon/Meron productions, including the big-screen Chicago, have too many changes in them.)

 

The problem is that it seems that the producers of the live TV events (and not just Zadon/Meron at NBC) are going more for the younger set than for those of us who know the classics (the plan for a Bye Bye Birdie has been at least postponed if not scrapped), so it's hard to know if a show like Dolly would even be on their radar at this point. But I'd applaud it. (As long as they don't get Fierstein to horribly rewrite the book, as he did with The Wiz, and as he was doing with Birdie.)

 

I won't comment further on the Streisand Dolly film, as you know my opinions on that, lol. We can agree to disagree.

[jerrybythesea]

I do think that Dolly would be great in a TV presentation. I don't know if Midler would do it or not, but I am one of the (seemingly few) people that did love her filmed-for-TV Gypsy in 1993, though part of that also has to do with the faithful treatment of the material in general. (Something which we don't often see much of anymore - the shows are way too adapted/rethought - though of the new live shows, they did leave The Sound Of Music and Hairspray pretty close to the original material. All of the other Zadon/Meron productions, including the big-screen Chicago, have too many changes in them.)

 

The problem is that it seems that the producers of the live TV events (and not just Zadon/Meron at NBC) are going more for the younger set than for those of us who know the classics (the plan for a Bye Bye Birdie has been at least postponed if not scrapped), so it's hard to know if a show like Dolly would even be on their radar at this point. But I'd applaud it. (As long as they don't get Fierstein to horribly rewrite the book, as he did with The Wiz, and as he was doing with Birdie.)

 

I won't comment further on the Streisand Dolly film, as you know my opinions on that, lol. We can agree to disagree.

 

 

It is a shame that they are targeting younger viewers, but that seems to be the trend.

[bostonman]

It is a shame that they are targeting younger viewers, but that seems to be the trend.

 

Now, of course, NBC is planning to do Jesus Christ Superstar next Easter, which is an older show by anyone's standards (only 6 years after Dolly), but of course I'm sure they're thinking more about the appeal of the mostly-rock score and of Lloyd Webber. There have already been 2 good films of this piece (the successful if rather concept-y classic film version, and a made-for-TV version released in 2000, which I haven't seen since it aired, but remember liking), but it will be interesting to see what the NBC take will be like. (And given its timing with the holiday, I'm sure that even in this day and age there will be some carping about the "contemporary" approach Rice and Webber take with the biblical material - we'll see...)

 

I have to say I wasn't thrilled by the choice of Bye Bye Birdie anyway - I do have a true fondness for the show (I played the Paul Lynde role in a youth production when I was 13, lol), but Zadan/Meron already failed at a TV version once (the Vanessa Williams/Jason Alexander one), and also the feel of the material and plot just have too many similarities with Hairspray, which they did this past year.) And, the book changes that Fierstein was already working on seemed to distort the piece in its own way as much as the original film adaptaion did in the 60's, which wasn't good news. Rumors are they're still thinking of trying it next year, but I hope maybe they just let it go.

[Lankypeters]

Christene Ebersole would make a fine Dolly Levi. Ebersole sings beautifully and has a sharp sense of comedy. And she looks great.

[+ RyanDean]

I just saw that ShowScore lists Hello Dolly's closing as January 14, 2018.

Has anybody seen that news anywhere else?

[bostonman]

I just saw that ShowScore lists Hello Dolly's closing as January 14, 2018.

Has anybody seen that news anywhere else?

 

I haven't heard an official closing notice. I do notice the show's website is only selling tickets through 1/14, but it could just be that they haven't opened the next block yet. Or they may be waiting to see who they will cast in the role before doing so.

 

The Great Comet did announce its closing today - the run will end on Sept 3. Not surprising given the mess that developed with replacement casting. Should have run longer, IMO.

[+ RyanDean]

Okay. Yeah. I bet they're planning to start a new review page for the show post-Bette.

[RenoSweeney]

Ouch. Okay, how about John Barrowman?

 

Rob

[jerrybythesea]

Broadway show prices are way out of reach for most in NYC. Broadway is really for the wealthy and out-of towners. And TDF seats are mainly in the balcony!