The votes are in (including a late ballot from Ryan – but we’re easy-going at the Tri-State Theatre blog). To recap, we invited readers to name the shows they’d like to see a local theatre group present. Who know, this may help one of the local groups choose an upcoming show!
As expected, there are lots of shows on the list, and most of them got a single vote. By the slimmest of margins, though, our winner is: “Guys and Dolls!” The gangster musical was last staged locally several years back by Huntington Outdoor Theatre (HOT) – looks like it’s time for a revival!
There's a three-way tie for second place: “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Man of La Mancha” and “1776.” “Drowsy” is still on Broadway and it’ll probably be at least a few years before it’s available to community theatre, but it’s definitely one to look forward to. “La Mancha” is a terrific show, and it’s hard to understand why this one hasn’t been produced locally (although it’s no doubt a challenging show). “1776” has been on stage a few times locally, with Marshall, HOT and ARTS tackling it – but it’s a great show, and I'd be glad to see it again.
The rest of the shows got only a single vote, but they’re all well worth considering. Here they are in alphabetical order with a brief comment from yours truly:
“A Year With Frog and Toad” - (I love this show)
“Beauty and the Beast” - (Ditto, but a huge undertaking financially)
“Evita” - (I’d love to see this one locally)
“The Full Monty” - (Ditto, but don’t expect me to audition for it) ;-)
“A Gilbert & Sullivan musical” – (This would be awesome. Hello, MU?)
“Jekyll & Hyde” – (I believe this was staged in Ashland – a great show)
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – (An all-time favorite, last presented by First Stage)
“The Last Five Years” – (I know lots of people who love the music to this one)
“Little Women” – (Excellent suggestion!)
O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" – (Another great suggestion, and a real challenge)
“Meet Me in St. Louis” – (This one would be a lot of fun)
“The Producers” – (Another fave – can’t wait to see it locally)
“Rent” – (The adult content makes it a tough show to do locally, but it has terrific music)
“The Secret Garden” – (Great choice and a literary classic)
“Shenandoah” – (Surely someone has done this locally. If not, what are you waiting for?)
“Sweeney Todd” – (This would be awesome, but a major challenge)
“Tommy” – (I’d buy a ticket right now)
“Urinetown” – (Ditto)
“White Christmas” – (Surely someone will do this soon – it’s a natural)
“Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” – (As long as it’s based on the original movie, I’ll be there. Gene Wilder rules!)
And that’s our list for 2007. So there you go, local groups – some ready-made suggestions for great shows to add to your schedule.
Readers, thanks for taking part in our informal poll! Shall we try this again next year, just for fun?
4 comments:
These are all great suggestions! I hope we see some of these in the near future. I'm pulling for "Man of La Mancha"!
Another idea I meant to suggest is the possibility of doing a show that would ordinarily be costly and difficult to stage as a concert version (much like the 10th anniversary "Les Miserables" concert, or the more recent "Sweeney Todd" featuring Patti LuPone, which are available on video) Providing the rights would be available, it may make it more affordable to tackle even very extravagant shows like Phantom of the Opera" and "Sunset Boulevard". I don't know if the rights are less expensive for a concert version or not, but it would eliminate the cost of building a gothic theatre with catacombs or a hollywood mansion. ;-)
I can dream.
That's an excellent suggestion, and one well worth looking into. I have no idea how much the concert rights would be - I would think that they'd be quite a bit lower than the full show, but that's just a guess. I have the "Les Miz" DVD you mention (and have virtually worn it out), and I love the concert presentation, with the singers in costume. You're right, that would be about the only way to manage a show like "Phantom." Heck, helping with the construction of the "Les Miz" barricade (when First Stage did the show last year) about did me in!
I would like to see "Of Mice and Men"...."To Kill A Mockingbird"
they are not musicals, but they are classics.
Both are excellent choices! I remember seeing "Of Mice and Men" at Marshall more years ago than I'd care to admit - it was a great show and it's definitely long overdue for a return visit. Marshall's Theatre Dept. did "Mockingbird" just a year ago, I think. I wish I could have seen it, especially since the cast included my pal Autumn Seavey - but unfortunately, it was sold out!
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