At 2:23 PM -0400 6/18/06, Andrew Stiller wrote:
On Jun 17, 2006, at 4:31 PM, John Howell wrote:
Part of my orientation is that we've been pretty conservative and
done mostly shows that are older, sure-fire, and will draw good
audiences. "Annie" may be the latest we've done, and that's
approaching 30 years old. And even though "Kate" falls into that
category (opened in 1948), this is my first experience with a
modern Broadway orchestration.
I've been biting my tongue about this ever since this thread
started, but I can't stand it any more. Why in the world would
anyone do a reorchestrated version of *any* broadway musical if they
possessed the forces and money to put on the original version?
In our case because our Board (some theater amateurs there, but no
musicians) ordered the Revival version last fall while I was still
studying the piano-vocal scores and original cast CDs of both
versions, and didn't tell us until later. I think they flipped a
coin!
But to speak to your real question, I wonder how many authorized
productions of any musical actually use the full original
orchestration with the number of players mandated by local 802 when
they had real power on Broadway, and how many end up with
synthesizers and a few single instruments.
More to the point, why would anyone *attend* such a performance?
Well, given that mounting a revival on Broadway probably costs 10
times what it cost to mount the original production, it would seem
that revivals DO attract New York audiences and extend the earning
life of a show. (I'm not arguing that revivals are a good idea,
please understand, but for every revival there's an accountant
somewhere who said, "Do it!")
Yes I know Cole Porter didn't do his own orchestrations, but the one
that was done in his name is clearly what he wanted, to the extent
that it is extensively detailed in the vocal score.
There's a new piano-vocal score for the Revival.
By contrast, the original scenery, blocking, etc. are only vaguely
specified in any of the published performance materials. That is
because they were not integral to the work itself--but the
orchestration clearly is.
But to speak to your original question, I wonder how many
"authorized" productions of any musical actually use the full
original orchestration with the number of players mandated by local
802 when they had real power on Broadway, and how many end up with
synthesizers and a few single instruments. Because we use community
volunteers, I work hard to fill all the original chairs, but
sometimes even we have to compromise.
Opera directors argue similarly when they want to change the millieu
of the action. I can see that it really is an artistic decision
(driven by economics, as theater always is) whether to do either an
opera or a musical as a true revival (true to the original in all
details) or as a rewrite and update (which is then incongruously
advertised as a "Revival").
If you want to do Cole Porter's _Kiss Me Kate_, do Cole Porter's
_Kiss Me Kate_--not somebody else's travesty of it.
It need not be a travesty, although it easily can be. Having studied
both versions of "Kate," I think it has been done with rather a lot
of integrity. Examples: Lilli's two love songs have been dropped a
minor third, while her coloratura bit is as the original. Why not;
actors in 1948 didn't wear mics, and actors today do. The 1948
orchestration by Robert Russell Bennett (Incidental Ballet Music
Arranged by Genevieve Pitot) captured the essence of late 1940s jazz
style very well, but jazz style has changed over the past 50 years.
I find Don Sebesky's rescoring BOTH true to the original AND subtly
updated to contemporary jazz style. You, of course, may differ.
Another decision a contemporary director has to make, in shows 40 to
60 years old, is whether to keep topical references that would have
been known to everyone in the audience at the time, but will be
unknown to 90% of today's audiences. "Kate" is full of such
references, including the reaction of General Howell (no relation!)
when Truman beat Dewey--which I believe would have happened just a
month and a half before the show opened! I don't think many of those
references can be changed without REAL rewriting of the entire script.
but I did vow: never again. Goodbye for good, Broadway--until you
come to your senses. I'd rather see an honest highscool production.
I won't disagree, except to note that even an honest high school
production is going to have to deal with obscenities, such as they
were at the time. Would you enjoy a show titled "Darn Yankees"?
John
--
John & Susie Howell
Virginia Tech Department of Music
Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A 24061-0240
Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034
(mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED])
http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html
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