This week I caught the Off Broadway hit Red Speedo about a swimmer who thinks he needs performance enhancement drugs. It was a totally solid thought-provoking play and if that sounds like faint praise it's only that because the raves have been so breathless. I had front row seats (not intentional) which is a weird angle with which to see this show because the pool part of the stage looms large in front of you (you do get splashed). I don't mind getting wet so I wished they'd used the pool part of the well designed stage a little more. The actors were uniformly terrific so if you're interested in the topic, by all means go.
But back to Broadway itself. After finally seeing The King and I, one of last year's Tony winners, and the news that Hello Dolly will finally return (with Bette Midler!) after decades of invisibility, thoughts turned to shows that rarely get revived. Some shows like Les Miz & Gypsy & Fiddler on the Roof and a handful of others seem to return to the big stage every 4 or 5 years. It begs the question of why others are never revived. So herewith a list!
10 Longest Running Shows That Have Not Been Revived in Over 20 Years
Not a qualitative list but factual based on how long the show ran.
01 Oh! Calcutta! - the nude musical revue closed in 1989 after two very successful multiple-year runs. Why no third?
02 Life With Father -Broadway's longest running straight play ever closed way back in 1947 the same year the film version came out. Among its 1939 opening night cast was future Oscar winner Teresa Wright.
Julie Andrews was famously denied recreating her "My Fair Lady" role on the big screen. But she became a huge movie star anyway
03 My Fair Lady the classic Pygmalion inspired musical had several revivals but apparently fell out of fashion for producers in the early 90s. Every once in a while you hear about a film remake or a revival but they never happen. The film version was named 1964's Best Picture by the Academy.
04 The Magic Show a one-act musical which starred the magician Doug Hennings (who was big in the 70s). It ran for four years. The music was by Wicked composer Steven Schwarz
Has anyone seen this 1980 movie?
05 Gemini was a culture clash family dramedy --Sigourney Weaver was in the cast before it went to Broadway -- set in a blue collar neighborhood. It played for 5 whole years (which is a lot for a non-musical) and closed back in 1981. The play featured future Oscar nominee Danny Aiello (Do The Right Thing). They made a movie of it called Happy Birthday, Gemini (1980) which featured Madeline Kahn and Rita Moreno. Why have I never heard of either? (Perhaps it's an Off Broadway revival which closed basically as soon as it opened in the 90s)
06 Deathtrap was a twisty comic thriller about a writer and a married couple. It played for four years and got a much publicized movie version when it closed with big stars at the time Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, and Dyan Cannon. Strange that it has never been revived on Broadway. Why not? Was it the twist ending that everyone knows now or the fact that said twist might feel dated?
07 The Wiz was a big hit in the late 70s so it must have been a disastrous revival in the 80s (13 performances) that killed the desire to bring it back all these years? After the recent very successful TV Live version maybe someone will try it again.
08 Ain't Misbehavin' based on the songs of Fats Waller and starring the late great Nell Carter was another black musical with a successful 70s run and an 80s revival. But it's been dormant since.
09 The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas ran for four years and ended with the film version in theaters in 1982. Surely there's more money to be made with that one? It's famous. It's funny. It's got three showstopping roles for the right star actors plus several boisterous ensemble dance setpieces.
10 Mary Mary was a comic play starring Barbara Bel Geddes about a divorce couple trying to stop an IRS audit. It ran for three and a half years or so in the early 60s and was made into a quickly forgotten film in 1963 starring Debbie Reynolds. Perhaps the material is dated? Who knows but it's now quite an obscurity!
And, an alternate list...
Four musicals I personally hope to see revived
- The Wild Party - LaChiusa wrote a stronger musical than its sole Broadway production suggested. With the right team it could have a huge second life. I've fantasized about a movie version of this one so many times. And its limited set would make for an unusually inexpensive period musical unless they felt the need to 'open it up' *shudder*
- Falsettos - great songs and it would be interesting to see this with 2016 eyes after all the advances in gay rights. (There is supposedly a revival of this gay musical coming late this year but it's already been moved back at couple of times.)
- Parade - Because Jason Robert Brown is not appreciated enough.
- Grand Hotel - this closed in 1992 and was never revived but I've always loved the 1932 Best Picture winner its based on so seeing it produced would be fun