tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6956070.post9177926940460893910..comments2023-11-03T11:37:13.579-04:00Comments on Something Old, Nothing New: Fixing the "Superman" MusicalJaime J. Weinmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15128500411119962998noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6956070.post-69831559343182387902010-09-03T12:06:54.567-04:002010-09-03T12:06:54.567-04:00Hi -- Interesting post. I did get to see the revi...Hi -- Interesting post. I did get to see the revisal/revival, and it was fantastic. It "worked" beautifully. I wasn't privy to any behind-the-scenes information -- just a regular theater-goer -- but it didn't seem to me that "everything was blamed on the [orginal] book." As you mentioned, some songs that originally had been cut were added; and not every song that made the cut back in 1966 was left, or even left untouched. "Doing Good" was abbreviated and put in Pa Kent's mouth in a brief Smallville prologue. "You've Got Possibilities" was given to the character of the gossip columnist, who is now herself the columnist, not a columnist's reporter. And it now helps set up a fabulous twist near the end of Act II. "Pow! Zam! Bonk!" is still there, largely untouched so far as I could tell. "We Don't Matter" is now a duet between Sharpe (the gossip columnist, who is "more cynical than Lois," says Clark) and Clark Kent (who takes what used to be Lois' lyrics, sticking up for humanity and its potential). The Entre'Acte was still there (no overture though), although Lois' sappy ballad has been cut from it (since it no longer appears in the show).<br /><br />If you ever get the chance to see this new version in regional theater, which I think is where it will be heading (if anywhere -- DC, sadly and I think unnecessarily, doesn't seem too supportive of future productions) I urge you to do so. I think you will find that, other revisals aside, this one is a great one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6956070.post-63050205721336213872010-09-03T09:17:15.025-04:002010-09-03T09:17:15.025-04:00I seem to recall an interview with Howard Chaykin ...I seem to recall an interview with Howard Chaykin about his rejected pitch for revising Superman (the character) for DC (the job would go to John Byrne). His first splash page would have been Superman flying through the air with headphones on listening to <i>How to Succeed in Business</i>: "You've got the cool, crisp eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth..."<br /><br />The best line to give to Superman in a musical show, and it wasn't in "his" musical.Anthonynoreply@blogger.com