PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!- Page 2
PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
UncleCharlie
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/26/16
#25PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 6:17pm
disneybroadwayfan22 said: "It will premiere in Denmark later this year......with the director of HUNCHBACK...
https://www.theatreworks.org/201718-season/201718-season/prince-of-egypt/
First of all, TheatreWorks is in Mountain View, CA, not Denmark. Second, this is a regional theater. They're not bringing Marin Mazzie out from New York. Third, TheatreWorks has a very good record of producing shows written by minorities and women and casting accordingly. Fourth, with everything going on in this world to be concerned about, if you're ready to start splitting hairs about Sri Lankan versus Egyptian, I truly feel sorry for you. They'll cast who they cast and don't need the approval of anyone on this board.
trpguyy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
#26PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 6:58pm
The website is ambiguous, but it does say:
"Join TheatreWorks as this inspiring world premiere musical begins its international journey towards a
2018 debut in Denmark."
Edit: the BWW article reads, "The Prince of Egypt is set to begin performances on October 6, 2017 in San Francisco and on April 6, 2018 in Denmark."
Sunny11
Broadway Star Joined: 9/3/14
#27PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 6:59pm
UncleCharlie said: Fourth, with everything going on in this world to be concerned about, if you're ready to start splitting hairs about Sri Lankan versus Egyptian, I truly feel sorry for you. They'll cast who they cast and don't need the approval of anyone on this board.
So would you be ok if say Mindy Kaling was cast to play Celie in The Color Purple? She has brown skin so that's good enough qualification to play a character of African descent.
#28PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 7:09pm
disneybroadwayfan22 said: "darquegk said: "Was there this level of outrage when Aida premiered a decade ago, or when it's been performed in regionals since?"
I'm pretty sure that the love interest and Amneris are supposed to be white. Aida was kidnapped as a slave."
her captors were Egyptian I'm pretty sure? so they should have been non-white.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
#29PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 8:20pm
trpguyy said: "The website is ambiguous, but it does say:
"Join TheatreWorks as this inspiring world premiere musical begins its international journey towards a
2018 debut in Denmark."
Edit: the BWW article reads, "The Prince of Egypt is set to begin performances on October 6, 2017 in San Francisco and on April 6, 2018 in Denmark."
Here, it says in October-November 2017.
https://www.theatreworks.org/201718-season/
But, oh god, I'm listening to Deliver Us and I'm scared of how Scott could screw up the number. Granted it is obviously challenging, but damn his direction for Bells of Notre Dame was lazy at some parts.
#30PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 8:23pm
This would be the perfect show to bring Julie Taymor back to broadway with!
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
Updated On: 2/14/17 at 08:23 PM
#31PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 8:30pm
Call_me_jorge said: "This would be the perfect show to bring Julie Taylor's back to broadway with!
"
Dear God, PLEASE! This show deserves so much more!
VintageSnarker
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/30/15
#32PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 8:50pm
darquegk said: "I suspect the film's greatest visual will be impossible to replicate onstage: Moses, escaping the palace in his Jean Valjean moment, removes his wig and makeup, transforming visually from an Egyptian into a Hebrew."
I think a reasonable representation could be achieved with some creativity though of course it wouldn't be the same. The best way I can imagine achieving that same level of spectacle would be at the Met Opera.
JennH said: "The plot isn't about "race'. The only thing we have to go by is Egyptian. And yes it makes perfect sense to not have a snow white cast. Even though historians don't know what these people actually looked like, we can certainly assume that they're weren't lily skinned considering the location and climate. So we're literally basing what the cast should look like based on LOCATION. [...] What am I missing? This issue really is a show-by-show basis, you can't blanket the "If the plot isn't about race, then cast whoever" to everything ever written and created."
What are you talking about? It's about the Hebrews and the Egyptians. It's not Les Miserables. It's about race.
JennH
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/14/13
#33PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 9:31pm
VintageSnarker said: "darquegk said: "I suspect the film's greatest visual will be impossible to replicate onstage: Moses, escaping the palace in his Jean Valjean moment, removes his wig and makeup, transforming visually from an Egyptian into a Hebrew."
I think a reasonable representation could be achieved with some creativity though of course it wouldn't be the same. The best way I can imagine achieving that same level of spectacle would be at the Met Opera.
JennH said: "The plot isn't about "race'. The only thing we have to go by is Egyptian. And yes it makes perfect sense to not have a snow white cast. Even though historians don't know what these people actually looked like, we can certainly assume that they're weren't lily skinned considering the location and climate. So we're literally basing what the cast should look like based on LOCATION. [...] What am I missing? This issue really is a show-by-show basis, you can't blanket the "If the plot isn't about race, then cast whoever" to everything ever written and created."
What are you talking about? It's about the Hebrews and the Egyptians. It's not Les Miserables. It's about race.
"
Yes and no...its not about an ethnic war. Don't get me wrong, I see your point, but that's not what this piece is about. It's about two "brothers" who come to be each others enemy later on life and a bible story happened to be used to tell it. The plot is about Moses and Rameses relationship. That's the driving force of this piece.
Disneyonbroadwayfan-I agree wholeheartedly. If BofND is any indicator, he will absolutely screw up that number and it's a damn shame. Actually he'll just screw up this whole thing which is even more of a shame because this music is among the top, if not THE top, of his fathers best work. These songs...I can never get enough of them.
TAYMOR....HOLY CRAP WHY CANT THIS HAPPEN???!!!! Please someone start a petition...I don't want to see this epic masterpiece that could be one of the most amazing things created for the stage ruined by Schwartz family nepotism....
#34PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 9:43pm
JennH said: "Disneyonbroadwayfan-I agree wholeheartedly. If BofND is any indicator, he will absolutely screw up that number and it's a damn shame. Actually he'll just screw up this whole thing which is even more of a shame because this music is among the top, if not THE top, of his fathers best work. These songs...I can never get enough of them. "
Yeah, I'm considering a trip all the way down to CA just to see it on stage. Besides money (I'm already going to CA in July), Scott's directing skills are the reason why I'm hesitating.
VintageSnarker
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/30/15
#35PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 9:44pm
JennH said: "Yes and no...its not about an ethnic war. Don't get me wrong, I see your point, but that's not what this piece is about. It's about two "brothers" who come to be each others enemy later on life and a bible story happened to be used to tell it. The plot is about Moses and Rameses relationship. That's the driving force of this piece."
I get your argument but you could also say that Miss Saigon is about a romantic relationship or Aida is about a love triangle. Those things are true but they don't change the fact that race is relevant to the plot. Compare that to RENT where actors with similar backgrounds tend to get cast in the individual parts but race isn't a factor in how they interact with each other.
theatregoer3
Broadway Star Joined: 3/8/13
#36PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/14/17 at 11:52pm
"Yes and no...its not about an ethnic war. Don't get me wrong, I see your point, but that's not what this piece is about. It's about two "brothers" who come to be each others enemy later on life and a bible story happened to be used to tell it. The plot is about Moses and Rameses relationship. That's the driving force of this piece."
Sure. It's about two brothers who become enemies...IN AN ETHNIC WAR. It's about an entire RACE of people fleeing their captors/abusers.
#37PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/15/17 at 12:00am
Stephen Schwartz is again content to sink an entire show and everyone involved for the sake of patting his boy on the back. Hunchback had by far the worst direction of any professional production I have ever seen. And that incompetence ruined its chances. It's a disgrace that Scott has been handed this. Inexcusable.
#38PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/15/17 at 2:15am
perfectlymarvelous said: "But did you really just use the phrase "colored people," qolbinau? More than once?
"
Yes. Apologies, as I am not American I am not aware of some of the culturally sensitivities around language.
"So why is your assumption that the woman of color they (hopefully) cast will automatically not be as talented as Marin Mazzie?"
Well the assumption is that anyone they cast to replace her, whether white or not white, will likely not be as talented (because if I look at what my criteria of talent is and how it would be spread throughout the Broadway community, Marin is high in a spectrum with few peers). In my own subjective opinion, I would probably guess the average black female (in particular) would actually be more appealing vocally to me than the average white female in said replacement. But the issue here is not about race for me.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 2/15/17 at 02:15 AM
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#39PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/15/17 at 2:33am
This is also a regional production and not a big regional production, no? Is there any seed money? So I wouldn't expect miracles.
JennH
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/14/13
#40PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/15/17 at 1:27pm
disneybroadwayfan22 said: "JennH said: "Disneyonbroadwayfan-I agree wholeheartedly. If BofND is any indicator, he will absolutely screw up that number and it's a damn shame. Actually he'll just screw up this whole thing which is even more of a shame because this music is among the top, if not THE top, of his fathers best work. These songs...I can never get enough of them. "
Yeah, I'm considering a trip all the way down to CA just to see it on stage. Besides money (I'm already going to CA in July), Scott's directing skills are the reason why I'm hesitating.
"
SAME. I'm from that area of Cali, and am so tempted to bone up the money and just go because even though it's Scott (grumble) I still need more than air to see this on stage regardless of my feelings on how good it is. I felt the same about Hunchback. The end product was borderline terrible but I'm still glad I got to see its first incarnation on stage anyway. I just want to see PofE in its first incarnation as well, but dammit nepotism...if Scott were actually a good director I wouldn't care about it as much.
Theatregoer and vintagesnarker-fair enough. Yes race has a part in the plot but I never considered it THE plot. But yes its there.
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#41PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/15/17 at 2:30pm
Scarywarhol said: "Stephen Schwartz is again content to sink an entire show and everyone involved for the sake of patting his boy on the back. Hunchback had by far the worst direction of any professional production I have ever seen. And that incompetence ruined its chances. It's a disgrace that Scott has been handed this. Inexcusable. "
I 100% agree with this post and just wanted more people to see it so here it is again.
theatregoer3
Broadway Star Joined: 3/8/13
#42PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/15/17 at 2:51pm
"Theatregoer and vintagesnarker-fair enough. Yes race has a part in the plot but I never considered it THE plot. But yes its there."
Race is literally the plot. They become enemies because they are different races. One race is oppressing another race. The oppressed race rises up and flees. There are more finer points within that and I'm grossly oversimplifying, but you make a grave mistake if you think that race is simply one aspect of this story. This story has been told throughout the centuries by a race, a people, who have been oppressed again and again throughout history. Ignoring that is ignorant and offensive. I'm sorry if folks on here are uncomfortable with these discussions and those that are can skip this part of the convo, but to those who say that race has nothing to do with the story of Moses, you are 100% incorrect.
#43PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/15/17 at 4:18pm
Now I certainly would not want to see a non-black cast in the Colour Purple, Dreamgirls etc. but are we really that consistent when it comes to attitudes towards cross-racial casting? For example, we can accept and celebrate a black Valjean (I certainly have no issue here). We can also accept an Asian Aladdin (if it were a white Aladdin I can just imagine the protests now).
What is it about race that we are so protective in certain situations? I'm thinking that perhaps because there does seem to be a history of discrimination on the Broadway stage and the arts more generally based on race that maybe it seems offensive when there is finally a role that could be more appropriate for a non-white person, it still goes to a white person anyway. And in certain situations (e.g., Color Purple/Dreamgirls etc.) - white actors may not suit the style, make it hard to buy-into the story and the subtext of an oppressor playing the oppressed is just wrong. I can sympathise to these kinds of reasoning. Are there other reasons?
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
theatregoer3
Broadway Star Joined: 3/8/13
#44PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/15/17 at 6:28pm
"Are there other reasons?"
Research cultural appropriation. It's a popular topic. Specifically, the majority appropriating from minorities vs. minorities appropriating from the majority. You're kind of discussing that in your post, but it would be helpful to explore it further. It's complex and controversial to say the least. In simple terms, the latest cultural and philosophical discussions focus on the idea that the majority should not appropriate from minorities, but that the minorities could appropriate from the majority because historically, the majority has always appropriated minorities' culture to the detriment of the minorities. I hope that helps or at least provokes thought :)
#45PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/15/17 at 7:18pm
disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "This would be the perfect show to bring Julie Taylor's back to broadway with!
"
Dear God, PLEASE! This show deserves so much more!
"
And you think Scott would do better?
Julie probably has the most interesting ideas out of any broadway director ever. She may have brought Spider-Man into financial ruin, but that doesn't mean she isn't a visionary director. When held by the reins she does amazing work.
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
#46PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/15/17 at 10:46pm
Jorge, I think they were agreeing with you, saying that they hoped they'd pick someone like her and that the show deserves so much more than Scott. Could be reading it wrong, though.
Formerly gvendo2005
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05
Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05
Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky
JennH
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/14/13
#47PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/16/17 at 10:04am
g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "Jorge, I think they were agreeing with you, saying that they hoped they'd pick someone like her and that the show deserves so much more than Scott. Could be reading it wrong, though.
"
That's how I read it as well. As in this show (like Hunchback) deserves every bit of justice to the fantastic work it is without being destroyed by his own son...but of course they seem to have the same ideas lately so it's no wonder he keeps having Scott direct his own works.
This is epic material they have to work with, and is my favorite work of Stephens because it really is him at his best because those at Dreamworks/Katzenberg allowed Him to fly without being hampered by Eisenberg instead if anyone remembers how that all went down...
The thing about adapting films to stage is that some need to be worked and tweaked for it to work on stage, you can't just throw them on a stage and expect it to go well. But this is a rare exception. You could just throw this on stage with some stage elements to help with scene transitions, expand those scenes, wrote some more songs for the appropriate moments, and it's all good. This film already works SO damn well that's there's hardly any changes in terms of storyline that need to change. All it needs is expansion to make it a two hour musical and that's it. B and the B and LK were the same way.
Yes it deserves MUCH more than Scott and Taymor would SOAR with this. But are we sure we're not just saying this because "Africa and LK"? 
Someone here said as long as she has an already well written story to work with/doesn't play writer as well as director, she's great. SO TRUE. And this is just the ticket. Why oh why can't this happen...
#48PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/16/17 at 11:34am
g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "Jorge, I think they were agreeing with you, saying that they hoped they'd pick someone like her and that the show deserves so much more than Scott. Could be reading it wrong, though.
"
Yes, I was. Basically, anyone over Scott, but Julie is a dream!!
#49PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!
Posted: 2/16/17 at 3:54pm
"Our first act is living proof that nepotism is alive and well!" -Squidward in "Culture Shock"
http://puccinischronicles.wordpress.com
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