Dan Gould Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 It looks like Broadway will be kept safe from Barry Manilow's schmaltz: Manilow's Musical Shuts Down Production By JESSE McKINLEY Published: November 14, 2003 "Harmony," a Broadway-bound musical written by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, unexpectedly shut down production yesterday morning after it became apparent that its producers were millions of dollars short of capitalizing the show. ... With original music by Mr. Manilow, the popular 1970's and 80's singer, and a book and lyrics by Mr. Sussman, "Harmony" tells the story of the Comedian Harmonists, the vaudevillian German sextet, during the fall of the Weimar Republic. It was originally produced in 1997 at the La Jolla Playhouse in California. It received mixed reviews but had been rumored to be coming to Broadway several times since that production. In its current incarnation, the show featured Brian d'Arcy James, leading a cast with 26 other now newly unemployed actors. .... Mr. Manilow, who was on a plane yesterday afternoon, also sounded angry at his producer. "My heart breaks for the hundreds of talented men and women who will be hurt by this colossal blunder," he said in a statement. "We all deeply hope that this situation can be corrected and that this powerful piece will finally be seen." Quote
Joe G Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 I thought this was going to be about his other musical, "Copacabana". I actually played in the orchestra pit for that one when it came to East Lansing. It was a hard book. Which is not to say that it was good... at all... Quote
JSngry Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Hey, it's always a drag when a project goes sour, so I feel for the cat on that level, no matter how lame it might (or might not!) have been. Barry deserves a break today, so why doesn't he get up and get away to... Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Yeah, and raise him up a crop of Dental Floss. Quote
JSngry Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 You guys are so YOUNG!!! Think jingles, think hamburgers, think what Manilow did for a living BEFORE he became such a schmuck, even before he was Bette Midler's Musical Director (and as such, earned a profile in Down Beat where he expressed his admiration for jazz in general and Gerry Mulligan & Art Farmer in particular!) Think... Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Go HERE and click on "A Very Strange Medley (V.S.M.)" (track 5). Doesn't include what Jim's talking about, but it does happen to include another well known theme (at least to those of us here in the U.S.). Quote
Big Al Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Manilow: "I don't understand how this could happen. I mean, it worked for Abba...." Quote
JSngry Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 I am! but it hurts Sorry, Dude. Manilow is the composer (and performer) of the "legendary" (at least in America, guess my provencialism's showing, sorry) "You deserve a break today, so get up and get away to McDonalds" jingle. Lest we come down on him TOO hard for that, remember - it was Jackie & Roy who did the "Feelin' groovy, just had my Cheerios" spot. A buck's a buck. Quote
Dan Gould Posted November 14, 2003 Author Report Posted November 14, 2003 Didn't he also compose "And like a good neighbor, State Farm is there ..."? I knew someone who's wife loved Manilow and would drag him to concerts. I think he said that Barry usually does medleys of his famous jingles. Quote
couw Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 So when's Quartet Out gonna do that Chili Beans commercial that pays them so handsomely that they can invest in a tour of Europe and then come out REAL big? Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 remember - it was Jackie & Roy who did the "Feelin' groovy, just had my Cheerios" spot. I'm afraid to ask, but here goes anyway... Which Jackie?? - and which Roy?? Quote
couw Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 the first option in the list you get if you do a search on "Jackie Roy" on AMG ... Quote
Out2Lunch Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 [ Which Jackie?? - and which Roy?? -Those guys that did the act in Vegas with the lions and tigers, I think. Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 the first option in the list you get if you do a search on "Jackie Roy" on AMG ... Whew... I was afraid it was going to end up being Jackie McLean!!!! Quote
JSngry Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 (edited) So when's Quartet Out gonna do that Chili Beans commercial that pays them so handsomely that they can invest in a tour of Europe and then come out REAL big? Our collective integrity prohibits us from endorsing a product in which we do not believe, and we do NOT eat chili with beans - that is supremely un-Texan! (however, a good group of pseudonyms is always a beer or two away... ) Edited November 14, 2003 by JSngry Quote
Jazzmoose Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 You guys are so YOUNG!!! Maybe so, but you had me singing the song in my head, and Couw's "Montana" cracked me up!! Quote
JSngry Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 YOU, being my age, approximately, are NOT young! But you, being my age, approximately, are not old either. Quote
AfricaBrass Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Organissimo should sell out and do McGriddle commericals. because.... The syrup is baked right in! Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Funny you should mention jingles because Randy got some weird email from a cat who wants us to write a jingle for his new product which is called the "Snatchmaster". I am not lying. But I am very scared what a snatchmaster might be considering he wants women moaning in the commercial. I am not lying. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Perhaps a rowdy organ trio version of Evil Woman...or do you guys have the Divinyls' I Touch Myself in your book? Quote
Free For All Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Barry deserves a break today, so why doesn't he get up and get away to... Yeah, on his tunes the syrup's REALLY baked in. Don'tcha know. Quote
AfricaBrass Posted November 14, 2003 Report Posted November 14, 2003 Yeah, on his tunes the syrup's REALLY baked in. Don'tcha know. Man, that's the truth! Quote
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.