Prince of Broadway in Japan!

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 5/28/15 at 2:16pm

"Joining Karimloo in the cast are Shuler Hensley, Nancy Opel, Kaley Ann Voorhees, Reon Yuzuk and others. Hal Prince, the subject of the musical, will direct."

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Ramin-Karimloo-to-Lead-Long-Awaited-Musical-PRINCE-OF-BROADWAY-in-Japan-20150528

Do you think this will ever come to Broadway?

Updated On: 5/28/15 at 02:16 PM

[Odie2]

Posted: 5/29/15 at 3:58pm

Will this have new music or just a mix of greatest hits from shows the Hal Prince directed? I saw the Jason Robert Brown tweeted that he is heading to Japan so I wonder. 

[Tag]

Posted: 5/29/15 at 4:05pm

JRB was initially credited with writing vocal and dance arrangements.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 5/29/15 at 4:10pm

The article says it uses music and lyrics from Prince shows.

[weaselprince71]

Posted: 5/29/15 at 4:25pm

Brown is credited (in the OP's link) for Prince of B'way's "musical supervision and arrangements".  I wouldn't expect much (if anything) in the way of original composition, unless it's along the exceedingly-slender lines of the single original ditty ("God") composed by Himself for Sondheim on Sondheim a few years back.

As I understand it, PoB is very much a greatest-hits compilation -- that's its point, like SoS (or a little more closely, like Jerome Robbins' B'way back in 1987). Whatever thematic through-line Prince may establish to make sense of his own career, I wouldn't expect "new" material in any significant quantity beyond, at most, connective tissue.

But what do I know? I'm just guessing.

Updated On: 5/29/15 at 04:25 PM

[Tag]

Posted: 5/29/15 at 4:50pm

According to an article from 2012 Prince apparently appears in the show as a giant, talking, animated Hirschfeld caricature.

[Odie2]

Posted: 5/29/15 at 5:12pm

"According to an article from 2012 Prince apparently appears in the show as a giant, talking, animated Hirschfeld caricature."

 That sounds pretty strange to me. Why not have an actor play Prince? 

Many chance this moves to Broadway? 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 5/29/15 at 8:14pm

How do the rights work for a show like this? I don't see this transferring or doing well if it does. It's not even a spectacle on the level of the New York Spring Spectacular.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 5/29/15 at 8:28pm

I think Prince is perhaps the greatest musical theatre director...  But he often didn't even stage the most famous song sequences in his musicals (yes, he oversaw them...)  With Jerome RObbins' Broadway and Fosse you could build your review on their great choreography of these production numbers...  Obviously they'll do that here too but...  I don't really get how to do so out of context (anyway it seems to have all new direction and choreography, so...)

[Lovinbroadway2]

Posted: 5/29/15 at 8:29pm

I have the brochure for the production, and translated, a sentence on it says that it's hoping /planning for a West End and Broadway run. So, we'll see. 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/17/15 at 11:14am

RIP It Shoulda Been You http://www.boneaubryanbrown.com/blog/2015/06/cast-and-creative-team-announced-for-world-premiere-of-prince-of-broadway-in-japan/  

[mamaleh]

Posted: 6/17/15 at 11:47am

I don't get it. How does this announcement of a Japanese engagement of PRINCE OF BROADWAY mean that IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU is closing?  Surely, wonderful as he is in the show, Josh Grisetti can be replaced. Or am I missing something?

[ACL2006]

Posted: 6/17/15 at 11:54am

is this the first time a show is having it's pre-Broadway tryout in Japan??

[LarryD2]

Posted: 6/17/15 at 11:59am

"I don't get it. How does this announcement of a Japanese engagement of PRINCE OF BROADWAY mean that IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU is closing?  Surely, wonderful as he is in the show, Josh Grisetti can be replaced. Or am I missing something?"

Sierra Boggess is also already committed to another project beginning before the end of the year. Of course nothing is official but I don't think it bodes well when two of your stars announce new projects ~6 months into your run.

[RW3]

Posted: 6/17/15 at 12:00pm

I'm sure the show will be great, but I wish this was more of an biopic musical about Hal Prince. Anyway, that's just my opinion.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/17/15 at 2:38pm

Thanks, Larry!

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 6/17/15 at 2:59pm

How bad must this be that they had to premiere it in Japan?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/17/15 at 10:33pm

Stroman, really?

JRB is writing one original song, I hear.

[kamicokrolock]

Posted: 6/18/15 at 9:28pm

Part of the press conference they had in Japan on the 17th for the show, in case anyone is interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=151&v=Jwso7RUuwSk

[MDM2015]

Posted: 6/18/15 at 9:40pm

"How bad must this be that they had to premiere it in Japan? "

 I don't think this is about bad or good.  It about money $$$.  I was told the money fell through here... Then money folks in Japan wanted to front its "out of town" in Japan and then, if successful (or not) bring it to B'way.

 

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/18/15 at 9:49pm

I want souvenir eye glasses you perch on your head.

Is someone writing these ideas down?

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 9/6/15 at 4:31am

It looks like the Prince of Broadway site has been updated to include the Act II songs as well as the Act I ones we already knew (well some--I assume the list is incomplete as it seems pretty short...)  I still have no idea how this is all gonna hang together http://pobjp.com/ja/info/news/mnum1.php (the song list is in English as well as Japanese.) 

[kamicokrolock]

Posted: 9/6/15 at 6:32am

Yes, the list for act 2 was left incomplete on purpose. They will be adding more at a later date. They have been slowly adding more to this page as a tease for fans. They also listed who is going to perform what on a few of the songs. This is incomplete as well, and only in Japanese. I suppose I could translate that (I can read kana a bit, and reconize some names in kanji) if people are not happy with using google translate. But not tonight I really need sleep.

There is also a blog now for the show It is on the Japanese site only, fifth tab on the top that reads 

There are pictures from this weeks rehersals there as well as both official instagram accounts for the show.

English account

Japanese account

both have different content.

Updated On: 9/6/15 at 06:32 AM

[HorseTears]

Posted: 9/6/15 at 6:44am

OMG. OMG. OMG.  You guyyyyys.  If you have the Google Translate add-on/plug-in/extension/whatever on Chrome, you've got to let Google translate the that page for you.  Of course, not everything gets translated exactly.  For instance "All I Need Is One Good Break" is apparently from a show called Flora, red threat and "Heart" is a song from that classic musical ****! Yankees.  

[EthelMae]

Posted: 9/6/15 at 11:22am

Please, please include a song from that step-child show Pacific Overtures. I know it's not one of his "hits", but that show always gets the last row. Pretty Lady or Poems or Bowler Hat or Next. And they're opening in Japan! I see that Act 2 songs is incomplete. I'll stay tuned.