Just looked him up on wikipedia. He has massive experience including four previous outings with trevor nunn and a huge number of other shows dating back to 1975.

Thanks, Preston. Have you got the link, please?

Sorry m eg I am no good at this, I googled him for wikipedia and it was the first one up. the link for stage and screen.com is on WOS GWTW thread.

Thanks, Preston. link:

 

http://www.musicaltalk.co.uk/episodes_0070.html

alternate link

 

http://www.stageandscreenonline.com/downlo...rohn.html"

 

I'm not to sure about it being hymns and American folk from the civil war. Marching songs and plantation songs - I now have no idea what it's going to be like.

 

Please Meg can you check the second link you gave....web page can't be found

It's on the front page...

 

http://www.stageandscreenonline.com/

well it certainly hasn't made me eager......:(

 

I hope I like it

Bill Brohn talks about a BIG orchestra in GWTW including a full size Steinway piano, but the model of the

theatre shows no pit for this.(I did once go to a show where the orchestra played beneath the stage as there

was no room for it.) Possibly the balcony in the model?

It was also interesting to hear that during the preview performances, when the show was altered the actors

would be rehearsing the newly arranged show during the day, then presenting the old show in the evening

for a few days before the new show was presented. Not entirely different....maybe a song switched to a different

place in the show, or details changed, etc.

Edited March 18, 200817 yr by Bramley

Bill Brohn talks about a BIG orchestra in GWTW including a full size Steinway piano, but the model of the

theatre shows no pit for this.(I did once go to a show where the orchestra played beneath the stage as there

was no room for it.) Possibly the balcony in the model?

It was also interesting to hear that during the preview performances, when the show was altered the actors

would be rehearsing the newly arranged show during the day, then presenting the old show in the evening

for a few days before the new show was presented. Not entirely different....maybe a song switched to a different

place in the show, or details changed, etc.

 

 

We've only seen one half of the model set though, Bramley.

 

I must've lost concentration or something I didn't hear that bit about the Steinway or the bit about the previews. Off to listen again.

listening now, it sounds really interesting - this man William Brohn IS a big name!! I bet dairus can't beleive he is working with such well respected people - it is such an experience!

Just listened to the interviews, oh dear dontlike the sound of the banjo but the mix of the orchestra sounds good. He did say there were ballads of the type of this era.

We've only seen one half of the model set though, Bramley.

 

I must've lost concentration or something I didn't hear that bit about the Steinway or the bit about the previews. Off to listen again.

 

Sorry, bramley, I was being obtuse. I didn't realise there were 2 different interviews.

 

Every person you hear about who's involved in the creative team for this musical, seems to have a real passion for their work and respect for the rest of the team, which does seem to be a cohesive team because they are all so comfortable with each other, having worked together over and over.

 

There's also an interview with Gareth Valentine. It's one he did a year or so ago.

 

http://www.stageandscreenonline.com/downlo..._valentine.html

Edited March 18, 200817 yr by Baytree

I put this one on for interest. I've left the comments in to show that accuracy isn't always needed in the American press either.

 

Portfolio.com

Tara Economics

by Liz Gunnison April 2008 Issue

When Trevor Nunn started planning a musical adaptation of Gone With the Wind for the West End, he wasn't thinking about interest rates and foreign currencies. He should have been. Add a Comment

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Illustration by: Kagan McLeod; photograph of Rhett and Scarlett by Fred Parrish

Blame it on a lousy exchange rate.

 

When Trevor Nunn signed on to direct a musical version of Gone With the Wind in 2003, the director's hometown of London seemed a logical venue. It would be easier for him to mount the Civil War tale there, since local audiences would be less attached than Americans to the movie version, and it would cost between $4 million and $7 million—about half the Broadway rate.

 

 

Working with American producer Aldo Scrofani, Nunn projected that he'd need £4.75 million, about two-thirds of which Scrofani planned to raise in U.S. dollars, for a total of $5 million. But as the production entered the planning stages, the pound's value against the dollar began to climb. The exchange rate, which had been hovering since the early 1990s at $1.60 to the pound, rose to $2.11 in November, then settled at around $1.97. With G.W.T.W. set to open on April 22, Scrofani was still scrambling in February to hit his revised funding goal of $6.2 million. "It's like a silly game," says the producer. "If the exchange rate went to $1.94, I would be completely capitalized. At $2, I'm still short."

 

Other developments have also plagued Gone With the Wind. An invasion of expensive American musicals in the past few years has raised audience expectations when it comes to production values. And exchange rate aside, the cost of staging a show in London has skyrocketed since 2003. Today, a production in the West End is just 5 to 10 percent cheaper than on Broadway. "The budget is a work of art," says Scrofani. "It's probably on its 20th draft."

 

His latest revenue-boosting move was to recruit Darius Danesh, the British equivalent of American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken, for the role of Rhett Butler. While casting Aiken in Spamalot on Broadway last fall hasn't helped that show's weekly grosses, Scrofani hopes that pop singer Danesh will generate media interest and spark ticket sales. "Guess what it will have cost us," Scrofani says. "Nothing."

 

 

 

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Most recent comments:

Posted: Mar 18 2008 02:22am ET

"While casting Aiken in Spamalot on Broadway last fall hasn't helped that show's weekly grosses, Scrofani hopes that pop singer Danesh will generate media interest and spark ticket sales."

Wow! Never heard of Danesh. Ha ha. But who hasn't heard of Clay Aiken? Maybe he was asked to p;ay the part in fall-but yo-journalism 101-he debuted assumed the role of Sir Robin on Jan 18,2008. And sorry for the nay sayers, Clay made ticket sales rebound and they remain strong. Although new to the boards,he is seen as a team player,very well liked, and his performance has been critically acclaimed (and thoroughly enjoyed.)

That Clay had comedy timing,his fans could have told you in 2003. The British accent he says he learned with help from the Geico lizard is a new addition.

By KartofflMuter

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Posted: Mar 17 2008 11:31pm ET

Nancy, Nancy, Nancy,

One of the first things you learn in journalism is to check your facts out, before taking it to print.

As the other comments state, your 'article' is not quite factual.

Edward R. Murrow must be rolling in his grave at the new lows, that journalism reporting has 'dropped' to.

2 months is definitely a lot more recent than 'last fall'. Sales for the first week that Clay performed in Spamalot jumped very high.( I don't remember the exact amount, so see, I don't just throw numbers in there).

I'm unsure, so I don't 'put it to print'. Thanks for an interesting article though.

By SuzyQ

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Posted: Mar 17 2008 10:49pm ET

Here's where you can find the figures for the Broadway shows. http://www.broadwayworld.com/grosses.cfm

 

If the masses of people waiting by the stage door after each performance for an autograph or just a glimpse of Clay are any indication, he's made quite a splash on Broadway. So I think Mike Nichols and Eric Idle are very pleased with their choice.

By Martie

Recommended by 1 Users

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Posted: Mar 17 2008 9:19pm ET

UH, go check your sources. Clay being in Spamalot has increased their take many times over. Watch how much it goes down after May 4th. Clay is bringing them in in droves-and he is getting rave reviews, too! Don't write what you don't know about.

By jean

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By the way, it's not uncommon to have the orchestra under the stage. Sitting near the front is good as, if you lean forward yopu can see them buried away there.

But I thought the orchestrator said the orchestra was definitely not going to be hidden away and that some players could even be in costume.

 

They'd have to be at stalls level though with that Steinway, wouldn't they?

I'll let you know once I've seen it. Maybe every other seat in the front row is an orchestra member. I can see that the band playing in dances and such, or the banjo would be on stage - I just can't imagine a full orchestra. Unless it's like Chicago and the characters work around them. I did like the orchestra being part of that.

I quite like the sound of the banjo. My father used to play it.

 

Yes, I'd think some of the band would be in the Bazaar scene.

 

In the film there's also a sad little bit where the wife of the conductor of the town wordlessly confirms that their son has been killed and he squares his shoulders and gets the band to play "Dixie".

 

I must look out my Chicago programme and see if it says how many musicians there are. They certainly make a great sound.

Edited March 18, 200817 yr by Baytree

I wonder if the orchestra and paino will be at the back of the stage, in the covered area..that did look a bit far away for actors to be using to me on the photo of the theatre, that way the orchestra would be part of the sceney, yet not in your face - its all very confusing as to what we are in for -