Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Does "Company" ever get done locally?

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bandray
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Topic: Does "Company" ever get done locally?
Posted: 2/03/11 at 6:27pm

I've just discovered this wonderful Sondheim gem. It's certainly not his most well known piece...not even close but it's completely sucked me in.
How often, if ever, is it done locally around the country?

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edh915
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Posted: 2/03/11 at 10:58pm

It's not done nearly as often as it should be. It's definitely in the top five on my "Best of Sondheim" list. But most groups seem to overlook it in favor of "Sweeney Todd", "Into the Woods", and "Assassins". I guess the darkness of those three shows resonates more strongly with audiences (or at least, theatre groups) of the 21st century. I don't particularly like "Sweeney", "Woods", or "Assassins." I can admire them, but that's not the same as liking them. I'm more of a hopeful "Forum", "Night Music", "Company" "Sunday in the Park" type of person.

Please do "Company" if you can. It's like planting a tree on Arbor Day. It's the right thing to do, and it'll make you feel good about yourself.

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NDTENOR
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Posted: 2/04/11 at 12:35am

I really like the music of "Company" but don't really like the story ..... for which we all know .... there really is no "story". "Company" is like the T.V. show Seinfield... it's a show about "nothing" ... a show about "life" in Manhattan .... but it has no "deeper" meaning.

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Tallsor
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Posted: 2/04/11 at 9:11am

The Kansas City Rep did it back when it was still the Missouri Rep, 2000-2001 season. That's the last time I've seen it in the Kansas City area.

And I think there is deeper meaning, NDTENOR - it's about relationships, and the constant push to singles to find that 'special someone' (typically of opposite sex) and how it tends to get worse the older you get. It's also how no relationship is perfect - how singles wish they were married, and married people sometimes wish they were single.

As you can see, I love the show (although I hated the 'play your own instrument' version that PBS videotaped).

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SpenceKenzer
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Posted: 2/04/11 at 1:36pm

One of our city's CT's did Company, back in 1996 or 1997 I think. (I got to play Larry). It's a great show, on a relatively small scale.

--------------------<*>
Saludos, my dahlinks, and you know who you are ... !

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bandray
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Posted: 2/04/11 at 4:16pm

Are there any copies of a performance of the original cast?

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KEB54
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Posted: 2/07/11 at 5:59pm

My CT did it in 2008. The local University is doing it in about a month.

PBS recorded the last performance of the Broadway revival about a month after our CT's production closed. It is very good. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/shows/company/index.html

KEB

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NDTENOR
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Posted: 2/10/11 at 11:01pm

Bandray:

I'm sure Amazon has can get you a copy of the original production CD of Company. I have a copy that I got a few years ago. Historically interesting because Dean Jones (as Robert) did most of the music but was canned shortly into the Broadway production. And then Larry Kurt was brought in ( the original Tony in West Side Story ) and he won the Tony for best lead actor in a musical. And then about 20 years later Sondheim added a song for the revival ( because he IS Sondheim, after all.) So there are at least a couple of "original" versions out there.

Again.... I like a lot of the music.... but it's not on my top 20 list of favorite musicals.... because it really has no story.

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bandray
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Posted: 2/13/11 at 10:47pm

I was trying to find a DVD or video of a performance of the original cast (Jones or Kurt) but alas I don't think one exists.
I do know about the DVD of the recording of the cast album and have seen that.
I'd really like to see the original production though. I know I'm not alone lol.

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NDTENOR
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Posted: 2/14/11 at 8:10am

My general impression is that, unfortunately, a video of the original production doesn't exist. Ah, yes, if only there was a nice "original" production video for many shows like they did for Sondheims "Into the Woods". They would definitely be worth their weight in gold.

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Author	Message
bandray Walk-On Joined: 7/30/10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Topic: Does "Company" ever get done locally? Posted: 2/03/11 at 6:27pm
	I've just discovered this wonderful Sondheim gem. It's certainly not his most well known piece...not even close but it's completely sucked me in. How often, if ever, is it done locally around the country?

	IP Logged

edh915 Celebrity Joined: 11/19/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 2/03/11 at 10:58pm
	It's not done nearly as often as it should be. It's definitely in the top five on my "Best of Sondheim" list. But most groups seem to overlook it in favor of "Sweeney Todd", "Into the Woods", and "Assassins". I guess the darkness of those three shows resonates more strongly with audiences (or at least, theatre groups) of the 21st century. I don't particularly like "Sweeney", "Woods", or "Assassins." I can admire them, but that's not the same as liking them. I'm more of a hopeful "Forum", "Night Music", "Company" "Sunday in the Park" type of person. Please do "Company" if you can. It's like planting a tree on Arbor Day. It's the right thing to do, and it'll make you feel good about yourself.
	IP Logged

NDTENOR Star Joined: 1/18/11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 2/04/11 at 12:35am
	I really like the music of "Company" but don't really like the story ..... for which we all know .... there really is no "story". "Company" is like the T.V. show Seinfield... it's a show about "nothing" ... a show about "life" in Manhattan .... but it has no "deeper" meaning.
	IP Logged

Tallsor Star Joined: 2/24/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 63	Posted: 2/04/11 at 9:11am
	The Kansas City Rep did it back when it was still the Missouri Rep, 2000-2001 season. That's the last time I've seen it in the Kansas City area. And I think there is deeper meaning, NDTENOR - it's about relationships, and the constant push to singles to find that 'special someone' (typically of opposite sex) and how it tends to get worse the older you get. It's also how no relationship is perfect - how singles wish they were married, and married people sometimes wish they were single. As you can see, I love the show (although I hated the 'play your own instrument' version that PBS videotaped).
	IP Logged

SpenceKenzer Star Joined: 1/23/09 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 71	Posted: 2/04/11 at 1:36pm
	One of our city's CT's did Company, back in 1996 or 1997 I think. (I got to play Larry). It's a great show, on a relatively small scale.
	--------------------<*> Saludos, my dahlinks, and you know who you are ... !
	IP Logged

bandray Walk-On Joined: 7/30/10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 2/04/11 at 4:16pm
	Are there any copies of a performance of the original cast?
	IP Logged

KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 2/07/11 at 5:59pm
	My CT did it in 2008. The local University is doing it in about a month. PBS recorded the last performance of the Broadway revival about a month after our CT's production closed. It is very good. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/shows/company/index.html
	KEB
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NDTENOR Star Joined: 1/18/11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 2/10/11 at 11:01pm
	Bandray: I'm sure Amazon has can get you a copy of the original production CD of Company. I have a copy that I got a few years ago. Historically interesting because Dean Jones (as Robert) did most of the music but was canned shortly into the Broadway production. And then Larry Kurt was brought in ( the original Tony in West Side Story ) and he won the Tony for best lead actor in a musical. And then about 20 years later Sondheim added a song for the revival ( because he IS Sondheim, after all.) So there are at least a couple of "original" versions out there. Again.... I like a lot of the music.... but it's not on my top 20 list of favorite musicals.... because it really has no story.
	IP Logged

bandray Walk-On Joined: 7/30/10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 2/13/11 at 10:47pm
	I was trying to find a DVD or video of a performance of the original cast (Jones or Kurt) but alas I don't think one exists. I do know about the DVD of the recording of the cast album and have seen that. I'd really like to see the original production though. I know I'm not alone lol.
	IP Logged

NDTENOR Star Joined: 1/18/11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 2/14/11 at 8:10am
	My general impression is that, unfortunately, a video of the original production doesn't exist. Ah, yes, if only there was a nice "original" production video for many shows like they did for Sondheims "Into the Woods". They would definitely be worth their weight in gold.
	IP Logged