The creative team behind the new Tony Award-nominated Kander and Ebb
musical THE VISIT are hopeful that two of their previous collaborations may be
revived on stage.
A private reading of KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, the Tony-winning 1993
musical that features a book by Tony winner Terrence McNally
and a score by John
Kander and the late Fred Ebb,
took place early this year. The New York Times reported on the exploration that
featured six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald
as Aurora/Spider Woman, Alan Cumming
as Molina and Steven Pasquale as Valentin.
The reading was organized by THE VISIT producer Tom Kirdahy
and directed by Tony winner John Tiffany
(ONCE). McDonald has been attached to the project for several seasons
and participated in earlier private readings of the musical.
When asked during a recent preview of THE VISIT about the status
of the revival's development, McNally offered, "It's really too premature.
But we'd of course love to have it up. It was just a reading. We're still at
the gossip stage."
Kander, the musical's composer, was hopeful that McDonald would remain
attached to the revival. "I hope so because Audra's an amazing performer.
I've promised her any continent she wants if she does this," he laughed.
"I hope they work it out. I don't know much about what the future holds
for it."
Another Kander and Ebb musical that THE VISIT director John Doyle is
crossing his fingers for is their short-lived 1984 show THE RINK. That production,
which co-starred Chita
Rivera and Liza
Minnelli, was the first collaboration between Kander, Ebb and McNally.
The trio (and their star) reunited for SPIDER WOMAN and THE VISIT, with
Rivera earning Tony Awards for the first two shows. She's Tony-nominated for THE
VISIT this year.
Doyle confirmed that at one point a revival had been talked about with
Tony Award winner Patti
LuPone in the role of Anna (originated by Rivera).
"I would love to do THE RINK," Doyle said. " THE
RINK has all the things in it that [THE VISIT] has that I love. You
know, broken relationships, things that went wrong in the past, trying to deal
with that in the present, people who are unafraid of not being very likable...
Fingers crossed THE RINK one day.
in Playbill On-line By Adam
Hetrick / Photos by Martha Swope/NYPL (KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN) & Ken Howard (THE RINK)
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