Harmony Broadway Show

[LuCruise]

Thanks for sharing the info. Interesting...so Chicago moves from Allure to Harmony. Mamma Mia moves from Quantum to Allure.

[MADflyer]

The Spanish and French RCI share the same office. They just released first. The German and Swiss RCI pages use the same art on the Harmony intro page as on the others, but the content has not been completed.

 

http://www.harmonyoftheseas.es/#entertaintment/2

 

The Spanish version of the same website states:

 

ESPECTÁCULOS DE BROADWAY

 

Prepárate para emocionarte con los grandes musicales de Broadway como el apasionante espectáculo de fama mundial como Mamma Mia o Chicago, galardonado con los mejores premios a nivel mundial.

 

 

BROADWAY SHOWS

 

While difficult for me to translate directly, in English I would paraphrase as:

 

Prepare to be 'WOWed' by the greatest musicals from Broadway, like world famous Mamma Mia or Chicago, both top award wining shows worldwide.

[Elizanessie]

I think whatever Broadway show they have on Harmony it will be a new one to RCCL...not one they have already had for 5 years.

 

I believe the wording on the website/flyers etc is just as an example of what kind of show it will be ..."Chicago, Mamma Mia"...it is not actually saying which one it will be.

 

They always make an annoucement of the Broadway show for a new build.

[3dog]

No need to speculate.

 

http://harmonyoftheseas.fr/#entertaintment/2

 

It's chicago!

 

SPECTACLES DE BROADWAY

Les plus grandes comédies musicales de Broadway vont bientôt vous éblouir ! Installez-vous confortablement dans votre siège car vous allez être notamment subjugués par l’œuvre Chicago, un spectacle électrisant de renommée mondiale et récompensé aux Prix Tony®, Olivier et Grammy Awards.

 

 

For those that don't speak french

 

 

BROADWAY SHOWS

 

 

The greatest Broadway musicals will soon dazzle you! Get comfortable in your seat because you will be overwhelmed by the work including Chicago, an electrifying spectacle of world-renowned and awarded the Tony®, Olivier and Grammy Awards.

 

 

PS. That site is great wish they had a North American equivalent.

 

I don't quite share the enthusiasm for the the conclusion. My French isn't that good (not that my Spanish is much better), but as I read the flyers it seems more like "watch Broadway musicals similar to Chicago or Mama Mia" not "watch the Broadway musicals Chicago or Mama Mia" (though the French flyer doesn't include Mama Mia".

 

I also agree with Elizanessie in that I would speculate it would be a new show, not one that is moved or even duplicated from another ship.

 

On the other hand, they know how existing shows work, and already have rights, so it isn't totally unreasonable to think that they might replicate an existing show (though it doesn't follow the current pattern).

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Some shows no one has mentioned that could play well to a cruise ship audience: Singing in the Rain, Thoroughly Moden Millie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 9 to 5, Catch Me if You Can, Footloose, How to Succed in Business, Bye Bye Birdie.

 

If you look at RCCLs history with Broadway Shows the are going for mass appeal and somewhat recent - Saturday Night Fever, Hairspray, Chicago, Mamma Mia, CATS, We Will Rock You.

 

Grease, 42nd Street, Will Rogers Follies, Crazy For You have all been done by NCL in the 90s. There may have been others but those are the four I remember distinctly.

 

Some of the other shows folks have pointed out are either too complex or casting/subject matter that could be seen as inappropriate.

[Merion_Mom]

And THIS is what happens when the Mods of Cruise Critic merge two different threads!

 

:eek: :eek: :eek:

[bob brown]

What about the older classic musicals. like:

 

Oklahoma

Carousel

Showboat

My Fair Lady

Annie Get Your Gun

and many more...

 

I left out some that have large casts of children...

Are these 'too hokey' or dated for modern audience's?

 

To me, their music is timeless....:)

[2disneydads]

What about the older classic musicals. like:

 

Oklahoma

Carousel

Showboat

My Fair Lady

Annie Get Your Gun

and many more...

 

I left out some that have large casts of children...

Are these 'too hokey' or dated for modern audience's?

 

To me, their music is timeless....:)

 

Some of those shows, while great shows, would not work on a cruise ship. Showboat is almost operatic in scope and runs close to three hours - editing it for a cruise ship would be difficult. The cast also is huge. In addition, it touches on sensitive issues of race (with depressing results) that a cruise line might want to avoid. My Fair Lady also requires a large cast - probably larger than a cruise line would want to carry. Oklahoma and Annie Get Your Gun could work well on a decently sized stage with good technical equipment. If Hairspray could be done a ship, either of these shows could be done. Carousel really needs outstanding lead performers, and it does have a large cast.

 

My candidates for good cruise line shows would include Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Cinderella," which just had a good run on Broadway, has a beautiful and witty score and would capitalize on the current success of Disney's new "Cinderella" movie; "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (which someone else had mentioned), which tours constantly, had a long and success Broadway run, is really tuneful and fun and can be done with simple sets; and "Seussical," which is a lovely small show based on the works of Dr. Suess. All of these are suitable for families but also appealing for adults. There are many more, but these are some I would suggest.

[m-dfromjersey]

R&H musicals like "Oklahoma" seem like a good idea on paper, because they're known commodities, but I don't know how well they go over with modern audiences because they're generally long and, frankly, kinda dull. If you're replacing the production show with a known "Broadway" show, it has to be able to appeal to all audiences, and I don't think R&H fits the bill anymore. And as much as I love Irving Berlin's work, I don't know that you're going to get younger audiences to sit through AGYG without a big star (like Reba) in the lead role.

 

Some mid-century musicals could play well on cruises because they've been revived and reinvented often enough to appeal to a broad audience. How to Succeed, for instance, has been revived twice in the last 20 years, and each time featured one of the biggest stars of his generation (Matthew Broderick in the 90s, Daniel Radcliffe more recently).

 

However, I think a show like "Nice Work if You Can Get It", which enjoyed a decent run in NY, could play well at sea. It's a jukebox musical of sorts, as it amasses familiar Gershwin tunes from a few different sources and works them into a new narrative; classic tunes + modern storytelling = a probable hit at sea. It also benefits from having a nicely gender balanced cast, and doesn't require it's leads to be triple-threats.

 

Re: "Cinderella" - The fact that it's R&H's version means kids who go in expecting to hear Bibby-Bobbity-Boo are going to be very disappointed. That said, I understand the production was pretty well received. Playing off Disney's success might be a bit tough, given that TWDC/DCL would almost certainly clamp down on any attempt to draw a parallel.

 

Oh - one thing just occurred to me about "Joseph" - traditionally, it's performed with a Greek chorus of children. So...that could be an issue, although not an insurmountable one.

 

And as for the (seemingly foregone) conclusion that it's "Chicago" loading into Harmony...I adore "Chicago" (did two productions of it as a kid), but it's a little disappointing to hear this news (if true). it's a brand new ship, you'd expect it to get a brand new show.

[ahecht]

If we're going with classics, what about A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum? It's pretty accessible and not too technically challenging.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

R&H musicals like "Oklahoma" seem like a good idea on paper, because they're known commodities, but I don't know how well they go over with modern audiences because they're generally long and, frankly, kinda dull. If you're replacing the production show with a known "Broadway" show, it has to be able to appeal to all audiences, and I don't think R&H fits the bill anymore. And as much as I love Irving Berlin's work, I don't know that you're going to get younger audiences to sit through AGYG without a big star (like Reba) in the lead role.

 

Some mid-century musicals could play well on cruises because they've been revived and reinvented often enough to appeal to a broad audience. How to Succeed, for instance, has been revived twice in the last 20 years, and each time featured one of the biggest stars of his generation (Matthew Broderick in the 90s, Daniel Radcliffe more recently).

 

However, I think a show like "Nice Work if You Can Get It", which enjoyed a decent run in NY, could play well at sea. It's a jukebox musical of sorts, as it amasses familiar Gershwin tunes from a few different sources and works them into a new narrative; classic tunes + modern storytelling = a probable hit at sea. It also benefits from having a nicely gender balanced cast, and doesn't require it's leads to be triple-threats.

 

Re: "Cinderella" - The fact that it's R&H's version means kids who go in expecting to hear Bibby-Bobbity-Boo are going to be very disappointed. That said, I understand the production was pretty well received. Playing off Disney's success might be a bit tough, given that TWDC/DCL would almost certainly clamp down on any attempt to draw a parallel.

 

Oh - one thing just occurred to me about "Joseph" - traditionally, it's performed with a Greek chorus of children. So...that could be an issue, although not an insurmountable one.

 

And as for the (seemingly foregone) conclusion that it's "Chicago" loading into Harmony...I adore "Chicago" (did two productions of it as a kid), but it's a little disappointing to hear this news (if true). it's a brand new ship, you'd expect it to get a brand new show.

 

I agree with most of your points with one exception..... "Nice Work" really requires triple threat leading stars. They need perfect comic timing, vocal chops and dance skills. Having seen Kelli O'Hara and Matthrew Broderick on Broadway it really requires top-shelf talent to pull off. The staging of "S'wonderful" was nothing short of a singing triathlon.

Edited March 23, 2015 by scottamiller

[LuCruise]

What about the older classic musicals. like:

 

Oklahoma

Carousel

Showboat

My Fair Lady

Annie Get Your Gun

and many more...

 

I left out some that have large casts of children...

Are these 'too hokey' or dated for modern audience's?

 

To me, their music is timeless....:)

 

Obviously a very personal opinion, but I'm not a fan of the older musicals. (Possibly the same for younger crowds and families)...but whatever they pick, it won't appeal to all anyways as everyone has their own taste.

[Beachammo]

I hope they bring a new show to the new ship.

 

Hate getting Allure's hand me downs.....lol

[lexxfield]

"ANYTHING GOES" by Cole Porter would be my choice. It's set on a cruise ship.....