Sondheim's Bounce Becomes Road Show

As many of you know, Stephen Sondheim's latest show will play the Public Theater this fall. Yesterday, the folks involved announced two key developments. First, the show formerly known as Bounce will now be called Road Show. Second, the Public production will star Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani as the Mizner brothers.

The latter certainly makes sense, given that the director will be John Doyle, and the pair appeared in Doyle's roundly praised revival of Sweeney Todd. That and the fact that they're both terrificly talented performers who will certainly do the show proud.

And then there's the name change. This will be the show's fourth appellation. ("Um...pardon the big words I apply, but I was an English major at CCNY...") It was originally known as Wise Guys, then briefly as Gold. Sondheim tells Playbill's Harry Haun that the show has seen some major revisions since its 2003 Chicago and DC productions and subsequent recording, and the shift in focus warranted a new title. Characters have been added and dropped, and the overall theme of the show has shifted from "resilience" (ergo Bounce) to "divergent paths" (hence Road Show).

Hit or flop, triumphant success or resounding failure, a "new" Sondheim show, or even a thoroughly revamped version of a long-gestating Sondheim show, is always cause for celebration. I just joined the Public Theater so that I'll be able to obtain what is likely to be a very hot ticket indeed.

Comments

[E.Iguana]

I'm just someone who's been reading your blog for a couple of weeks and the title alone was enough to hook me. I applaud the I Can Get It For You Wholesale reference! Made my day a little more bright. Thanks.

[Joyce]

I saw Bounce in DC, and although I am a Sondheim fanatic, the show was...terrible. Really dreary. Granted, it wasnt Cerveris and Gemignani, but Ill put Hal Prince up against John Doyle any day. I can only hope things have improved.