Best Director to help create a new hit musical?

[oxfordsimon]

With the news that Jamie Lloyd is working on the new ALW show, who would be your go-to director to help shape a new musical into a hit?

Gone are the likes of Hal Prince.

So who are the real talents who should be part of the creative team for the next hit show?

There are many who have tried. But who is the best musicals director out there?

[darreno]

There's an argument to be made that the Director's role in making the show a hit has become less important with the rise of the viral influence. Certainly not downplaying their role in CREATING the magic, but the social media teams, designers etc. have never been more important.

Look at Heathers for the ultimate example of grabbing their audience and absolutely ringing us for every ounce. (Which is fine by me!)

Recently, CAKE, which had superb talent, great songs and was directed REALLY well, didn't quite ignite. Obviously, there are other issues there (see thread) to account for it closing early, but you can't help but feel if it struck the right notes to create a buzz, things might have been very different.

[ceebee]

Personally for me it would be Matthew Warchus due to him spanning so many genres successfully. I'd also shortlist Luke Sheppard for having the populist touch, and Jamie Lloyd for his deconstructed stripped back approach.

[oxfordsimon]

What experience does Lloyd have with creating a new musical?

Most recently he has been 'reimagining' existing works

I don't know his back catalogue well enough

[oxfordsimon]

Oct 28, 2024 19:29:27 GMT darreno said:

There's an argument to be made that the Director's role in making the show a hit has become less important with the rise of the viral influence. Certainly not downplaying their role in CREATING the magic, but the social media teams, designers etc. have never been more important.

Look at Heathers for the ultimate example of grabbing their audience and absolutely ringing us for every ounce. (Which is fine by me!)

Recently, CAKE, which had superb talent, great songs and was directed REALLY well, didn't quite ignite. Obviously, there are other issues there (see thread) to account for it closing early, but you can't help but feel if it struck the right notes to create a buzz, things might have been very different.

Heathers was based on a cult movie which gave it a huge head start

CAKE - it was very unclear from the marketing as to what it actually was. Which will not have helped.

[darreno]

Oct 28, 2024 20:44:53 GMT oxfordsimon said:

Oct 28, 2024 19:29:27 GMT darreno said:

There's an argument to be made that the Director's role in making the show a hit has become less important with the rise of the viral influence. Certainly not downplaying their role in CREATING the magic, but the social media teams, designers etc. have never been more important.

Look at Heathers for the ultimate example of grabbing their audience and absolutely ringing us for every ounce. (Which is fine by me!)

Recently, CAKE, which had superb talent, great songs and was directed REALLY well, didn't quite ignite. Obviously, there are other issues there (see thread) to account for it closing early, but you can't help but feel if it struck the right notes to create a buzz, things might have been very different.

Heathers was based on a cult movie which gave it a huge head start

CAKE - it was very unclear from the marketing as to what it actually was. Which will not have helped.

I don't think the movie tie in was responsible for the 'ignition' of it. When you consider the age profile of a Heathers crowd, I'd say a lot don't know about the film until after the obsession with the show creeps in. I'd say it's a combination of the branding (those three colours, polo outfits, high school, youth, murder) and the word of mouth/must see feeling. This is, of course, not to mention that the show is near perfect (in my eyes)

CAKE was an interesting one and you're absolutely right, the marketing missed the mark. The show itself was edgy, fun, young, sharp, bright, crisp - The promotional artwork at least, didn't give me that at all.

[ceebee]

Oct 28, 2024 20:41:07 GMT oxfordsimon said:

What experience does Lloyd have with creating a new musical?

Most recently he has been 'reimagining' existing works

I don't know his back catalogue well enough

I think Lloyd approaches everything with fresh eyes - some say reimagining, I say he scrapes away at the flawed masterpiece to find an underpiece. (To shamelessly quote Viv Stanshall...)

[Phantom of London]

Matthew Bourne
Sam Mendez
Michael Grandage
Rob Ashford
Nicholas Hytner
Rupert Goold

[oxfordsimon]

Oct 28, 2024 22:56:51 GMT ceebee said:

Oct 28, 2024 20:41:07 GMT oxfordsimon said:

What experience does Lloyd have with creating a new musical?

Most recently he has been 'reimagining' existing works

I don't know his back catalogue well enough

I think Lloyd approaches everything with fresh eyes - some say reimagining, I say he scrapes away at the flawed masterpiece to find an underpiece. (To shamelessly quote Viv Stanshall...)

I am not looking sure that approach is as well suited to a brand new show as it might be to an existing piece with a performance history.

[Someone in a tree]

How about Robert Hastie? He did a smashing job with Skys Edge and Mincemeat. Albeit he came in at the last minute on the latter. He re worked Miss Saigon. Plus tons of experience on plays and musicals at Sheffield, Donmar, Globe

[SilverFox]

Daniel Evans
Tamara Harvey
both now at Stratford

Thom Southerland
Marianne Elliott

[danb]

I think Luke Shepherd has really proven his worth with new material.

[distantcousin]

Yes, when is Marianne Elliot going to give us another great musical?! (revival or otherwise)


Timothy Sheader?

And don't forget Dominic Cooke - I still think about his magnificent Follies at the NT from time to time!

[bobbybaby]

If I remember rightly Jamie Lloyd directed The Commitments at The Palace. Very trad musical piece. But maybe more a play with music. No sign of the minimalism to come.