Theater lovers and musical comedy historians will soon get a rare window into Broadway’s mid-century misfires as Cole Porter’s seldom-produced 1950 musical Out of This World heads to New York City for a high-profile concert staging via the Red Bull Theater.
The Bottom Line
- The Production: Red Bull Theater is staging a rare concert version of Cole Porter’s 1950 mythological satire, Out of This World.
- The Creative Team: The upcoming performance utilizes a tailored concert adaptation crafted by acclaimed writer and playwright David Ives.
- The Legacy: Originally featuring a book by Dwight Taylor and Reginald Lawrence, the show is remembered more for its sophisticated score than its original Broadway run.
Unearthing a Forgotten Cole Porter Gem in New York City
Cole Porter’s name instantly conjures images of sophisticated syncopation, witty lyrical gymnastics, and the glittering heights of the American golden age. Yet, even masters stumble, and Porter’s 1950 theatrical venture Out of This World has long occupied a fascinating, dust-covered corner of musical theater history. Originally premiering on Broadway at the Century Theatre, the show struggled to secure a permanent place in the standard repertoire despite boasting an immaculate pedigree.
Now, the cultural architects at Red Bull Theater are dusting off the scores and libretto for a specialized NYC concert adaptation. Rather than attempting a full-scale, heavily capitalized revival—a risky financial endeavor in today’s unpredictable off-Broadway and Broadway ecosystem—the company is leaning into the intimacy of the concert format. Here is the kicker: they aren’t using the original book verbatim. Instead, the upcoming performance relies on a sharp concert adaptation penned by David Ives, a writer celebrated for his linguistic dexterity and theatrical wit.
Navigating the Mythology and Mid-Century Book Troubles
To understand why Out of This World vanished from major stages for decades, one has to look at the unique mechanics of its creation. With a book originally authored by Dwight Taylor and Reginald Lawrence, the musical leaned heavily into classical Greek mythology. The plot reimagined the romance of Jupiter and a mortal woman, filtered through the lens of mid-century satirical comedy and the Eisenhower-era American consciousness.
While Porter’s score featured treasures like “Use Your Imagination” and “From This Moment On”—a song famously cut from the original production before being rescued for subsequent cultural immortality—the narrative machinery creaked under the weight of its own ambitions. The original production faced mixed reviews, proving that even a legendary composer couldn’t always override a messy book. By bringing in David Ives for the concert adaptation, Red Bull Theater is smartly addressing the narrative friction that sank the original 1950 run, trimming the structural fat while keeping Porter’s melodic genius intact.
| Production Element | Original 1950 Run | Red Bull Theater Concert (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Full Broadway Staging (Century Theatre) | Concert Adaptation |
| Original Book | Dwight Taylor and Reginald Lawrence | Adapted by David Ives |
| Music & Lyrics | Cole Porter | Cole Porter |
| Primary Appeal | Star-studded mid-century cast | Rediscovery of a rare score & smart text revision |
The Economics of Niche Musical Theater Revivals
In an era dominated by mega-budget jukebox musicals and risk-averse intellectual property transfers, mounting a deep-cut archival piece like Out of This World is practically an act of cultural preservation. Commercial producers often shy away from titles that lack immediate name recognition among casual tourists. Non-profit institutions like Red Bull Theater serve a vital ecosystem function by stepping into the financial breach, absorbing the artistic risk of staging forgotten works.
Industry analysts frequently note that concert adaptations of obscure musicals have become the preferred vehicle for theater companies looking to test the waters of audience appetite without committing to multi-million-dollar capitalization costs. It allows performers to flex vocal muscles usually reserved for the canon while granting historians a clean look at an overlooked chapter of a master’s catalog. As the New York cultural calendar fills out, this particular trip to Mount Olympus promises to be one of the season’s most intellectually engaging evenings for musical theater aficionados.
The Takeaway
Reviving Out of This World isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s a masterclass in theatrical archaeology. By letting David Ives untangle the narrative knots of the original 1950 book, Red Bull Theater is giving Cole Porter’s forgotten mythology the sharp, literate showcase it always deserved. Are you eager to see more mid-century obscurities brought back to life in concert formats, or should the archives stay closed? Let’s talk about it in the comments below.
