Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory has commissioned its first musical, An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville, which will have its world premiere at the Costa Mesa, CA theater September 5 through October 5.
SCR has a strong history of developing new plays. Notable premieres include Margaret Edson's Wit, Craig Lucas' Prelude to a Kiss, and Richard Greenberg's The Violet Hour (one of the many productions I've enjoyed at SCR).
An Italian Straw Hat was inspired by Eugene Labiche's 1851 French vaudeviste, Un chapeau de paille d'Italie. John Strand wrote the book and lyrics. Music is by Dennis McCarthy. Stefan Novinski directs. Dennis Castellano is the musical director.
The show stars Daniel Blinkoff as a hapless bridegroom whose horse has eaten a young lady's hat. He must replace the hat in order to save his wedding.
Other cast members are Alan Blumenfeld, Patrick Kerr, Damon Kirsch, Kasey Mahaffy, Richard Doyle, Michelle Duffy, Matthew Koehler, Melissa van der Schyff, and Erika Whalen.
I'm looking forward to seeing this one.
Source: Playbill
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Thursday, August 14, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Sondheim Bounces Back with "Road Show"
Stephen Sondheim's oft-reworked musical about brothers Wilson and Addison Mizner — most recently titled Bounce — is getting yet another incarnation, under the name of Road Show.
The musical chronicles the picaresque lives of the Mizner brothers from the Alaskan Gold Rush of the 1890s to the Florida land boom-and-bust of the 1920s. Frequent Sondheim collaborator John Weidman wrote the book of the musical.
The show was originally developed as Wise Guys. It premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in October 1999, with Sam Mendes directing. Nathan Lane and Victor Garber starred.
Another version, briefly known as Gold! but later retitled Bounce, was produced at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Harold Prince directed. Richard Kind and Howard McGillin played the Mizner brothers. Jane Powell played their mother. A new character — a dance hall girl played by Michele Pawk — was added to the show.
Bounce also ran at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., but never made it to New York. However, a cast album of Bounce was recorded and released.
The new version, Road Show, no longer includes the title song, "Bounce." Sondheim kept most of the music from that song, but wrote new lyrics. Also, the character of the dance hall girl is no longer in the show. Sondheim says there is no title song for Road Show, and the new version is an amalgam of the Mendes and Prince productions, with new material.
The new production, directed by John Doyle, will be staged at the Public Theater October 28 through December 28. Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani play Wilson and Addison Mizner. Alma Cuervo is Mama, Claybourne Elder is Hollis, and William Parry is Papa.
Personally, I can't wait to see what Sondheim does next with this show. Bounce always seemed a lesser work, one I never warmed up to in the way I did with, say, Passion, which I've come to love. But any new Sondheim music is a major event, even if the show itself has been down that road before.
Source: Playbill and Broadway World
How to Buy Broadway Tickets
The musical chronicles the picaresque lives of the Mizner brothers from the Alaskan Gold Rush of the 1890s to the Florida land boom-and-bust of the 1920s. Frequent Sondheim collaborator John Weidman wrote the book of the musical.
The show was originally developed as Wise Guys. It premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in October 1999, with Sam Mendes directing. Nathan Lane and Victor Garber starred.
Another version, briefly known as Gold! but later retitled Bounce, was produced at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Harold Prince directed. Richard Kind and Howard McGillin played the Mizner brothers. Jane Powell played their mother. A new character — a dance hall girl played by Michele Pawk — was added to the show.
Bounce also ran at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., but never made it to New York. However, a cast album of Bounce was recorded and released.
The new version, Road Show, no longer includes the title song, "Bounce." Sondheim kept most of the music from that song, but wrote new lyrics. Also, the character of the dance hall girl is no longer in the show. Sondheim says there is no title song for Road Show, and the new version is an amalgam of the Mendes and Prince productions, with new material.
The new production, directed by John Doyle, will be staged at the Public Theater October 28 through December 28. Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani play Wilson and Addison Mizner. Alma Cuervo is Mama, Claybourne Elder is Hollis, and William Parry is Papa.
Personally, I can't wait to see what Sondheim does next with this show. Bounce always seemed a lesser work, one I never warmed up to in the way I did with, say, Passion, which I've come to love. But any new Sondheim music is a major event, even if the show itself has been down that road before.
Source: Playbill and Broadway World
How to Buy Broadway Tickets
Monday, August 11, 2008
First Chance to "See Rock City"
A new pop-rock musical called See Rock City & Other Destinations is being presented at Barrington Stage through August 23. Book and Lyrics are by Adam Mathias. Music is by Brad Alexander. Kevin Del Aguila directs.
The show is a musical travelogue about tourists, venturing across America, who need to get a little lost in order to find themselves.
See Rock City won the 2007 Jerry Brock Award and the 2008 Richard Rodgers Award.
Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist William Finn oversees the Musical Theatre Lab in Pittsfield, MA, where the show is getting its first full staging.
Source: The Boston Globe
How to Buy Broadway Tickets
The show is a musical travelogue about tourists, venturing across America, who need to get a little lost in order to find themselves.
See Rock City won the 2007 Jerry Brock Award and the 2008 Richard Rodgers Award.
Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist William Finn oversees the Musical Theatre Lab in Pittsfield, MA, where the show is getting its first full staging.
Source: The Boston Globe
How to Buy Broadway Tickets
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Weekend Roundup: 7/28 - 8/3
I've been in rehearsals for a showcase all this week (I'll be performing two scenes, two songs, and a monologue), so this week has been a little lighter on the news front.
This week at Broadway Musical:
Broadway Ticket Prices Increase for Aisle Seating
Whoopi Goldberg Joins Xanadu on Broadway
Mary Testa Stays Up for Sleepless Variations
Broadway Brigadoon Belayed
Luck is a Lady for Guys and Dolls Revival
How to Buy Broadway Tickets
This week at Broadway Musical:
Broadway Ticket Prices Increase for Aisle Seating
Whoopi Goldberg Joins Xanadu on Broadway
Mary Testa Stays Up for Sleepless Variations
Broadway Brigadoon Belayed
Luck is a Lady for Guys and Dolls Revival
How to Buy Broadway Tickets
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Broadway Ticket Prices Increase for Aisle Seating
Would you be willing to pay more for an aisle seat?
Well, prepare yourself, because the next time you take in a Broadway show, the convenience of aisle seating may soon come with a premium price tag.
Three plays — Spring Awakening, Gypsy, and The Seagull — are introducing a new pricing policy that reflects the added value of sitting in an aisle seat. In each case, the increase applies to orchestra seating only. Also, aisle seats must be purchased in pairs.
The Broadway revival of The Seagull, starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Peter Sarsgaard, opens on September 16 at the Walter Kerr Theatre. Aisle seats will cost an additional $25.
For Spring Awakening, currently playing at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, the aisle seats are priced $23 higher.
At the St. James Theatre, Gypsy — starring Patti Lupone, Boyd Gaines, and Laura Benanti — adds $18 to the previous cost of aisle seats.
Of course, aisle seating already has at least one disadvantage: instead of having to step over other people to get to the bathroom, you're the one getting stepped on.
How to Buy Broadway Tickets
Well, prepare yourself, because the next time you take in a Broadway show, the convenience of aisle seating may soon come with a premium price tag.
Three plays — Spring Awakening, Gypsy, and The Seagull — are introducing a new pricing policy that reflects the added value of sitting in an aisle seat. In each case, the increase applies to orchestra seating only. Also, aisle seats must be purchased in pairs.
The Broadway revival of The Seagull, starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Peter Sarsgaard, opens on September 16 at the Walter Kerr Theatre. Aisle seats will cost an additional $25.
For Spring Awakening, currently playing at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, the aisle seats are priced $23 higher.
At the St. James Theatre, Gypsy — starring Patti Lupone, Boyd Gaines, and Laura Benanti — adds $18 to the previous cost of aisle seats.
Of course, aisle seating already has at least one disadvantage: instead of having to step over other people to get to the bathroom, you're the one getting stepped on.
How to Buy Broadway Tickets
Friday, August 1, 2008
Whoopi Goldberg Joins "Xanadu" on Broadway
This week Whoopi Goldberg replaced Jackie Hoffman in Xanadu at the Helen Hayes Theatre after two weeks of rehearsal.
Xanadu is about a muse named Kira (Kerry Butler) who inspires an artist (Cheyenne Jackson) to create a roller disco. Goldberg, playing another muse, tries to thwart the ensuing love affair.
In addition to Butler, Jackson, and Goldberg, the cast includes Tony Roberts, Mary Testa, Curtis Holbrook, Kenita Miller, Patti Murin, Mary Thomas, André Ward, and Jacob Ben Widmar.
The score features the film songs by John Farrar and Jeff Lynne. The book is by Douglas Carter Beane. Christopher Ashley directs and Dan Knechtges choreographs. The music director is Eric Stern.
Goldberg is also a producer on two upcoming Broadway shows: a revival of Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enough, and a musical called Bricktop.
She will continue performing in Xanadu through September 7.
How to Buy Broadway Tickets
Xanadu is about a muse named Kira (Kerry Butler) who inspires an artist (Cheyenne Jackson) to create a roller disco. Goldberg, playing another muse, tries to thwart the ensuing love affair.
In addition to Butler, Jackson, and Goldberg, the cast includes Tony Roberts, Mary Testa, Curtis Holbrook, Kenita Miller, Patti Murin, Mary Thomas, André Ward, and Jacob Ben Widmar.
The score features the film songs by John Farrar and Jeff Lynne. The book is by Douglas Carter Beane. Christopher Ashley directs and Dan Knechtges choreographs. The music director is Eric Stern.
Goldberg is also a producer on two upcoming Broadway shows: a revival of Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enough, and a musical called Bricktop.
She will continue performing in Xanadu through September 7.
How to Buy Broadway Tickets
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