Saturday, May 2, 2009
Sammy and The Whisper House on Old Globe 2009-2010 season
The Old Globe in San Diego announced that it will stage the world premiere productions of Sammy, a new musical about Sammy Davis Jr., and Tony Award winner Duncan Sheik’s new musical, The Whisper House, in 2009-10.Sammy (Sept.17 – Nov. 1) will have book, music & lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, who wrote songs that became signatures for the late song-and-dance man, like “The Candy Man” and “Once in a Lifetime.” The score will include classic songs by Bricusse and Anthony Newley, plus new numbers. Sammy takes us from his days as a child working in vaudeville through his time with Dean and Frank as a member of the Rat Pack, featuring the unmistakable classics that helped to make Sammy an icon.
The Whisper House, set in a haunted lighthouse in the 1940s, has been in development in the past year and will have its world premiere Jan.13 – Feb. 21, 2010. Spring Awakening composer Sheik performed the show’s songs on a vocal pop album released earlier this year. The libretto is by Kyle Jarrow, based on an idea by director Keith Powell (a regular on TV's “30 Rock”).
“Set in 1942 during the height of World War II, Americans are being asked to do their part to help their country win the war, including Lily and her Japanese assistant, the caretakers of a remote lighthouse. When Lily’s young nephew Christopher comes to stay with her, he begins to think his new home is haunted. When the spirits reveal themselves to Christopher, he is required to grow up quickly and make decisions that are usually left up to grownups. Should he trust these mischievous spirits whose songs only he can hear or should he trust the grownups around him that still treat him like a kid? This beautiful tale reminds us all that fear and misguided assumptions can lead anyone down a road of no return.”
The Old Globe’s season also includes The Savannah Disputation, by Evan Smith, Sept. 26–Nov. 1, Lost in Yonkers, by Neil Simon, Jan. 23–Feb. 28, 2010, Boeing-Boeing, by Marc Camoletti and Beverly Cross March 13–April 18, 2010, Alive and Well, by Kenny Finkle March 20–April 25, 2010, What You Will, written and performed by Roger Rees, May 1–June 6, 2010, and The Whipping Man, by Matthew Lopez, May 8–June 13, 2010. For more information, visit http://www.oldglobe.org/.
