Thursday, July 30, 2009
Octomom the Musical - Never Say Die
With characters this ripe for humor, the musical takes a no-holds barred attack of the subject matter. Clever gimmicks like the use of sock puppet octuplets (socktuplets!) singing as a chorus and a cardboard cutout action figure of Miss Jolie, Octo’s obsession, play up the humor. Still in development, the creative team, made up of Chris Voltaire (book, lyrics and director), Rachael Lawrence (music and musical direction) and Dean McFlicker (musical staging), is bravely exploring the continuing saga of a woman the public just can’t get enough of. Further real-life antics are sure to end up on stage, and if the real Octo’s story is any indication, the show will have a long shelf life.
Leading the energetic cast is the vivacious Molly McCook, quite an effective look-a-like in the title role, and yes, she’s got the Octo “pout” down. Dinora Wolcott (Real) provides the through line for the show, singing with attitude and slyly commenting on the action as it unfolds. In the role of Bernie, John Combs is a commanding presence, and is especially comical when paired with Blake Hogue (Ponzi) in a wonderfully smarmy vaudeville number.
Making up the rest of the ensemble cast are Voltaire, as Octo’s maniacal doctor, Lynnette Li (Octo’s mom), Alexandra Holtzman (Angelina) and Stu Barron (Paulzon)…each playing several roles in addition to their main character…all of them slightly “bent.”
Octomom the Musical runs Saturday nights at 8:00 and 10:00 pm through August 15.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Laguna Playhouse plays it cool with My Way
It may be a hot summer here in LA but one way to beat the heat is to take a drive down to Laguna Beach and see something “cool”… My Way: A Tribute to Frank Sinatra. The show, currently running at Laguna Playhouse through August 23, celebrates Sinatra’s iconic career and takes you from his early beginnings in New York during the 1940’s swing era, to the bright lights of Las Vegas with the Rat Pack in the 1960s, and to his final performances in the 1990s as “Chairman of the Board.” Conceived by David Grapes and Todd Olson, it features book by Olson and is also directed by Grapes. The talented foursome (pictured above) bringing Sinatra's music to life are John Fredo, Casey Erin Clark, Karen Jeffreys and Jason Watson.
I find the development process of a new musical incredibly interesting and the director’s notes, written by David Grapes, provide a great deal of insight into this particular show.
Director’s Notes by David Grapes
“In the days after May 14, 1998, I did what most Americans did: watched the multitude of tributes to the recently-departed Frank Sinatra. His old TV concerts, interviews, and films filled nearly every available television channel.
I was always taken by Sinatra’s ease, his ‘cool,’ and the epic in-your-face way that he chose to live his life. I wondered, ‘How could that be translated into an evening of theatre?’ The solution was obvious. The key was in the music. I knew that I had to create a theatrical piece about this man. I called Todd Olsen, a former student and collaborator, and we started to work.
After some quick research, Todd and I were amazed to learn that the man had recorded nearly 1400 songs. We marveled at how he sustained a career over six decades, and we were intrigued by his remarkable way with a simple lyric, his musicality, his artistry, and the way he controlled both the song and the audience.
Frank really was the first teen idol and the first singer to have tremendous power in multiple mediums. There are really only a few stars today with the same kind of star power that Frank had. He was the first star to be hounded by the paparazzi, and his battles with the press are legendary. Frank lived his life out loud and let the chips fall where they may.
Todd and I got busy working on My Way. The first workshop was a book musical at Artpark in March of 1999 and included much of the same music you will hear at this performance. I then moved to Tennessee Rep in Nashville in 2000 and brought Todd in as my Associate Director. It was my idea to rewrite the show into a revue format so we added our arranger friend Vince diMura and started fresh.
We decided to choose songs based on themes we wanted to explore. We tried to include the ‘signature’ songs, but also wanted to include songs that not everyone would immediately recognize, but had great versions that had been recorded by Sinatra like ‘I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry.’ We added and we cut until we landed on the 57 songs that folks will hear during this performance. There always seems to be ‘the one that got away’ and for us it was ‘Luck Be A Lady Tonight.’ I confess that we really wanted to use it, but were never able to obtain the rights to use that song in My Way.
As we worked on this show, Todd and I set a goal not to create a show that needed an impersonator, but to first and foremost create a theatrical event, which is why we have two men and two women in the piece. I tell people that there is only one Sinatra and he is gone. What lives on is the music that Sinatra loved and that meant so much to him. We can bring that music to life in a style that embraces the true essence of Sinatra as the artist and ‘saloon singer.’
If you’re coming to The Laguna Playhouse to see a group of actors impersonate Sinatra, then you have come to the wrong show. The goal of My Way has always been to construct a musical revue that recalls the essence of the man through the glorious music he sang. We want to celebrate Sinatra’s mystique, and his myth, using the music he loved best: the American standard. We have tried to create a respectful tribute to a figure unlike any other in the last century.
We hope that audiences come away with the feeling that they’ve had a magical experience at the theatre, that it was romantic, sophisticated and engaging, and that they’ll leave the theatre with a renewed respect and admiration for Sinatra and the music he sang.”
My Way runs through August 23 and tickets are available now at http://www.lagunaplayhouse.com/.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Allegiance to move to Broadway
Allegiance, the new musical that recently enjoyed a successful reading in Los Angeles July 13, is headed for Broadway. George Takei of "Star Trek" fame, who took part in the reading, told Howard Stern on his Sirius/XM radio show today that the musical should hit Broadway sometime in 2011. The performance at the Japanese American National Museum also starred Miss Saigon Tony winner Lea Salonga.With music and lyrics by Jay Kuo, and book by Kuo and Lorenzo Thione, the story follows Sam Omura (Takei), the patriarch of a family from Salinas, CA who must move his family to Heart Mountain, a “relocation facility” shared with 10,000 other Japanese-Americans. Salonga played the role of Gloria Suzuki, Sam’s former sister-in-law, in the reading, and is expected to remain with the show when it moves to Broadway.
Also featured in the Los Angeles reading of Allegiance were Broadway’s Jose Llana (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Flower Drum Song), James Snyder (Cry-Baby), Michael K. Lee (Pacific Overtures), Jennifer Paz (Les Miserables) and Enrico Rodriguez (Rent) as well as L.A. actors Michael Hagiwara and Tamlyn Tomita.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Robin and the 7 Hoods Musical News
Variety reports that Rupert Holmes has joined the creative team as book writer of Robin and the 7 Hoods, a new musical adaptation of the Warner Bros' 1964 Rat Pack film. The musical is aiming for a West Coast run next summer before heading to Broadway as part of the 2010-11 season. Casey Nicholaw (The Drowsy Chaperone) is set to direct and choreograph. Lead producers are Dennis Mastro, Bruce Charet, Billy Campbell and Dennis Farina. Barry Brown is executive producer and John McDaniel is musical supervisor.Robin and the 7 Hoods revisits attitudes of the time when the movie was made and old culture intersected with the swinging new world of the sexual revolution. It will feature standards by Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen like "My Kind of Town," "Come Fly With Me," "All the Way" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head."
The film transported the Robin Hood legend to Prohibition-era Chicago, with Frank Sinatra as a North Side racketeer who becomes a local hero. Holmes replaces previously announced writer Peter Ackerman on the project.
Winner of Tonys in 1986 for book and score for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Holmes' work was most recently seen on Broadway in Kander & Ebb's Curtains. He wrote the book for the new musical The First Wives Club, currently in previews in its Broadway tryout at San Diego's Old Globe; and is working with composer Marvin Hamlisch on the musical adaptation of The Nutty Professor, which Jerry Lewis is slated to direct. That show also is eyeing a Broadway premiere in the 2010-11 season.
No theater has yet been announced for the summer 2010 tryout run
Guys and Dolls Comes to the Hollywood Bowl
There’s nothing quite like seeing a musical in an outdoor venue like the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles under the stars. In my book it’s about as close to magical as you can get. This summer’s featured musical is Guys and Dolls, and it boasts an all star cast that you don’t want to miss.
Brian Stokes Mitchell and Jessica Biehl lead the cast as Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown. Joining them are Scott Bakula as Nathan Detroit, Ellen Greene as Miss Adelaide, Beau Bridges as Arvide Abernathy and Ken Page as Nicely-Nicely. Much of the flavor of Guys and Dolls comes from the many characters that round out the rest of the cast. At the Bowl you’ll see some of the best; Ruth Williamson (General Cartwright), Herschel Sparber (Big Jule), Jason Graae (Benny Southstreet), Bill Lewis (Harry the Horse), Danny Stiles (Rusty Charlie) and Cindy Benson (Agatha) among others. Even the Hot Box Girls will pack some powerful moves, with the likes of Sandahl Bergman, Valarie Pettiford, Jane Lanier, Kathryn Wright, Chelsea Field and Tracy Powell shaking their tail feathers.
Richard Jay-Alexander directs, Donna McKechnie choreographs and Kevin Stites is musical director for the production, which also features the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Tickets for the three performance dates (July 31, August 1 and 2) are available at http://tinyurl.com/me72k4. A night at the Bowl is truly an evening to remember, so grab your friends, pack a picnic and enjoy one of the unique pleasures of summer in L.A.
It's a GLEE-TASTIC Screening at Comic-Con
According to the LA Times, the producers of Fox’s, GLEE, the quirky new show about a high school glee club, premiered the entire second episode to fans at Comic-Con on Saturday. The standing-room-only turnout for the Comic-Con panel and screening gave it a very enthusiastic welcome, creating fresh GLEE buzz leading up to the official series premiere on September 16 at 9/8c.
That was especially true for two musical numbers, covers of Kanye West's "Gold Digger" and (especially) Salt N Pepa's "Push It," which became a showstopper in the episode. Earlier this year, the cast's cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" lit up iTunes charts and became the show's signature tune. The producers promise more striking musical choices in the future, including a late-season episode that will feature songs by both Barbra Streisand and the Rolling Stones.
In the meantime, the cast is headed out on a 12-day, 10-city tour this summer to drum up more interest in the show. That includes 22-year-old Lea Michele, the longtime Broadway trouper who plays lovestruck Rachel Berry and appears positioned for major stardom with this role. Michele received raucous applause and cheers upon being introduced and most of the fan questions were directed at her.
You can read the entire LA Times article at http://tinyurl.com/ns7tvf. GLEE - it's almost here!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Stephen Schwartz's Séance on a Wet Afternoon to Premiere
I’ve been following the development of Stephen Schwartz’s intriguing new opera, Séance on a Wet Afternoon, which will soon have its world premiere at Opera Santa Barbara.
Debuting at The Granada, September 26-October 4, the opera is a psychological thriller about a medium, Myra Foster, her doting husband Bill, and the spirit of their deceased eleven-year-old son, Arthur, who speaks to Myra and is her contact for her séances. Because Myra has never received the recognition she feels her gifts merit, they hatch a Plan: They will kidnap the daughter of a local wealthy industrialist, and keep her safe while the media frenzy over her abduction builds. When Myra has a "vision" that leads to the successful recovery of the girl and the ransom, her fame will be assured.
As The Plan is put into action, the girl's presence in the house leads to complex psychological responses from Myra, Bill, and Arthur. The delicate balance of Myra and Bill's relationship and Myra's sanity itself begins to fray, as long-buried secrets are revealed. The Plan goes badly awry, and in Myra's final séance, the drama comes to a devastating conclusion.
Séance on a Wet Afternoon is based on a 1964 film by Bryan Forbes and novel by Mark McShane, and Schwartz has written his leading lady, Myra, for New York City Opera star Lauren Flanigan. Also featured in the cast are baritone Kim Josephson as Bill, Hila Plitman as Mrs. Clayton, John Kimberling as Mr. Clayton, and Craig Hart as Inspector Watts.
The cast will also include Benjamin Brecher, Caroline Worra, Gabriel Manro, Michael Marcotte, Kelsey Lee Smith (Adriana), and Aaron Refvem (Arthur). The ensemble chorus will feature Deborah Bertling, Danielle Bond, Julie Davis, Eric Carampton, Andrew Fernando, Darla Mattern, Jesse Merlin, Victoria Robertson, Tom Hurd, Jennifer Wallace, and Bray Wilkins.
Scott Schwartz will direct the production, with music direction by Valery Ryvkin and choreography by Matt Williams. You can view a video interview with Stephen Schwartz, hear audio clip and see a trailer at www.seancetheopera.com/.
You can also get a sneak peak of the opera at Upright Cabaret’s evening with Stephen Schwartz: Making Good…a Concert. Directed by Billy Porter, it’s part of Upright Cabaret’s Wicked Summer Nights Series at the Ford Amphitheater on August 23, 2009. Tickets are available on the Ford’s website at www.fordamphitheater.com/.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
New Musical Havana comes to Pasadena Playhouse in 2010
Pasadena Playhouse has announced that it will feature a new musical, Havana, on its 2010 schedule. Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll and Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel) will provide the music, Pulitzer Prize-winner Nilo Cruz (Anna in the Tropics) the book, and Jack Murphy the lyrics.The story centers on an ambitious North American writer who has inherited a nightclub and home from her aunt in Cuba. She travels to the island to sell them in order to fund her creative ambitions, but a newfound love interest and Havana itself may derail her plans. Sergio Trujillo (choreographer for Jersey Boys and All Shook Up) directs the run scheduled in June 2010.
The season also includes Lerner and Loewe's Camelot to run in January 2010 and a revival of Noel Coward's Fallen Angels in February 2010 that is expected to move to Broadway following its run. In April 2010, the theater will present Sight Unseen, Donald Margulies' Pulitzer Prize-finalist play about an artist's meteoric rise to fame, followed by the world premiere in September 2010 of Frank Tangredi's Pastoral, a look at a female pastor's crisis of faith. A new family musical yet to be named will end the Playhouse season in October 2010.
For more about the season and currently running shows, go to www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
South Coast Rep Season's Musical Fare
Two musicals will be part of South Coast Repertory’s 2009-2010 schedule. Opening the season is Stephen Sondheim’s Putting It Together, directed by Nick DeGruccio, which will run September 11 - October 11, 2009. In a posh Manhattan condo, a glamorous couple looks back on what went wrong, to taunt, tease and maybe gloat a little. Their young guests are more starry-eyed but still wary, even as they begin to fall in love. Nearby, an astute observer adds his insightful songs to the mix. Sophisticated, smart and drop-dead droll…that’s Putting It Together.
Then in January, South Coast Rep mounts the west coast premiere of Ordinary Days, with music and lyrics by Adam Gwon, directed by Ethan McSweeny, January 3 - 24, 2010. A promising star plucked from the new breed of composers in America, Adam Gwon is the latest winner of the Fred Ebb Award for Excellence in Musical Theater Songwriting. With Ordinary Days he hit the boards running in the USA and the UK, causing critics to sit up and take notice of its spare, fast-paced and lyrical form. From the bustling streets to the quiet rooftops, four young New Yorkers trying to find their way become intricately connected through a series of funny and fortuitous events that prove ordinary days can be simply extraordinary.
South Coast Rep’s Theatre for Young Audiences will feature Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business, based on "Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business" by Barbara Park, adapted by Joan Cushing, with book, music and lyrics by Joan Cushing running November 6 - 22, 2009.
The Washington Post called it “tuneful, funny and bouncy - a treat in Crayola colors!” Audiences of all ages will agree as they enjoy this musical delight narrated by the world’s funniest kindergartner - Junie herself. A straight talking (some might say loudmouth) five-year-old who’s not at all interested in frilly clothes - though she does envy the new pink high tops of her friend, “That Grace.” Junie will steal your heart as she frets over a double whammy problem: having a baby brother on the way and trying to come up with a great idea for show-and-tell. Her solution will knock your socks off!
Additionally, the season will include a number of thought-provoking plays such as:
The west coast premiere of Saturn Returns by Noah Haidle, directed by David Emmes (October 23 - November 22, 2009), A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens directed by John-David Keller (November 28 - December 26, 2009), August Wilson’s Fences, directed by Seret Scott (January 22 - February 21, 2010), A Special Selection to be announced (March 26 - April 25, 2010), Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley, directed by Warner Shook (May 7 - June 6, 2010), the world premiere of The Happy Ones by Julie Marie Myatt, directed by Martin Benson (September 27 – October 18, 2009), the world premiere of In a Garden by Howard Korder (March 7 - 28, 2010), and the world premiere of Doctor Cerberus by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, directed by Bart DeLorenzo (April 11 - May 2, 2010).
For more information about the complete season and tickets go to www.scr.org/.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Actors Co-op Season to begin with Big River
Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will lead off Actors Co-op’s 2009-2010 season of shows. Based on Mark Twain’s novel, this Tony Award winning musical follows one of America’s best-loved literary figures on his adventures along the mighty Mississippi. Richard Israel directs the production, which runs September 25 – November 1, 2009.Up next is Sherlock's Last Case, a murder mystery in which Sherlock Holmes is possibly the victim, by Charles Marowitz. It will run October 16 - November 22 with Jeremy Lewit directing.
For the holidays, Actors Co-op features Freddy Wyatt Christmas Spectacular December 2-14. Don’t miss Stephen Van Dorn’s staged version of a 1962 Christmas spectacular on a 1962 TV variety show hosted by the infamous Freddy Wyatt. Van Dorn will direct.
2010 begins with Wit, the Pulitzer Prize winning drama about a woman confronting her own mortality by Margaret Edson. Marianne Savell directs the production scheduled to run February 19 - March 28. The final show in the season is The Philadelphia Story by Philip Barry, which runs April 23 - May 30. Douglas Clayton directs the romantic comedy, which centers on a socialite attempting to sort out the loves of her life.
All productions take place at the Crossley Terrace Theatre in Hollywood. For more information, visit http://www.actorsco-op.org/.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Laura Osnes and Stark Sands as Bonnie & Clyde
It looks like Laura Osnes (South Pacific, Grease) and Stark Sands (Twelfth Night, Journey’s End) will play the title roles in Bonnie & Clyde, the new musical from Frank Wildhorn, Don Black and Ivan Menchell at La Jolla Playhouse this fall. The show, which opens November 10, is based on the lives of Depression-era outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Joining them will be Mare Winningham as Bonnie’s mother, Melissa van der Schyff as Blanche and Chris Peluso as Deputy Ted Hinton. Jeff Calhoun will direct the world premiere musical. www.lajollaplayhouse.com/.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Spamalot Opens at the Ahmanson Downtown
Opening night of Monty Python’s Spamalot at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre was a picture perfect night on the town. Drinks in the courtyard, a quick stop at will call, and we were thrust into the throngs of theatre-goers people watching and snapping photos of celebrities. How can you not enjoy a theatre event where costumed characters wearing inflatable cans of spam and knights carrying signs listing the “rules” greet you and yes, make fun of you, before you ever step into the theatre?
From the top of the show, it was clear that this was going to be an irreverent night filled with laughs. Spamalot pokes fun at itself, and everything in its path…with numerous musical theatre send-ups, Sarah Palin as an audience sing-a-long, Jews on Broadway, flying cows, rabbits that kill, the Laker girls and above all, its own search for the Holy Grail.
The continual stream of in-your-face humor can be a bit overwhelming to the unsuspecting audience member, but die hard Python fans will love it and those that are new to the Monty Python world will find plenty to hook them. For the record, I am a huge Monty Python fan, and I know you can’t take yourself too seriously on a night like this. That’s the fun of it all.
The Ahmanson’s production of Spamalot stars John O’Hurley as King Arthur (upon whose shoulders the quest lies), Merle Dandridge as the Lady of the Lake (Diva with a capital D), Ben Davis as Sir Galahad (a mere head toss away from perfection), Jeff Dumas as Patsy (but is he really), Christopher Sutton as Not Dead Fred (hysterical) and other characters, James Beaman as Sir Robin (whose second act number steals the show), and a cast ably up to the task of delivering the Python comedy and timing. Judging from the audience’s response throughout the night, as well as my own, it was a job well done.
You can check out some great opening night photos on Center Theatre Group's Facebook page too. Whatever you do, don’t miss the glittering mirror ball of a show that is Spamalot, running now through September 6. Tickets are available at www.centertheatregroup.org/.
Friday, July 10, 2009
The Best is Yet to Come opens at Rubicon Theatre
Time for a road trip up to the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura for their current musical - The Best is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman, with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Marilyn and Alan Bergman, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Dorothy Fields, Peggy Lee, Carolyn Leigh, Joseph McCarthy, Michael Stewart and David Zippel.
In a career spanning seven decades, Cy Coleman created a glittering string of standards, as well as hits for the stage from musicals like City of Angels, Sweet Charity, Barnum, The Life and Will Rogers Follies. Tony® Award-winning writer and director David Zippel pays homage to Coleman with an elegant new musical revue starring David Burnham, Jason Graae, Sally Mayes, Julia Murney, Billy Stritch and Lillias White, accompanied by an eight-piece swing band. The sparkling score also includes pop hits made famous by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand, and a few as-yet unpublished Coleman surprises. With this cast, it should be quite a performance!
For tickets and info visit www.rubicontheatre.org/.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Cast Announced for Cabrillo's CATS
Cabrillo Music Theatre has announced the cast for its upcoming production of CATS, directed and choreographed by Broadway cast member Dana Solimando. This is the first time the show has been produced for the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza – and it’s perfect for the entire family.
The show will star Jessica Bernard, Jimmer Bolden, Ashley Cowl, Michael Hunter, Angela Jean, Jamie Joseph, Jupinko, Bety Le, Patrick Loyd, Melissa Lyons, Will North, Jo Patrick, Andrew Pearson, Bobby Perino, Colette Peters, Catherine Ricafort, Anna Schnaitter, Daniel Smith, Matthew Dean Stewart, Kelly Tatro, Andrea Taylor and Estevan Valdes, with Chris Dane, Erin Fagundes, John Gaston, Mona King, James W. Lynch, Daniel Rosales, Jessica Stoll and Katie Young.
CATS is based on "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T.S Eliot with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Production will run July 24 - August 2, 2009 at the Kavli Theatre in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.
* A post-performance discussion will follow the 2PM performance on July 25th.
Tickets are available at the box office 805.449.ARTS, by phone from Ticketmaster, 213.480.3232 • 714.740.2000 • 805.583.8700 • 619.220.TIXS or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
40 is the New 15 Interview w/ writers Johnson & O'Connor
40 is the New 15, a new musical from Larry Todd Johnson (book and lyrics) and Cindy O’Connor (music), is set to open July 22 in North Hollywood. Produced by the Academy for New Musical Theatre (ANMT), it follows the lives of five 40-somethings as they look back to when they were 15 and wonder…if they’d known then what they know now, would it have made any difference?
The show has been in development with ANMT for the past couple of years and has received several staged readings in Los Angeles, in addition to its most recent reading at Theatre Building Chicago. 40 is the New 15 is currently in rehearsals for its first full scale production, opening July 22 at the Secret Rose Theatre. The cast will feature Taji Coleman as Winter, Tod Macofsky as Kevin, Ed Martin as Robby, Kevin Noonchester as Oren and Angela Wolcott as Sarah. The director is Michele Spears and Cindy O’Connor also musical directs.
Recently, I had the chance to talk to Larry and Cindy about their experience writing the new musical.
MLA: I’ve seen two previous readings of 40 is the New 15 and audiences seem to really resonate with your message. What inspired you to write this particular show?
LARRY: Cindy and I were coming up on 40 ourselves, and have known each other since we were teenagers. We had a series of conversations about turning 40, and about how little our perceptions of ourselves have changed since puberty. I still see myself as that awkward unattractive kid that I was then, no matter how I try to change my exterior… and I think this is a very common thing among forty-somethings. Also, we didn’t think people our age were being adequately represented in the musical theatre, so we decided to write a show about us.
CINDY: We wanted to write a fun show about turning 40, but also examine the idea that the basic essence of who we are, our authentic self, doesn’t really change with age - we still have the same needs and hopes and special qualities that we had as teenagers.
MLA: Are your characters based on real people?
LARRY: Once we decided on the concept, I based the characters on people I knew in my childhood. Some characters are direct parallels to me, my best friend, and an acquaintance of mine, and others are amalgams of various people I went to high school with. The ‘action’ of the 1983 portion of the story is somewhat autobiographical. One of the characters is very much my personal story.
MLA: Have the two of you worked together previously or is this a first time collaboration?
LARRY: Cindy and I have written quite a bit together. We wrote a one-act together in college, then when I was in graduate school, we wrote my master’s thesis together, a show called All That He Was, which was our first full-length show. It was a surprising success; we won the ACTF musical theatre award and the Kennedy Center National Playwrights’ Award. We also toured nationally and internationally with the show, it was published by Samuel French, and we ended up with a Los Angeles production that was pretty successful. After that, we wrote a series of murder mystery musicals that were a lot of fun, but nothing that reached the same sort of emotional peak as All That He Was. We took a break for a few years, while I was producing for Disney, and Cindy was performing and composing for Film and TV. Then we came back together for 40 is the New 15.
MLA: What comes first – the music or the lyrics? And how does that work with the book?
LARRY: We usually do a very loose draft of the book first, somewhere between an outline and a draft, with Cindy and I going back and forth until both of us are happy with the structure. Then the lyrics follow from there. Of course, there are always exceptions. Sometimes Cindy brings a melody to the table that really works for a sequence and we start from there. Sometimes my lyric is just an inspiration, and when the melody happens, the lyrics change drastically to match it. But most often, the lyrics happen first, and they don’t change all that much with the melody.
MLA: What has been the most challenging or unusual aspect of writing a new musical?
LARRY: I guess the most challenging thing, from my perspective, is how long it takes! We both write pretty fast, really, and can come up with a solid first draft of something pretty quickly. But for something to get to a point where it really works, theatrically, it may take multiple drafts; the perspective one can only get from hearing the song or scene performed and tweaked and performed again, is invaluable, and all that means lots of time.
CINDY: The hardest thing for me is deciding to throw out a beloved song because it doesn’t work in the context of the show! And we have thrown out several. But if it slows the story down or doesn’t reveal anything new about the character, it’s got to go.
MLA: And the most exciting aspect?
LARRY: The most exciting moment is always when the actor reaches the audience… when you can feel that the audience ‘gets it’… and there is electricity. There is no greater high that I can think of. It’s an amazing feeling.
CINDY: Definitely seeing it all come to life is exciting. Theater is such a collaborative art, and there are always new elements and discoveries that a director and actors will bring.
MLA: Speaking of actors, how has working with different casts in the previous readings in LA and Chicago affected your rewrites?
LARRY: The Chicago cast was a real eye-opener for us. Some things didn’t work nearly as well as they originally did in LA, and I think we realized that at least one of the roles required a certain type of performance in order to be really accessible. Other things worked MUCH better…and we realized how going with a different type altogether could really enhance the role. When we did our rewrite after Chicago, we had these things in our heads, and tried to play up the new facets we had found in the characters.
MLA: Were you involved in the casting process for the current production in LA? If so, what was it about these particular actors that made you choose them?
LARRY: Yes, thankfully, we were totally involved. Our director, Michele Spears, is very open and we are able to express ourselves fully as to our vision of the show. In the end, I think we went with the people who most resembled the vision we had in our heads of how the character would look, sound, and act. And, since it’s going to be a pretty intimate production, we really wanted a naturalistic approach to the characters.
MLA: Who have been your influences (musical or life....).
LARRY: As a child, I was raised on country and folk music, and I didn’t get into theatre until my parents shoved me into it because they didn’t know what else to do with me. (My brothers were all athletic… me… not so much.) Of course, the school groups and community theatre groups all did the classic musicals over and over… and once I discovered the classics, I was hooked. I’m still a big fan of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, and Jerry Herman. Can’t beat the classics. Also, I’m addicted to Sondheim and I think he’s a genius.
CINDY: I'm such a hodgepodge of musical influences - I love good music of any genre. I grew up playing classical piano and listening to pop and dance music, show tunes, jazz... West Side Story was one that blew my mind as a teenager. I love melody and adore the great pop songwriters - Burt Bacharach, The Beatles and Elvis Costello are a few random favorites.
MLA: So, if YOU could go back, what do you wish you'd known then that you know now?
LARRY: I wish I knew that there were lots of other gay guys at my high school! I thought I was the only one! I also wish I knew that my Dad loved me and was proud of me. Sadly, I didn’t really know that until it was too late.
CINDY: I wish I had known how to feel comfortable in my skin and stop worrying about what everybody else was thinking and doing. And how to tell if a boy liked me.
40 is the New 15 will run Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Secret Rose Theatre in North Hollywood July 22 – August 27. Tickets are available on ANMT’s website at http://tinyurl.com/m7sq5k. Several dates are already sold out, so make sure you get your tickets now.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Topol in Fiddler on the Roof at Pantages Theatre
The National Tour of Fiddler on the Roof, The Tony Award winning musical that has captured the hearts of people all over the world reaches Los Angeles this month. In what is a huge theatrical feat, audiences will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Chaim Topol, perform the role that made him legendary. Performances will run July 21 through August 9 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.
And, now through July 23rd, you can save up to $20 (depending upon the price of the ticket) on select weekday performances of Fiddler on the Roof. The offer is valid for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening performances 7/23 – 8/6. Visit http://tinyurl.com/lezovl for instructions on how to purchase these tickets.
Did you also know that Hollywood & Highland is offering a free shuttle ride to and from all evening performances at the Pantages Theatre for anyone dining at one of their participating restaurant locations: The Grill, Koji's Shabu Shabu, or Trastevere Ristorante Italiano? You do now! http://hollywoodandhighland.com/shuttle.php
Forever Plaid Screening July 9!
You still have time to get your tickets to this special one-night-only event. Be there when Forever Plaid, one of Off-Broadway's most popular musicals, has it's debut on the big screen.
NCM Fathom, Planet Green and Forever Plaid Productions partner to present a hilarious and irresistible event featuring a LIVE red carpet introduction by the original cast with celebrity guests followed by a pre-taped 20th Anniversary performance of the musical, Forever Plaid, starring members of the original Off-Broadway cast.
The exclusive event will conclude with a LIVE performance by “The Plaids” who will perform numbers never before sung in the show, a mix of “swinging standards” and contemporary songs. Be there when two chart topping musical questions collide as “How Much is That Doggy in the Window?” meets “Who Let the Dogs Out?” And make sure you practice your own “me-me-me’s” for a bouncing ball sing-a-long where you join in the joy! This sensational musical event will take place on Thursday, July 9th at 8:00pm ET / 7:00pm CT / 6:00pm MT and 8:00pm PT (tape delay).
Forever Plaid follows a 1960s quartet of close harmony singers who, on their way to their first real gig, are wiped out by a bus full of Catholic schoolgirls (who are, ironically, on their way to see the Beatles). Forty years later, the group is brought back to earth for one night to perform the show they never got a chance to perform in life.
The film stars three of the show’s four original cast members, Larry Raben as Sparky, David Engel as Smudge, and Stan Chandler as Jinx, along with Daniel Reichard as Frankie, while David Hyde Pierce will provide the narration.
For tickets and more information visit http://tinyurl.com/ljakfl.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Octomom the Musical coming to the Fake
Pop culture has a daring new voice and it's set to the tune of social parody. Just when the world couldn’t get enough Octo-Madness, enter Octomom the Musical, coming to the Fake Gallery in Hollywood beginning July 18, 2009.
The new show from Chris Voltaire, (playwright, director, producer) cleverly reinvents the Octo-phenomenon. One of the most anticipated musicals of the summer, Octomom the Musical is more than a fictionalized comedy inspired by the news headlines. Voltaire’s original, fast-paced musical pastiche reflects popular current events and the iconic figures of our time.
"The show is for people who love the Octomom, who hate her and who love to hate her," says Voltaire. "It is also about Bernie Madoff (made-off in the show), funny money, and the insanity of the economy." Even the TMZ people and Captain “Sully” will be onstage.
The show will also feature a chorus line of Octettes (think Rockettes but dancing in Snuggies, the blankets with arms), flying babies, puppets, stimulus packages, and much more. Choreography is by Dean McFlicker. With Voltaire continually updating and improvising his show to reflect current events, each show will be unique and will also feature secret celebrity cameos at every performance. Even the actors onstage won't know who!
"This is a crazy show… just nuts, but on purpose," admits Voltaire. "We want audiences to join us and laugh together for one hour because these are times people really need to laugh."
The cast, pictured above, features (left to right) Blake Hogue (Vince ShamWow), Lynette Li (Octo’s mom), Chris Voltaire (Octo’s doctor), Molly McCook (Octomom), John Combs (Bernie Made-off) and Dinora Wolcott (Real). Photo by David Kriegel.
Octomom the Musical runs July 18 through August 15, 2009 (Saturdays at 8 and 10 PM) at Fake Gallery, 4319 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Running time is 69 minutes with no late seating and wheelchair access. For tickets and more information visit www.plays411.com/octomom or www.octomomthemusical.com/.
Thoroughly Modern Millie Q&A Set
The cast and crew of Santa Monica Theatre Guild's production of Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre will join the audience in a Q&A session following the Friday, July 24th performance. The Roaring Twenties musical with book by Richard Henry Morris, music by Jeanine Tesori, and new lyrics by Dick Scanlan opened June 27 and continues its run through August 1.
In the show, Millie Dillmount sets her sights on New York City for a thrilling adventure filled with the jazz-age razzmatazz of frisky flappers and enough dashing men to make you swoon. A high-spirited romp through a time when the rules of society were changing and everyone was uninhibited and carefree, this Tony Award-winning musical is indeed the cat's meow.
Thoroughly Modern Millie is directed by Anne Gesling, choreographed by Paul Reid and Allan Penales and produced by Adrienne Breslow, Harold Breslow and Larry Gesling. The cast includes Jessica Breslow, Joel Castro, Joanna Churgin, Krystal Jasmin Combs, Rob Eriksson, Melissa Falarski, Alissa-Nicole Koblentz, Kelly Moore, Patrick Moore, Danielle Morris, Tony Obnial, Marc Ostroff, Vincent Perez, Marina Phillips, Zach Pond, Jessica Racioppo Freeman, Ken Reisch, Holley Replogle-Wong, Zan Roberts, Glenn Rodriguez, Brandon Stanford, Alexa Teichgraeber, Laura Thatcher, Steve Weber and Shaina Zalma.
Tickets are $23 for general admission and $18 for seniors and students (group discounts are available) and are available at www.morgan-wixson.org/. The Morgan-Wixson Theatre is located at 2627 Pico Blvd. (between Centinela and Cloverfield) in Santa Monica.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Casting Notice for The Green Room
Looking for non-union actors for Fall Orange County production of The Green Room: The College Musical.Project Rate: some pay for special circumstances
Run/Usage: 3 Saturdays – November 7, 14, 21
Contact: Hunter Dion at 714-501-3466 or octc@cox.net
Audition Dates: July 25, 2009 w/ call backs August 1, 2009
Roles available: Anna Kerns (soprano) 20 yrs old; Cliff Kerns (tenor) 19 yrs must be funny; John Davis (bass) 20 yrs old cocky; Divonne Bruder (alto) 20 yrs old very outspoken.
For more information about The Green Room, see previous Musicals in LA article at http://tinyurl.com/m8yeej.
Tickets Available for Musical Theatre Guild's New Season
Tickets for MTG’s previously announced 2009-2010 season are currently on sale. Get them while you can, as an evening with MTG is truly a pleasure. Upcoming musicals include:
Stop the World – I Want to Get Off
Book, music & lyrics by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley
September 14, 2009 – Alex Theatre, Glendale
September 20, 2009 – Scherr Forum, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
Set in the non-stop circus of life, Stop the World focuses on the iconic Littlechap, whose first major step toward improving his lot is to marry his boss' daughter, Evie. After romancing Anya, Ilse and Ginnie (funny how they all look like Evie), Littlechap comes to ultimately realize that what he always had was what he wanted all along.
Fade Out – Fade In
Book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, music by Jule Styne
November 9, 2009 – Alex Theatre, Glendale
November 15, 2009 – Scherr Forum, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
Originally starring Carol Burnett as Hope Springfield, a chorus girl full of hope but not much talent, the show spoofs some of the great film stars of the 1930’s, such as Shirley Temple and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, with a score that is pure Jule Styne brass.
High Spirits
Book, lyrics, and music by Hugh Martin and Timothy Gray
Based on the play Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward
February 22, 2010 – Alex Theatre, Glendale
Blithe Spirit is reinvented as a sassy, sly and successful 60's musical. In this sparkling tuneful version, the mischievous spirit of Elvira, the first Mrs. Condomine, bedevils writer Charles Condomine and his wife. Eccentric medium Madame Arcati conjures up the naughty ghost and endeavors to send her back to the other world.
Irma La Douce
Music by Margureite Monnot, lyrics and book by Alexandre Breffort, English lyrics and book by Julian More, David Heneker and Monty Norman.
April 19, 2010 – Alex Theatre, Glendale
April 25, 2010 – Scherr Forum, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
Set in Paris, this French and West End import revolves around Irma, a carefree Montmartre streetwalker whose life is turned upside down when she falls in love with Nestor le Fripé, a poor law student who assumes the disguise of a rich older man in order to keep her for himself.
Das Barbecu
Book and lyrics by Jim Luigs, music by Scott Warrender
June 14, 2010 – Alex Theatre, Glendale
An official participant in the Ring Festival LA, this off-Broadway hit is set in various locations throughout present day Texas. It is very loosely based on Richard Wagner's massive four-part 20-hour Ring Cycle, but manages to neatly (and hysterically) compress the story into a rollicking two-hour musical comedy with a country and western score.
Season tickets are on sale now through the Alex Theatre Box Office or by calling 818-243-ALEX. Single tickets are also available.
Single tickets to the Scherr Forum are available by calling Ticketmaster at 805-538-8700 or at the Civic Arts Plaza box office. Visit www.musicaltheatreguild.com/ or call 818-848-6844 or for complete schedule and venue information.