Broadway Preview: 9 To 5As regular readers will recall,
I've sounded some squeals of delight at the prospect of
Dolly Parton writing a musical for the Great White Way. What a way for her to make a living!
As previously noted, her musical stage adaptation of
9 To 5 is a go for September 2008 mounting Los Angeles'
Ahmanson Theatre. But now it's been announced that the tuner will play Broadway's
Marquis Theatre beginning March 24, 2009, with an opening slated for April 23.
The cast, of course, will include
Stephanie J. Block as Judy Bernly,
Allison Janney as Violet Newstead and
Megan Hilty as deluxe Dolly doppelgänger Doralee Rhodes.
Marc Kudisch will play that evil boss man.
Helmed by
Joe Mantello, the musical's book will be provided by the
film version's screenwriter,
Patricia Resnick. Choreography comes from recent Tony Award winner
Andy Blankenbuehler (
In The Heights).
Almost in spite of the fact that it's based on a movie, this, my dear friends, is the new musical of the 2008-09 Theatrical Season I'm most anxiously awaiting. I'm placing this squarely in the top three shows I want to see over the next year.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for 9 To 5 Los Angeles tickets.Related Stories:Broadway Preview: Mary Stuart (July 15, 2008)
Broadway Preview: The American Plan (July 14, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Shrek The Musical (July 13, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Waiting For Godot (July 12, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Pal Joey (July 11, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Dividing The Estate (July 10, 2008)
Broadway Preview: 13 (July 9, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Speed-The-Plow (July 8, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Billy Elliot - The Musical (July 7, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Godspell (July 6, 2008)
Broadway Preview: All My Sons (July 5, 2008)
Broadway Preview: A Man For All Seasons (July 3, 2008)
Broadway Preview: To Be Or Not To Be (July 2, 2008)
Broadway Preview: The Seagull (July 1, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Equus (June 30, 2008)
Broadway Preview: A Tale Of Two Cities (June 28, 2008)
Broadway Preview: for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf (June 25, 2008)
Broadway Preview: [title of show] (June 24, 2008)
Broadway: What's Next (June 20, 2008)
Workin' 9 2--8 (November 16, 2007)
2009 To 5? (August 29, 2007)
Labels: 9 To 5, Broadway, Dolly Parton, Film, Joe Mantello, Los Angeles, Marc Kudisch, Megan Hilty, Musical, Nine To Five, Stephanie J. Block, Tryout
The Glorious Ones (The SOB Review) - Lincoln Center Theater at the Mitzi E. Newhouse*** (out of ****)Who said nice things come in small packages?
Well, that line may need a slight bit of tweaking in the case of
The Glorious Ones --
the new 105-minute long musical from
Lynn Ahrens and
Stephen Flaherty. Naughty things come in small packages would be more like it.
Though it may not exactly rise to the exalted heights of all things
glorious, the accomplished tunesmiths' latest work is certainly good -- if not-so-clean -- fun.
With
Graciela Daniele's deft touch and Ahrens and Flaherty's comedic and at times compelling score,
The Glorious Ones is a debauched little diamond in the rough.
It shines with a devilishly funny cast led by
Marc Kudisch as
Flaminio Scala. Kudisch portrays the charismatic 16th Century leader of a fledgling band of actors in the
commedia dell’arte (comic tradition) that is steeped in vulgarity and slapstick. Yet late in the relatively brief show, Kudisch's velvety bravado lends the production an unexpectly deeper, more richly layered polish that makes the tuner sparkle.
Half the fun is getting there, but only with the appreciation that this is an early night at the improv we're talking about.
The Glorious One traces the backstage story of how Scala amasses his improvisational ensemble in bawdy scenario after scenario, reminiscent of the simple outlines the real Flaminio Scala employed to direct his street performances.
Starting with his own sinfully coquettish lover Columbina (a voluptuously saucy
Natalie Venetia Belcon in an astonishing departure from the
Gary Coleman role she created in
Avenue Q) to defining a handsome harlequin (a tender, sweet
Jeremy Webb) to bringing on the seemingly nonthreatening ingenue-cum-visionary
Isabella Andreini (a radiant
Erin Davie), the sketches lead to a surprising showdown between Scala and Andreini over the direction the troupe should take. Will they dare to go where no theatrical company had gone before or wind up doing the same old shtick ad infinitum?
Perhaps because of its depiction of everything from intentionally serious overacting to the performance art's lewd and lascivious nature, I noticed a few audience members walking out -- to my chagrin, the couple sitting next to me kept bantering back and forth over whether they should leave, too. (I was tempted to say, "Please go already.") However, when all was said and done, they appeared pleased they had stayed.
To depart would have missed the point of this superbly acted, if ultimately sentimental gem of a show -- that modern comedy genius adored the world over can trace its humble roots back to the simple yet smart street performers who refined their work into true art.
While this little frippery may not be glorious, it certainly is a delight.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: Erin Davie, Graciela Daniele, Jeremy Webb, Lynn Ahrens, Marc Kudisch, Musical, Natalie Venetia Belcon, Off-Broadway, Stephen Flaherty, The Glorious Ones, The SOB Review
Workin' 9 2--8The musical stage adaptation of
9 To 5 is a go for September 2008.
The Broadway-bound tuner will enjoy its world premiere tryout in LA at the city's
Ahmanson Theatre, which helped birth the current Broadway hits
Curtains and
The Drowsy Chaperone.
According to Variety, the show will open September 21, 2008.
There's definitely a lot of interest here. In a recent SOB Poll, I asked, "Which previously announced stage adaptation of a movie would you most like to see on Broadway?" By a wide margin, a plurality of you (40.9%) said your choice was
9 To 5 -- the next closest vote was 18.2% who said "Enough with turning films into musicals!"
Stephanie J. Block, who let's face it was the only reason to plunk down money to see the disaster known as
The Pirate Queen, may finally have a role that makes her a bona fide Broadway star. Don't get me wrong, I loved her as
Liza Minnelli in the mildly entertaining
The Boy From Oz and think she does a mean (and that's
good) Elphaba in
Wicked, but this exceptional actress deserves a high profile role that can really grab Broadway's attention. This could be it as Block is set to take on the role Judy Bernly, originally created by
Jane Fonda in the
film version.
Block will be teaming up with four-time Emmy Award winning actress
Allison Janney (who also received a 1998 Tony nod for
A View From A Bridge) and a former Glinda,
Megan Hilty. Janney will portray Violet Newstead (delightfully played by
Lily Tomlin in the film), while Hilty fills the big, er, shoes of
Dolly Parton as Doralee Rhodes.
Speaking of Parton, the beloved songstress has written the score to
9 To 5, while
Patricia Resnick (who wrote the original story) is handling the show's book.
Joe Mantello will be the boss man responsible for helming the play, while
Andy Blankenbuehler (
The Apple Tree and the upcoming
In The Heights) will choreograph.
Visions of visiting LA next fall are already dancing in my head.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:2009 To 5? (August 29, 2007)
Labels: 9 To 5, Broadway, Dolly Parton, Film, Joe Mantello, Los Angeles, Marc Kudisch, Megan Hilty, Musical, Nine To Five, Stephanie J. Block, Tryout
2009 To 5?Among all the films currently being developed for stage musical treatment,
9 To 5 is the one that you want most to see, according to your votes in my recent SOB Poll. Now it's looking likely to bust out on Broadway in 2009.
Earlier this summer, I posed the following via my SOB Poll: "A musical version of
9 To 5 is the latest stage treatment for a popular film. Which previously announced stage adaptation of a movie would you most like to see on Broadway?"
A very strong 40.9% of you indicated that it would indeed be your top choice. That was way ahead of the second top response: "Enough already with turning films into musicals!" at 18.2%.
Already the subject of plenty of press attention,
9 To 5 has all the makings of a double-barreled hit with
Dolly Parton handling the score,
Joe Mantello at the helm and a cast that could conceivably include
Allison Janney,
Stephanie J. Block (who's about to return to
Wicked),
Megan Hilty,
Bebe Neuwirth,
Marc Kudisch and
Andy Karl -- that is, if the recent reading was any indication.
Now, according to
Playbill, the musically-endowed
2006 Kennedy Center Honoree has told listeners to
Go Country 105.1 in Los Angeles that the tuner will hit the Great White Way in 2009:
People ask if I'm gonna be in the play. I say, "No, I think I'm a bit over the age of wantin' to be a secretary. But they asked me to write all the music for it, so I have written all the music. And it's supposed to open on Broadway in the spring of 2009. I believe they're gonna be doin' a workshop out here at the Shubert in the fall of next year.
No matter that Parton most likely meant "tryout" rather than "workshop," I'm actually looking forward to see this one play out.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: 9 To 5, Andy Karl, Bebe Neuwirth, Broadway, Dolly Parton, Film, First Word On New Show, Joe Mantello, Los Angeles, Marc Kudisch, Megan Hilty, Musical, Stephanie J. Block, Tryout
The Curse Of The Understudy - Part II
In case you've read my review of
The Apple Tree and wondered why there were absolutely no references to the performance of
Marc Kudisch, there's a simple rationale: He was out when I saw the show.
Fortunately for me, I've had the opportunity to see Kudisch perform elsewhere before. But it's always a disappointment whenever one of the lead actors in any show is out for whatever reason. To be honest, I was very surprised that he was already absent for a production that had only officially opened one month earlier to the day.
However, much to my pleasant surprise, Kudisch has a stellar understudy. Although he regularly plays the second act's Tiger, as well as handling ensemble duties,
Sean Palmer (pictured) -- perhaps best known to television audiences for his portrayal of Stanford Blatch's long-suffering boyfriend Marcus on "
Sex And The City" -- expertly assumed Kudisch's responsibilities. What a revelation!
Yes, I knew that this Reno native had once portrayed Tony Manero in the stage version of
Saturday Night Fever, and yes, I recall seeing him in the film version of "
Chicago," but I had no idea just how talented he really is...until now. With a wonderful set of pipes, suave dance moves and seductive acting style, Palmer more than holds his own opposite
Kristin Chenoweth and
Brian d'Arcy James.
Here's hoping that Palmer's star is only begining to truly shine.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
Labels: Broadway, Curse of the Understudy, Marc Kudisch, Musical, Revival, Sean Palmer, The Apple Tree, Understudy
