Jacques Brel is Alive and Well for Off-Broadway Opening, March 27

By: Mar. 27, 2006
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Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, the iconic revue celebrating the Belgian-born troubadour, will open off-Broadway at the Zipper Theatre (336 W. 37th St.) on Monday, March 27th at 7 PM; the show began previews on Sunday, March 5th.

Directed by Gordon Greenberg, the show stars Robert Cuccioli (Jekyll and Hyde, Les Miserables), Gay Marshall
(The Baker's Wife at Paper Mill Playhouse, A Chorus Line), Rodney Hicks (Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar) and Natascia Diaz (Man of La Mancha, tick, tick...BOOM!).  

The revue "transforms Brel's astonishing musical compositions into a theatrical experience that has delighted audiences for nearly four decades. Director Greenberg, a longtime Brel enthusiast, brings an edge to the show that pays homage to the original, while offering a fresh perspective. He says, ;We have reordered the songs and played with some of the arrangements to create what will hopefully be an emotionally satisfying through-line and a genuinely European aesthetic that matches the soulfulness of Brel's music.' With a cast of four actors and musicians, the show celebrates Brel's timeless relevance and enduring passions," according to press notes.

Translated from the French by American poet Eric Blau and lyricist Mort Shuman (Save The Last Dance For Me), the show "is a diverse blend of ballads, tangos, boleros, rock and classics. With raw human emotion, each piece tells a story, examining themes of love, war, adventure, broken dreams, people from all classes, being young, growing old and death...but never forgetting that life, with all its tragedies and complexities, shows us much humor."

The original show opened in 1968 at The Village Gate in Greenwich Village and ran for more than four years. Brel's songs have been recorded by artists as diverse as Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, David Bowie, Tom Jones, The Kingston Trio, Rod McKuen, Neil Diamond, Marlene Dietrich, Elly Stone, Micheline Van Houtem, Karen Akers and Ute Lemper. 

Brel plays the following performance schedule: Monday at 8PM, Tuesday @ 7PM, Thursday at 8PM, Friday at 8PM, Saturday at 3PM & 8PM, and Sunday at 3PM and 7PM. There will be no Wednesday performances. Tickets are $65 and may be purchased through Telecharge at www.telecharge.com or (212-239-6200). For more information, please visit the show's official web site - www.jacquesbrelreturns.com.

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