Interesting plays to be mounted at the La Jolla Playhouse this season. Among the 7 plays are 3 musicals. I guess there's another musical version of a John Waters film. But Jessica Hagedorn's new musical looks more intriguing. It's also directed by Michael Greif.
CARMEN, June 5 - July 22, 2007 The passionate tale of the gypsy enchantress unfolds in a new musical adaptation. Book by Sarah Miles Music by John Ewbank Lyrics by AnnMarie Milazzo Directed by Franco Dragone
CRY-BABY, November 6 - December 23, 2007 The John Waters cult film gets a theatrical polish in this hilarious new musical! Based upon the Universal Pictures film written and directed by John Waters Book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan Lyrics and Music by David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger Directed by Mark Brokaw
MOST WANTED, October 2 - 14, 2007 This musical theatre piece explores America's obsession with celebrity through the lens of the media frenzy surrounding a spree killer with an insatiable appetite for fame. Music by Mark Bennett Book by Jessica Hagedorn Lyrics by Jessica Hagedorn and Mark Bennett Directed by Michael Greif 2007/2008 Season
"I love acting. It is so much more real than life." Oscar Wilde "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley
Carmen is the one I'm looking out for. No doubt that this show will be brilliant. The music (from the samples that I've heard) is brilliant, and with Franco Dragone as director - this show will be nothing short of amazing, visually and emotionally. Franco is a genius, and I regard him as my directing god. He understands the power of theatre and performance to the core. If you've ever seen Cirque Du Soleil's 'Quidam', you'll know what I mean.
Thanks, rabymon10. We've added Carmen to our list.
"I love acting. It is so much more real than life." Oscar Wilde "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley
I personally have not heard of any news on "Cry Baby" except for "Carmen" and "Most Wanted." "Most Wanted," being directed by Greif and a book by Hagedorn, was a topic of many discussions during an event we attended in New York...mostly because it is about celebrities and paparazis. I'm curious to hear the music. I'm not familiar with Mark Bennett's work. I'm sure it's the same Bennett who composed "Coast of Utopia."
"I love acting. It is so much more real than life." Oscar Wilde "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley
www.carmenthemusical.com - Official website. Contains costume sketches, music samples, workshop videos and more.
www.dragone.be - Website of director Franco Dragone. See for yourself why this man is held so high on the eyes of so many. It's all about the 'aesthetic experience' creating EMOTION!
Don't get your hopes up for Carmen. Dragone notwithstanding, there are already problems in rehearsals. Sarah Miles, the choreographer and book writer has been asked to re-choreograph almost all of the numbers she's done. I do hear that the male Latin dancers are quite wonderful regardless. The choreography doesnt seem to be working with Dragones vision. She is also a novice entering the big leagues with this production. But being the book writer and the girlfriend of the major producer....well you get the idea. Dragone is quite the mastermind, but without a great team behind him......
There are always changes and problems right throughout the development of any show. Carmen of coarse is no exception. Sure, I'm working on *blind* faith here, but what has to be done has to be done in order to produce anything if it is to turn out legible.
I worked on the development of a touring show in Australia last year, and throughout the whole workshop stages it was constantly changing, even after several public showings and focus groups it changing all the way to the scheduled performances. Even during it's run it was changing in small ways to improve it. It's simply the way a collaboration works, and I just hope that with Carmen, it's for the better. What I have seen thus far of this show, it has the ability to be a great show, and I have faith in the creative team to produce just that.
I was able to get hold of their press release on an update on "Carmen" including casting and performances schedule. It's quite long.
FACT SHEET
WHAT: La Jolla Playhouse presents Carmen
Cirque du Soleil director Franco Dragone breathes new life into Carmen, Prosper Mérimée’s brutal tale of sensuality, passion and obsession, infusing it with dazzling imagery, original music and dance.
WHERE: Mandell Weiss Theatre at La Jolla Playhouse 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037
WHO: Book by SARAH MILES ~ Music by JOHN EWBANK Lyrics by ANNMARIE MILAZZO ~ Directed by FRANCO DRAGONE Orchestration by DOUG KATSAROS ~ Scenic Design by KLARA ZIEGLEROVA Costume Design by SUZY BENZINGER ~ Lighting Design by CHRISTOPHER AKERLIND Sound Design by FRANÇOIS BERGERON ~ Music Director/Arranger: JEFF KLITZ Vocal Arranger: ANNMARIE MILAZZO ~ Choreography by SARAH MILES Dramaturgy by JEAN-CLAUDE CARRIERE Production Stage Manager: PHYLLIS SCHRAY Stage Manager: JUSTIN MABARDI ~ Assistant Stage Manager: JENNY SLATTERY Associate Director: TERRY BERLINER ~ Production Manager: PETER J. DAVIS Casting: DAVE CLEMMONS CASTING
CAST: JANIEN VALENTINE (Carmen) ~ RYAN SILVERMAN (Jose) WITH Neal Benari ~ Genson Blimline ~ Iresol Cardona ~ Gabriel Croom Noemi Del Rio ~ Tony Falcon ~ Maria Eberline ~ Jacqui Graziano Shannon Lewis ~ Jorge Maldonado ~ Michelle Marmolejo Caesar Samayoa ~ Marcos Santana ~ Carlos Sierra-Lopez Shelley Thomas ~ Rocio Ponce ~ Victor Wallace ~ Natalia Zisa
DATES: Previews begin: Tuesday, June 5, 2007 / Press Opening: Sunday, June 17, 2007 @ 7:00 pm Closes: Sunday, July 22, 2007
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Tuesdays @ 7:30 pm / Wednesdays @ 7:30 pm / Thursdays @ 8:00 pm / Fridays @ 8:00 pm Saturdays @ 2:00 pm (no Saturday matinee during first preview week and first week of regular run) & 8:00 pm Sundays @ 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm
DISCOUNTS: Seniors (62 yrs and over), Student and Military – $3 off all performances except Sat. night
Subscriber Youth Discount (17 yrs and under) – Subscribers can get 1/2 off for youth tickets
ACCESS Performance (ASL discount) – $10 tickets to Saturday, June 23, 2pm performance
Subscriber Single Ticket Discounts – $5 off for Complete Collection subscribers; $3 off for smaller package subscribers
HOW: By phone at 858-550-1010 Online at www.lajollaplayhouse.org In person at the box office, located at 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037
La Jolla Playhouse MEDIA RELEASE
DRAGONE BEGINS REHEARSALS OF WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL “CARMEN” AT LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE; FULL CAST ANNOUNCED Performances Begin June 5
LA JOLLA, CA (May 4, 2007) – Director Franco Dragone and the cast of Carmen have begun rehearsals of a world premiere musical Carmen, a new theatre piece based on Prosper Mérimée’s 1845 novella.
Charged with the raw emotional power of Flamenco and original contemporary music, the classic story of love and betrayal is told from the perspective of José, a soldier who becomes ensnared by the stunningly beautiful seductress Carmen. The world premiere musical tells a tale defined by sensuality, passion and obsession.
Dragone comments, “I am proud to begin working with this very talented ensemble of artists with whom I will journey during this process.”
Headlining the cast are Janien Valentine, playing the gypsy enchantress Carmen, and Ryan Silverman, as her lover José. Carmen marks Janien Valentine’s Playhouse debut. She starred in the American premiere of Notre Dame De Paris as Esmeralda. Valentine was awarded Best Female Thespian by the city of Las Vegas. She also toured from New York to Las Vegas in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express. Valentine starred in the feature film Siren in addition to appearing in various productions on A&E, TLC, The History Channel and ABC Family. Canadian actor Ryan Silverman is also making his La Jolla Playhouse debut and has played such roles as Al in Most Happy Fella at the New York City Opera, Sky in the national tour of Mamma Mia! and Tony in the international tour of West Side Story. Silverman has also played Anthony in Sweeney Todd, Eddie Lyons in Blood Brothers and John Wilkes Booth in Assassins.
Among the rest of the ensemble are Neal Benari, whose Broadway credits include Fiddler on the Roof, Aida, Victor/Victoria, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (cast recording), The Merchant of Venice, Chess (cast recording), Roza and The First; Genson Blimline, whose credits include Mask – the Musical in New York and the national tours of A Chorus Line, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Grease with Frankie Avalon, Footloose and the European tour of The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber; Noemi Del Rio, who has danced for artists such as Shakira, Cassie and Thalia on shows such as the “Video Music Awards,” Latin “Grammys” and the “The Tyra Show”; Maria Eberline, who was last seen playing Elphaba in the first national tour of Wicked; Tony Falcon, whose credits include Off Broadway productions of In the Heights, Boobs!, At the Diner and Kismet as well as national tours of Evita, Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Chicago, West Side Story and Funny Girl; Jacqui Graziano, who was an original cast member of Wicked and has also played roles in Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Blvd. and Cats; Shannon Lewis, whose Broadway credits include playing Ursula in Sweet Charity and a principal in The Look of Love as well as being part of the casts of Contact, Fosse, Candide and Crazy for You; Jorge Maldonado, whose Off Broadway/NYC credits include Jose Dominicano in Four Guys Named Jose, the leading man in Latin Heat (Amas Musical Theatre) and Martin in Señor Discretion Himself; Michelle Marmolejo, who has danced in the national and Japanese tours of Swing! as well as the Broadway production of The Mambo Kings; Caesar Samayoa, whose Off Broadway credits include The Voysey Inheritance (Atlantic Theater Company), The Water’s Edge (Second Stage Theatre) and Smashing (Play Company); Marcos Santana who was last seen at the Playhouse in the Des McAnuff-helmed production The Wiz, as well as on the national tours of Evita and Contact and also performing with artists like Chayanne, Missy Elliot, Mary J. Blige and Jimmy Buffet; Carlos Sierra-Lopez, who appeared in the Broadway production of Swing!; Shelley Thomas who appeared on Broadway in the roles of Brooklyn, Paradice & Faith in Brooklyn the Musical and who is a background vocalist for Vanessa Williams; Rocio Ponce who recently starred in a sold-out run of her own production Noche de Soniquete, Arte y Diversion at the Santa Monica Playhouse; Victor Wallace who recently toured with Les Misérables as Enjolras and Natalia Zisa who appeared on Broadway as part of the original cast of Aida and on the international tour of West Side Story as Anita.
ABOUT THE SHOW
After years of working on large-scale productions for Cirque du Soleil, Dragone brings his heightened theatricality to the intimate environment of La Jolla Playhouse with Carmen, a new musical interpretation of Mérimée's novella Carmen.
Over the past two decades, Franco Dragone has brought a new theatrical vocabulary to stages around the world with dazzling imagery that is both thrilling and emotionally moving. For fifteen years, he was the creative visionary behind Cirque du Soleil’s groundbreaking spectacles that have revolutionized live theatre, ranging from such events as Nouvelle Experience, Alegría, Quidam and La Nouba to the most popular entertainment in Las Vegas: Mystère and O. He continues to push the boundaries that define “theatre” since forming his own company, DRAGONE, in 2001 with the record-breaking A New Day ... created for pop sensation Celine Dion, and Le Rêve, exclusively commissioned for Wynn Las Vegas. His numerous awards include three Obies and the Los Angeles Critics’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. Carmen marks his first foray into musical theatre.
Dragone comments, “I look forward to presenting Carmen in a way no one has ever seen before. The audience will need to let go of any preconceived notions they may have! I’m thrilled to tackle this project, and La Jolla Playhouse is a great venue for me to share yet another facet of my directorial style.”
The production features original music by John Ewbank, one of the most successful songwriters working in Europe today. Along with turning out hit records in the Netherlands for the past 15 years, the English-born, Dutch-raised composer/producer’s music can also be heard in numerous European movie scores, including the recent Floris, Zien and Superstition as well as Quentin Tarantino’s True Romance.
Writing the book and choreographing Carmen is Sarah Miles, who served as associate choreographer on Blake Edwards’ Victor/Victoria, Stephen Sondheim’s Company and A Funny Thing Happened … (with Nathan Lane). Robin de Levita, who owns rights for future productions of Carmen, nurtured this project from its inception with Ms. Miles. Lyricist AnnMarie Milazzo wrote the lyrics for Pretty Dead Girl, Charlotte and A Sea Change and has also worked on Bright Lights, Big City and Spring Awakening as a vocal arranger.
La Jolla Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Shirley Fishman comments, “Carmen is a classic story that has transcended its roots in literature to become one of the great stories told in all genres — opera, dance, music, film and theatre. Franco Dragone is a theatre artist in the pantheon of Arianne Mnouchkine and Peter Brook. The fact that he will bring this beloved and timeless story to musical life on our stages is a fantastic opportunity for both the Playhouse and the San Diego community.”
"I love acting. It is so much more real than life." Oscar Wilde "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley
All that Trish said is true- about the problems starting. I will tell you that what I have seen (I haven't seen the full set yet since it is still being built, same goes for costume) based on the models, the sets and costumes are breathtaking. The music is also beautiful.
Check out photos of Ryan Silverman (Jose) and Janien Valentine (Carmen) in rehearsals for the new musical Carmen, beginning performances June 5 at La Jolla Playhouse. Production photos will be available the week of June 5.
"I love acting. It is so much more real than life." Oscar Wilde "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley
We saw a preview this week. I posted more specific comments on the Los Angeles Board. It's not bad, but it is certainly no where near great, not sure I'd even go with good. Needs work but could be fixable.
I also saw a preview performance last night. I felt it was a lot better then not bad but still not great-at least not yet.
The simple yet elegant and very dramatic sets and lighting place the audience in the atmosphere of the play as well as anything I have seen. Dragone's influence is everywhere. What I liked and thought was brilliant was the sensuality and passion created by the sets, costumes, and wonderful dance.
Choreography is a central element in this show and it was sensational. Falling in love, killing one another, attempted rape all occur during an assortment of beautifully crafted dance numbers.
I felt that some of the score was gorgeous and other parts were a bit pedestrian. The female leads get the good stuff. At times it felt like Les Mis and other times West Side Story. The WWS part was the best
I liked it. It was bold,sexy,always beautiful to look at, and at times beautiful to hear.