'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for April 15th. 2015

THE LATEST IN UNAUTHORIZED GOSSIP AND BUZZ FROM THE HEART OF CHICAGO'S SHOWTUNE VIDEO BARS, AND MUSICAL THEATER NEWS FROM CHICAGO TO BROADWAY

by Paul W. Thompson

Overheard last weekend under the showtune video screens at Sidetrack and The Call:

Unless you've been under a very strong rock this week, you know that a new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel" has opened at Lyric Opera Of Chicago, to the delight of most, small misgivings of many, and huge interest from musical theater lovers around the country. The cast of Rob Ashford's staging includes Broadway and screen stars Steven Pasquale, Laura Osnes and Tony Roberts, Broadway young folks Jenn Gambetese and Matthew Hydzik, Broadway veterans Charlotte D'Amboise and Jarrod Emick, and opera's Denyce Graves (all of whom work across the country, by the way), along with Chicago stage stars like David Lively and George Andrew Wolff and the Lyric Opera Chorus and Orchestra. There are 60 actors and 37 instrumentalists, major designers and more. Saturday's gala opening was broadcast and live-streamed on Sunday night. And you would think that all of this was so the production could be transferred to New York! At least, that's the buzz surrounding the production, from media outlets here, online message board prognosticators on the east coast and dreamers across the globe, apparently. Well, the production has been purchases by Houston Grand Opera for a production in April of 2016 (with a completely different, opera-type cast), and Rodgers and Hammerstein have a revival of "The King And I" opening this week at Lincoln Center Theater. And Pasquale has camera commitments. I'm pretty sure that "Carousel" isn't going anywhere east, anytime soon. If you want to see it, come to Chicago. It's a Chicago production. Come here and see it! It's unforgettable. (Through May 3rd)

Lyric-Opera-of-Chicagos-CAROUSEL-Is-Huge-Audaciously-Daring-and-Bracingly-Human

And it's raining Rodgers and Hammerstein hereabouts, as the celebrated film version of "The Sound Of Music" returns to movie theaters this coming weekend in celebration of its 50th anniversary. It's playing in ten theaters in Cook County alone, on April 19 and 22, courtesy of Fathom Events. I can tell you that I was at a movie the other day, and before the feature started, a promotion trailer for this engagement took me by surprise. Suddenly, there was Julie Andrews, 40 feet high and doing her twirl. I literally lost my breath for a second. If you haven't seen this movie as it was intended to be seen, well, it's unforgettable.

Rodgers-Hammersteins-THE-SOUND-OF-MUSIC-Is-Coming-Back-to-the-Big-Screen

Speaking of Lyric Opera and musicals on video, did you hear that the Lyric Opera-Houston Grand Opera-Washington Opera-San Francisco Opera production of the Kern and Hammerstein "Show Boat" will be playing in select movie theaters in key cities in May or June of this year? Though this production was first seen at Lyric in February of 2012, the San Francisco cast of this Francesca Zambello-directed production includes only a handful of the original Chicago cast members. Still, it was very well received, and this video will be an important document of a major production of a seminal work of American musical theater.

San-Francisco-Operas-SHOW-BOAT-Starring-Harriet-Harris-Bill-Irwin-Coming-to-the-Big-Screen

Moving to small screen versions of beloved musicals, there have been two announcements of same lately that have people cautiously enthusiastic. NBC Entertainment announced at the end of March that the follow-up to the Rob Ashford-directed live broadcasts of 'The Sound of Music" and "Peter Pan," which starred Carrie Underwood and Christopher Walken, respectively, will be the 1975 Broadway musical "The Wiz," directed by Kenny Leon and with additional script material contributed by Harvey Fierstein. The broadcast will take place on Thursday, December 3, 2015. What's more, there will be a live Broadway revival of the show by the same team during the 2016-17 season. Casting is not yet announced. Nicki Minaj, anyone?

NBC-Sets-THE-WIZ-as-2015-Live-Musical-Broadway-Revival-in-the-Works

Last week, the FOX television network let it be known that is in indeed working on what is being characterized as a "reboot" of the perennially popular 1975 film musical "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," itself the film version of the 1973 London stage musical "The Rocky Horror Show." The new "Rocky" is expected to be a two-hour made-for-TV movie (not a live broadcast), and again, casting is not yet announced. Fans are hoping for Lady Gaga as Magenta. Or Janet. Or both. I'd take Neil Patrick Harris as Frank. No broadcast date is set. Yet.

ROCKY-HORROR-PICTURE-SHOW-Reboot-Coming-to-FOX-as-Two-Hour-Special-Event

And the third musical of the 1970s on the slate for television treatment? (Detecting a trend, anyone?) We already know that it's "Grease," but FOX announced just today that the project will be helmed by Thomas Kail, the director of Lin-Manuel Miranda's "In The Heights" and his new, hit off-Broadway musical, "Hamilton." "Grease: Live" is set for Sunday, January 31, 2016, and will star Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens as Sandy and Rizzo. But who are the boys?

Thomas-Kail-Alex-Rudzinski-to-Direct-FOX-Musical-Event-GREASE-LIVE

Speaking of productions by opera companies that may be of interest to Mosh Pit peeps, Chicago Opera Theater is readying a work by classical-Broadway crossover composer Ricky Ian Gordon that's called "A Coffin In Egypt." A one-act opera/theater/monologue hybrid, it stars the incomparable Frederica von Stade, who has essentially come out of retirement to introduce this work (she also performed it last year in Philadelphia). COT's production will play at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park for four performances between April 25 and May 3, 2015. It's based on a Horton Foote play, and its libretto and direction are by Leonard Foglia.

http://chicagooperatheater.org

In Chicago legitimate theaters these days, it's good to know that Hershey Felder still has his uncanny knack of bringing show business biographies to life in surprising theatrical ways. The "George Gershwin Alone" guy's production of "Louis And Keely 'Live' At The Sahara" has received a bouquet of love letters from Chicago critics in its Midwest premiere at the Royal George Theatre. Coming from Los Angeles in a production helmed by film director Taylor Hackford, and starring "Kiss Of The Spider Woman" Tony Award winner Anthony Crivello as legendary hipster Louis Prima ("The Jungle Book"), the show uses pop songs of the early 1950s to reveal Prima's prime in performance as well as his complex relationship with protégé and costar Keely Smith. Is Broadway a possibility for this show?

http://www.theatreinchicago.com/louis-and-keely-live-at-the-sahara/reviews/7518/

And down the hallway in the Royal George Cabaret Theatre, the contemporary musical "First Date" has been extended again, now slated to close May 17. Starring Charlie Lubeck and Dana Parker and directed by J.R. Rose, this production will have run for four months by then. The 2013 Broadway production only lasted five months, albeit in a larger theater. Still.

FIRST-DATE-Extends-at-Royal-George-Cabaret

Speaking of small-cast, recent New York musicals, "Ordinary Days" is back for another run. After making its local premiere at the tiny Heartland Studio Theatre in February, courtesy of the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, the show is currently on view in a different production at the Steel Beam Theatre in far west suburban St. Charles. Adam Gwon's four-hander runs there through May 3, 2015.

http://www.steelbeamtheatre.com/

You know, there are a lot of small-cast musicals that are developed right here in Chicago, many growing out of the world of music improv. MCL Chicago, 3110 N. Sheffield Avenue, has had several such shows running concurrently, most only one night each week. Right now, you can catch "Chicago Dreams" on this Friday and Saturday evening. Formerly called "Oh, What A Night," it's been running since January, but it's scheduled to close this weekend! It's a celebration of 1960s guy groups, with a Chicago twist. Michael Shepherd Jordan directs.

http://www.mclchicago.com/chicago-dreams.html

In bigtime, mainstream musical theater news, the cast of "On Your Feet" was announced on Monday of this week, as the next "pre-Broadway" production from Broadway In Chicago prepares to sail through town. The story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, "On Your Feet" will star Ana Villafane and Josh Segarra, backed by a cast of 28. The show is directed by Jerry Mitchell ("Kinky Boots") and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo ("Jersey Boys") and will play at our Oriental Theatre from June 2-July 5. 2015, on its way to a fall opening at Broadway's Marquis Theatre. Come on everybody, do the conga!

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And Broadway In Chicago has announced the date of one of Chicago's most popular musical theater events of the year, its annual summer concert at Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavillion. Monday, August 17 is the date, and 6:15 pm is the time. MARK IT DOWN! Lol. This concert is packed every year, as show tune fans, Mosh Pit peeps and musical theater aficionados from across the region will convene en masse to see Broadway and touring cast stars and understudies present material from the upcoming year's touring shows, and all for free. "The Lion King," "Cabaret" and "Dirty Dancing" are among the shows to be represented by performances this summer.

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Whew! That's a lot of gossip and buzz. Next week, more! Until then, keep your feet on the ground, your body in a theater seat, and, well, I'll see you under the video screens.....-PWT

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