'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for April 13th, 2011

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:

Well, we're not sure if it's done, but it's opened! "White Noise," the cautionary, neo-Nazi musical produced in part by Whoopi Goldberg and directed in his directorial debut by choreographer Sergio Trujillo ("Jersey Boys," "Next To Normal" and "The Addams Family") is up and running on the mainstage at the Royal George Theatre on Halsted Street (down the hallway from "Dixie's Tupperware Party," if you're looking for a contrast). It sounds like it's a great idea, with great songs and a talented cast and still some work to be done on the book and the overall tone of the piece. Nothing wrong with musicals about the recording industry, either, especially when they have original scores and unique ideas. But is this one too hard to get right? Or does the creative team now know what they have to do before the show can be announced for the Great White Way (pun entirely intended)? Only time will tell. Have you seen this, though? (You have until June 5, 2011.) Folks are weighing in, to be sure. 

WHITE NOISE | Chicago Is About To Rock In A Hard Place

The other big event of last weekend was a concert production of a well-known music-theater work by some of the biggest names in the field, performed by a top-notch orchestra and a legendary conductor and some guest artists that people may be talking about around Chicago for years. Nope, I'm not talking about Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing Giuseppe Verdi and Arrigo Boito's "Otello" at Orchestra Hall (though all those things are true). Rather, I'm talking about Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's "Company," by the New York Philharmonic at New York's Avery Fisher Hall, conducted by Paul Gemignani and starring Neil Patrick Harris as Bobby. The concert was filmed for release to movie theaters and, one assumes, DVD release, etc., so that the Showtune Mosh Pit can rock for years with clips from this production (directed by Lonny Price, of course). You know that the supporting cast included such names as Stephen Colbert, Jon Cryer, Anika Noni Rose, Chicago's very own Martha Plimpton, last year's Tony winner Katie Finneran, and one Miss Patti LuPone as Joanne, right? (How many times is she going to sing "The Ladies Who Lunch" at Lincoln Center? I'd like to see the two film clips side by side...by side.) Even if the original cast of "Company" (Dean Jones, Elaine Stritch, Beth Howland, etc.) has yet to be equaled, and was captured by D. A. Pennebaker in his legendary documentary of the cast album recording sessions, this new version is sure to have its champions. Can't wait! And when is the last time we had a top-notch production of this show in Chicago...? 

Star-Filled COMPANY to Be Filmed; Headed to Movie Theatres in June 

Speaking of Lonny Price, the Sondheim/Furth musical he appeared in back in the day, "Merrily We Roll Along," just opened at the Music Theatre Company in north suburban Highland Park, running through May 1 in a production directed and choreographed by Jessica Redish. And it's been Jeff Recommended, and it's gotten some really great reviews! Jarrod Zimmerman and Alan Schmuckler play a budding composer and lyricist, and Jessie Mueller, Dara Cameron and Stephanie Herman play the women in their lives. If you've sung "Not A Day Goes By" at an audition or cabaret night, you owe it to yourself to see this show with the backwards plot and the autobiographical tone. It resonates with me because it opened when I was a senior in college. How does it resonate with you? J 

:: THE MUSIC THEATRE COMPANY :: 

The western suburbs will soon have a Sondheim production of their own, when "A Little Night Music" by Circle Theatre begins performances in Oak Park on April 22 (through June 5). It's directed by Bob Knuth, with musical direction bv Josh Walker. Anita Hoffman and Kirk Swenk star as Desiree and Fredrik, and Friend-of-the-Mosh-Pit Patrick Tierney is Henrik. (The fanstastically named Khaki Pixley is Petra.) And who says that last year's "Sondheim 80" celebration is over, right? Does this mean that his shows have finally become mainstream, part of the standard repertoire? For years, Sondheim was an insider's composer, and few theater companies dependent on ticket sales were brave enough to program his works. Now, he's everywhere! Has all that changed? 

Circle Theatre in Oak Park 

Speaking of things that you never thought would happen: last week we learned that Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre has extended its current production's run so far that the theater has canceled the next production entirely! When's the last time you remember that happening? "Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs Of Rodgers And Hammerstein" has been extended at Theo's No Exit Café through June 5, meaning that the George M. Cohan revue slated to open in May has been cancelled, perhaps to appear at some future time. This R&H revue got consistently superlative reviews, and I guess audiences have really responded with ticket purchases! Who says that songs from integrated book musicals can't stand on their own? Who? 

Home « Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre 

Just a block down Glenwood Avenue from the No Exit Café stands Lifeline Theatre, which has an apparent hit on its hands with the children's musical "Arnie The Doughnut." Weekend daytimes through May 15, this show was adapted by Frances Limoncelli from a popular children's book about human-doughnut relations. Arnie has sprinkles, and somebody wants to eat him! George Howe wrote the score, as he has for many other Lifeline children's musicals. BranDon Paul Eells stars as Arnie. 

Lifeline Theatre :: Arnie The Doughnut 

Looking to the future, the new Brown Paper Box Co. is remounting its show from last October, "Reefer Madness," for two benefit performances only. They will take place next Wednesday, April 20, at 7 pm and 9 pm at Studio BE on Sheffield Avenue, just south of Belmont. The cast of thirteen stars Zev Steinberg, Hunter T. Davis and Anna Schulz, directed by M. William Panek. Reefer Madness!

Reefer Madness 

Theatre On The Lake announced its 2011 summer season recently. The Chicago Park District's facility on the shore of Lake Michigan, where Lake Shore Drive passes the foot of Fullerton Avenue, will feature eight local theater companies in one-weekend runs of recent shows, and two of these will be musicals! The Bohemian Theatre Ensemble will remount "Big River" for the weekend beginning July 27, and then Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre will remount "Sweet And Hot: The Songs Of Harold Arlen" for the weekend beginning August 3. Hot town! Summer in the city.... And while Harold Arlen's songs have a certain tropical flair at times, "Big River" will be fascinating with all that water around, won't it? 

Theater On The Lake - Theatre In Chicago 

Looking even farther down the road is the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, which is sponsoring an online audience vote to help it pick its 2012 season! (After "42nd Street," which just opened, they are set for the rest of this year with "Shout!," the world premiere of "For The Boys" [based on the Bette Midler film] and "White Christmas.") For 2012, the theatre has a list of nine shows under consideration, plus the wild card, enigmatically titled,"New Work." Cast your vote via the online survey through May 29. That's nice! 

Survey : 2012 Season : Greeting 

Last but not least, you may know that BroadwayWorld.com is partnering with producers Alissa Norby and Lampkin Music Group to sponsor the "Alice Ripley Cover Contest," in conjunction with the Tony Award-winning "Next To Normal" star's Chicago concert debut on May 2, 2011 at Stage 773 (her dark night during the two week run of "Next To Normal" downtown). The contest is open now (through April 28) and the winner will get a fantastic "Alice Ripley Fan Package," including two front-row seats to Alice's concert, called "Daily Practice: The Acoustic Sessions." Basically, if you make and submit the best two-minute video cover version of an Alice Ripley song, you win! ("Side Show" fans, here's your chance to shine!) And you'll win based on the number of "likes" your video receives on the contest's official Facebook page, so get your friends and family plan into gear now! 

 Click HERE for the full Alice Ripley Cover Contest details!

So that's it for now! Spring is here, as you can tell because it's either winter or summer outside all the time now. No matter. We have showtune videos to keep us occupied until beach weather arrives, sometime. Until that happy day arrives, I'll see you under the video screens.....-PWT 

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