'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for August 4, 2010

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:

What a week! And the highlight, of course, was the Stephen Sondheim birthday concert and gala fundraising evening at the Ravinia Festival up in Highland Park, last Saturday evening, July 31, 2010, at 7:00 pm. Unfortunately, the highlight was not the musicmaking. 

I understand that the weather was perfect, and that the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, with none other than Paul Gemigniani conducting, played a lovely "Sondheim Overture," followed by 16 songs sung by a pretty unmatched quartet of Tony Award-winning Broadway luminaries. Patti LuPone sang "Everything's Coming Up Roses" to great acclaim. Audra McDonald joined her in a remarkable "Every Day A Little Death," and George Hearn and Michael Cerveris joined her for a legendary version of "A Little Priest." LuPone even sang "Send In The Clowns," on a night in which Judi Dench had already performed it at London's Royal Albert Hall and just a few minutes before Bernadette Peters sang it on Broadway (isn't that a neat trifecta?). 

But then, after just an hour and fifteen minutes of singing and talking, and three curtain calls, the audience learned that the concert was over, without even a prepared encore. Most of those who had paid $125 to sit in the pavilion, or $25 to sit on the lawn (and look at one of the temporary screens set up there), left Ravinia before the sun had even set. And the controversy began. Some folks are apparently genuinely angry. The internet was ablaze! 

I wasn't there, so I am reporting and commenting from that perspective. And, as a middle child, I can see many sides to the issue. Should somebody have sung an encore, like "Happy Birthday," or "Tonight" or "Putting It Together?" Probably. But no one is blaming the artists, nor should they. 

Should Ravinia, which has one evening like this one every year, have done a better job of explaining to its showtune crowd that "gala" means "a tent on the lawn where its donors and volunteers eat a dinner after a short but pricey public program"? Probably so, as every other evening like this has been a classical concert, with Placido Domingo, Kiri Te Kenawa or some such soloist featured. That type of audience member knows that this evening is about raising money, not offering a "value for the money" kind of performance. 

Management offered something even more special and rare than its usual gala fare, to people used to paying over $100 to see commercial musical productions on Broadway. These same people were starving for what they imagined (and reportedly were told) would be 90 minutes of "night music" (does that mean an intermission?), not the 65 minutes of pre-dusk music that some have calculated took place. Should the audience be savoring how lucky they were to hear this music and these performances, and realize that any non-profit organization needs money to put on its offerings? Perhaps. But these are hard economic times. And for these artists to have been brought together for so short a time just seems wrong, somehow. As I said, I am a middle child. 

The good news is that Ravinia knows they have a public relations problem on their hands, and they have reportedly offered, via e-mail, two-for-one pavilion seats to next weekend's "Annie Get Your Gun" to those who bought tickets for last Saturday's Sondheim gala (for the benefit of those who haven't bought "Annie" tickets already, I guess). Whether they will re-tool their fundraising evening, or admit any bad judgment in planning or execution, remains to be seen. To all my Mosh Pit peeps who were there: I hope you enjoyed what you saw and heard, and that your disappointment over not hearing more wonderful music will be channeled into creative concert- and play-going. Maybe Ravinia or the Grant Park Music Festival will get it more right in the future. 

The Ravinia Festival's Website 

And so, onward. The north shore (Evanston this time) has a second Saturday in a row to honor a Broadway composer-lyricist. "A Celebration of Stephen Schwartz" takes place this coming Saturday, August 7, at 8:00 pm in Pick-Staiger Hall. Schwartz will be there, and also performing will be Shoshana Bean, Lari White, Andrew Lippa and Craig Carnelia. As this is a co-production of Northwestern University's American Music Theatre Project and the Johnny Mercer Foundation, young songwriters from the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project will perform their work. Sounds great! I just hope they have some kind of encore......

Stephen Schwartz : Northwestern University 

Speaking of new songs, some of the cast members of the national tour of "Shrek" performed in the Glass Bar at Sidetrack on Monday night. I think it was good, and I think it was the new song for the new dragon (which has a hilarious, post-modern musical theater ending). But the mics and the volume were not up to the usual standards in some way, and I didn't really catch much of what was going on. There were five people up there. They seemed good. We liked the ending. "Shrek" plays through Labor Day at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. 

Shrek the Musical - Broadway in Chicago 

Speaking of national tours, a new tour of "Spring Awakening" is starting out next month. And you'll never guess where they make their debut. No, it's not Chicago, like the aforementioned "Shrek" or the September-arriving "Rock Of Ages." But it is in Illinois! Stumped? I don't know why you should be, because this national tour of the recent Tony-winning Best Musical bows in...downstate Carbondale, Illinois, on October 14th. Next night, Macomb (also in Illinois, btw), followed by Peoria. This appears to be a non-Equity tour, with the same sets and direction as the first tour. We are promised that the show will again play Chicago (it played very briefly here last fall). These are all important musical theater towns downstate, and we wish the tour well on their way to the Windy City and beyond! 

Spring Awakening on Tour 

We learned last week that Chicago will be the starting point for another tour, this one "Come Fly Away," the Frank Sinatra/Twyla Tharp dance musical that has played Broadway this spring and summer. The production closes in New York September 5, and will open on tour here in May of 2011 (no details yet). Can "Next To Normal" be far behind??? 

Come Fly Away - Official Site 

Also looking forward to 2011 is the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook, which announced its upcoming season earlier this week. After "Hot Mikado," bowing later this month, and the previously announced "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers," the final offering for 2010, the DLO will open its 2011 subscription season in March with "Aida," directed by Jim Corti. The play "Broadway Bound" (an interesting choice) will play in early summer, and "Sweeney Todd" (a VERY interesting choice) will follow it in the late summer slot. Rachel Rockwell will helm both "Sweeney Todd" and the next show to hit the boards, "The Sound of Music" (fall of 2011). "Gypsy," which was defeated by both "The Sound of Music" and "Fiorello!" at the Tony Awards of 1960, will open in January of 2012. Wow. That's the first 2012 offering I have mentioned in the column. Wow! 

Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace

And there is much casting news to report as well. September marks so many new beginnings in the theater, and this year is no exception. "A Chorus Line" at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire will star Broadway's Mara Davi as Cassie, and Chicago and television favorite Tim Gregory will be Zach, her prospective director and ex-flame. Actor-choreographer Matt Raftery will be Larry, the dance captain, and the Aguilar brothers (Adrian and Alexander) will be among those on the line. Mark Locono directs, and the aforementioned Rachel Rockwell choreographs. 

Marriott Theatre In Lincolnshire 

Glencoe's Writers' Theatre's production of "She Loves Me" will have Heidi Kettenring as Amalia, with Ross Lehman and Rod Thomas as the men in her life. Also appearing will be Jessie Mueller, Stephanie Herman, Nicky Schuenke, Bernard Balbot, Bethany Thomas, Andrew Goetten, James Rank (back from another appearance in Wisconsin) and Jeremy Rill. Nice work if you can get it! Michael Halberstam directs. 

She Loves Me in Glencoe 

At the other end of town, Munster, Indiana's Theater At The Center is presenting the regional premiere of David Yazbek's "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" in September, starring Larry Wyatt, Michael Mahler (he did "The Producers" there) and his wife Dara Cameron, along with Munster favorite Larry Adams, Paula Scrofano and Lauren Creel. Robert Deason and Alex McCrary will make the jump from the ensemble of the current Munster show, "Jesus Christ Superstar," to the DRS ensemble. Bill Pullinsi directs, and the very busy Stacey Flaster choreographs.

Theater at the Center - On Stage - 2010 Season 

And, back in town, Porchlight Music Theatre just announced its cast for Stephen Sondheim's "Sunday In The Park With George," also opening in September. Starring as Georges/George will be Brandon Dahlquist, continuing his ascent up the showtune ladder after good roles in both Munster and Glencoe this year. His Dot will be singer/songwriter Jess Godwin. Sarah Hayes, Sara Stern and Heather Townsend are among the ladies of the ensemble, all directed by L. Walter Stearns. 

Porchlight Music Theatre 

Whew! I'm exhausted. There is going to be so much fabulous musical theater in Chicago this fall, the mind reels. This ain't all of it, either! (Not to mention the return of "Glee.") So, everybody have fun at Market Days, the Air and Water Show, Labor Day weekend and whatever else you have planned for this wonderful summer. But rest up, because you're going to be tired come fall! Next weekend, we can coordinate our schedules, when I see you under the video screens.....--PWT

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