'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 21st, 2009

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

Sidetrack and Cattle Call showtune video screens:

 

The Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards ceremony was Monday night, and the excitement was palpable, both at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts where the awards were handed out, and online, where news spread far and fast about the lucky recipients!

As many "Showtune Mosh Pit" readers predicted, Court Theatre's searing presentation of the recent Broadway musical "Caroline, Or Change," about race relations in Louisiana nearly fifty years ago, took the most trophies in the musical categories with four, for Production-Musical-Large, Director (Charles Newell), Actress in a Principal Role-Musical (E. Faye Butler, in what I believe is her seventh Jeff win!), and Music Direction (the omnipresent Doug Peck). Congratulations to the Hyde Parkers!!

Four productions took home two awards a piece, in what amounts to a very evenly distributed bounty of Jeffs. Drury Lane Oakbrook's "Miss Saigon" won the Actor in a Principal Role-Musical award for Joseph Anthony Foronda as the Engineer, and Sound Design-Large was won by Ray Nardelli and Joshua Horvath (you missed a piece of work if you didn't hear that truly stunning helicopter effect).

The short-lived London musical "Tomorrow Morning" at The Greenhouse Theater Center won a Production-Musical-Midsize  Jeff Award for Hillary A. Williams, LLC, and Mike Tutaj (also omnipresent) won a Video Design award for the production. The recent "The Light in the Piazza" at the Marriott Theatre provided the lovely Summer Smart and Max Quinlan with the two supporting role in a musical awards, and Writers' Theatre's "A Minister's Wife" was the source of Liz Baltes' Actress in a Supporting Role-Musical award (she tied with Smart) and won the New Adaptation-Musical award for Josh Schmidt, Jan Tranen and Austin Pendleton. 

Other awards for musicals were won by Mark David Kaplan for his Actor in a Revue turn in the very short-lived "Forbidden Broadway: Dances with the Stars" at the Royal George Theatre last fall, Jesse Klug for his Lighting Design-Midsize seen in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" (American Theater Company) and David H. Bell for his inventive Choreography for DLO's "The Boys from Syracuse." And lest we forget, director and producer William Pullinsi was given a special award honoring his fifty years in the theater, more than forty-five of which have occurred right here in the Chicago suburbs. 

Omissions? Grumbles? Well, it's somewhat surprising that "Million Dollar Quartet" was shut out, despite its commercial and critical success and its announced Broadway production for this spring. It may well have won the Ensemble award (not specific to musicals, alas), but for a little juggernaut named "The History Boys," that was the night's biggest non-musical winner for TimeLine Theatre Company, with five awards overall. But really, it seems that the awards produced some fair and reassuring results this year. It's a great big lovefest. Again, congratulations, and bravo!

http://www.jeffawards.org/home/index.cfm

Speaking of Drury Lane Oakbrook, all we heard about this past week was auditions for "Ragtime!" Apparently everybody went, and everybody wants to be a part of this production, slated for a March Oakbrook opening. This production is a very rare example of a regional theater being allowed to produce a show concurrently with a New York production (a revival opens there next month!). Is that why the intense interest from the acting community here? Is it the memory of Porchlight Music Theatre's production that transferred to the Apollo Theater? You be the judge.

http://www.theatreinchicago.com/searchresultsQF.php?QFsearchBy=play&txtTitle=ragtime

With the visit to the Loop last week of what will surely be the last touring production of "Cats" we will see here, attention is turning to all the big Broadway tours set for the fall season. "Young Frankenstein" opens in November for a six week stay, sponsored by Broadway in Chicago, and the Mel Brooks movie-adaptation tuner will be followed quickly by the highly anticipated local premiere of Tony-winner "In the Heights," for three weeks in December. Both shows will be at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. Folks and fans are getting their tickets now! 

http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/

Of course, opening in November for two months at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre, is the pre-Broadway try-out, old-fashioned world premiere of composer Andrew Lippa's "The Addams Family," now in rehearsal with Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth (god and goddess?) here in town. This on the heels of the sad news that Vic Mizzy, who wrote and sang the theme song for the popular 1960s television show based on the kooky, spooky, ooky family, passed away on October 20th at the age of 93. He also directed the show's cast in the finger-snapping action that accompanied the song at the beginning of every episode. RIP, indeed. 

http://www.theaddamsfamilymusical.com/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113974037

The Mosh Pit learned last week that Chicago can get a sneak peek at a star of the new "Addams Family," courtesy of a one-man show to be performed here this Sunday night, October 25th, by actor Zachary James. He's the guy playing Lurch in the show, and is certain to be pretty well known in just a short time. You can say you saw him before all the hoopla, at Gorilla Tango Theatre on Milwaukee Avenue, in his show titled "Imbecile D'Amour." James is a Broadway veteran of "South Pacific" and "Coram Boy," and he sings opera, showtunes, art songs-you name it. What a fun opportunity!

http://metropolisoperaproject.org/imbecile.html 

Oh, yeah, um, "Glee!" LOL. And soon to feature "Spring Awakening"'s Jonathan Groff!!! 'Nuff said. Awesome.

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/10/19/glee-exclusive-jonathan-groff-to-join-sho/

Lest we look too far into the future, we all know that "Billy Elliot" will be making his electricity felt in Chicago's Loop in March for (hopefully) a "Wicked"-style sit-down production. Hot on his ballet heels will be the opening of the national tour of "Shrek," next July. Informed speculation has it that the three original stars of "Shrek," Northwestern University graduate Brian D'Arcy James, Tony-winner Sutton Foster and "Spamalot" alumnus Christopher Sieber (remember him from the Sidetrack back bar four Monday nights in a row?) will open the show here. Wouldn't THAT be nice! 

http://www.billyelliotthemusical.com/

http://www.shrekthemusical.com/

At Sidetrack this Monday night, we were treated to a special announcement regarding the Casting Auction Benefit put on every year by Victory Gardens Theater. Those who want to appear in a two night spring performance of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" at the legendary Biograph Theater can bid on roles (who wants to be "Moonface?") at the fundraising party, Saturday, November 14th. If you're terrible at auditioning, you can still be a part of musical theater, just by opening your (or your friend's) wallet! It's a clever way for one of Chicago's foremost arts organizations to bring in needed funds, and build community at the same time. 

http://www.victorygardens.org/content/support/casting_auction

A more specialized fundraising event, featuring entertainment by cabaret diva Honey West and others, will take place at Sidetrack on Tuesday, November 3rd. Benefiting the gender transition of Mosh Pit friend James Tyrcha, the Masculinity Party looks like a fun, unique and worthy event. It's certainly a worthy cause. Check it out! 

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=113391582634&ref=ts 

Our old friend Randy Buescher, Chicago-based voice teacher, singer, lecturer and voice therapist, is leading a four-hour master class for women performers and for voice teachers entitled, "So You Think You Can Belt?" Along with otolaryngologist Dr. Steve Sims and three singing actresses, Wydetta Carter, Annie Fitch and Christine Bunuan, Buescher's workshop will take place at Theatre Building Chicago from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, November 7th. This is kind of like alchemy if you're a guy, but women who know they need this stuff should learn as much as they can, I would think. 

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=173956038884&ref=ts

http://www.yourtruevoicestudio.com/ 

And, lest we forget that Halloween is almost upon us, Porchlight Music Theatre's popular show "Macabaret" is back for another year, for two weekends only, this one and next. If you're in the mood, trot on over to that Theatre Building Chicago for a look see-if you dare! 

http://porchlighttheatre.com/current.htm 

So, as we look back at all our Chicago theater community has accomplished this past year, and look forward to so many shows coming up for the various holidays and beyond, I will leave you to pick your favorites, and support them!  And sooner than you think, I will see you under the video screens.....--PWT