'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for September 1st, 2010
By: Paul W. Thompson Sep. 01, 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:
As I write this, it has been a little less than 24 hours since the nominations were announced for this year's Equity Jeff Awards! That is to say, the Equity wing of the Joseph Jefferson Awards announced the productions and artists nominated for the 42nd annual edition of the Chicago theater industry's highest annual honors. There are 162 nominations in 31 categories (that's a whopping number, but we do have a lot of theater hereabouts!), and the winners will be announced on Monday, October 25, 2010, at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace.
That's entirely appropriate, because Drury Lane Productions received by far the highest number of nominations related to musicals--26 in all. And 3 of its productions were the shows with the highest number of nominations for individual musical shows. "Ragtime" led the pack with a phenomenal 11 nominations, and "Cabaret" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie" both received 7 nominations. Those 3 shows (plus the 1 nomination "Sugar" received, for actor Alan Schmuckler's turn as Jerry/Daphne) account for the DLO's showing in the nominations list, and no other theater company even comes close. It's been quite a year for the DeSantis family and the western suburbs!
The north suburban Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire received 11 nominations in all, 6 for "The Drowsy Chaperone" and 5 for "Hairspray." The downtown Goodman Theatre picked up 6 nominations for its resuscitation of the Marx Brothers' musical "Animal Crackers" last fall, and it is these 6 productions which are vying for the evening's biggest musical prize, "Production--Musical--Large." (That's the name of it, folks--you can't make this stuff up.)
The next 2 theater companies with the largest number of nominations are Writers' Theatre of Glencoe and Northlight Theatre of Skokie, whose productions of "Oh Coward!" and "Low Down Dirty Blues" (respectively) each received 5 nominations and will duke it out in the category of "Production--Revue" with the Second City e.t.c's "The Absolute Best Friggin' Time Of Your Life" (it received 2 nominations in all).
Other theater companies with multiple musical nominations include Court Theatre, with 3 nominations for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (which the Jeffs consider a play but which some folks consider a musical), Theatre At The Center (honored with acting nominations for performers in 3 different productions) and American Theatre Company (with 2 nominations for "Yeast Nation [the triumph of life])." The Second City, Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago and Black Ensemble Theater each picked up 1 nod apiece. That makes 12 honored companies.
(It is at this point that eagle-eyed observers will notice that the Jeffs did not nominate any productions for "Production--Musical--Midsize" or "New Work--Musical," and they combined the award for Director--Musical and Director--Revue. Hmm. Interesting.)
Several individuals received multiple musical nominations, led by lighting designer Jesse Klug's 4 nominations (for the three Drury Lane shows discussed above, plus "Yeast Nation." Perennial winner Marc Robin was nominated 4 times as well, for both direction and choreography of the Marriott's "Drowsy Chaperone" and "Hairspray." And musical director Doug Peck was nominated 3 times, for his work on shows at 3 different theaters ("Animal Crackers" at the Goodman, "Cabaret" at Drury Lane and "Oh Coward!" at Writers'). Amazing.
3 theater artists received 2 individual nominations apiece: Jim Corti for his direction of "Cabaret" and "Oh Coward!," Kevin Depinet for his scenic design for "Ragtime" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie," and musical actress Heidi Kettenring, in a Principal Role in "I Do! I Do!" at Theater At The Center and in a Supporting Role in the Marriott's "Hairspray." But please click on the link to read the names of all those old hands and new faces nominated for awards (well, the Ensemble nominees aren't listed by name, but you know who you are!). And congratulate them all when you see them next!
Who will win? I have no idea!
Click Here To See The List Of Jeff Award Nominees!
In other award show news, you might be award that a little show called the Emmy Awards took place in Los Angeles this past weekend. The Mosh Pit's favorite television show, "Glee," didn't win for Best Comedy, but it did win two other prestigious awards. The first season is legendary now, and all eyes turn toward the premiere of the show's second full season, on Tuesday, September 21, at 7:00 Central Time. Can't wait!
Speaking of seasons, Broadway In Chicago announced its 2011 Spring subscription series this past week, with "Next To Normal" as the marquee show for most Mosh Pit peeps (for two quick weeks, April 26-May 8). Other musicals in the series include "Les Miserables," a major revision (with new material) of the Studs Terkel musical "Working," and "Hair" (YAY!), along with "The Merchant Of Venice" with F. Murray Abraham and "Wishful Drinking" with Carrie Fisher. Off-series add-ons include the Beatles tribute musical "Rain" and a welcome return of the Tony-winning "Spring Awakening." Also note that the tour of "9 To 5" has been announced for the last two weeks of January, but tickets are not yet on sale. Hmm. And no "West Side Story" yet. But otherwise, this is all good news!
Seasons Tickets - Broadway in Chicago
There are changes afoot in town. We learned this week that Noble Fool Theatricals, in residence at the Pheasant Run Resort in the far western suburbs, is changing its name to Fox Valley Theatricals. We think we like! Same people running it, but a new name to reflect the mission and activities of the theater company in the St. Charles/Kane County area. And a year from now, they will have a production of "They're Playing Our Song" on the boards. We also like!
Eagle-eyed observers noticed the changing look of Stage 773 recently, as Theatre Building Chicago evolves into its new name at 1225 W. Belmont Avenue in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. Now under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Posen and Executive Director Megan Flanagan, Stage 773's mission is "to celebrate the vibrancy of Chicago off-loop theater, support artists, and provide our audience with accessible, affordable live entertainment." Sounds good, we think.
Reports have it that some of the former leadership of the Theatre Building is involved in a group called Chicago Muse. And that company's biggest announcement to date is a major production of the two-man musical "The Story Of My Life," to play during November and December in the Victory Gardens Zacek McVay Theatre, the mainstage space inside the historic Biograph Theater on Lincoln Avenue. This show, which played the northwest suburbs in a small production last fall, will have its city debut, reportedly helmed by its Broadway director, Richard Maltby, Jr.. This could be exciting!
Another change wrought by the change at the Theatre Building is the conversion of John Sparks' musical theater writers' workshop into Midwest New Musicals, now in association with Light Opera Works. Carrying with him testimonials from "Urinetown"'s Mark Hollmann and "Avenue Q"'s Jeff Marx (Tony winners both), Sparks has moved on from his twenty-plus years on Belmont Avenue and will be teaching "on Chicago's North Shore" this year, with sessions starting in September.
Writers Workshop - Midwest New Musicals
Speaking of September, I've decided I'm going to call it "Super September." We've got a fantastic line-up of shows that will be open and running this month, a collection of productions that would be the envy of any theater city. The month may have already gotten started with "Hot Mikado" at the aforementioned Drury Lane Theatre (playing now through October 3), and will extend through to the touring company of "The Lion King" that will play the Cadillac Palace Theatre beginning on September 29 for an as-yet-unannounced length of time.
Now Playing at Drury Lane Theatre
The Lion King - Broadway in Chicago
In between those two productions will open a remarkable assortment of shows that we all will be discussing in the coming weeks. But for my money, the most important opening of the month from an international musical theater perspective is Leonard Bernstein's "Candide" at the Goodman Theatre, directed by Tony-winner, MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant recipient and Northwestern University faculty member Mary Zimmerman. What I (and others) have been suspecting was finally announced last week, that Zimmerman has essentially written a new book for the musical (an adaptation of Voltaire's novel, of course) and that musical director Doug Peck (sound familiar?) has rearranged and reordered the sequence of Bernstein's oft-tinkered-with score to meet her Voltaire vision. (I hope they got all the good stuff in!) We already know that this production will play Washington, D.C, later this fall (after its September 17-October 24 run here), but one question remains: will this version of this legendary title have a life beyond that? My money says an unequivocal "yes." This is without a doubt THE Chicago musical theater event of the fall!
Goodman Theatre : Chicago's award-winning regional theater
And so it begins--Super September. I know you won't want to miss a thing, and that you'll catch each new show and each new edition of "The Showtune Mosh Pit" as they come your way. I also know I'll see most of you under the video screens, in your mind's eye if not in reality. You know who you are! Until then.....--PWT
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