BWW Interviews: HAPPY DAYS are Here Again with Director Joe Hendren

Minneapolis Musical Theatre (MMT) concludes it's season with an area premiere of HAPPY DAYS - A NEW MUSICAL at the New Century Theatre in downtown Minneapolis. The show opens April 24 and runs through May 17. Inspired by the "Happy Days" TV program that ran from 1974 through 1984, TV series creator Garry Marshall wrote the book and the music was created by Paul Williams.

Probably most familiar to today's audiences are the iconic characters of The Fonz, Richie, Potsie, Ralph and the other Cunningham family members. This take has the town's malt shop, Arnold's, scheduled to be torn down and Richie and the gang have to save it by hosting a dance contest and a TV-worthy wrestling match. As time is running out, The Fonz must step up and save the day.

Director Joe Hendren may be familiar from other work in the Twin Cities but is directing for the first time at MMT, though he's worked with the company previously (see his bio below). In this second installment of 6 Questions & a Plug, we learn a little more about this production and Hendren.

"Happy Days" is a pretty well-known and popular TV show but lesser known as a musical theater piece. Can you describe to readers what elements from the show they can expect to see in this musical version?

It's understandable that people might not be familiar with this musical adaptation as it's not terribly old. The play really is a loving homage to the TV series, with a few strategically placed jabs here and there to make fun of itself. The script, itself, was written by Garry Marshall (the original TV show's creator), so that should give your readers an idea of how faithful some of it will be. Many of the TV series' characters are present, including (of course) The Fonz, Richie and the rest of the Cunningham family, Chachi, Potsie, Ralph, etc. The show loosely falls into the context of the TV series - somewhere around Season 4 -- but it isn't a direct adaptation of any specific episode. Fans of the show will definitely be able to jump in and imagine this as fitting into the larger story of the characters from the series. I'm also confident that audience members who aren't as familiar with the show will still get a kick out of the story and fall in love with the characters.

It looks like the show relies on all original music instead of the expected 1950s rock and roll hits they used on TV - why, and will audiences find this music just as fun and memorable?

I can't stress enough how fun the music is in this show. The 1950s was an amazing decade for the evolution and diversity of music. Despite not being from the '50s, the songs by award winning composer Paul Williams really do capture the musical styles of that period. And, of course, the instantly recognizable theme song from the TV series does make an appearance.

Yea! That's a relief. :-) Are you imitating the characters and look of the TV show or are you giving this a fresh interpretation?

I knew going into this show that I didn't want to see caricatures. The various characters from the series were so well-loved because many of them were relatable -- and we also knew that directly imitating them wouldn't necessarily translate from the small screen to the stage. With that said, we also knew that fans of the show would have certain expectations. So, we tried to strike a balance. We used the TV series as a starting point, but the fantastic actors in this show definitely bring something fresh to the table. Some characters may be a little closer to their TV-counterparts than others -- both in appearance and behavior - but we like to offer something a little less predictable than a straight imitation.

You look like a young guy - did you grow up watching re-runs of "Happy Days" and other Garry Marshall shows on TV? If not, what is your reference point for directing this show? (And what about your cast?)

First of all, thank you! I'm old enough to have seen some of the original run of "Happy Days'" later seasons, but I'm pretty sure I saw almost the entire series in reruns. It was a staple on the TV set in my house and one of the few shows that I can clearly remember watching with my family in the mid-late 1980s. I definitely watched some of the Garry Marshall-created spinoffs like "Laverne & Shirley" and "Mork & Mindy," but I don't think they were as big a presence as "Happy Days" in our household. Many members of our cast were familiar with the show -- though I've had to assign a few of them to watch online videos of the series (or "Laverne & Shirley") to get some of the references.

How do you attract younger audiences to come to a show that's nostalgic for a time that they likely don't remember? And, is it a challenge to portray something that's so strongly imprinted in the memories of the audience who did experience the TV show when it aired?

"Happy Days" has such an iconic presence in our pop culture. Even those who may have never seen the show are usually still familiar with -- or with elements of it, at least. I was talking to my 23-year-old nephew about the show recently and he recognized the title but couldn't place it. Then I mentioned The Fonz and he immediately responded with an "Aaayyyy!" I've had similar discussions with a number of Millennials. I think the nostalgia will be a part of it for some theatre-goers, but others who just want to see an incredibly fun show with great performances and catchy music are going to have just as good a time. Expectations are always a little tricky. As I touched on before, we knew fans of the series would come in with expectations -- but as a theatre-goer, myself, I know how disappointing it can be if you go to a show with certain expectations, only to find that you were right about every one of them. I feel we're presenting the material in a way that will satisfy fans of the series and non-fans, alike. Garry Marshall's script really does provide the foundation for that, as even he wasn't completely beholden to replicating the series. It seems he knew better than that.

What is your background as a director/in theatre?

I started performing pretty young and began directing about 12 years ago. Since then I've kept busy directing dozens of shows for area theatres and schools. I also act, write plays, design props and makeup and occasionally take on other various and sundry theatre jobs. I was lucky enough to start a working relationship with Minneapolis Musical Theatre about five years ago, but this is my first time directing with the company.

Now for the Plug: What's next for you (in theatre) personally, or what are you hoping to work on next?

As I mentioned, I tend to split my time between directing, performing and playwriting -- and the latter of those three has taken a back seat to the others lately. So, I'll probably be going into seclusion in an attempt to finish writing my next script.

Joe Hendren bio:

This marks Joe's fifth collaboration with Minneapolis Musical Theatre, previously appearing as The Professor in GILLIGAN'S ISLAND: THE MUSICAL, serving as Assistant Director on BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON and designing props and special effects for CARRIE and EVIL DEAD. Joe has directed dozens of plays for area theatres and schools -- his most recent directing projects include A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS with Open Window Theate and OF THEE I SING with Lakeshore Players. He has also worked in various capacities with The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera, Lyric Arts, The Northfield Arts Guild, Hardcover Theater, Girl Friday Productions, The Minnesota Opera and others.

More info:

Tickets for HAPPY DAYS are on sale now and range from $25 to $30 depending on performance dates. Tickets
may be purchased in person at the New Century Theatre Box Office (615 Hennepin Ave., street level of City
Center in downtown Minneapolis), by calling 612.455.9501 (no service fees) or online at
HennepinTheatreTrust.org. Prices include applicable facility fees. Additional charges may apply. Groups of 10
or more should call 612.455.9525 for discount information.

Performance dates are Friday, April 24 to Sunday, May 17, 2015, at Hennepin Theatre Trust's New Century
Theatre with performance times on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
There are two additional performances on Saturday, April 25 at 2:30 p.m. and a "pay what you can"
performance on Monday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Photo: Joe Hendren, courtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust.