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Judy Kaye to Give Broadway a 'Souvenir' in November?

By: Aug. 05, 2005
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Sources tell BroadwayWorld.com that Judy Kaye, who received glowing reviews (and a Lucille Lortel Award nomination) for her performance as tone-deaf Florence Foster Jenkins in off-Broadway's Souvenir, is planning to again produce ear-splittingly funny sounds on Broadway. The show is said to have been booked into the Lyceum Theatre (149 W. 45th St.) for an open-ended run, with previews to start in November. An official opening date, along with official confirmation are not yet available.

Souvenir, which ran at the York Theatre Company from December 1st, 2004 to January 16th, 2005, is a two-character fantasia on the life of Jenkins, an unmarried society matron whose delusions of singing grandeur led her to Carnegie Hall, where she performed her off-pitch operatic trills to the delight of thousands in the 1940s. Jack Lee played Cosme McMoon, her pianist; the play with music examines their rocky but ultimately affectionate relationship. While it is unknown whether the real-life Foster Jenkins knew that she was not a great soprano, the comedic but compassionate play is based around the premise that she remained ignorant for the majority of her career.

Kaye will perform in Souvenir at the Berkshire Festival in Massachusetts; the show starts previews on August 17th, opens on August 19th and runs through September 3rd. The Berkshire production will use the same sets (by R. Michael Miller) as the York staging, but there will be new costumes (which will be carried over into the Lyceum).

Ironically, Kaye is renowned for her vocal range. She is a Tony-winner for her performance as Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera, and she also received a nod for Mamma Mia!, in which she originated the role of Rosie on Broadway. She received a Theatre World Award for On the Twentieth Century, in which she replaced Madeline Kahn as the tempestuous Lily Garland. Other Broadway credits include Ragtime (in which she played Emma Goldman), Oh, Brother! and Grease. In addition to numerous studio cast albums, she has two solo CDs--Diva by Diva and Songs from the Silver Screen.






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