AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN musical will launch tour this fall

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 8/4/21 at 3:47pm

A new musical adaptation of An Officer and a Gentleman has announced plans for a world premiere in Las Vegas at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts (October 26-31), followed by a North American tour that will visit more than 50 cities in the 2021-2022 season.

Based on the hit 1982 film and original screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart, the cast for the North American tour will star Wes Williams as Zack and Mia Massaro as Paula, along with Emily Louise Franklin as Lynette, Ramone Nelson as Sid, Amaya White as Casey Seeger, Roxy York as Esther, and David Wayne Britton as Marine Gunnery Sgt. Emil Foley. Rounding out the ensemble are Zare Anguay, J Travis Cooper, Christopher Robert Hanford, Kyler Hershman, Joey Ledonio, Nathaniel D. Lee, Cameron Loyal, Logan Marks, Nicole Morris, Blake Sauceda, Elise Shangold, KD Stevens, Shelly Verdenand, and Jillian Worthing.

Featuring a score based on the 1980's catalogue of music that gave voice to a generation, the show includes hits from Rick Springfield, Styx, Debbie Gibson, Richard Marx, Wilson Phillips, Pat Benatar, and the Grammy-winning #1 hit single "Up Where We Belong." An Officer and a Gentleman is written and directed by multiple Tony nominee Dick Scanlan (Thoroughly Modern Millie), choreographed by Patricia Wilcox (Motown), and music supervised and arranged by Dan Lipton (The Band's Visit), with orchestrations by Dan Lipton and Nathan Dame and dance arrangements by Gary Adler. Matt Kunkel will serve as Associate Director.

The design team includes scenic design by Brett Banakis, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Jen Schriever, sound design by Jon Weston, wig and hair design by Kelley Jordan, video design by Austin Switser, and casting by Wojcik | Seay Casting. The live stage production is based on an original book by Douglas Day Stewart and Sharleen Cooper Cohen.

The story of An Officer and a Gentleman is described as follows: "Zack Mayo has the raw talent and strength for the US Navy's Officer Training School. Graduating from the elite program will secure Zack's career and future. But only the brave and determined can endure the relentless commands of Drill Sergeant Foley, who is determined to weed out all those unable to pass the strenuous tests of knowledge, coordination and strength. On his journey of self-discovery, Zack finds comfort in the arms of a strong-willed local factory worker. But it isn't until tragedy befalls a fellow candidate that Zack learns the importance of friendship, commitment and honor, finds the courage to be his best self, and wins the heart of the woman he loves."

https://www.theatermania.com/las-vegas-theater/news/an-officer-and-a-gentleman-musical-tour_92584.html

[devonian.t]

Posted: 8/5/21 at 12:41am

World premiere?  There was a production and limited tour in the UK. Is this a different show?

[binau]

Posted: 8/5/21 at 3:44am

There was also an Australian production many years ago but if I recall correctly it had an original score back then and I don’t know if it has any association with this production.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 8/5/21 at 2:52pm

“Featuring a score based on the 1980's catalogue of music that gave voice to a generation, the show includes hits from Rick Springfield, Styx, Debbie Gibson, Richard Marx, Wilson Phillips, Pat Benatar, and the Grammy-winning #1 hit single "Up Where We Belong."“

A quick Wikipedia search even shows that this is a different production, writer, all around creative team. This is based on the book as opposed to the film.

[David10086]

Posted: 8/5/21 at 11:33pm

I’ve seen the ads for the touring production in my city, and they’re promoting this as “ the Broadway hit musical”. Whatever happened to truth in advertising?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/6/21 at 12:33am

That's wack. It's a bunch of non-union actors in a bus and truck with a ****ty ass production making $400 a week. That's wack. 

[David10086]

Posted: 8/6/21 at 11:27pm

RippedMan said: "That's wack. It's a bunch of non-union actors in a bus and truck with a ****ty ass production making $400 a week. That's wack."

No, it’s a Broadway hit musical! The TV ads say this and they wouldn’t lie. 🤣

 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:38am

David10086 said: "I’ve seen the ads for the touring production in my city, and they’re promoting this as “ the Broadway hit musical”. Whatever happened to truth in advertising? "

That went out the window a long time ago. Wasn’t Honeymoon In Vegas also advertised as a “hit” at some point? 
 

Shout out to those who remember that period of time on these boards. What a weird, wild time that was. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 12:44pm

Wasn’t Honeymoon In Vegas also advertised as a “hit” at some point?

God, you're right. What an absolutely terrible show that was. 

[bk]

Posted: 8/7/21 at 11:55pm

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "“Featuring a score based on the 1980's catalogue of music that gave voice to a generation, the show includes hits from Rick Springfield, Styx, Debbie Gibson, Richard Marx, Wilson Phillips, Pat Benatar, and the Grammy-winning #1 hit single "Up Where We Belong."“

A quick Wikipedia search even shows that this is a different production, writer, all around creative team. This is based on the book as opposed to the film."

Based on the book??? An Officer and a Gentleman was an original screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart - it wasn't an adaptation of a book.

 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 8/8/21 at 2:20pm

Sorry, don’t know what I was typing with the end of that post - I meant to say this is based on the film but with a new/different book from the previous musical adaptation.

[windowwaving]

Posted: 2/5/22 at 2:59pm

Has anyone seen this yet? Debating if it's worth checking out. I've never seen the movie nor am I that familiar with songs from the 80s. 

[mxfish1313]

Posted: 2/5/22 at 4:04pm

windowwaving said: "Has anyone seen this yet? Debating if it's worth checking out. I've never seen the movie nor am I that familiar with songs from the 80s."

It came through my local place as part of my season tickets back in November. I hadn’t seen the movie for like twenty years so I didn’t have any expectations or memories of the overall story, the only part I remembered was the final scene. 
 

It’s not GREAT, but I kind of think it was worth seeing because of the crazy physicality in it. There are a couple songs sung completely while they’re doing actual workouts on stage, from burpees to pull ups to crunches to climbing a wall… it was really impressive. One actress really blew me away too with both her voice and her strength. 
 

It was kind of schmaltzy, but not as egregiously so as, like, Dirty Dancing. I think, if you’re interested in seeing it, there’s enough to like about it to not feel like you wasted anything (time nor money). I think I liked it more than I expected to, simply because of some of the cast and the choreography. The book is what it is, several song choices felt weird and boring, and I was completely underwhelmed with the lead actress that I saw, but the good things made up for it enough for me to walk away happy enough. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/5/22 at 11:53pm

I’d love to see it but it’s not touring near me. I suppose a cast album is unlikely.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/6/22 at 8:46am

I saw this back in December, and enjoyed it well enough. It's leagues better than the other national tours we have seen of musicals based on 80s movies (The Bodyguard, Dirty Dancing, Flashdance). I thought the cast was good, and, as previously mentioned, the physicality and choreography are both quite impressive. I had never seen the movie and am not terribly familiar with 80s music, but I still really enjoyed both the story and music. Definitely worth checking out for under $75 in my opinion.