The return of Rockabye Hamlet

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frontrowcentre2
#1The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 7/22/08 at 1:07am

Hi all - this is mainly from a press release I was sent (with a few additions and clarificationsby me.) Unfortnately I am already booked to attend shows at the Shaw Festival this weekend so I won't be able to go.



One of Broadway's legendary flops was the 1976 rock opera base on Hamlet.

Now this infamous musical by Cliff Jones will be presented as a staged concert for three exclusive performances in Toronto on July 25-26 at the Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.

Originally commissioned for C.B.C. Radio, KRONBORG: 1582 played at the Charlottetown Festival (Prince Edward Island) to critical acclaim in the summers of 1974 and '75, followed by a Canadian tour with Brent Carver as Hamlet and Beverly D’Angelo as Ophelia.

Renamed Rockabye Hamlet, and substantially revised under the direction of Gower Champion, it opened on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre Feb 16, 1976, starring Larry Marshall, D'Angelo and Meat Loaf. It played a efw weeks of previews (which composer Jones says were ecstatically received by audeinces) then it opened to 7 out of 7 negative notices. ROCKABYE HAMLET closed a week later.

With new revisions by Jones and re-titled SOMETHING'S ROCKIN' IN DENMARK, the show then enjoyed a 14-month run in Los Angeles. The musical won twelve Dramalogue Awards (L.A.) and has since been successfully produced many times.

For this new concert staging of SOMETHING'S ROCKIN' IN DENMARK, Cliff Jones has adapted his script and score, taking the best of all previous productions. He will also direct the show, joined by Lona Davis as musical director and Mimi Woods Doherty as choreographer/assistant director. The cast of 18 features Ted Ambrose, Lisa Bell, Matthew A.C. Campbell, Trevor Covelli, Scott Freethy, Michael Harvey, Laura Higgs and Gerald Isaac.

SOMETHING'S ROCKIN' IN DENMARK plays Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, July 26 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. The Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, is located in downtown Toronto at 27 Front Street East. Tickets are $40 (lower orchestra) and $30 (upper orchestra) and may be reserved by calling the box office at 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754, go online to www.stlc.com

Witness the Toronto re-birth of this wondrous, eclectic musical!




Something's Rockin' in Denmark


Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

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Mr Roxy
#2re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 7/22/08 at 6:11pm

The original was a trip is all I can say. It was ******* amazing

A than unknown Meatloaf, Beverly D Angelo & others performed the hell out of it.

Would love to hear the full score again.


Poster Emeritus
Updated On: 7/22/08 at 06:11 PM

husk_charmer
#2re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 7/22/08 at 10:45pm

Is there a cast recording? It seems like I remember hearing of one.


http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer

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Harper3
#3re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 7/22/08 at 11:02pm

I'd love to see a restaging of the show. Any chance to prove how universal Shakespeare's work is to new audiences is awesome, in my opinion.

Being unfamiliar with the show, I think under a wise director and a great creative team, this could work well.

puppet
#4re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 7/23/08 at 12:15am

According to Ken Mandlebaum's "Not Since Carrie" the recording was by Jones alone with some exagerated quotes on the package.


Jack Hughes
#5re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 7/23/08 at 4:39am

I saw this show too long ago to specifically recall anything about it - except that it was crazy, entertaining and Beverly D'Angelo strangled herself on stage with her mike chord.

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Mr Roxy
#6re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 7/23/08 at 7:21am

There was an LP done by Jones of 10 songs from the show with the original logo on the front long out of print now

I also have an audio recording made from the sound system. Not great but that is all that remains.


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gvendo2005
#7re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 7/23/08 at 6:59pm

I've seen Cliff Jones' official website for the show, which is apparently now available for stock and amateur licensing. It's gone through so many titles it's not funny (Kronborg: 1582, Rockabye Hamlet, Something's Rockin' in Denmark, Hamlet: The Musical)...I'm guessing to avoid traveling flop collectors?

His basic viewpoint? It was a success everywhere but Broadway, so f*** New York critics! In other words, it's not coming back to a MAJOR stage any time in the near future.


"There is no problem so big that it cannot be run away from." ~ Charles M. Schulz
Updated On: 7/23/08 at 06:59 PM

Dollypop
#8re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 7/23/08 at 8:29pm

I sat through the original and all I can say is:

HEAVEN FORFEND!


"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

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Mr Roxy
#9re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 7/23/08 at 9:11pm

In deference to Mr Pop, the original was great


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Bdickson
#10re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 8/11/08 at 10:51am

I had the great good fortune to see this workshopped very recently under Jones's direction, with some of the original cast and a host of new names. Despite only 3 weeks rehearsal and a necessarily bare-bones look, the result was extremely entertaining and offered far more promise on almost every level than many another over-produced contemporary competitor. Having never seen the Broadway version, I'm in no position to comment on how this greatly revamped version compares, although I can't help but think it must have come a long way since then and that its considerable interim success in LA was no fluke. Thus, in all, I'd say the workshop managed to make its point in spades, which is that - with proper backing, prep time, casting (to a person the performers I saw could step right in) and the right theatre - this thing's a diamond well out of the rough. And I doubt they went through all that trouble and expense with thoughts of dissing NYC as a possible venue.

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twinbelters
#11re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:09pm

*bump* I'm making friends on facebook with people involved with the original production of Rockabye Hamlet. Sure wish this amazing show got the attention it is due.


With Irma you gotta do something!

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Mr Roxy
#12re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:18pm

To bad no complete recording of the original exists.


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hoffman3
#13re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/24/14 at 4:42pm

re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet

We have a production of Rockabye Hamlet coming up soon; below is the press release and poster!

Ophelia Theatre Group
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, March 24th, 2014

Press contact:
John Hoffman
hoffman@opheliatheatre.com
http://www.opheliatheatre.comhttp://www.opheliatheatre.comhttp://www.opheliatheatre.comhttp://www.opheliatheatre.com
(951) 285-6467


Rockabye Hamlet
Music, Lyrics, and Book by Cliff Jones
Directed by Pep Speed

Shows:
May 9th thru May 24th
Performances on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 8 pm

Where:
Broccoli Theater
21-12 30th Road
Astoria, NY 11102
Train: (N or Q, 30 Ave. Stop)

Tickets: $20
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/608620
http://www.opheliatheatre.comhttp://www.opheliatheatre.comhttp://www.opheliatheatre.comhttp://www.opheliatheatre.com

Rockabye Hamlet Returns to New York After 30 Years
Astoria-based theater company Ophelia Theatre Group announced Feb 10th that the cult-classic Broadway rock-opera "Rockabye Hamlet" will be receiving its first NYC revival at the Broccoli Theater in Queens beginning May 9.

Featuring music and lyrics by Cliff Jones, Rockabye Hamlet has not been seen in NYC since its original Broadway run in 1976. Directed by Pep Speed and featuring music direction by Ryan Kimble, California-transplants OTG are excited to bring this distinctive rock opera to a new generation of theatergoers.

Synopsis:
"It's the summer of 1971, and Haight-Ashbury's favorite theater troupe have just arrived on a Chevy van to share their unique take on Shakespeare's classic tale of love, loss, and finding your place in a world gone "rotten." After enjoying sell-out runs in Toronto, Montreal, New York and Los Angeles and winning eight international awards in the 1970's and 1980's, this legendary re-imagining of Hamlet has been revised and updated for the 21st Century. Filled with memorable rock grooves and a heart as big as its hair, Rockabye Hamlet is a cult and critical mega-hit not to be missed."
Media Contact: John Hoffman, hoffman@opheliatheatre.com, (951) 285-6467


Creative Team

Director: Pep Speed
Musical Director: Ryan Kimble
Stage Manager: Tyler Winthrop
Associate Director: Matt Crane
Assistant Musical Director: Sean Andrews
Scenic Designer: Harrison Lockhart
Lighting Designer: Christina Watanabe
Choreograher: Layla Dean
Dance Captain: Brittney Moss
Fight Choreographer: Chris Payseur
Costume Coordinator: Michael Anthony

Cast

Kevin Reed
Samantha Elizabeth Turlington
Kevin Berger
Blair Trunzo
Abagail Ludrof
Michael Grispin
Landon Sutton
Alison Klemp
Dace McNally
Kevin Ruiter
Taryne Kellogg
Erica Diederich
Tessa Fairey
Meredith Myers
Buddy Pease






Ophelia Theatre Group Updated On: 4/2/14 at 04:42 PM

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JayG 2
#14re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/24/14 at 6:58pm

I saw the show every Saturday matinee that it played at the MInskoff Theater and it was so damned exciting... and every time I saw it the crowd went wild. (This was before the current perfunctory standing ovations and stomping and screaming that greets EVERY show that opens in NYC.)

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Mr Roxy
#15re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/24/14 at 8:33pm

Yup


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CarlosAlberto
#16re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/24/14 at 8:51pm

Beverly D'Angelo in ROCKABYE HAMLET

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CurtainPullDowner
#17re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/24/14 at 10:34pm

D'Angelo was Insanely wonderful. After that number I said WTF? Before there was WTF.

jemjeb2
#18re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/25/14 at 11:23am

Beverly D'Angelo is always wonderful. I wish she had more of a career. Maybe it's time for her to return to Brodway in something.

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Mr Roxy
#19re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/25/14 at 8:13pm

Love for this to be at Encores but it never will. They need an Encores for shows like this trashed by the critics.


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FindingNamo
#20re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/25/14 at 8:17pm

What's your favorite song from the show?


Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

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eperkins
#21re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/26/14 at 2:30pm

My favorite song from this show was "All By Yourself" that Hamlet sang about Ophelia. But I also loved "He Got It in the Ear" and "Last Blues."

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Mr Roxy
#22re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/26/14 at 3:04pm

Love with "With A Pick And A Shovel"on the 10 track LP


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JayG 2
#23re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/27/14 at 11:02am

Hamlet's THAT IT SHOULD COME TO THIS... Meat loaf's DIDN'T SHE DO IT FOR LOVE.... and THE SWORDFIGHT

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Borstalboy
#24re: The return of Rockabye Hamlet
Posted: 3/27/14 at 2:04pm

Look, I'm all for scrubbing off something discarded or misunderstood for a new generation but...
This seventies goo makes CARRIE sound like FOLLIES


"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ~ Muhammad Ali