THE BIG TIME A World Premiere Musical Book by Douglas Carter Beane Music and Lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen Directed by Christopher Ashley November/December 2009 Mandell Weiss Theatre
Two down-on-their-luck lounge singers set sail for one last chance at success when they’re booked on a United Nations cruise ship. When the ship is taken hostage by terrorists intent on destroying the world, romance and mistaken identities abound as hostages become heroes and radicals become hoofers.
Douglas Carter Beane returns to the Playhouse following 2008's Xanadu, for which he received a Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical. He is also the author of The Little Dog Laughed, which was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play in 2007, and has since played all over the country. Christopher Ashley directs The Big Time, continuing a long and fruitful collaboration with Douglas Carter Beane.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
I saw this at NYMF a few years ago. Very funny musical with a big Broadway score. A sort of cross between Anything Goes and Silk Stockings. Hope it does well.
It was great at the NYMF. Jackie Hoffman, Patrick Quinn and of course my favorite Debbie Gravitte were all excellent! I hope this turns out to be a success.
It already has a Broadway producer (Rob Ahrens) attached so I'd say it's a safe bet that it's Broadway bound. Haven't there already been articles saying its aiming for Broadway in 2010 after the La Jolla run?