'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for August 10th, 2011

THE LATEST IN UNAUTHORIZED GOSSIP AND BUZZ

FROM THE HEART OF CHICAGO'S SHOWTUNE VIDEO BARS,

AND MUSICAL THEATER NEWS FROM CHICAGO TO BROADWAY

by Paul W. Thompson

Overheard last weekend under the showtune

video screens at Sidetrack and The Call:

The national tour of "West Side Story" ends its run at the Cadillac Palace Theatre this Sunday, August 14, 2011, after four weeks. Judging by word of mouth and social networking, I'd say it was successful here! It has certainly introduced this show to many who've never seen a first-class staging of it. And it has precipitated many discussions about the show as written, the revival, the original production, the film, the uses of Leonard Bernstein's music in ballet and concert halls, jazz clubs and the like, the Kiri Te Kanawa-Jose Carreras recording, the Robbins choreography, Sondheim's lyrics ("I Feel Pretty," really?), the ending, etc., etc. All of which is good for musical theater in my book. What's your feeling on it? Is it one of the greatest shows ever, or is it overrated? Does it stand the test of time? Is it relevant or naïve? I could easily see a college course on this one show, frankly--who would be with me on that? 

West Side Story 2011 | Broadway in Chicago 

Now that you mention the multi-Academy Award-winning film version (10, including Best Picture), that reminds me that the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, no less, will be playing the film score (live) while the fifty-year-old film plays on screen at Orchestra Hall, with the original singing and speaking voices from the soundtrack! And it's for three nights (November 25-27). Hollywood composer/conductor David Newman will lead the CSO, while the film, newly remastered in High Definition, plays overhead. Lucky for you, single tickets go on sale this Friday, August 12. You're going, aren't you? 

MGM HD presents West Side Story - Tickets & Events - CSO 

Speaking of movies, another Mosh Pit-relevant film event occurs on August 12--the debut of "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie" in select theaters. Shot earlier this summer during the concert tour by the cast of the popular FOX-TV series, the film will be playing for two weeks only, starring Lea Michele (who won't be starring in "Funny Girl" on Broadway, by the way), Cory Monteith (who won't either), Amber Riley and the rest. In Chicago, it looks like it'll be playing at River East 21, City North Stadium 14, ShowPlace ICON at Roosevelt and the Galewood 14, as well as in Evanston, Skokie, Melrose Park and many other suburban venues. 

Glee the 3D Concert Movie Movie Times - Fandango.com 

Speaking of Darren Criss, whose character of Blaine will get even more "Glee" screen time this season (the show's third), he will not only be in movie theaters this weekend, but he will also be singing live at Northalsted Market Days in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood! Billed as "the largest two-day street fair in the Midwest," the fair takes plaace on Saturday and Sunday on Halsted Street, between Belmont Avenue and Addison Street. And, while many fans are eager to hear acts such as Gloria Gaynor, Maxine Nightingale, Lisa Lisa, Frenchie Davis, Prince Poppycock and local favorite cover band 16 Candles, Criss's appearance on Saturday on the North Stage (Halsted near Addison) from 4:30-5:45 pm will be the highlight for many. While it would be nice if he sang his hit song "Teenage Dream" or something from his musical "Starship," he is more likely to concentrate on his original solo rock material, I would guess. Still, he absolutely should be there, and he absolutely will be there. 

Northalsted Market Days® | Northalsted 

On Thursday, August 11, local and national cabaret favorites Amy & Freddy will celebrate Amy's birthday with a bash at Mayne Stage in Rogers Park. If you've heard her sing, heard him play, or heard the things they say in between songs, you know you won't want to miss this great evening of showtunes, standards, powerhouse pop ballads, risqué ditties and who knows what. Just absolutely be there. 

Mayne Stage Presents - Amy & Freddy 

Speaking of dynamic duos, the real-life husband and wife team of Michael Mahler and Dara Cameron will be onstage together very soon, starring in the 1979 musical "They're Playing Our Song" at Fox Valley Repertory in St. Charles. Formerly Noble Fool Theatricals, and before that the Pheasant Run something or other, Fox Valley is making a name for itself with high quality, small scale musical Theater Productions. The show, by Neil Simon, Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager, runs weekends from August 18 through October 9. Collar county trip, anyone? 

Fox Valley Repertory - They're Playing Our Song

Another 1979 Broadway musical entry, the landmark rock musical "Evita," will be back on the boards later this fall, from October 21--November 13, at the renovated Stage 773, courtesy of NightBlue Performing Arts Company. The facility (the old Theatre Building Chicago) will host its grand reopening festivities on October 16, details of which are still forthcoming. Interestingly, NightBlue will get a headstart on "Evita" by performing it in a concert version with the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra in Benton Township, Michigan, on Saturday, September 24, 2011. Talk about learning the music early! And I can't find out who the Eva is, but Christian Ketter is again playing Che, as he did back in March of this year with the Harper Ensemble Theatre Company in Palatine. 

NightBlue 

Another favorite of the 1970s, the Saturday morning children's cartoon series "Schoolhouse Rock," is back again in its perennially popular theatrical guise, the Chicago and Off-Broadway hit, "Schoolhouse Rock Live!" It will be playing weekends at Mary's Attic in Andersonville from September 8--October 15, in a version called "The Director's Cut." That's Chicago writer/director Scott Ferguson, by the way. It's brought to you by producer Nina Lynn and TheatreBAM Chicago.

SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! > HOME 

Looking even further into our showtune crystal ball, we see that the Goodman Theatre has announced a return of its hit show "Crowns," written and directed by house favorite ReGina Taylor. It will play in the Albert Theatre next summer, from June 30--August 5, 2012. Based on a coffee table book about church hats, this gospel musical about heritage and family should provide a lot of great big voices, and a lot of great big hats. Nathan Lane is coming to the Goodman next season, too, but in a non-musical, Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh" (in the Albert from April 21--June 10, 2012). 

Goodman Theatre : Chicago's award-winning regional theater 

But before then, Chicago will have sent its latest musical theater sensation to Broadway! It was revealed publicly last week that Jessie Mueller, the 28-year-old star of last season's "Guys And Dolls" at the Marriott Theatre and "Merrily We Roll Along" at the Music Theatre Company (among others) will be starring in the first-ever Broadway revival of the 1965 Burton Lane-Alan Jay Lerner musical "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever," alongside headliner Harry Connick, Jr. Mueller, whose father Roger and siblings Abby and Andrew have long been a theatrical dynasty here, caught my eye and my reviewer's pen several times in the last few years, and thoroughly deserves this enormous opportunity for her career. After memorable portrayals of characters like Amalia, Jenny, Tzeitl and Carrie, she'll portray Melinda Wells, the 1940s jazz singer than Connick's character discovers through hypnotizing one of his patients, David Gamble. The twist to this production is that the show as originally written called the patient "Daisy Gamble," and the same performer (Chicagoan Barbara Harris) played both roles. Barbra Streisand, you may recall, played those roles on film. How will it all play out, for Melinda and for Mueller? The revival begins previews at the St. James Theatre on November 12. 

Jessie Mueller, David Turner to Join Broadway's On a Clear Day

So, with Market Days looming and the heat broken for now, we gradually turn our collective eye toward this coming season, I guess. August is a great month, when we try to get in the rest of our summer, while gearing up for fall. Let's hope the "dog days" go by as we've planned, and, until next time, I'll see you under the video screens.....-PWT 

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