A Class Act 2001 - Articles Page 7

A Class Act is a semi-autobiographical musical loosely based on the life of composer-lyricist Edward Kleban, who died at the age of 48 in 1987. Featuring a book by Linda Kline and Lonny Price along with music and lyrics by Kleban himself, the musical uses flashbacks and the device of time running backwards to retrace the high and low points of the composer's personal and professional life. Songwriter Ed Kleban’s friends gather at his memorial after his untimely death at the age of 48. Unbeknownst to them, Ed makes a surprise trip from “the beyond” to hear their loving tributes. Instead, he is shocked by their critical remarks. Determined to set the record straight, he shadows the speakers at the memorial as they relive scenes from his life, told with his own songs, including the showstopper “Better,” originally recorded by Barbra Streisand. The ensemble includes the legendary Lehman Engel, leader of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop; the uber-energetic composer Marvin Hamlisch, with whom we see Ed writing the lyrics for A Chorus Line’s iconic score; and the dynamic women in Ed’s life – sexy Mona, ambitious Felicia, lovely Lucy, and his first love, Sophie, who sings Ed’s modern romantic ballad “The Next Best Thing To Love.” Ed himself sings his extraordinary song “Self-Portrait,” which reveals the depth and humanity of one of musical theatre’s previously unsung masters.