The Most Happy Fella - 1956 - Broadway Articles Page 4

Audiences of all ages will fall in love with Pittsburgh CLO's production of The Sound of Music, July 19-31 at the Benedum Center. T

'Let's see if we can do this without a microphone,' peeped Jo Sullivan Loesser, as she prepared to fill the 1,495-seat Town Hall with 'Somebody, Somewhere,' which she introduced in the 1956 original Broadway production of The Most Happy Fella.  While the age of the widow of the great Frank Loesser is a fact you'll not find via Google, let's just say she's a few decades beyond the point where audiences would expect to hear such lovely, expressive and, yes, loud soprano tones from an unamplified voice.  The house, still and silent for those few minutes of bliss, finally erupted with appreciative cheers for the brief reminder of a time when all Broadway musicals were sung that way.

Today we are taking a listen to the new Sony Masterworks & Arkiv Music re-release of Marc Blitzstein's half-musical/half-opera REGINA, based on THE LITTLE FOXES by Lillian Hellman. A little bit like Adam Guettel's THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA or Michael John LaChiusa's MARIE CHRISTINE in that it defies any traditional definition or classification, it is a true masterpiece and a marvel of craftsmanship and creativity, whatever it is. Leonard Bernstein once called REGINA his favorite theatre score of all time and perhaps no other score of the period comes closest to the classical aspirations - actual accomplishment, actually - as much as Bernstein's own CANDIDE which he wrote with Lillian Hellman and John LaTouche seven years later, inspired by this show. This score virtually has it all: opera, jazz, Dixieland, blues, gospel spirituals, Victorian parlour songs, stirring symphonic sequences, stunning arias, glorious choral swell-ups, biting satirical anthems, cakewalks, recitative and some serious - seriously innovative - dialogue/song centerpiece scenes to all three acts of this operamusical. Whatever you want to call it: a triple-decker treat awaits!

The Reprise Theatre Company's production of CAROUSEL will close on February 7, 2010.

The 2009-2010 season of Reprise Theatre Company continues with Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Carousel,' January 26 to February 7 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Alexandra Silber stars as Julie Jordan, direct from her critically acclaimed portrayal of Julie Jordan in 'Carousel' at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End (TMA Award - Best Actress).

The 2009-2010 season of Reprise Theatre Company continues with Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Carousel,' January 26 to February 7 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Alexandra Silber stars as Julie Jordan, direct from her critically acclaimed portrayal of Julie Jordan in 'Carousel' at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End (TMA Award - Best Actress).

The 2009-2010 season of Reprise Theatre Company continues with Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Carousel,' January 26 to February 7 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Alexandra Silber stars as Julie Jordan, direct from her critically acclaimed portrayal of Julie Jordan in 'Carousel' at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End (TMA Award - Best Actress). Silber is joined by Robert Patteri as Billy Bigelow ('Scarlet Pimpernel,' 'Beauty and the Beast'.) Veteran character actor M. Emmet Walsh appears as the Starkeeper. Michael Michetti, co-artistic director of The Theatre at Boston Court, will direct, with choreography by Lee Martino and musical direction by Darryl Archibald.

Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce Tony Award winners Roger Bart and Shuler Hensley will reprise the roles of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein and The Monster in the first national tour of The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein. The Chicago engagement will play the Cadillac Palace Theatre for a limited six week engagement November 3 - December 13, 2009.

Due to popular demand, the following shows have added additional performances: Encore: Friday, October 2nd at 5pm Fat Camp: Friday, October 2nd at 4pm

The NYC400 is the first-ever list of New York City's ultimate movers and shakers since the City's founding?from politics, the arts, business, sports, science, and entertainment.

Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce Tony Award winners Roger Bart and Shuler Hensley will reprise the roles of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein and The Monster in the first national tour of The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein. The Chicago engagement will play the Cadillac Palace Theatre for a limited six week engagement November 3 - December 13, 2009.

The Most Happy Fella has been called musical theater, an operetta and a good old-fashioned opera. When it debuted in 1956, The New York Daily Mirror called it 'a masterpiece of our era.'

The Most Happy Fella has been called musical theater, an operetta and a good old-fashioned opera. When it debuted in 1956, The New York Daily Mirror called it 'a masterpiece of our era.'

Howard Panter, the dynamic UK co-founder of the Ambassador Theater Group, the producing company and owner of 23 London theatre venues, is setting his sights on Broadway in a VERY big way reports Variety. The trade paper reports that he has created an ambitious list of new projects targeting for Broadway -- including a handful of productions and in very exciting news, a possible new theater space.

The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, a new musical comedy from the creative team of the 12-time Tony Award winning smash The Producers, will open on Broadway November 8th 2007 at the Hilton Theatre (213 W 42nd St). Previews begin October 11th 2007. The production stars Roger Bart (Dr. Frederick Frankenstein), Megan Mullally (Elizabeth), Sutton Foster (Inga), Shuler Hensley (The Monster), Fred Applegate (Kemp) and Christopher Fitzgerald (Igor).

BroadwayWorld was there for The Broadway Musicals of 1956, the latest edition of the popular Broadway by the Year series, featuring Christine Andreas, Brent Barrett, Marc Kudisch and director Emily Skinner, among others

The Broadway Musicals of 1956, the latest edition of the Broadway by the Year series and directed by Tony-nominee Emily Skinner, will take place at Town Hall on Monday, April 3rd

On April 3rd, Emily Skinner will direct stars such as Christine Andreas, Brent Barrett and Marc Kudisch in The Broadway Musical of 1956, in which she will also perform

Full casting has been announced for the upcoming New York City Opera production of The Most Happy Fella, starring Paul Sorvino, which will run from March 4th through March 25th

The Broadway by the Year series will showcase musicals from 1930, 1956, 1968 and 1978 in 2006, and other events will also be featured at Town Hall

In 2006, four new Broadway by the Year concerts will feature songs from the musicals of 1930, 1956, 1968 and 1978

Paul Sorvino will star in the title role of The Most Happy Fella at the New York City Opera from March 4th through 22nd