City Center Encores! 2005 Season

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 10:07am

The three offerings for 2005 will be:

-- "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," originally produced in 1951 with book by Betty Smith and George Abbott and a score by Arthur Schwartz (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics). (Feb. 10-13, 2005)

-- "Purlie" with book by Ossie Davis, Philip Rose and Peter Udell, music by Gary Geld and lyrics by Peter Udell. The original 1970 production won Tonys for Melba Moore and Cleavon Little. (March 31-April 3)

-- "The Apple Tree" by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (of "Fiddler on The Roof" fame). A hit back in 1967, it consists of three one-act musicals. Kristen Chenoweth will play the female lead in each of three shows (which won Barbara Harris the Tony for Best Actress). (May 12-16)

Personally, I'm really looking forward to the latter two -- how about Norm Lewis and Anika Noni Rose or LaChanze for PURLIE?
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/88353.html

Updated On: 9/13/04 at 10:07 AM

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 10:23am

wow!!! what a great selection!!! i saw the Broadway on Showtime broadcast of Purlie with Robert Guillaume and Melba Moore, many years ago... She was fantastic but he played his role as if he was still Benson... i'd love to see all three!

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 10:28am

I am amused that there will be three items during the 2004-2005 season that will contain the name of the borough of Brooklyn in its title.

With the exception of the last offering, I take it that none of the others have been cast yet?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 10:38am

Nothing else has been announced yet. We probably won't hear anything else about casting for a few months. The Chenoweth announcement probably came this early because the lead role in "Apple Tree" is incredibly demanding (Barbara Harris only did evening performances during the original run; Phyllis Newman handled the matinees). Being able to revive the show at all was probably contingent upon signing someone of Chenoweth's caliber, so since she was already on board, I guess they decided it was OK to include her in the press release.

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 10:45am

They FINALLY listened to me!

KC in THE APPLE TREE!!!

I feel giddy...I feel vindicated.

And obviously, I'm just a tad insane taking credit for it!

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 10:49am

a little part of me was hoping for "Do I Hear A Waltz?" this season...

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 10:56am

There also had been persistent rumors that "Anyone Can Whistle" would make this year's list, but I guess they decided against it.

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 10:57am

Well...since Ms. Laurents won't let La Lupone touch any of his shows...

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 11:06am

Wonder if Kristin will do the high note that Barbara Harris lipsynched to at the climax of "No one...is as...gorgeous...as I-I-I-I-I...yam!"

[twogaab2]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 11:16am

Good choices all. Hopefully, "Tree Grows in Brooklyn" will be properly cast or it will come across like some of the other shows where the casting was weak (House of Flowers, Tenderloin, No Strings). It has a truely lovely score.

Just my opinion, I may be wrong.

[Marquise]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 11:28am

wow! Purlie is one of my favorites. i saw it on video with robert guillame and melba moore. it's a really funny show with some good songs especially the opening number "walk him up the stairs" and melba moore's solo: "i got love".

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 11:53am

"I Got Love" always ALWAYS sends chills down my spine

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 2:37pm

They never listen to me when I keep telling them that Dixie Carter is the only hope for a decent showing of "Coco" and that the Dixter is not getting any younger.

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 2:49pm

now THAT'S a great idea!!!

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 3:34pm

Its a good list (even though it isn't what I would have chosen). Finally, ENCORES! seems to have retreated from the overly familiar shows that popped up in the last few seasons )BYE BYE BIRDIE & PAJAMA GAME) to concentrate on the interesting, neglected and underperformed - as they should!

[Testing1232]

Posted: 9/13/04 at 4:16pm

Anika would be awesome !!! Very excited about KC is "Apple" !

Tix are already on sale for anyone interested at:

http://www.citycenter.org/encores/index.cfm

[gherbert]

Posted: 9/16/04 at 8:54pm

Wonderful choices! I am so excited about The Apple Tree because I think it is Bock and Harnick's most interesting effort and love the score! I've also been suggested Kristin Chenoweth for the part forever! My Encores! wish came true!

Posted: 9/16/04 at 8:57pm

Do you think Kristin Cheoweth has the acting and comedic depth to handle three different and distinct characterizations in a single evening?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/16/04 at 9:08pm

"Do you think Kristin Cheoweth has the acting and comedic depth to handle three different and distinct characterizations in a single evening?"

Chenoweth hasn't had the acting and comedic depth to handle three different roles in the last ten years, never mind in one evening. But old ladies think she's cute and wish that she was their grandaughter, so she'll score a big hit.

[magruder]

Posted: 9/16/04 at 9:45pm

It can be said that the great stars of musical theatre all played variations of their persona in their major Broadway roles. I'm generalizing, but just how many loud-mouth broads did Ethel Merman play? How many lovable imps did Mary Martin play? How many sexy gamines of questionable virtue did Gwen Verdon play? How many scheming schnorrers did Phil Silvers play? Does any woman alive resemble Carol Channing's Lorelei Lee or Dolly Levi? (Well, I think I know of a couple of Lorelei Lee's on the BWW off-topic board, but I digress).

Kristin has incredible comic chops, that wildly rangy voice, and if she's cornered the market on the cutie-pie/shark, that's her thing. The stars listed above were larger-than-life freaks, and I think Kristin follows in that great tradition. She will bring her formidible bag of tricks to The Apple Tree, and I can't imagine her not scoring with it.

[Jon]

Posted: 9/16/04 at 9:49pm

Chenoweth will be fine in parts 2 and 3 of Apple Tree. However, the fist piece requires someone with genuine warmth and sensitivity as Eve. Chenoweth has become a drag queen's version of a cartoon of a cliche'.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/16/04 at 9:51pm

"It can be said that the great stars of musical theatre all played variations of their persona in their major Broadway roles."

So which personna was Angela Lansbury?

Cora Hoover Hooper
Countess Aurelia
Mame
Mama Rose
Anna Leonowens
Mrs. Lovett

Updated On: 9/16/04 at 09:51 PM

Posted: 9/16/04 at 10:03pm

Magruder,

I don't disagree with your premise that a performer's stage personality very often dominates any role the performer plays. I just wonder how well Ms. Chenoweth's pixie stature and her Kewpie Doll voice can convey the purity and complexities of Eve, the steely passsion of Barbara and the glamour of Passionella and the sniffly smudginess of Ella?

You know I am quite fond of THE APPLE TREE

Barbara!
Sanjar!

[magruder]

Posted: 9/17/04 at 2:56am

With the exception of Anna Leonowens, which she only played for a couple of weeks as a temp, all of Lansbury's Broadway musical roles are lovably eccentric madwomen.

Chenoweth's stature is one thing, but the kewpie doll voice is a character voice that she doesn't always sing in.

I agree that the Act One role of Eve is more earnest and sincere than any of Chenoweth's stage or concert roles have been, but just because she hasn't done anything quite like it yet, doesn't mean she's incapable of it.

Updated On: 9/17/04 at 02:56 AM

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 9/22/04 at 7:43pm

okay, i just got the OCR of Purlie... i had seen this show on SHowtime many years ago, and i had forgotten what a wonderful wonderful show this is!!! Melba Moore is fantastic... well, all the performers are great, and Sherman Helmsley is a riot!!!