Lizzie Borden and Dorian Gray

[th]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 8:06pm

Has anyone seen these musicals? If so, how were they?

[erikrokks]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 8:12pm

I saw Dorian Gray when it premiered in Denver a year or two ago. I thought it was extraordinary in some parts and really blah in some parts. I have to tell you that the highlight of the show was definitely Matt Cavanaugh in the title role. If you were sitting at just the right angle, you could see his naked butt! Woo hoo!
I can't really remember too much of the score, but a few of the songs were really good.
The show has a website, but I don't think it's been updated since I saw the show. I tried emailing the contact listed on the website to find out more info. about the status of the show, but I didn't get a response. That was about 5 or 6 months after I saw the show. I think if they re-worked some of the blah parts it would be a successful show.

[CherylA928]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 10:47pm

Here's the website for Dorian ~ It's pretty interesting!
Dorian the Musical

[SammyGal]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 11:05pm

Didn't Max Von Essen play Dorian at some point?

[CherylA928]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 11:31pm

Yes. In 2003, Max did the DORIAN readings/workshops in New York and Los Angeles.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 11:32pm

Dorian Gray is a great role.

[SammyGal]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 11:38pm

I've never seen it performed, only read the book.
I'd like to see it revived!

[Cyndy]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 11:56pm

I saw Max von Essen play Dorian in a reading of the musical in LA last year. Even in just a reading, Max's transformation of Dorian from the beginning of the show to the end gave me chills...creepy, but good chills. I think my favorite song was "What's it Gonna Take?". There is a recording of it on the Dorian website. They were still very much changing things with the book and the score at this point, and several things changed between the two nights of readings. It was really interesting to see a show in progress. I had never been to a reading before.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 11:59pm

I absolutely LOVED the book (Dorian Gray)... never knew it was a musical, though. I'd really like to see it sometime.

[Cyndy]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 1:05am

I believe there's more than one musical version of it too.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 7/10/04 at 1:09am

The Pop Musical version is excellent as well.

[bare_nakedlady]

Posted: 8/3/05 at 1:03pm

I know there is a recording of LIZZIE. Does anyone know if there is a recording of DORIAN?

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 8/3/05 at 1:09pm

I have the recording of Lizzie. It's quite good, would probably work well at one of the small regional theatres here in the city like the York. Amazingly, I don't think it's been produced here.
Alison Fraser is Lizzie on the recording and is quite good. I believe it had another recent regional production starring Christiane Noll.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 8/3/05 at 1:39pm

There are so many different versions of these shows, it's hard to talk about one in particular.

Posted: 8/3/05 at 2:01pm

I have the Lizzie Borden CD, which is fun - score-wise it has elements very reminsicient of Jane Eyre (soft gothic pop opera, I call it, and I don't say that in a bad way). I also caught the Los Angeles Dorian with Max Von Essen. Some good tunes, but it all falls apart in Act Two with things set in present day. The first act takes place around Carnivale times in 1980, so everyone is in formal period costumes, but then in Act Two we have Dorian at what seemed to be a rave.

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/3/05 at 2:15pm

I saw Dorian 3 times in Denver. I actually got to know the creative team and they asked me back the last two times for input on the show. erikrocks...hate to burst your bubble but Matt actually had a skin tone thing on. It looked really real. But I asked if he was naked under there and they told me no. One night I actually saw the crinkle in it.

[timote316]

Posted: 8/3/05 at 2:18pm

I'm assuming "Lizzie Borden" is about the ax-murderer lady? If so, that all happened in the next town over from me (Fall River, MA).

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/3/05 at 2:18pm

Oh! And I loved the show!!! They sent me a demo CD of the music which I loved. The show needed some tweaking but the sets were cool and the way they did the picture, with a seperate actor, was really cool. I hear that the production in CA was pretty good. I heard an interview with Max Von Essen saying that they are eying Broadway. I think it could make it with the right changes.

[bare_nakedlady]

Posted: 8/3/05 at 2:23pm

timote316 you 'hit it right on the head' (sorry couldn't resist) The musical is about that Lizzie! Have you ever stayed at the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast??

[Cyndy]

Posted: 8/4/05 at 12:33am

bare_nakedlady...you can listen to most of the music from the demo cd of Dorian on their website.
Dorian