Romantic Poetry: A Musical Play

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 5:35pm

LAByrinth Theater Company announce dcasting today for Romantic Poetry: The Musicale, a special one-night-only event to benefit LAByrinth with music by Tony Award and Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger (Dreamgirls) and book and lyrics by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning Playwright John Patrick Shanley (Doubt).

The cast will include Carlo Alban, Anastasia Barzee, Kim Director, Bill Evans, Ivan Hernandez, Andy Karl, Mark Linn-Baker, Chris McGarry, Idina Menzel, Patina Miller and Orfeh. All cast subject to availability.

The show will take place Monday, May 21st at 7:00pm at The Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street).

"Shanley and Krieger join forces to topple the musical theater form with Romantic Poetry, a soaring love song to impossible romance. In the words of the creators, 'You will laugh, you will cry, you will shake your head. You will embrace your fellow audience members, and gasp: ‘Thank God we were here!’ You will make friends for life. The show will improve marriages, turn casual dates into torrid assignations, and reduce cynics to autograph hounds! Be there or face years of loneliness!,'" state press materials.

This one-night benefit performance will give the audience a chance to take a sneak peek at a new musical that is scheduled to premiere at New York Stage & Film this summer.

Priority tickets are $500 (includes VIP after party, priority seating, $450 tax-deductible) and tickets $150 ($125 tax-deductible). To RSVP, please call 212.513.1014 or email [e-mail].

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=18252

Updated On: 5/15/07 at 05:35 PM

[alliez92092]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 6:32pm

This is going to sell it out in like five minutes. It's Idina's first performance in New York since, hm, See What I Wanna See. Wow, it's been awhile.

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 10:46pm

yeah, I can't believe its been that long. I really want to see this, to bad I won't be in NYC then.

[Elphie4ever]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 11:22pm

i want to watch this so bad and i don't care about the money
but i can't
why monday? couldn't it just be a saturday instead of a monday
its all because of idina thats the purpose of watching this

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 1:40am

BroadwayGirl's heart just skipped a beat.

I wanted to go to this thing before I knew Idina would be a part of it, but, God, now that she's on...it's been so long since I've seen her perform!

Perhaps I should ask for a bday present...


EDIT: By the way, do they realize how silly it is to hold this in such a small house? Do they know that Menzel alone could sell that sucker out even if she sang half a song? Updated On: 5/11/07 at 01:40 AM

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 1:52am

Do they know that Menzel alone could sell that sucker out even if she sang half a song?

She could not sell that place by singing half of a song. What are you talking about?

[Christina Cooper]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 1:56am

I think Idina could sell out that place if she only sung half a song. Hell.. I'd pay just to see her on stage.. I wish I could go so bad.. SO maybe she'll stay in town for the Tony's? Maybe....

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 1:57am

OH, come on, neddy, I was exaggerating. The point was that it's a very small venue for a few pretty big names.

And Menzel's fanbase is intense, and will jump on this one. She COULD probably sell out that place just because her name is on that.

Updated On: 5/11/07 at 01:57 AM

[wickedfiyeroofoz]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 7:43am

I agree....Idina could definitely sell out the venue...and If it was looking like she wouldnt, someone could just start a rumor that she just might do defying gravity

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 3:36pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=18269

According to The New York Times, the lineup for New York Stage and Film and Vassar College’s 23rd Powerhouse summer theater season will include a production of Romantic Poetry: A Musical Play, featuring music by Henry Krieger (Dreamgirls) lyrics and book by John Patrick Shanley (Doubt), and starring Mark Linn-Baker and Idina Menzel.

NYSF will also feature presentations of Stephen Belber’s (Match) new play, Geometry of Fire, and concert readings of Pete Townsend’s new rock opera, The Boy Who Heard Music, and R-E-S-P-E-C-T, a musical featuring hit songs originally by Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, the Staple Singers, Wilson Pickett and more. There will also be several plays in development presented in workshop productions. The season will run June 22 through July 29 at the Vassar campus in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

New York Stage and Film (NYSAF), a non-profit company dedicated to developing new works for theater and film, was founded in 1985 by Producing Directors Mark Linn-Baker, Max Mayer and Leslie Urdang. According the company’s website, writers featured in past Powerhouse programs at Vassar College include Jane Anderson, Jon Robin Baitz, Kia Corthron, David Marshall Grant, Beth Henley, Steve Martin, Theresa Rebeck, John Patrick Shanley, and Nicky Silver. The company has also showcased directors Barry Edelstein, Joe Mantello, Lisa Peterson, Roger Rees, Liz Swados, David Warren, and Michael Wilson; and actors Olympia Dukakis, Mary McDonnell, Rob Morrow, David Strathairn, Patricia Wettig, and Frances McDormand, among many others. NYSAF also received the 1995 Jujamcyn Theater Award for their contributions to the theater world.

As previously announced, Romantic Poetry will first be seen in a benefit reading, presented by the LAByrinth Theater Company, on May 21st.

Updated On: 5/11/07 at 03:36 PM

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 6:33pm

here are the descriptions from Vassars site:
Romantic Poetry: A Musical Play
July 18 – July 29, 2007
Book and lyrics by John Patrick Shanley
Music by Henry Krieger
Directed by John Patrick Shanley
With William Evans, Ivan Hernandez, Mark Linn-Baker, Chris McGarry, Idina Menzel, Patina Miller
John Patrick Shanley, writer and director of Doubt, and Dreamgirls composer Henry Krieger bring you a mad musical New York champagne evening of six inter-related plays in two acts, the subject of which is the lyrical expression of amour.

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 11:25am

I was wondering if anyone else thought that this might be a show that will eventually transfer to NYC. Those are too many big names to just be doing a two week run in upstate NY

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 11:46am

Yeah, I'd say that it's extremely likely that it will transfer with Idina unless the show is bad or she is bad in it. Like you said, those are too many big names for a two week run in Poughkeepsie; I hardly think that Poughkeepsie is the ultimate goal for this production. I believe Shanley's last play, Defiance debuted at this festival and then transferred to MTC. I'm sure this will end up in NYC eventually.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 12:30pm

"All cast subject to availability. "

hmm this sounds like that if one of them gets a better offer...out they go.

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 12:48pm

I think thats only for the beneifit not the 2 week run. I wonder who will be replacing Orfeh for the 2 week run.

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/12/07 at 6:43pm

yeah thats what I thought BroadwayGirl107.
I'm getting tickets to this is Poughkeepsie when they go on sale.

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 3:31pm

bump

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 5/13/07 at 3:44pm

I wish I could see this. So. Badly.

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 12:45am

I really like your user picture Raviolisun.

anyways, you can get tickets now and there is a post show discussion after the July 24th show.

[LostLeander]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 2:44am

Watch out for Patina Miller.

She is killer.

[avab802]

Posted: 5/15/07 at 5:27pm

Since I don't see it posted yet, the website to buy tickets is http://powerhouse.vassar.edu

I got mine this morning, and they have this amazing (well, to me) feature that allows you to see all the seats that are still available and choose the exact seats you want. I wish all online ticketing worked like that!

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/16/07 at 5:11pm

ITA, avab802. I really liked that feature. I was able to get tickets in the 2nd row

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/21/07 at 6:03pm

Is anyone here going to the benefit tonight?

[SuddenlyTrey]

Posted: 8/25/07 at 2:05am

My money is on Patina Miller!