The Frog Prince - A New Musical Comedy

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 9:15pm

I was delighted!
Just got home from THE FROG PRINCE, A New Musical Comedy, Book and Lyrics by Charles Leipart and Music by Eric Schorr based on the novel by Stephen Mitchell.

Theatre Building Chicago presents STAGES 2005 12th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. STAGES 2005 is described as a festival of new musicals in progress Friday, Saturday, Sunday August 12, 13, 14, 2005. John Sparks is the Artistic Director and his mission for STAGES 2005 is to encourage local and out-of-town writers by presenting their works in fully staged, studio productions, as well as script-in-hand readings, both staged and concert style.

THE FROG PRINCE was presented Saturday August 13 @ 3:30pm and Sunday, August 14 @ 3:45pm.

The musical was an absolute delight and I would love to have a complete CD recording. I know the show is being done at the Edinburgh Festival in about two weeks but I am not aware of other plans for it. I loved every song. They were clever, funny, amusing, heartwarming and extremely thoughtful. It was fun to be made to think but to not have to work hard at understanding.

Song List:
ACT 1
Where The Wind Blows & Every Yin
Q. E. D.
Meant To Be Together
A Royal Wedding
Patience
Three Ball Monte
Attention
If You Think You're A Frog
The Promise
Talent To Tap

ACT 2
A Princess, A Ball, And A Frog
Think Of The Children (I loved, loved, loved this song)
Grooming The Groom
Meant To Be Together/Patience (reprise)
Some Women
Attention (reprise)
Claus's Turn
Look Into My Eyes
The Most Excellent Way
The Pitch
Every Ending

The Performers:
Princess Clementine ............Laura Obenauf
The Frog........................Derrick Trumbly
King Frederic...................Roger Anderson
Queen Margot....................Joanna Rolek
Hortense........................Harriet Nzinga Plumpp
Claus...........................Brandon Dahlquist
Taoist Master...................Christine P. Boulette
Taoist Master...................Amanda Wolff Pokorny
Taoist Master...................Eric Lindahl
Taoist Master...................Ryan Lanning
Ensemble........................Scott Carlson
Ensemble........................Brigitte Lekmkuhl

Music Director..................Dan Dausch



So much talent and my smile hardly ever left my face.
Congrats to the performers and to Charles Leipart and Eric Schorr.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 10:06pm

Wonderful to hear this! I can personally vouch for the writer - Charles is a very talented man! Hope this show goes far.

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 10:08pm

He sure is!
Just listing the songs for this thread made me want a CD badly.
It's a very special show and I too hope it goes far.

Posted: 8/15/05 at 6:59pm

Apparently so does this Chicago online critic...



"THEATRE BUILDING CHICAGO’s 12TH ANNUAL

STAGES - A FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS

August 12 - 14


August is a slow time for theatre openings. Instead of taking sometime off, I decided to finally see what all the hype Tom Ballentine (The Theatre Buildings Chicago’s (TBC) Director of Marketing) was spreading for their annual festival of new musicals in various ‘stages’ of development. Under the tutelage of John Sparks, TBC’s artistic director and his marvelous staff, Stages ’05 showcased nine new musicals...


The hit show---one that is ready for a full production—is The Frog Prince, the charming, clever, funny musical from two New Yorkers (where else?). Book and lyrics by Charles Leipart and music by Eric Schorr. This is a slick, tuneful, sophisticated musical adult version of the Grimm fairytale that contains a jazz, swing and pure Broadway musical style with doses of Taoist philosophy, a talking frog and a sex-starved princess in a witty, often hilarious script and lyrics. This show has tap dancing monks and a frog who wants to marry the princess. The Frog Prince passes the “Jerry Herman test”---it has several ‘take-home’ songs that you’ll be humming long after seeing the show. I hope Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Water Tower, Porchlight Musical Theatre, Appletree Theatre, Pegasus Players, Bailiwick and Circle Theatre take a serious look at this gem. Under a director/choreographer like Marc Robin, Gary Griffin, Walter Stearns or David Zak, The Frog Prince could be a smash hit. Hint, hint.

So. to those who are always stating that the American Musical is dead or dying: you need to attend Stages ’06 to see what their missing. I know I’ll be there. My hat’s off to the folks at The Theatre Building Chicago—they get it done right. "

Tom Williams

August 15, 2005





ChicagoCritic.com Updated On: 8/15/05 at 06:59 PM

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 8:50pm

Great review!
I would totally love to see this show again as soon as this weekend.

[etoile]

Posted: 8/16/05 at 12:57am

How exciting for all involved.

[Fred 2]

Posted: 8/16/05 at 4:54pm

To Tom Williams

You seem to mention everybody but the Director and suggest that, under different direction it would be a hit? Was that just oversight or a critical stance ? To have had such a positive impact on you the direction must surely have been of note ?

Fred

[QueenAnne82]

Posted: 8/16/05 at 4:59pm

Nice! The theater building does some awesome stuff! Did you see leaving Iowa there? I've loved everything I've seen there.... gotta check out this if it's still playing!