Anyone know the opening/preview dates of ALW's latest for the Broadway stage? And while we're on the subject does anyone know WHICH Broadway stage? Man, thats a crazy dark, chilling musical. More of an operetta actually. Dont get me wrong - I love the music but what was ALW smoking when he wrote that? Geez..the prologue is crazy... scary. It's beautiful though. Anyone know the cast too?
You bet. its about this art teacher for two sisters and he sees a woman in white by the train tracks on his way there and she has a secret but runs off before she can tell him..and the woman in white bares a striking resemblance to one of the sisters who he teachers art to...and the music makes it so freaky..
No word yet on the cast. Rumors are that Maria Friedman will be reprising Marion and that Martin Crewes will be reprising Walter. I've also heard, again, a rumor, that Jill Paice, who plays Laura, will also come across the pond. With any luck, the producers will ask Michael Ball to reprise his fantastic portrayal of Count Fosco.
As far as I know, the show is going to Chicago first, in the fall, then going to Broadway in the spring of 2006. I don't know where though, maybe someone else does?
I didn't find the prologue so crazy. The music made it seem a bit spooky but not overly so. It has its moments of humor though, especially when Count Fosco appears -- before we find out what he's REALLY like.
The playbill.com article (from Feb. 9, 2005) just says a Nederlander Theater. I saw this in London in January--the effects, the story, and Maria Friedman were terrific, and I'll certainly make the trip to New York to see how the "American" version turns out.
Angela Christian will also be reprising the title role for Broadway. The show is rumored to play The Minskoff.
Michael Ball may be playing Count Fosco again, though they have apparently approached another musical theatre legend who won a Tony (for a different Lloyd Webber musical) as well.
So we'll see. Anway, it's a terrific musical -- it should do well in NYC.
PS. The opening is an hommage to Benjamin Britten, a 20th century composer best known for his operas BILLY BUDD and DEATH IN VENICE.
Is this legend generally hated on ths board? Was he the originator of Fosco? Did he embarass himself in his last bway stint as some sort of Liberace corpse character?
Mr. Bennett: Any idea when the American cast is going to be announced? It is a terrific show; I saw it in London, and also expect it will do well here.
But I think that Michael Ball's Count Fosco was one of the best things in it, so I hope he'll be reprising the role. I would be less than enthusiastic about the other possibility you mentioned.
"You say what Count Fosco is REALLY like..i dont really know the story. Is there a detailed synopsis anywhere? "
By saying that I mean what his charming outer persona hides... which we discover as he and Glyde are in the library at the beginning of the second act.
There may be a synopsis on the Really Useful site, I don't know.
I'd love to see Joe Machota and Tina Maddigan in this show. Jill Paice is very lovely though. She was a great Sophie in the Las Vegas production of Mamma Mia!
"I'm learning to dig deep down inside and find the truth within myself and put that out. I think what we identify with in popular music more than anything else is when someone just shares a truth that we can relate to. That's what I'm searching for in my music." - Ron Bohmer
"I broke the boundaries. It wasn't cool to be in plays- especially if you were in sports & I was in both." - Ashton Kutcher