Results tagged “West End” from Blogway Baby

Road trip to London! Yeah, baby!

BIBA THE MUSICAL sounds ultra cool, I wish I could go to the London Showcase on October 25!

BIBA THE MUSICAL was written by Anthony Barry, David Foster-Smith and John Renoir, with set design and styling by Andrea Dunne.

Here's the 411 on the show from the website:

It’s the story of a fantasy that became a fantastic reality. It’s the story of fashion, of the Swinging Sixties, of beautiful people, of a musical and cultural coming of age. London 1964. Biba started as a tiny boutique in a Kensington sidestreet and grew to become a huge department store – unlike any that had been seen before or ever will again. Biba’s ethos was to be affordable but chic, to be so very very cool it almost hurt. All who were so very cool hung out there, from Brigitte Bardot to the Rolling Stones. Flamingoes strutted their stuff on the Roof Garden, while the louche and glamorous sipped exotic and often illegal cocktails in the Rainbow Room.

By the mid-seventies, Biba, by now an icon in its own time, found itself struggling to survive in a world that had turned cold and grey, a world of strikes, power cuts and recession. Glam was gone, and the angry voice of punk was on the streets. Suddenly it was all over, almost as suddenly as it had started. But the memories lingered in the minds of the tens of thousands who had been touched by the style, the music, the hedonism and the beautiful decadence that was Biba.

THE TONY AWARDS at The 5^th Avenue Theatre!

The 5^th Avenue Theatre will be hosting a Tony Awards party this year!

This is going to be an amazing party! This year Neil Patrick Harris is hosting the Tony Awards (maybe he'll sing the Confrontation from LES MIZ with Jason Segal!) so don’t miss this chance to see it in style!

From The 5^th Avenue website:

The 63rd Annual Tony Awards ...In Your Own Backyard

SUNDAY JUNE 7, 2009  7:30-11:00 PM
The 5th Avenue Theatre --- 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101

There’s a Little Bit of Broadway in Everyone

Join us for the biggest Tony Awards party in town! Watch the festivities with fellow theatre lovers as Shrek The Musical competes for 8 coveted Tony Awards, including Best Musical! Follow other Seattle stars such as The 5th Avenue’s own Louis Hobson (Best Musical Nominee, Next To Normal), as they shine on stage at Radio City Music Hall.

Meet past Tony Winners and Nominees. Challenge the 5th Avenue's Producing Artistic Director David Armstrong with Broadway Trivia questions! Win exclusive Tony swag playing "Broadway Bingo" and "Name That Showtune!"

At 8 PM, watch the Tonys on the big 5th Avenue Theatre screen! Games and Entertainment will fill the commercial breaks!

TICKETS

Tony Winners ($130): Enjoy an exclusive preshow champagne reception in the STAR dressing room of The 5th Avenue Theatre. Experience what it is like to be a Broadway star as David Armstrong shares stories of the many Tony Winners who have shared your dressing room. Be seated in the BEST seats for the Tony Awards party with your personal Tony Swag Bag that includes one complimentary ticket (value $71-$78) to a preview of Catch Me If You Can! (Limited to 30 guests)

Tony Nominees ($63): Attend the Tony Party at The 5th Avenue Theatre with reserved seating among the other nominees. Receive a Tony Swag Bag filled with gourmet snacks and fun showbiz prizes including one complimentary ticket (value $71-$78) to a preview of Catch Me If You Can!

Special rates for artists ($25) and high school students ($15).

Dress: Smart Casual/Festive

RSVP BY WEDNESDAY MAY 20, 2009
For more information or to RSVP, please contact Kat Ramsburg in the Development Office at (206) 625-1418 x285 or kramsburg@5thavenue.org .

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE at The 5^th Avenue  Theatre

Putting It Together (and by “it” I mean a fabulous show!)

I was lucky enough to attend opening night of The 5^th Avenue Theatre's production of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (April 21 – May 10). Written by Stephen Sondheim (Music and Lyrics) and James Lapine (Book), directed by Sam Buntrock with musical direction by the 5th Avenue's resident musical genius Ian Eisendrath, this is a not-to-be-missed, only-in-three-cities-ever (London, New York, Seattle), stuffed-to-the-celing-with-talent-cast event!

From the 5^th Avenue Theatre website:

Only three cities in the world will experience this exciting new production of Stephen Sondheim's musical masterpiece Sunday in the Park with George. Developed in London and transferred to Broadway, this Pulitzer Prize-winning love story (inspired by the life and work of impressionist painter Georges Seurat) comes to Seattle April 21-May 10. Featuring revolutionary state-of-the-art scenic design the New York Post hailed "Unmissable! One of the most visually amazing shows ever!" this moving story answers the question: What does it take to create a masterpiece? Everything you have.

In a Parisian park on a Sunday afternoon in 1884, artist Georges Seurat does a study of his model and mistress Dot. He is obsessed with how the eye translates points of individual color into different hues, but his work is decried by critics and other artists as having "no life." For her part, Dot is obsessed with Georges, and frustrated that he's more connected to his studies of people in the park—a nurse, a servant, a fellow artist—than her. The scene shifts to Georges' apartment, where Dot powders her face for a trip to the Follies, and Georges paints her, enraptured by her beauty. But she's shocked when he announces he can't go out: he has to finish his painting. She leaves, and the scene returns to the park, where Georges does other studies: a boatman, a pair of soldiers, some dogs. Dot arrives with her new boyfriend Louie, hoping to make Georges jealous, but he ignores them and continues with his painting. Still later, Dot comes to Georges at his studio, pregnant with his child. She again entreats him to tell her not to go, but he won't, and she announces that she and Louie are emigrating to America. Later in the park, the dramas and conflicts of the people George has been sketching come to a head, with arguments and recriminations flying. Then Georges' mantra is repeated: "Order. Design. Tension. Balance. Harmony." With that, the artist moves each of the figures into position—the masterpiece is complete, and before us is "Sunday in the Park of La Grande Jatte."

As the second act begins, a century has passed, and we see the painting on the wall of a museum, where the figures are caught in a perfect moment forever. Georges' great-grandson, also an artist named George, presents his multimedia sound and light art piece, "Chromalune #7." At the cocktail party afterwards, George engages in the real "art of making art:" high-powered cocktail schmoozing. As the crowd leave, George's grandmother Marie reminds him that the true legacies in life are children and art. Weeks later, George is in Paris in the Park of La Grande Jatte, commissioned to create another art piece. But his heart's not in it; Marie has died, and in the dark lonely park, he feels no inspiration. A woman approaches as he sits reading his great-grandmother's notebook—a woman wearing a distinctive and familiar dress...

The cast includes Hugh Panaro as George and Billie Wildrick as Dot. They were absolutely magnificent! The supporting cast is phenomenal and includes (to name a few) such Seattle luminaries as Carol Swarbrick, Rich Gray, Anne Allgood, Chad Jennings, Allen Fitzpatrick, Patti Cohenour, and Keaton Whittaker.

The set really is stunning. Watching the show unfold with moving animation behind, and around it, is thrilling. You literally have to see it to believe it! And if you are a high school student, that means you can see it for ten dollars!

I also had the pleasure to participate in the “connect the dots” cross promotion with local galleries! The opening night gallery was SAM Gallery, located at the corner of 3rd and University. The reception started at 5:30pm and I had a chance to meet the artists who had been commissioned to create new works based on Seurat's "Sunday in the Park of La Grande Jatte", see other new work, and drink wine and eat cheese catered by Le Pichet. It doesn’t get much better than that. Each night has a different gallery reception, so check the website!

OK, this is a bit of a stretch, but SO DAMN COOL. I would love this, if anyone is looking to give me a surprise...it's only 150,000 pounds.

I'm thinking this fort would make an amazing musical theater venue, just off the Welsh coast. It could be the new East West End...

Plus the guns that are still inside could come in handy with an unruly audience!

Stack Rock Fort, about 800 yards off the west Wales coast near Milford Haven, is for sale for 150,000 pounds.

The 19th Century fort -- complete with a couple of cannons -- dates back from the time of Napoleon, when it was initially built as a defence for the river Haven.

But it has nowhere to sleep at present, and the new owner will have to sort out sewage, water and power.

The fort, completely surrounded by water and with its own jetty, was built on a small island to protect the area from invasion.

Mary Joyce, manager at Haynes Agency in Pembroke, said they had never sold anything like it.The current owner bought it at auction, but hasn't done much with it -- I think he used to go there for picnics

"It is very rare -- inspection is going to be difficult, as it has to be by boat, although we have lined up someone up who runs a helicopter and they are checking out landing areas," she said.

"There are no services from what we can see -- there is damp inside and no accommodation, but there are a couple of guns inside."

Ms Joyce said there was no solid interest yet, but they had talked to a couple of developers, who had "talked about doing something in the tourist industry". "There has been a mention of a marine life centre, and someone talking about just using it as an island, a retreat," she said.

She explained that the previous Welsh-based owner had only visited the historic site a few times.

"The central part was built around Napoleon's time and the outer ring was built later -- around the 1850s," she said.

(via this post in BoingBoing)

I finally went to The Polish Tea Room on 47th between Broadway and 8th. I tookMichael Rubinoff and Kendra Bator (the producers on Plane Crazy) out for dinner (woohoo, big spender!). What a great coffee shop! Tons of Broadway posters, cool vaulted ceilings that look like iced wedding cakes (blue and pink) and inexpensive, good food.

As soon as we sat down Kendra spotted Jamie Bell who starred as Billy Elliot in the movie Billy Elliot, sitting at a nearby table. I love celebrity sightings!

And of course, Billy Elliot is now Billy Elliot The Musical, playing in the West End. The creative team includes:

ELTON JOHN - COMPOSER
LEE HALL - WRITER
STEPHEN DALDRY - DIRECTOR
PETER DARLING - CHOREOGRAPHER
IAN MACNEIL - DESIGNER
MARTIN KOCH - MUSICAL SUPERVISOR
PAUL ARDITTI - SOUND DESIGNER
RICK FISHER - LIGHTING DESIGNER
PHILIP BATEMAN - MUSICAL DIRECTOR
JULIAN WEBBER - ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
NICKY GILLIBRAND - COSTUME DESIGNER
WORKING TITLE - PRODUCERS
OLD VIC PRODUCTIONS PLC - PRODUCERS
DAVID FURNISH - EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Yeah, Sir Elton John!

We left determined to put a Plane Crazy poster up in this venerable institution.

Here is some info from L.A. Splash Magazine on the Hotel Edison:

The hotel was opened in 1931, just a few months after the opening of the present incarnation of the Waldorf Astoria...another art deco masterpiece, and Radio City Music Hall. Due to the Depression and World War II, the Edison was the last hotel to be built until 1957 When Loew's Summit opened on Lexington Avenue. So for all those years the Edison was New York's newest hotel!

The most prominent feature is the famous Art Deco Lobby and it's grand murals depicting New York Scenes as they once were. But don't just look up; look down at the beautiful inlaid tiles and around at the walls. Notice over the check in/out counter the clocks displaying time in various global zones, a subtle indication of the worldwide clientele this hotel serves.

There are several restaurants and a bar attached to the hotel. The loan-shark murder scene in The Godfather was shot in what is now Sophia's restaurant. The pink-and-blue (wedding cake looking filigree and plaster) of the Edison Cafe is a theater-crowd landmark consistently recognized as New York City's best coffee shop.It is a famous meeting place of Broadway producers and cast members, (Neil Simon has a regular), so much so, that it was nicknamed the Polish Tea Room. Playing on the fact that a lot of business deals were made at the Russian Tea Room and those that weren't willing to pay the high prices there would meet, eat and deal at the Cafe Edison and thus came the name, the Polish Tea Room.

The Russian Tea Room is gone, but the Polish Tea Room lives on...

I love it when two of my favorite things combine -- TV and musicals, and now Star Wars and musicals!

According to this article in Playbill:

As posters around London feature Ewan McGregor flashing his lightsaber in the recently opened "Star Wars" movie, the actor makes his West End musical debut May 19 when Guys and Dolls begins previews at the Piccadilly Theatre.

McGregor plays the gambler Sky Masterson, with Jenna Russell as Sarah, the doll he sets his heart on. Tony Award winner Jane Krakowski plays Miss Adelaide with Douglas Hodge as Nathan Detroit. Also amongst the line-up are Niall Buggy, Gaye Brown, Sevan Stephan and as Nicely Nicely Johnson -- the role which made Clive Rowe's career in the NY staging -- Martyn Ellis.

I'd love to see what Jane Krakowski does with Adelaide's Lament -- I loved her rendition of "Call from The Vatican" in the recent revival of Nine!

"I Got The Force Right Here..."

The other day, my friend Michael Rubinoff gave me a copy of the London Cast Recording of the new West End musical Mary Poppins. It might be one of the first copies in North America: It's not currently available in outside the UK, but Michael was able to get a copy from the Dress Circle Musical Theatre Shop, which is an unbelievably cool online musical theater store in the UK. They specialize in Stage Musicals, Cabaret, Nostalgia, Soundtracks, Karaoke, Comedy, Big Bands. From the Dress Circle Web site:

Dress Circle, nestled between Drury Lane and Leicester Square, in the heart of London's West End, is the World's best on-line store for Show CDs, Videos, DVDs, Merchandise, Sheet Music, Books and Gifts. If we can't get it -- No one can!

I looked for a copy of Lionel Bart's Twang!, which has been buried deeper than a Pharoah, and guess what...it actually returned a result! Now, this is a compilation of songs from British musicals between 1950 and 1975, but still, where do you find any Twang! recordings? From the site:

The soprano Gabrielle Bell and pianist Rex Walford open a portfolio of neglected songs from British musicals, including Twang!!, Grab Me a Gondola, The Buccaneer, Lady at the Wheel, Chrysanthemum and others. Gabrielle Bell’s freshness brings a breath of spring to 20 songs from a golden age.

Anyway, back to Mary Poppins.

I must admit I was a bit skeptical of the whole business. After all it is yet another film-to-stage production project, and a classic film with songs ingrained in my brain since childhood! But I am happy to announce I really loved it! The voices are amazing, and Laura Michelle Kelly who plays Mary has that same smooth, effortless quality of Julie Andrews' voice. Bert, played by Gavin Lee, has a completely different sounding voice from Dick Van Dyke, but I still love it.

The original Sherman Brothers songs are all there with new songs by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who wrote the Olivier award-winning HONK!. Now I love HONK! (and so does my daughter), and I think their songs are, as Cameron Mackintosh says in the liner notes, a perfect complement to the Sherman Brothers' material.

Hearing those Sherman Brothers' songs again in these new orchestrations really emphasizes how truly brilliant they were and still are. The new songs don't stand out the way the old ones do, but still seem to fit seemlessly, holding the whole score together. I'm already starting to hum one of the new songs "Practically Perfect". That song was written on spec for Cameron Mackintosh by Stiles and Drewe in 1993 when they were first approached about writing the new material.

One small disappointment was "Feed the Birds". In the movie there is a great swelling instrumental interlude which always gave me chills. In the musical arrangement there are always voices singing and I don't get that same chill. Now I haven't seen the show so maybe they do it there at another time.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to seeing the show when it hops the pond!

Finally, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is coming to Broadway! It's been playing in the West End since 2002.

Of course, this show is based on the classic movie, with songs by the inimitableSherman brothers and starring Dick Van Dyke.

Initially, I wasn't overly thrilled about the prospect of seeing the stage musical version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Of course that was back in my judgmental days. However, John Sparks, the director ofTheatre Building Chicago Musical Theatre Writers' Workshop, saw it in London and loved it.

Amazingly John is the only person in the free world who had never seen the movie! Good grief, I even had Chitty Chitty Bang Bang paper dolls and a car as a young girl (both of which I lost and both of which my husband replaced for me!). He said the theater was full of kids -- preteens mostly (which is an age group I've never really seen at the theater in great numbers) going absolutely ape with enjoyment. And he noted that London audiences are much more vocal and emotional than New York audiences -- go figure!

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the musical based on the novel and film of the same name, begins previews at the newly renamed Hilton Theatre March 27 at 7:30 PM.

The "fantasmagorical stage musical," which originated in the West End in 2002 -- it continues to play the London Palladium -- stars Raul Esparza as Caractacus Potts, Erin Dilly as Truly Scrumptious, Philip Bosco as Grandpa Potts, Marc Kudisch as Baron Bomburst, Jan Maxwell as Baroness Bomburst, Chip Zien as Goran, Robert Sella as Boris, Kevin Cahoon as the Childcatcher and Frank Raiter as the Toymaker. The children are played by Henry Hodges (as Jeremy) and Ellen Marlow (as Jemima).

The nearly 50-member company features the talents of Ken Kantor as Lord Scrumptious, Dirk Lumbard as Phillips/Coggins/Inventor, JB Adams as Chicken Farmer/Inventor, Kurt Von Schmittou as Sid/Inventor, Robert Creighton as Inventor, Rick Faugno as Inventor, William Ryall as Inventor, Robyn Hurder as Violet and Michael Herwitz as Toby.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang features music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. Song titles include "Truly Scrumptious," "Toot Sweets," "Hushabye Mountain" and the Oscar nominated title song "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." The musical will officially open April 28.