One of the most beloved and enduring characters in the history of American popular culture is aiming to finally make her way to the Broadway stage. Hazel - the saucy maid whose wry attitude, infallible wisdom and heart of gold has captured the hearts of millions for more than 60 years - will be in the spotlight again in an exciting new Broadway musical with music by composer Ron Abel and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. The veteran duo has acquired the rights to Hazel from the estate of creator Ted Key and are hoping to bring the show to the Great White Way in 2011.
Lissa Levin, the
Edward Kleban Award-winning playwright and Emmy-nominated producer has been chosen to write the Broadway script for Hazel.
Abel and Steffan are currently in discussions with an incredibly talented actress who recently starred on Broadway to play the role of Hazel. "And several other major actresses have knocked on our door this week alone to inquire about this major role," commented Steffan. "We are excited about the possibilities."
Hazel first entered American hearts as a cartoon panel that appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in 1943 and delighted readers from every walk of life for more than a quarter of a century until the magazine's demise in 1969. By then, Hazel had become a television star, memorably brought to life by actress
Shirley Booth's indelible performance as the wise and wisecracking housekeeper that keeps life moving along in the Baxter household. Hazel is an iconic character that speaks to all of us in ways that make us smile in recognition, and will touch contemporary audiences with her timeless attitude and sense of humor.
"We're thrilled to see Hazel finally coming to Broadway, it's something my father always dreamed of," said Peter Key, son of Hazel's creator Ted Key and representative of the artist's estate. "Hazel has an inner humanity that projected well in both cartoons and on TV, and Dad always thought her character would project very well in theater." The only medium he was never able to bring his work to during his lifetime was the live stage, and this lets both him and his most popular creation finally assume their rightful place on Broadway."
"The character of Hazel screams out to be a musical, she sings to us" says veteran Broadway and Hollywood composer
Ron Abel, who along with lyricist partner
Chuck Steffan, is penning the songs for the musical. "She's the kind of character you'd love to introduce to your kids; a middle aged woman that doesn't take guff, and has youth appeal. Hazel is completely ageless. Her inner humanity was unmistakable and very visible to all the people around her."
Steffan added, "Ted Key was an enormous talent and a gentleman of distinction. I am so proud to be a part of his legacy.
Abel and Steffan had tried to bring Hazel to Broadway once before, but creator Key passed away in 2008 before a deal could be struck. Negotiations continued with Key's sons, including Peter, who was glad for the duo's persistence and commitment to the character. "We're very excited to be working with Ron and Chuck. My dad was able to work with them before but unable to complete the project. Now he -- and all of us -- are thrilled to be working together at last." Says Abel, "I believe there was another force in the universe that gave us the resiliency that made us make this try to happen. We just feel so much commitment to the project and so much closeness to Hazel's character."
Hazel was practically a household figure in America through her popular TV show in the early 1960s, and will be fondly remembered by baby boomer audiences. While the musical will be set as a period piece, Abel and Steffan believe that Hazel's timeless character speaks just as relevantly to today's audiences, and are creating a show around her that will capture her warmth and lively humor in music and lyrics with a fun, contemporary feel.
Ron Abel is a multi-award winning composer, producer, arranger, orchestrator, conductor and musical director. His recent sold out shows of his original songs at the world famous jazz club BIRDLAND in New York City had the NEW YORK POST'S columnist
Liz Smith writing: "Go! Then you can say you knew him when!
In the last year, he was personally honored to be among the GREAT AMERICAN COMPOSERS celebrated at the July 4th Rose Bowl Spectacular in Pasadena, California. His multi-recorded song Until Now was the featured concert selection at this event. Another of his songs, Heaven Knows was the performance highlight of the United States Christmas Ceremony in Washington D.C. He also was the onstage musical director and co-creator for the concert BABALU, a tribute to the music of
Desi Arnaz, which began at the famed 92nd St. Y in New York and has gone on to acclaim in Miami and Las Vegas.
Aside from being the co-creator and arranger of the acclaimed Broadway musical BLAME IT ON THE MOVIES, Ron has also composed the scores for ROCKWELL: LIFE ON A PALETTE, a true Americana musical in which the iconic pictures that we all grew up with come to life and become musical numbers as
Norman Rockwell himself takes us on a tour of his imagination: TWIST OF FATE, the award winning musical that tells the tale of the woman who dared to challenge the US government for her right to tell fortunes: DIFFERENT HEROES, the story of an exiled African poet who teaches a rough group of misfits the true meaning of freedom and choice: and IS THIS YOUR LIFE?...a musical comedy expose.
Ron served as musical director, arranger and conductor for the gala opening ceremonies of the new 60,000 seat stadium, FORD FIELD, sponsored by the Ford Motor Company and headlined by
Gladys Knight. At the annual Dream Foundation fundraiser in Los Angeles starring
Drew Carey,
Cindy Crawford,
Julia Louis-Dreyfuss.
Priscilla Presley, and
Joely Fisher, Ron presided as arranger, conductor and musical director
The scope of Ron's music mastery includes film, television, Broadway, recording, as well as live concerts and special events. Film and television credits include: Musical Direction and Original Music for the I Love Lucy's 50th Anniversary Special (CBS). He has also composed the television theme songs for Animal Court (Animal Planet), and the late-night talk show Nitecap (ABC), where Ron was featured as the on-camera musical director. He was also the on-camera musical director for the television musical game show Name That Tune. His film work includes composing, arranging and/or orchestrating for both
Michelle Pfeiffer and Kim Basinger; an Emmy nominated television special for
Lily Tomlin; arranging and orchestrating for television legends
Bea Arthur and
Carol Burnett, as well as writing and producing for mutli-million selling pop recording artist
Taylor Dayne.
As arranger-conductor, Ron has appeared live onstage with
Eric McCormack,
Donna Murphy,
Marvin Hamlisch,
Raul Esparza,
Victor Garber,
Megan Hilty,
Tyne Daly,
Bette Midler,
Johnny Mathis,
Liza Minnelli,
Mandy Patinkin,
Patti LuPone,
Michele Lee,
Jason Alexander,
David Hyde Pierce,
LorEtta Devine,
Lucie Arnaz,
Brian Stokes Mitchell,
Shirley Jones,
Valarie Pettiford,
Donna McKechnie,
Sarah Brightman,
Joe Williams, and never last l'opera diva
Julia Migenes.
He recently produced and arranged new albums for
Deborah Gibson (Colored Lights: The Broadway Album) and
Valarie Pettiford (Hear My Soul) and
Lucie Arnaz (Latin Roots). Arranging, producing, and song writing by Ron can also be heard on
Petula Clark,
Helen Reddy and
Dorian Harewood's albums among many others.
Tap Your Troubles Away, A Tribute to
Jerry Herman, was an historic evening in Los Angeles benefiting the Actor's Fund that Ron conducted and served as musical director, arranger, and album producer. The event brought together
Angela Lansbury,
Carol Channing,
Bernadette Peters,
Rita Moreno,
Tyne Daly, and
Sam Harris, as well as many other Broadway luminaries, including a finale performance by
Jerry Herman himself. Ron was asked to recreate the evening for Houston's Theatre Under the Stars gala opening of their new multi-million dollar facility.
Ron has musical directed, arranged, orchestrated and conducted the annual S.T.A.G.E. Benefit Musical Tributes, the oldest AIDS fundraiser in the world, for fifteen years, with albums recorded by MCA, Varese Sarabande and L & M Records.
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of one of Broadway's most historic musicals, West Side Story, Ron was commissioned to arrange and orchestrate a new symphonic composition of the score. It premiered with the acclaimed Pasadena Pops Orchestra featuring both Ron as pianist, and drummer Richie Ramone (The Ramones) as soloists.
Chuck Steffan's audacity to rewrite a classic
Cole Porter song, prompted the entertainment news bible, VARIETY to write this: "
Cole Porter's LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT LOVE was made even funnier thanks to clever, topical additions by
Chuck Steffan. Kudos to Steffan, not everyone can improve on Porter."
Chuck's lyrics have been performed on recordings, television, and concert stages from New York's legendary jazz club BIRDLAND, to the famous ROSE BOWL in Pasadena, California. His song "HEAVEN KNOWS" was the performance highlight of the United States Christmas Ceremony in Washington D.C.
He has written the lyrics for the stage musicals SURVIVAL CRACKERS, TO SIR, WITH LOVE and DIFFERENT HEROES. He is the co-creator and lyricist for the musical comedy expose IS THIS YOUR LIFE? which premiered in Los Angeles. (A "juggernaut" of comedy: L.A. Times) Currently, Chuck is writing the lyrics for these new Broadway bound musicals with music by award-winning composer,
Ron Abel:
AN UNTITLED MUSICAL TRILOGY based on the greatest show biz duo of our time. A unique and groundbreaking theatrical event, HAZEL, the musical comedy escapade based on of one of America's most beloved and favorite comic strip and television characters. BOMBSHELL an expose' of Hollywood love goddess Cleo Moore, "Queen of the B-Movie Bad Girls". PRESENTING LAURETTE BISHOP an evening "in concert" celebrating the return of one of the greatest jazz singers you never knew. BRICKTOP the story of the famous nightclub owner and doyenne of Paris society in the 1920's and 30's, and undressed, a new and raw telling of the novel "Camille" by Alexander Dumas fils. Written with an unflinching look at the courtesan's life and as contemporary in feeling as any notorious adventure in today's world of pay-for-play.
In addition, Chuck has written the lyrics for the musical THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN with music by Dan David.
Chuck has numerous album credits, among them: UNTIL NOW (BROADWAY BOUND, NEW WRITERS FOR THE BROADWAY STAGE), SLOW DANCING (JUST IN TIME /
Lucie Arnaz & ALONE TOGETHER/
Linda Purl), WHERE DO I FIND LOVE? (HEAR MY SOUL /
Valarie Pettiford) CHANGE OF HEART (HAVE A LITTLE /
Dorian Harewood), FOREVER'S ALL WE KNOW (OUT OF THIS WORLD /
Linda Purl &
Desi Arnaz JR.). His lyrics have also been sung by, among others, Tony Award winners
Brian Stokes Mitchell,
Christine Ebersole, as well as
Stephanie Mills,
Sam Harris,
LorEtta Devine,
Joely Fisher,
Sally Mayes,
Joey Gian,
Georgia Brown, and jazz virtuoso
Billy Stritch.
Together with his partner, famed composer
Ron Abel, Chuck is also writing the lyrics and the screenplay for the film musical TIMELESS.
