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Monk, Ziemba and Hibbert Swing on to Curtains of Kander and
By: BWW News Desk Jan. 25, 2006
A long-in-development musical comedy murder mystery with music by John Kander, lyrics by the late Fred Ebb, and a book by Tony Award-winner Rupert Holmes (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, "Remember WENN"), the show will be presented by the Center Theatre Group from mid-July through mid-September; specific dates have yet to be announced. Scott Ellis--who previously directed the Kander and Ebb musicals The Rink and Steel Pier--will helm the show, which will feature Hyde Pierce (Spamalot, "Frasier") as a detective who sings showtunes when not solving crimes; Ziemba, Monk and Hibbert will play various other characters. The show will run from mid-July through mid-September; exact dates have not yet been announced.
The musical, which is set in 1959 during the tryout of a Broadway-bound musical, whose cast and crew all become suspects after the the show's leading lady mysteriously drops dead onstage while taking her final bow to the sound of applause. The detective "is a fervent musical theatre fan, (who) allows the company to continue rehearsing while he conducts his murder investigation. He soon finds himself in the middle of the uproarious bedlam of theatrical egos and eccentricities, more murders and even a budding love affair," according to press notes.
Holmes adapted his book from an original libretto by Tony Award-winner Peter Stone (Titanic, Woman of the Year, 1776), who passed away in 2003; lyricist Fred Ebb died in 2004. Work on Curtains has continued since then, and the show would be the first Kander and Ebb musical to premiere on Broadway since the beloved lyricist's passing.
The songwriting partnership of John Kander and Fred Ebb marked one of the most successful and enduring collaborations in Broadway history. Together, they penned Flora, the Red Menace, Cabaret (their first major hit), The Happy Time, Zorba, 70, Girls, 70, Chicago, The Act, Woman of the Year, The Rink, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Steel Pier, as well as The Visit (which was presented at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago but has yet to see Broadway). They also wrote the scores for films and TV specials such as New York, New York, Funny Lady and "Liza with a Z."
Tickets to Curtains are currently available to Ahmanson Theatre subscribers. To order a subscription or for more information, call (213) 628-2772. Visit www.taperahmanson.com for more on the Ahmanson Theatre.
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