The new Boublil and Schonberg musical The Pirate Queen, starring Stephanie J. Block as the swashbuckling title character, began previews at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre on October 3rd and opened on October 29th. It plays through November 26th. It will drop anchor at the Hilton Theatre on Broadway beginning February 23rd, 2007 for an opening night on March 22nd.
The show is a historical musical based on the life of Grace O'Malley (called Grania in the show), a woman "who led an extraordinary life as a pirate, cheiftan, lover and mother in 16th century Ireland," according to press notes. In addition to Block, the musical stars Hadley Fraser (Pacific Overtures and Assassins in the West End) as Tiernan, Linda Balgord (La Cage aux Folles, Passion) as Elizabeth I, and Jeff McCarthy (Urinetown, Side Show) as Dubhdara, with Marcus Chait (Urban Cowboy) as Donal, Áine Ui Cheallaigh as Evleen, and William Youmans (Wicked, Titanic) as Bingham. The Pirate Queen is produced by John McColgan and Moya doherty, both of the Irish dance sensation Riverdance. Frank Galati (Ragtime, Seussical) is the director. The musical, with a score that blends pop, rock, musical theatre and Irish music, is choreographed by Mark Dendy. The Pirate Queen features music by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon), with music by Schonberg and lyrics by Boublil and John Dempsey (The Witches of Eastwick).
Visit www.thepiratequeen.com for tickets and more information on the show.
Photos by Michael Piatkowski
Frank Galati and Stephanie J. Block
Frank Galati and Stephanie J. Block
Jeff McCarthy
Hadley Fraser and associate director Tara Young
Stephanie J. Block and Marcus Chait
Linda Balgord
William Youmans and dancers Bobbie Ann Dunn and Sean Beglan
Dancer Kyle James O'Connor and Mark Dendy
Cast member
Brian O'Brien and costume designer
Martin Pakledinaz
Dancer Eric Hatch and Irish Traditional Singer Aine Ui Cheallaigh
Cast Members Michael James Scott, Brian O'Brien and Nick Adams
Christiane Noll and husband, cast member Jamie LaVerdiere
Cast Members Eric Hatch, Grady McLeod Bowman, Katie Tomlinson, Tokiko Masudo, Jennifer Waiser and Brian O'Brien
The Pirate Boys Invade Chicago!: Kyle James O'Connor, Daniel Torres, Brian O'Brien, Troy Edward Bowles, Michael James Scott, Timothy W. Bish, Jerad Bortz and Eric Hatch