'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for March 18th, 2015
By: Paul W. Thompson Mar. 18, 2015
THE LATEST IN UNAUTHORIZED GOSSIP AND BUZZ FROM THE HEART OF CHICAGO'S SHOWTUNE VIDEO BARS, AND MUSICAL THEATER NEWS FROM CHICAGO TO BROADWAY
Overheard last weekend under the showtune video screens at Sidetrack and The Call:
It's a big week for Mosh Pit peeps who watch television! Beginning tonight.
You probably know by now that this month is the 50th anniversary of the premiere of the beloved film version of "The Sound Of Music," widely hailed as the most popular film musical ever made. In honor of this landmark, there's a television special on tonight! Wednesday, March 18, at 9:00 Central on ABC is "The Untold Story Of 'The Sound Of Music'," as Diane Sawyer travels with Julie Andrews to Austria for new reminiscences by the still-game star. Julie walks down the aisle again! She traces the steps of the real Von Trapps! And more and more. For my generation, this film looms HUGE. And it's been a delight to see successive generations of showtune fans fall under its treacly/dangerous spell. There's a book coming out about TSOM as well, and the movie will be shown in theaters on April 19 and 22, courtesy of Fathom Events! "Drop of golden sun," indeed....
THE-UNTOLD-STORY-OF-THE-SOUND-OF-MUSIC
Also tonight is the two-hour season finale of FOX-TV's "Empire," the show that everybody's been talking about more and more during 2015. It seems that the ratings for this show, filmed in Chicago, have grown every week since its January debut, and interest will peak with the finale episode. But don't worry! It's already been renewed for the fall. Starring Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Jussie Smollett and such recurring stars as Jennifer Hudson and Gabourey Sidibe, the series chronicles the goings-on at a record label, with echoes of "The Lion In Winter" and "King Lear." Songs abound. And it's all over the internet. Hop on the hip-hop bandwagon and ride, peeps! Oh, and Patti LaBelle.
Scoop-EMPIRE-Season-Finale-on-FOX-Today-March-18-2015
Friday night, March 20, brings the series finale of "Glee." Hard to believe it will all be over soon! And what a difference from the early days of both "Glee" and this column, where news of what had happened and what was going to happen was in The Showtune Mosh Pit so often that I named the show to the Hall of Fame and stopped covering it! Other topics needed a little lovin', too. But as viewership dropped, well, viewer interest dropped. Maybe in reruns we'll all be a little more forgiving that high school kids, and the actors who play them, do grow up. And hopefully the two-hour finale (7:00-9:00 pm on FOX) will bring the characters and the songs they sing to some nice resolutions. Andrew Rannells ("The Book Of Mormon") is a guest star, as is Jonathan Groff ("Spring Awakening"), Blake Jenner and Geraldo Rivera; most of the original series cast will appear (Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Mark Salling, Amber Riley, etc.). Darren Criss and Chord Overstreet are on, too. Ah, time is a bittersweet mistress, right? Well, Broadway awaits many if not most of them.
Scoop-GLEE-Series-Finale-on-FOX-Friday-March-20-2015
In live theater here in Chicago, the most press and the most conversation has been about "First Wives Club," which opened to critics a week ago after a three-week preview period for this six-week pre-Broadway production. And things didn't go so well. Word of mouth was just terrible when performances first began at the Oriental Theatre on February 17, but repeat attendees and message boards indicate that changes were indeed made. Perhaps not enough, though. It's not that the show is bad, but it's just ok. Most observers feel that the tone and depth of feeling just aren't there, despite great performances by the three leading ladies. The songs by the legendary Motown team Holland-Dozier-Holland don't seem to fully work (neither the old ones nor the new ones), and the big finale that fans of the movie are expecting ("You Don't Own Me") is by Leslie Gore and therefore isn't included. Overall, this is just too bad, really. Is the show salvageable for Broadway and beyond? Or is this production the end of the road? No one knows. If you have a gaggle of ladies who need a night of girl power, then go. You'll find something to love. And you may not have any other chances.
http://www.theatreinchicago.com/first-wives-club/7287/
But things churn on at Broadway In Chicago, which next week will host a touring production of the legendary "Beauty And The Beast" (March 26-29 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre). A young and eager cast led by Jillian Butterfield and Ryan Everett Wood will introduce the story, staging and songs to those young ones who've only seen the animated film, and whet the appetite of the rest of us for the live-action film adaptation, coming from Disney in March of 2017 (I understand Emma Thompson and Kevin Kline have signed on as Mrs. Potts and Belle's Father, and Dan Stephens and Luke Evans will fight over Emma Watson).
http://broadwayinchicago.com/show/beauty-beast/
Indeed, the big review news coming out of last week was from the Rogers Park neighborhood and "Jesus Christ Superstar." The show had such great advance sales, and such good word of mouth during previews, that I understand it sold out, in legendary showbiz tradition, the day after it officially opened. The superlative reviews made it ascend to the top, as it were. And now (because Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre is particularly masterful at the fabled Chicago Storefront Extension), the production has been extended for FIVE additional weeks, pushing back the closing date from April 12 all the way to May 17. Danni Smith is reportedly a revelation as Mary Magdelene, and everyone calls the Jesus of Max DeTogne "sweet-voiced." She just doesn't know how to love him, though.
Theo-Ubique-Extends-JESUS-CHRIST-SUPERSTAR-Through-May-17-2015
And the Midwest premiere of the 2013 Broadway musical "First Date" has been extended as well, though the production at the Royal George Cabaret Theatre received lackluster critical praise when it opened before Valentine's Day. Now running through April 26 instead of March 29, the show sent three male ensemble members to perform at Sidetrack this past Monday night to celebrate and publicize the new lease on life. John Keating eked out every ounce of humor from the song "I'd Order Love," and the uber-sexy pairing of Adam Fane and Shea Coffman eked out every ounce of sexual tension from the barnburner duet "That's Why You Love Me."
Things are going full speed ahead at Kokandy Productions, apparently. Its production of "The Full Monty" got really good reviews at Theater Wit, where the David Yazbek/Terrence McNally tuner not seen here since 2008 runs until April 12. It's a large and adorably appealing non-Equity cast, under John D. Glover's direction.
http://www.theatreinchicago.com/the-full-monty/7452/
And Kokandy is getting into the new musicals game via its Staged Musical Series, which for 2015 kicks off with "Mercy: Variations" on Monday nights, March 23 and 30. A new show with book and lyrics by Larry Todd Cousineau and music by Mike O'Hara, it's directed by Spencer Neiman and music directed by Kory Danielson. The high-powered four-person cast features Sean Thomas, Nathan Mittleman, the aforementioned Adam Fane and the aforementioned Danni Smith. Dang!
kokandy-productions-presents-staged-musical-reading-mercy-variations
I've heard good things about "Oklahoma!" from Columbia College Chicago, running only through Saturday, March 21, at the Getz Theater on E. 11th Street in the South Loop. Ashton Byrum directs, with choreography by Courtney Ring and music direction by Phillip Caldwell. I had a conversation with someone who knew of the show, but had no idea of the original production's impact on musical theater writing, choreography, recording and producing. Never take history for granted, folks.
http://events.colum.edu/event/oklahoma_7132#.VQkXA9Ic7Tp
On Friday, March 20, a reprise of a Davenport's Cabaret show, "Here's To The Lady: Elaine Stritch at 90" will play at the Skokie Theatre, in the same town where the legendary actress was buried last year. If the "Glee" finale isn't your speed, perhaps this revue with appearances by Johnny Rodgers and Daryl Nitz is. And it features six cabaret stars in a chronological run-down of Stritch's inimitable career: Cynthia Clarey, Joan Curto, Laura Freeman, KT McCammond, Ann McGregor, Suzanne Petri and Judy Rossignuolo-Rice. I heard it was great.
http://skokietheatre.com/elaine-stritch.html
For even more on Catholicism in Skokie, a traditionally Jewish suburb, the Skokie Theatre will be presenting "Your Goyfriend's Back" on April 11, starring Russ Goeltenbodt, with special guest Carla Gordon. Also at the Skokie, jazz singer Julie Butler Chanteuse has three programs of standards coming up, and theater historian Charles Troy narrates "The Creation Of 'Carousel'" on April1, a multi-media presentation in anticipation of Lyric Opera Of Chicago's production of the mid-century modern classic next month.
So, I hope to see on Saturday, March 21, for "Tyler's Suite" at St. James Cathedral, performed by the Windy City Gay Chorus with yours truly as a ringer singer therein. And on Sunday, March 22, I hope to see you at Stage 773 as I help to music direct "Finishing The Birthday Hat," the Chicago theater community's salute to Stephen Sondheim on his exact 85th birthday (the Improvised Sondheim Project is hosting). Songs and improv will be performed back-to-back: what were we thinking! It's very Chicago, that's what!
http://www.improvisedsondheim.com/
And as always, I'll see you under the video screens.....-PWT
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