'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for October 14th, 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

by Paul W. Thompson

Overheard last weekend under the showtune video screens at Sidetrack and The Call:

In case you don't know the big news around here every October, it's the nominations window for the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards! This year, the sixth annual BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards will once again be voted on by you, the readers of BroadwayWorld, as the Windy City's only comprehensive publicly-voted theater awards system gears up again. From now until the end of October, click HERE to submit the names of performers, creative staff and productions in 36 categories. BWW Chicago staff will finalize the slate of nominees in early November, and you'll have until New Year's Eve to vote! And the annual BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards Celebration will take place in early January (details coming soon!). You won't want to miss the excitement! Folks can be nominated for productions in our area that opened between October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015. Note that previous winners cannot be nominated again for remounts or transfers of the same work. Break a leg to everyone, and let the madness begin!

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The winning production in the New Work - Musical category at last week's Equity Jeff Awards was Paul Gordon's "Sense And Sensibility" at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater this past spring. And now, a cast recording of that production is available! The entire CST cast appears on the CD, led by Megan McGinniss, Sharon Rietkirk and Sean Allan Krill (pictured). Exciting news, you guys! Available online or through the theater.

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A winner of multiple BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards for its production of "Sweeney Todd" was Crystal Lake's Williams Street Repertory, playing at the Raue Center For the Arts. And now, the company is presenting that show's Mrs. Lovett as the star of another Stephen Sondheim musical, "Gypsy" (music by Jule Styne), playing from October 9-November 1. Mark Mahallak directs a cast including Joe Lehman, Willow Schneider and Shaina Summerville, with Ryan Naimy as Tulsa.

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The landmark 1927 musical "Show Boat" has fortunately never gone too far from public consciousness in the 88 years since its debut, thanks to amazing songs and an even stronger story that has soldiered on despite the whims of directors and audiences alike. And on this Friday, October 16, you can view it in another incarnation when Channel 11, WTTW, broadcasts the "Live From Lincoln Center" version of the show in a concert staging at the New York Philharmonic. It's a starry cast, to be sure. British heartthrob Julian Ovenden stars as gambler Gaylord Ravenal, with Lauren Worsham ("A Gentleman's Guide To Love And Murder") as Magnolia, his intended. Multi-platform star Vanessa Williams stars as mixed-race tragedienne Julie, and Broadway's Norm Lewis ("Porgy And Bess") is "Old Man River" Joe. Fred Willard and Jane Alexander are Magnolia's parents, show boat proprietors Andy and Parthy. Did I mention the hit parade of songs? And the perennial American themes of race, wealth and heritage? Oh, and much of Act II takes place here in the Windy City, at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. You need to see (and hear) this.

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The musical that ran longer on Broadway than any other in the 1950s, and was subsequently turned into a film that won eight Oscars in 1964, was "My Fair Lady." I certainly hope that my peeps knew that! That very same "loverly" movie has been restored for its belated 50th anniversary, and is being shown in select theaters beginning on October 18th. In Chicago proper, its only showing is at the Music Box Theatre on October 26th, and it plays in Evanston on November 1st and 4th. Care to join the "Julie versus Audrey" casting debate? (Or the Julie versus Marni voice debate?) Gotta see the pic! And yes, that was me toting around the show's piano-vocal score recently. Why can't the English?

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Monday night, October 19, marks the return of Jeff-nominated actor Michael Kingston's cabaret show, "Harry Takes A Holiday," with special guests Bob Gerics, Sarah Hayes and Patrick Tierney. Music directed by Nick Sula, the show will once again be at Davenport's Cabaret on Milwaukee Avenue. Also of interest this month at Davenport's: John Van Keulen's tribute to Barbra Streisand (October 16-18) and Broadway star Karen Mason appearing with Louis Rosen (October 20, 22-24).

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Next Tuesday, October 20, something called the Confidential Musical Theatre Project will take to the Stage 773 (see what I did there?) and perform an as-yet-undisclosed musical. The performers have presumably been given scripts, but they have will never have rehearsed as a group until the performance you can witness for the price of a $25 ticket. I'm not sure how much staging is involved, but I don't know exactly what will be taking place, either. I guess that's the point! It's not improv, it's just a surprise to everyone in the room. Maybe the piano player will have practiced? Not sure....

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Beginning performances that same October 20 is the Chicago premiere of the new children's musical "The Miraculous Journey Of Edward Tulane," brought to us by the Chicago Children's Theatre. Actress Jessie Fisher, the Chicago who starred in "Once" on Broadway, will appear alongside Melanie Brezill, Kelvin Roston, Jr. and Patrick Budde (as "The Musician"). Stuart Carden directs the production, which plays at the Ruth Page Center For the Arts through November 15. It's about a dapper rabbit.

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The rarely seen off-Broadway hit, "Zanna Don't" (see what they did there?) will be seen in Chicago on October 22, 25, 30, 31 and November 1 at the Mayne Stage in Rogers Park, courtesy of Cult Camp Productions. Written by Tim Acito, with additional book and lyrics by Alexander Dinelaris (the film "Birdman"), the production features a cast of ten, including Nic Eastlund, Corey Mills and Taylor Okey. Sounds campy! And the original production starred Jai Rodriguez from the Emmy-winning "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy." (Remember that one?) So yeah.

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And what will we be doing next year? Well, Broadway In Chicago had an answer for that yesterday, with the announcement of its 2016 subscription series. A few favorite touring titles are not on this list, but maybe they will be announced later as "add-ons." We can only hope! But the official line-up is a tour of "42nd Street" directed by Mark Bramble and choreographed by Randy Skinner (March 8-20 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre), the national tour of Susan Stroman's "Bullets Over Broadway" (April 19-May 1 at the Bank Of America Theatre), the previously announced "pre-Broadway" "The SpongeBob Musical," directed by Tina Landau (June 7-July 3 at the Oriental Theatre), "The Sound Of Music" (June 7-19 at the Cadillac Palace), and two big titles from last season on Broadway, the Tony-winning "Fun Home" (November 2-13 at the Bank Of America) and "Finding Neverland" (November 22-December 4 at the Cadillac Palace). That's a diverse line-up, to be sure. Something for everyone, a dance show/stylish show/new show/old show/edgy show/popular show tonight! See you there.

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So that's it! Certainly a lot of interesting things for the middle of October. Next week, I'll discuss this year's crop of Halloween musicals, among other things. So, go soak up the sun while you still can! And I'll see you under the video screens.....-PWT

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