'The Showtune Mosh Pit' for September 22nd, 2009

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

Sidetrack and Cattle Call showtune video screens:

Chicago's showtune fans, freaks and aficionados were a-buzz this week with the spreading word that Patti LuPone would be appearing at next summer's suburban Ravinia Festival in "Annie Get Your Gun," opposite the Frank Butler of Brian Stokes Mitchell, and backed by none other than the Chicago Symphony Orchestra! Sure, she can sing any Ethel Merman role she wants to, but does the Diva look young enough to convincingly play markswoman Annie Oakley in anything resembling a theatrical presentation? Or will this be more of a concert (directed by Lonny Price, conducted by Paul Gemignani)? Whatever it will be, it is sure to be the hot ticket twelve months from now, and calendars have already been marked for August 13-15, 2010.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/132853-LuPone_and_Mitchell_to_Star_in_Ravinia%27s_Annie_Get_Your_Gun 

We are increasing thrilled by the video clips and audio downloads of the hit London stage musical "Sister Act," based on the popular Whoopi Goldberg film and starring Patina Miller in Whoopi's role of Deloris. The London Palladium has been rocking with gospel and soul all summer long! The rousing score is by "The Little Mermaid" team of Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, and the show looks and sounds great so far. Will it hit the States next year, we hope? And who, pray tell, will star in it?

http://www.sisteractthemusical.com/home.php 

Wouldn't it be unbelievable if it were Whitney Houston? We're not saying it would ever happen, but we can see it. And we are thrilled that Whitney's new album is doing so well for her. Lest you forget, Miss Whitney has a few showtune credentials in her checkered past, from the worlds of film ("The Bodyguard" does count, people), television (that "Cinderella" remake with Brandy yielded the version of "Impossible" I saw you singing along with) and recordings ("I Know Him So Well" from "Chess" appeared on her second album, way back when). Maybe she'll do an album of standards and showtunes some day. We can dream, can't we? 

http://www.whitneyhouston.com/us/home 

The Mosh Pit learned this past week that the first post-Broadway production of last season's musical "The Story of My Life," the short-lived Will Chase/Malcolm Gets two-hander tuner, has been on the boards this month at.......wait for it.........Bartlett High School in the far northwestern suburbs. A co-production of Barlett High School and Introspect Theatre, it qualifies to be called the first non-Equity production of the show. But there is only one weekend of performances left, September 25th and 26th. What a coup for Bartlett, and an amazing opportunity for the two high school seniors involved, Tanner Spears and Trace Hamilton! There are video clips available, if you know where to look. 

http://cwebnews.com/index.php?news=289728

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=128251511242&index=1

For you 'Wicked" fans, not to mention "Fire and Rain" fans, there is a production of the 1978 musical "Working" now running at the Steel Beam Theatre in the far western suburb of St. Charles, directed by an old friend of the Mosh Pit, Ty Perry. With a score by Stephen Schwartz, James Taylor, Micki Grant, Craig Carnelia and several others, this may be the first local production of the show since the death of Chicago legend Studs Terkel, upon whose bestselling book of the same name the show is based.

http://www.steelbeamtheatre.com/09_working.htm

Speaking of folk-rock legends, the 1981 Off-Broadway Harry Chapin musical "Cotton Patch Gospel" has been getting great reviews and word-of-mouth, in the Provision Theatre Company production on Roosevelt Road starring Tim Gregory, reprising his role as Matthew/storyteller from Provision's production five years ago. Whether or not Southern retellings of Bible stories are your cup of tea, from all indications Gregory and company are the real deal with this one. 

http://www.provisiontheater.org/ 

Now that you mention it, Chicago these days seems to be a microcosm or case study of the life cycle of the typical musical. We've got shows in every stage of life, from development to (hopeful) resuscitation. Four shows now beginning performances exemplify this. "Yeast Nation" is a nearly new work, assumed to be "prior to New York" in its American Theatre Company production here. "The Marvelous Wonderettes," starting up at Northlight Theatre Company, is fresh from New York (still running Off-Broadway), and "Man of La Mancha" in Munster (TATC) is a classic 40-year-old show in traditional form. "Animal Crackers" in the Loop is an 80-year old show, being given a fresh shot at audiences now at the Goodman Theatre. What an exciting fall we have here in Chicago! Take your pick, people.

http://www.atcweb.org/onstage/yeast.html 

http://www.northlight.org/pages/on_stage/78.php 

http://www.theatreatthecenter.com/ 

http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Production.aspx?prod=91 

And, lest we forget, this weekend the remake of the film musical "Fame" hits multi-plexes! And this, hot on the heels of word from yesterday that the FOX network has picked up "Glee" for a full season! Could life for the young musical theatre devotee get any better? Seriously? The lady doth protest too much, methinks! 

http://www.generationfame.com/

http://www.fox.com/glee/

So, with all that to digest, I leave you to your showtunes, your downloads, your private viewings, your ticket scamperings, your rehearsals and your performances. And, as always, I'll see you under the video screens.....--PWT

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