Photo Flash: Westchester Broadway Theatre's I DO! I DO!
By: Nicole Rosky Feb. 15, 2011
Based on the Jan De Hartog play, The Fourposter, the story spans fifty years, from 1895 to 1945, as it focuses on the trials and tribulations, laughters and sorrows, and hopes and disappointments experienced by Agnes and Michael Snow throughout their marriage. I DO! I DO! is a remarkably intimate, romantic piece. We are invited into the bedroom of newlyweds Michael & Agnes who anticipate a wonderful blissful life…"Together Forever" as one of the early musical selections would have us believe. As we all know, reality sets in as the young couple struggle to maintain their happiness, passion, devotion and yes even a sense of humor, through all the joys, pains, trials and tribulations that they share in their 50 years of marriage.
In 1967, I Do! I Do! was more of a musical EVENT than a musical. Schmidt and Jones wrote this musical adaption of the play The Fourposter with one goal in mind - to unite two of Broadway's then-greatest stars, Mary Martin and Robert Preston. Martin signed on from the start but Preston took some convincing. Unique in the annals of musical theatre, I Do! I Do! is the antithesis of the standard lavish Broadway musical. With only two stars, no chorus, and one set, it marked the beginning of a minimalist period which continued well into the 1980's. The score is diverse in style to showcase its two performers and there are many terrific songs. From the wedding night innocence of 'Goodnight', to the hat-and-cane sophistication of 'It's A Well-Known Fact', to the fun vamping of 'Flaming Agnes', to the bouncey 'When The Kids Get Married', to the 11:00 ballad 'What Is A Woman?', there is something for all musical tastes.
After four previews, the Broadway production, directed and choreographed by Gower Champion, opened on December 5, 1966 at the 46th Street Theatre, where it ran for 560 performances.
In Honor of our upcoming show, I Do! I Do!, help us celebrate! SEND US YOUR STORY about your 50 year-plus-Marriage and be our GUESTS to see the show!! Call: 914-592-2268 X804, Facebook: Westchester Broadway theatre group. or e-mail: Piahaas@cloud9.net.
Understudies for the roles of Michael & Agnes are David Edwards and Marci Reid. The show is directed and choreographed by Richard Sabellico, Assistant Director is Adolpho Blaire, with Music Direction by Jeff BieringThe winning Production team includes; Andrew Gmoser (Lighting Design), Jonathan Hatton (Sound Design),Donald Birely and Renee Purdy (Costumes), Steve Loftus (Set design), Victor Lukas (PSM).
Mark Zimmerman is happy to be making his debut as Michael at the Westchester Broadway Theatre. Over his 30 plus years as an actor he has performed in seven Broadway shows (including West Side Story, A Catered Affair, The Rainmaker, On the 20th Century & Brigadoon), the National tours of Mamma Mia and Kiss of the Spider Woman, and at numerous Off-Broadway and regional theaters. Mary Martin and Robert Preston comprised the original cast; Carol Lawrence and Gordon MacRae replaced them later in the run. Carol Burnett and Rock Hudson starred in a national tour. A film adaptation, written by Champion and starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, was announced by United Artists in 1969 but, following the commercial failure of several movie musicals, the project was abandoned in the spring of 1970. A television version with Lee Remick and Hal Linden was broadcast in 1982.Mark served as President of Actors’ Equity Association from 2006 through 2009.
Lauri Landry’s Broadway credits include THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (Marguerite) and ZOYA’S APARTMENT (Alla Vadimovna). Nationally she toured in WEST SIDE STORY (Maria) and GYPSY (Louise). She also toured the
U.S. with the MUSIC OF Andrew Lloyd Webber IN CONCERT singing the Christine/PHANTOM OF THE OPERA portion of the program opposite Michael Crawford. She went on to standby for Sarah Brightman in the Lloyd Webber Concert at the Palladium Theater in London. She has been a guest soloist at Royal Albert Hall, with Sir Tim Rice in an evening celebrating his lyrics in Barbados, at the Pittsburgh CLO Richard Rodgers evening honoring Andrew Lloyd Webber and at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music’s Celebration of Stephen Sondheim birthday. Lauri’s regional theater credits include CAROUSEL (Julie Jordan), CAMELOT (Guinevere), GEORGE M (Faye Templeton) and BAT BOY (MerEdith Parker). Lauri has guest starred on several TV shows and she had a long run on the daytime drama ANOTHER WORLD (Nicole Love). Richard Sabellico (Director), In NYC he directed “WONDERFUL TOWN” (New York State Theatre), ‘THE COCOANUTS” (American Place Theatre), “A MAJORITY OF ONE” (Drama Desk Nomination), ‘THE HOME OF THE BRAVE”, (Playhouse 91), ‘I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE” (Drama Desk Award), “RAGS”, “MILK AND HONEY” (American Jewish Theatre), “Leonard Bernstein; A HELLUVA TOWN” (Rainbow and Desk Nomination), ‘THE HOME OF THE BRAVE”, (Playhouse 91), ‘I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE” (Drama Desk Award), “RAGS”, “MILK AND HONEY” (American Jewish Theatre), “Leonard Bernstein; A HELLUVA TOWN” (Rainbow and Stars) and was associate director to Arthur Laurents on “GYPSY” starring Tyne Daly. National Tours include “STATE FAIR”, “THE MUSIC MAN” (35th Anniversary Tour) and “DIAL M FOR MURDER” Regionally, at the Goodspeed Opera House “DEAR WORLD”, North Shore Music Theatre “ZORBA” , Bay Street Theatre “AUNTIE MAME” , Ogunquit Playhouse “THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST’S WIFE”, Downtown Cabaret Theatre “BLOOD BROTHERS” (American Premiere), North Carolina Theatre “THE MUSIC MAN” and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera “FUNNY GIRL”, “THE MOST HAPPY FELLA”, “BELLS ARE RINGING”, “THE PAJAMA GAME,” “THE MUSIC MAN” and “MAME” among many, many others.
Reservations: Call (914)-592-2222. Also at: www.BroadwayTheatre.com
Photo Credit: John Vecchiolla
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