2012 Awards Update #3

Posted on May 24, 2012 by boz

This week three more sets of award winners were named for work in the 2011/12 New York theater season. The first were the 78th annual Drama League Awards, handed out this weekend in a ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, hosted by Stockard Channing and John Larroquette. Musical winners included Once (Distinguished Musical), Follies (Distinguished Musical Revival), and Audra McDonald (Distinguished Performance), who plays Bess in this season’s revival of Porgy and Bess.

The Drama League also honored three others with special awards. Composer Alan Menken, represented this season with two new shows on the boards (Newsies and Leap of Faith), was honored with the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre Award; performer Rosie O’Donnell was recognized with the league’s Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award; and director Diane Paulus, represented on Broadway this season with Porgy and Bess, received the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing.

On Monday, the Village Voice presented its 57th annual Obie Awards at Webster Hall. Musical winners included special citations to choreographer Steven Hoggett, orchestrator Martin Lowe and director John Tiffany for Once and to Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra for No Place to Go. The entertainment for the evening included “Summertime” performed by Joshua Henry and Sumayya Ali from Porgy and Bess, “Raglan Road” performed by David Patrick Kelly from Once, and two numbers performed by Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra from No Place to Go.

The third prizes announced this week were the 2nd annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards, which will be handed out June 19 at Sardi’s restaurant. Musical winners included Silence! (Best New Musical), Carrie (Best Musical Revival), and Stinkykids (Best Family Show). Among the handful of Legend of Off-Broadway honorees this year are Forbidden Broadway creator Gerard Alessandrini.

Posted in Awards, Stage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rhapsody in Blue: Video Reviews

Posted on May 21, 2012 by boz

The 1945 biopic of George Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue, was released on DVD this month and received generally favorable reviews. The creative team includes Howard Koch and Elliot Paul (screenplay), Irving Rapper (director), Fred M. MacLean (sets), Milo Anderson (costumes), Merritt Berstad et al. (cinematography), Nathan Levinson et al. (sound), and Ray Heindorf (orchestrations). The cast includes Robert Alda (George Gershwin), Joan Leslie (Julie Adams), Alexis Smith (Christine Gilbert), Charles Coburn (Max Dreyfus), Julie Bishop (Lee Gershwin), Albert Bassermann (Prof. Franck), Morris Carnovsky (Poppa), Rosemary DeCamp (Momma), and Herbert Rudley (Ira Gershwin), with performances form Oscar Levant, Paul Whiteman, Al Jolson, Hazel Scott, and Anne Brown. The film was nominated for the Grand Prize at Cannes and for two Oscars.

Paul Mavis (DVD Talk): Hard to dislike from a musical standpoint, but it’s a slog in-between. An original trailer is included for this good-looking transfer. … The music was the primary draw, then and now, and if for nothing else, Rhapsody in Blue is a success in that not-inconsiderable range. … When Rhapsody in Blue sticks to the music – which is often – it’s hard to beat. … This “remastered” 1.37:1 full-screen black and white transfer for Rhapsody in Blue looks quite dishy, with deep blacks, nice contrast, and only minor image imperfections (some scratches now and then). … Rhapsody in Blue is crammed wall-to-wall with most of Gershwin’s biggest hits, so one can just go along with the tired, lifeless plot while waiting for the next number or song to be cued up. I’m recommending Rhapsody in Blue for lovers of Gershwin’s music … biopic fans, however, are forewarned.

Lloyd Schwartz (NPR): The movie Rhapsody in Blue, a biography of George Gershwin, was released only eight years after his death from a brain tumor at the age of 38. … Among the film’s other musical high points are a rare staging of Gershwin’s early mini-opera, Blue Monday, which got only one performance on Broadway. … And most remarkable, Anne Brown – the original Bess in Porgy and Bess – sings the most famous song from that opera, “Summertime.” But Hollywood can’t help messing with facts. Gershwin’s brother Ira, who wrote the lyrics to most of George’s songs, is a major character in the film. … In this movie, real history, in the form of the people who actually knew George Gershwin and performed his music, makes a bigger and truer impression than the Hollywood fabrications.

Dusty Somers (Blog Critics): The film clocks in at two and half hours with an overture, but we’re not dealing with a padded-out running time here. The pace is surprisingly nimble, with the extended minutes given to Gershwin’s music, like nearly complete renditions of “Rhapsody in Blue,” “An American in Paris” and “Concerto in F.” The film also features the original performers of many of Gershwin’s numbers playing themselves – Al Jolson shows up to sing “Swanee” and promise Gershwin he’s on his way to a promising career, Anne Brown croons a sadly truncated version of “Summertime” at the premiere of Porgy and Bess, and Oscar Levant lends his fingers to both his and the fictional Gershwin’s piano playing. … Warner Archive’s burn-on-demand DVD offers up a solid full frame transfer of the film, with strong black levels and decent image clarity. The quality drops out for a few seconds occasionally and white levels can look a little blown out, but it’s pretty nice overall. Even better is the crisp mono audio, which handles orchestral, solo piano and vocal performances of Gershwin’s works well.

Posted in Books & Media, Videos | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Glee Recap: Nationals

Posted on May 21, 2012 by boz

From its first shot, “Nationals” (the second hour of Glee’s back-to-back episodes) leads with its heart and not its head. Logic be damned, writer Ali Adler is out to tug at our basal emotions.

Everyone is on edge as they rehearse for nationals, the last chance for glory the seniors will get in their high school career with New Directions. Not only will the team have to perform first, the “death slot,” but Mercedes (Amber Riley) is feverish, Quinn (Dianna Agron) is wobbly, Rachel (Lea Michele) is preoccupied … everyone has issues. Of course, Will (Matthew Morrison) delivers the perfect pep talk, and Finn (Cory Monteith) rallies the team to win one for Mr. S.

Lea Michele in "It's All Coming Back to Me Now"

They begin their competition program, fittingly, with Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory.” The audience at nationals loved it. I was not so overwhelmed. Rachel is downhearted that she hasn’t seen NYADA teacher Carmen Tibideaux (Whoopi Goldberg), but halfway through her solo of Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” she sees Tibideaux arrive, which energizes her performance and again drives the crowd crazy. I remained un-whelmed. Finn leads New Directions in their last song, Meat Loaf’s “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” which sends the audience into utter rapture. I found it underwhelming.

Alex Newell in "Starships"

The second finalist is archrival Vocal Adrenaline, led by Unique (Alex Newell) in much more whelming performances of Nicki Minaj’s “Starships” and The Who’s “Pinball Wizard.” We then briefly hear the third finalist, the Portland Scale Blazers, in a wonderfully tacky version of “Starlight Express,” which guest judge Perez Hilton found “haunting.” The other two judges, Lindsey Lohan and Assemblyman Fong (Rex Lee), disagree, and while we wait for their decision, we see Vocal Adrenaline coach Jesse (Jonathan Groff) track down Carmen to put in a good word for his ex-girlfriend Rachel.

At the trophy ceremony, the judges present the MVP award (deservedly) to Unique, third place to the Portland Scale Blazers, and first place to … drumroll … New Directions. Cue confetti and slow-mo camera, which continues as the choir returns to the halls of McKinley High. Will the gleeks be welcomed or dissed with slushies? The jocks approach, cups in hand, and cover the choristers with … confetti. The love fest continues as we watch Sue (Jane Lynch) regain her Cheerios, Emma (Jayma Mays) and Will (distastefully) consummate their marriage, Finn collect his bet winnings from Rick “The Stick” (Rock Anthony), Rachel sign her first autograph, and the trophy placed in the display case.

In a somewhat awkward coda, we cut to the Teacher of the Year Award ceremony, during which Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba) brings Rachel and Finn onstage to announce this year’s winner. Can there be any doubt? It’s Will, but before he collects his plaque, New Directions sing Queen’s “We Are the Champions.” There are tears all around, no doubt some of them real, as Will joins his students onstage. The sentimental rollercoaster is sure to be put into overdrive for the season finale, sending fans into emotional whiplash.

Posted in Shows, TV | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Glee Recap: Props

Posted on May 18, 2012 by boz

In the penultimate week of its third season, before several of its original characters say “Goodbye” (or at least graduate high school) next Tuesday, Glee offered a unique back-to-back offering: two hour-long episodes. The first hour of this doubleheader, “Props,” written and directed by series co-creator Ian Brennan, was also unique for being the first episode to revolve around Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz).

It seems Tina has reached her breaking point over the attention given to Rachel (Lea Michele). While shopping for fabric at the mall, Tina becomes absorbed in a heated text exchange with boyfriend Mike (Harry Shum Jr.) about Rachel and trips into the fountain, bumping her head on the floor. She awakes to find herself in a Freaky Friday world: she has become Rachel … and Puck (Mark Salling) has become Blaine (Darren Criss), Finn (Cory Monteith) has become Kurt (Chris Colfer). Everyone is different – and it was fun to watch fellow cast members in their spot-on parodies of each other.

Jenna Ushkowitz in "Because You Loved Me"

Back at school, Tina-Rachel wows her fellow gleeks with “Because You Loved Me” and receives the first standing ovation of her life. Ushkowitz sounded great, and I expect she will be given more solos next season. Still basking in the glow, Tina is pulled out of the fountain (and back to reality) by the real Kurt and Blaine. Having walked a bit in her rival’s shoes, real Tina apologizes to real Rachel and agrees to help her find Carmen Tibideaux (Whoopi Goldberg) to ask for a second chance after her NYADA audition choke. Of course, Tibideaux is irritated and refuses, but Rachel still invites her to see New Directions at nationals in Chicago.

Mark Salling and Dot-Marie Jones in "Mean"

The secondary story revolved around Puck and his newfound alliance with Coach Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones). Even though he won’t be graduating with his classmates, Puck still cares about them and surprises the choir by showing up in drag, which Coach Sue (Jane Lynch) believes is the only gimmick that will give New Directions the win at nationals. Of course, rival Rick “The Stick” (Rock Anthony) finds outs and picks a fight, which ends with Puck lying in the dumpster. Coach Beiste steps in, and Puck tearily apologizes.  Soon after, Coach Beiste finds Puck alone in the auditorium strumming along and singing “Mean,” and she joins him in a beautiful duet. This is only the third time we’ve heard Jones sing, but I’d like to hear more of her mellow mezzo.

The episode ends with Rachel singing “What a Feeling,” soon joined by Tina in their first duet. The remaining gleeks add their voices as we see them all boarding the bus for nationals.

Posted in Shows, TV | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Glee Graduation: Album Reviews

Posted on May 18, 2012 by boz

In time for this year’s season finale, and the graduation of several key characters in the series, Glee released its Graduation Album in stores this week. The compilation received generally negative reviews. As usual, Adam Anders and Ryan Murphy are the soundtrack producers. Soloists on the album include Chris Colfer, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, and Mark Salling, with contributions from Dianna Agron, Darren Criss, Chord Overstreet, Amber Riley, Naya Rivera and Jenna Ushkowitz.

Heather Phares (All Music): One of Glee’s biggest (perhaps only) concessions to the realities of being a high-school student was the graduation of several cast members entering their final year at William McKinley High School at the end of the show’s third season. … The Graduation Album focuses on performances by many of these seniors … of songs that are or will be staples of the cap-and-gown set. Aside from a few rockers … the mood is fairly solemn by Glee’s standards. … As with many later albums in the Glee series, the cast’s performances are decent but somewhat bland, as are the song choices, although fun.’s “We Are Young” and the New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give” are too quirky to have all their personality removed by Glee’s gloss. … The Graduation Album still suggests that, musically speaking anyway, Glee’s glory days might be behind it.

Chris Willman (The Wrap): Lest they take over Dick Clark’s old title as the “world’s oldest teenagers,” some of the Glee kids are finally graduating (from high school, if not the series). … The song selection is, by and large, not bad, for a po(m)p-and-circumstance collection. If you’re planning a graduation party yourself, this particular Glee album is useful … as a tracklist guide for going to iTunes and downloading the versions by the original artists. … The show’s covers are more fun when they depart in some dramatic way from the original hits, either via an arrangement choice or unusual pick of vocalist, but Glee has never been particularly interested in musical adventurousness.

John Wirt (The Advocate): Even more than usual, the latest Glee cast album is all about uplift. It’s senior year and the singing students at McKinley High School are graduating with high notes. The songs mix classic rock and pop with some more recent hits. … As always, the vocal and instrumental arrangements are polished and full. … But a few underachievers get promoted in The Graduation Album, including Chris Colfer’s tepid performance of Madonna’s “I’ll Remember” and Mark Salling’s “School’s Out,” which is nowhere near as rocking and dangerous as the Alice Cooper original. Other songs … may simply be beyond the young singers’ experience.

Posted in Albums, Books & Media, Film/TV Cast | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Lysistrata Jones: Album Reviews

Posted on May 18, 2012 by boz

The original Broadway cast recording of the short-lived musical Lysistrata Jones, released this week in stores, has received mixed but generally favorable reviews. The show closed January 8, after only 30 performances, but the cast reunited two months later, on March 1, to record the show for posterity. The creative team is Douglas Carter Beane (book), Lewis Flinn (lyrics and music), and Lewis Flinn and Dean Sharenow (album producers).

Jeff Kyler (Theatre Scene): An unlikely candidate for such treatment despite being one of the best reviewed musicals of the entire season, the show ran for just 30 performances last winter. Thank goodness someone saw fit to set this score to a permanent record. And with such a high quality treatment! That said, on its own, without benefit of the sassy, smart book by Douglas Carter Beane or the staging and choreography of Dan Knechtges, the score by Lewis Flinn at first listen is an iffy proposition. But after a few listenings, I have found the score to be quite entertaining and full of several little gems. … When I want high energy, fun music to make me smile, this disc will be a go-to for sure!

Andy Propst (Theater Mania): The vivacious top 40 sounds of Lewis Flinn’s songs for the recent Broadway musical Lysistrata Jones surge with youthful energy and sparkle with comic assurance. … For all of the theatergoers who became avid fans of this fizzy tuner during its run, the disc is sure to be a welcome addition to music collections, and for others, this contemporary retelling of Aristophanes’ play is filled with welcome surprises, both musically and lyrically. At the center of the recording – as with the production – is Patti Murin’s enormously charismatic and sure-voiced turn as the heroine. … In addition to the full-color booklet (wittily conceived as a school yearbook with photos, synopsis, lyrics and notes from the creatives, as well as snarky “penned-in” comments), the disc comes with a special bonus track: Tony Award winner Jennifer Holliday’s gospel-infused cover of “Hold On.”

Posted in Albums, Books & Media, Original Stage Cast | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Newsies: Album Reviews

Posted on May 18, 2012 by boz

Recorded March 4-5 at MSR Studios in New York, the original Broadway cast album of Newsies was released this week and has received generally positive reviews. The creative team includes Harvey Fiersetin (book), Jack Feldman (lyrics), Alan Menken (music), Kurt Deutsch (executive producer), and Frank Filipetti (recording engineer and mixer).

Andy Propst (Theater Mania): A burst of youthful and tuneful exuberance has arrived for musical theater lovers’ enjoyment. … The exquisitely produced album beautifully captures the energy of the show, while also showcasing composer Alan Menken’s lushly melodic score, which carefully blends period sounds of early Tin Pan Alley and with contemporary musical idioms and styles. Perhaps more important, the expertly mixed recording affords listeners the opportunity to savor Jack Feldman’s consistently clever lyrics. … As with the show itself, Jeremy Jordan’s immensely charismatic and powerfully sung performance … proves to be the central focus of the album. … It should be noted that the physical recording will feature these tunes in both the incarnations heard on the digital release and in extended bonus tracks, with the dance breaks for songs. The CD will also feature a third bonus track ­– a rendition of “Santa Fe,” performed by Jordan with Menken at the piano.

Brad Hathaway (DC Theatre Scene): The original Broadway cast recording of Newsies is … is a gem. A well-produced album with all the features you need to appreciate the score’s ample strengths delivers this almost relentlessly upbeat score with clarity, energy and flash. … The recording grows on you because it isn’t all surface glitz, although there is enough sparkle … to entertain you even if you aren’t paying much attention. Pay attention and you will find much more to like than just its generally genial first impression. … Often, the dance breaks that are so exciting in the theater when you can see the choreography being executed can be a bit dull and repetitive sounding when you only have the audio. Ghostlight Records solves the problem for this score which has quite a bit of dance music by offering edited versions of some of the more dance-intensive numbers in the order they appear in the show but then including un-edited versions at the end. … This is a fine solution, giving full exposure to Mark Hummel’s work as dance music arranger. Besides, the album would only run 50 minutes without the “bonus” tracks.

Steven Suskin (Playbill): Menken is in fine form here, perhaps his most tuneful form. I have always found his work to be far more enjoyable when he puts aside contemporary rhythms and allows himself free license to sit back, relax, and write rich melodies. He is well matched with the humorous and artful lyrics of Jack Feldman, with whom we wrote the Newsies film score 20 years ago. (The Broadway version includes six newly written songs.) … The original cast album of Newsies has now arrived, and it pretty well reflects the excitement you get onstage. Many of the musical numbers for the gang of newsies are simply exhilarating.

Posted in Albums, Books & Media, Original Stage Cast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Smash Recap: Bombshell

Posted on May 16, 2012 by boz

Katherine McPhee
in "Don't Forget Me"

Like Ivy (Megan Hilty), my dreams have been smashed. I’ve held fast through the emotional monsoons and the musical droughts of Smash this year, but the final harvest brought forth in the season finale episode, “Bombshell,” written by outgoing show runner Theresa Rebeck, left me feeling overstuffed and undernourished ­– too much dressing and not enough meat.

However appetizing it is to see Bernadette Peters, her cameo – like those of Michael Cristofer and Nick Jonas – delivered dramatically empty calories. Did Rebeck feel that everyone who appeared in the season needed to appear in the finale? Michael Riedel, whose filmed scene was cut, merely had a phone “appearance,” so why couldn’t Peters? Well, she did, in fact, at the top of the episode.

In one of the many gimmicks to create suspense, Ivy and Karen (Katherine McPhee) simultaneously hear their phones ring at the exact moment that we’re expecting the new Marilyn to be called. However, it’s a false alarm. It’s only Ivy’s mom Leigh (Peters) and Karen’s fiancé Dev (Raza Jaffrey). Of course, the opening sequence established that we were in for an hour-long tease.

Musically, we also got empty calories, an evening of slim crudités in lieu of a satisfying entrée. The meager morsels included a mega medley platter of greatest hits from Bombshell, which delivered only one fully realized number: a reprise of “I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn’t Like to Howl,” for which Karen miraculously learned the athletic choreography in about an hour!

We did hear one new original song, at the very end of the episode. Unfortunately, its lyrics left me feeling queasy. After her deathbed scene, Marilyn Monroe appears in a sequined dress to sing “Don’t Forget Me,” whose chorus includes the lines “When you sing happy birthday to someone you love or see diamonds you wish were all free … I pray that you don’t forget me.” Of course, I will give Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman the benefit of the doubt, since Julia (Debra Messing) and Tom (Christina Borle) supposedly only finished the song about five minutes before Karen went onstage to sing it … which happens all the time on Broadway, right?

Other stomach-churning moments included producer Eileen (Anjelica Huston) caving in – repeatedly – to director Derek (Jack Davenport) and Frank (Brian d’Arcy James) storming out – again – on Julia, not to mention the raw plot points of Julia throwing up and Ivy popping downers – how many Marilyn parallels can you squeeze into one show?

Eileen did show some spine and thankfully fired Ellis (Jaime Cepero), one of the most annoying characters ever created for TV. As Joshua Safran, who replaced Rebeck, prunes and feeds the show, I hope he will include more backstage and less offstage offerings, trimming Ellis and perhaps Dev, Frank, and Leo (Emory Cohen), while developing Ivy, Sam (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Linda (Ann Harada).

Posted in Shows, TV | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Hands on a Hardbody: Review Roundup

Posted on May 15, 2012 by boz

Keala Settle, Hunter Foster, and Keith Carradine

The new musical Hands on a Hardbody, based on S.R. Bindler and Kevin Morris’ 1997 documentary film, received mostly positive reviews for its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse. The creative team is Doug Wright (book), Amanda Green (lyrics and music), Trey Anastasio (music), Neil Pepe (direction), Benjamin Millepied (choreography), Christine Jones (sets), Susan Hilferty (costumes), Kevin Adams (lights), and Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound). The cast includes Keith Carradine (JD), Hunter Foster (Benny), and Keala Settle (Norma) with Allison Case, Jay Armstrong Johnson, David Larsen, Jacob Ming Trent, Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone, Mary Gordon Murray, Jim Newman, Connie Ray, Jon Rua, Mike Sears, Dale Soules, Scott Wakefield, and William Youmans.

James Hebert (Union-Tribune): It’s a show loaded with ace performers, strong new songs and a title metaphor that handily takes in desire, conflict, godliness and good ol’ American hucksterism. Now all that Hands on a Hardbody might need is to keep its foot on the gas. … One element that feels a little naggingly underdeveloped is the competition’s sense of carnival. There are vague mentions of spectators, but the event can feel as if it’s happening in a vacuum. … Still, Hardbody comes off as a wholly original, witty and worthy exploration of intertwined themes from economic hardship to racial friction to war and its costs, to the passing of small-town America. As the show says, a truck is like a hat to a Texan. A tip of the ten-gallon to this one.

Charles McNulty (L.A. Times): It’s a relief to encounter a musical that isn’t afraid to follow its own idiosyncratic vision. The folksy low-key aesthetic is especially seductive in these days of overproduced spectacles. If the show could rid itself of the sprawl that causes the momentum to sag noticeably in the second half, Hardbody could be an offbeat winner. … Hands on a Hardbody succeeds in spite of its shackles ­– maybe even because of them. The show, which doesn’t have the option of falling back on glitzy razzmatazz … has to rely on its heart and humanity to motor it along. And in Carradine and Settle, the production has two performers capable of anchoring a satisfying emotional journey. … This Hardbody could still use an overhaul, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find it parked on Broadway.

Rob Stevens (Theater Mania): While it might seem like watching 10 people standing around a truck might get boring, the result proves to be a very lively and well-crafted production – one that could drive itself into the winner’s circle on Broadway if it so chooses. … Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright has crafted a solid book full of flesh-and-blood characters and true-to life-dialogue, making us care about who will be able to keep their eyes (and hands) on the prize long enough to emerge victorious. Amanda Green’s lyrics are often simplistic and predictable and her rhymes at times questionable, but, overall, they fit these characters and their situations, while the music by Green and Phish’s Trey Anastasio is mostly in the appropriately twangy country western motif. … All of it makes this Harbdody easy to watch.

Bob Verini (Variety): After a tune-up, this vehicle could be in it for the long haul. … The team at its best serves up a funky array of down-home, bluegrassy expressions of want and need. … Wright’s Grand Hotel panorama of plains types mostly succeeds in transcending stereotype. … Pepe and musical stager Benjamin Millepied permit the contestants to break contact with the truck in order to blast power ballads downstage or engage in stiff, dull movement patterns. … Worse, to achieve some visual variety, the contenders are asked to pull and prod the pickup all over the place like a skidding Zamboni. … If the truck is, as press notes claim, “the 16th character,” someone needs to keep that guy from overacting.

Posted in Regional US, Shows | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2012 Awards Update #2

Posted on May 14, 2012 by boz

Last night, the Outer Critics Circle revealed the winners of their 62nd annual awards. The honor for best new Broadway musical went to Once, which also saw wins for director John Tiffany and bookwriter Enda Walsh, while Queen of the Mist was named best Off-Broadway musical. The Broadway production of Follies was named best musical revival, also taking honors for leading actor Danny Burstein. The award for leading actress went to Audra McDonald, appearing as Bess in the revival of Porgy and Bess, and the featured acting awards went to Michael McGrath and Judy Kaye, both appearing in Nice Work If You Can Get It.

Other winning musicals included Newsies (for Alan Menken and Jack Feldman’s score and Christopher Gattelli’s choreography), Spider-Man (for George Tsypin’s sets and Eiko Ishioka’s costumes), and Ghost (for Hugh Vanstone’s lighting).

Ed Kleban

The Kleban Foundation has announced the winners of its annual $100,000 prizes for lyricists and librettists. The award for lyric writing went to Marcy Heisler, who has written the musicals Junie B. Jones, Dear Edwina, and the upcoming Ever After with her longtime writing partner, composer Zina Goldrich. Their latest show, The Great American Mousical, with librettist Hunter Bell, will open at Goodspeed Musicals this fall.

The award for bookwriting was a tie between librettists Andrew Gerle and Matt Schatz. Gerle wrote the book for Meet John Doe, seen Off-Broadway earlier this season, as well as The Tutor, Brighter Things, and Gloryana. Schatz’s work includes Love Trapezoid, The Tallest Building in the World, Richie Farmer Will Have His Revenge on Durham with Diana Grisanti, Roanoke with Michael Lew, and Oh, Gastronomy!

This year’s judges included librettist Marshall Brickman (Jersey Boys), R&H head Ted Chapin, and actress Debra Monk. The prizes will be presented June 18 at ASCAP in New York.

Posted in Awards, Stage | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment