Broadway Who's Who: Gregg Edelman

Gregg Edelman is one of an increasingly rare breed - the working Broadway actor. In a career spanning more than 40 years, he's really done it all: ensemble work, supporting roles, leading roles, originating, replacing. Beyond New York, he's done a lot of regional work, world premiers, and national tours. Along the way, he's been nominated for four Tony Awards, and has been involved in many of Broadway's landmark productions (and a fair share of flops, too).

These days, he's playing the older Jacob in Water For Elephants, but chances are you've seen him in one of these shows!

Broadway Who's Who:

Gregg Edleman

DID YOU KNOW?

• Birth Date and Place: September 12, Chicago, Illinois
• Education: Northwestern University
• Family: Previously married to Carolee Carmello; they have two children.
• Broadway Debut: The original Broadway production of Evita.
• Other Theater: He's an Artistic Associate at the Berkshire Theatre Group, where he's directed such productions as Once, White Christmas and Arsenic and Old Lace.
• Fun Fact: He appeared in both the film and pre-Broadway musical version of First Wives Club.

Doonesbury - National Tour

Cats - Broadway - Growltiger/Bustopher Jones/Asparagus

Cabaret 1987 Revival - Broadway and National Tour - Cliff

City of Angels - Broadway - Stine

1990 Tony Award nomination: Best Actor in a Musical

   

Anna Karenina - Broadway - Constantine Levin

1993 Tony Award nomination: Best Featured Actor in a Musical

1776 - Broadway - Rutledge

1998 Tony Award nomination: Best Featured Actor in a Musical

Les Miserables - Original Broadway Production - Javert

Into the Woods - 2002 Broadway Revival - Wolf/Cinderella's Prince

2002 Tony Award nomination: Best Featured Actor in a Musical

Wonderful Town - Broadway Revival - Robert Baker

Sweeney Todd - Regional - Drury Lane - Sweeney Todd

The Mystery of Edwin Drood - Broadway Revival - Crisparkle

Water For Elephants - Broadway - Mr. Jankowski

Mr. Edelman also originated roles in Passion and A Tale of Two Cities.

Best Songs From Best Scores: 1989 - 1990

Today, we continue our new series, Best Songs From Best Scores, in which we take a look at the numbers from a season's Best Original Score Tony nominees. Of course, "best" is in the eye ear of the beholder, and we are pretty sure you won't always agree with our choices. So, please feel free to let us know what you think via email or Twitter!

This time, we decided to look at the 1989 - 1990 season, which included two shows really in need of a first class Broadway revival. The others were a less-than-successful Andrew Lloyd Webber opera and a splashy (if unnecessary) musicalization of a beloved movie musical. Some thirty-two years later, each one holds up pretty well, and there are many worthy songs to consider. Here are the ones we like the best:

Best Songs From Best Scores

1989 - 1990

Music and lyrics by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane

Best Song: Act One Closer: "The Trolley Song" - Esther and the Ensemble

One of several classic tunes in the score, this was a showstopper, including a moving trolley and a boisterous ensemble. But let's face it, anyone who sang this song would pale in comparison to Judy Garland, but damn if Donna Kane didn't give her a run for the money! I still remember the goose bumps I got when she belted that last note, "at the end of the liiiiiiinnnneee!" It's a classic for a reason.

Nominee: Grand Hotel: The Musical

Music and lyrics by George Forrest, Maury Yeston and Robert Wright

Best Song: Dance Number: "We'll Take a Glass Together" - Otto Kingelein, Baron Felix von Gaigern and Company

In a show that was literally non-stop movement, there were several standout dance numbers, this one really stopped the show cold. A dying Otto is living out his last days in high style with his cashed-in insurance money and meets the Baron, really a cat burglar with his eye on Otto's wallet. This ode to joyous excess brings each to a life-changing epiphany, and the audience to screams of delight. One of the great numbers ever. 

David Carroll, Michael Jeter and Company

Best Song: Character Number: "I Want to Go to Hollywood" - Flaemmchen

Talk about emotional! This "I Want" song is part jazzy Charleston, part terrifying memory play. Flawlessly sung and danced by all five different people I saw do the role, I was tapping my toes and wiping away tears at the same time! 

Jane Krakowski

Nominee: Aspects of Love

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart and Don Black

Best Song: Rousing Number: "Hand Me the Wine and the Dice" - Giullietta, Rose and Company

I've since come to really enjoy and appreciated this under-appreciated gem. I still maintain that what they did with "Love Changes Everything" for the Tony Awards that year was a vast improvement over how it is done in the show. But I was immediately smitten with this catchy and thrilling number. A celebration of life, love and taking chances, this song is gloriously sung following a significant death. What a tribute!

Ann Crumb and Michael Ball

WINNER: City of Angels

Music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by David Zippel

Best Song: Duet: "What You Don't Know About Women" - Gabby and Oolie

With a jazzy score that is superb from overture to walk-out music, there isn't a weak number in the bunch. This sharp as a tack and venomous argument against men is full of exciting wordplay that had the audience holding its collective breath so as not to miss a single word. That final crescendo of words was met with thunderous applause.

Kay McClelland and Randy Graff

Scott Waara and The Angel City 4

Best Song: End Credits (Walk-out Music): "The Theme from City of Angels" - Jimmy Powers and the Angel City 4/Orchestra

In the theater, this was the music the orchestra played as the audience left. On the cast recording, it is included with full lyrics. And those lyrics are a doozie! As sharp and funny as anything in the rest of the score, it nails that film noir/40's detective feel. It starts with "You only go around once, and then they tuck you in with a spade," and only gets better from there. I hope that when they finally get around to reviving this wonder work, the powers that be include this number as more than walk-out underscoring.   

#TBT: CD Review: OBCR City of Angels

Next up on our weekly trip down memory lane is a look back at the Original Broadway Cast Recording of the 6-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 1990, City of Angels. Proof that if a show is truly good, it can succeed with little or no buzz - or even an opening night snow storm. This gem of a show was wildly funny, visually stunning (black and white and color scenes) and oh so clever; no wonder it won Best Book for Larry Gelbart. And then there's that amazing score - another Tony winner - by the great Cy Coleman and David Zippel.

Filled with jazz, a dash of Broadway and a film noir sensibilty, the score is as hilarious and stunning as the rest of the show.  Highlights of the score are many, no real shock considering the caliber of the writers and cast singing it.

Auberjonois and Edelman - "The Buddy System"

From the brilliant "Theme from City of Angels" overture to powerhouse vocals of the two leads James Naughton and Gregg Edelman ("You're Nothing Without Me") - not to mention one of my all-time favorite 11 o'clock numbers, Edeleman's "Funny," the score is thrilling. And it is also, well, funny - the word play is top-notch in such numbers as Rene Auberjonois' "The Buddy System," "Everybody's Gotta Be Somewhere," and the so tacky it's funny "The Tennis Song" by Naughton and Dee Hoty, and the star-turn "You Can Always Count On Me," a song sung by Tony-winner Randy Graff as - get this - two different characters.

The Hour of Powers - Jimmy Powers and the Angel City 4

Then there's Rachel York's Broadway debut (done wrapped in only a sheet!), the sultry "Lost and Found." Finally, I'd be remiss not to heap praise on the tight harmonic jazz stylings of Jimmy Powers and the Angel City 4 (Scott Waara, Peter Davis, Gary Kahn, Amy Jane London and Jackie Presti) who are wonderful throughout, and especially on the bonus track - the vocal version of "The Theme from City of Angels." It is truly what this show is all about.


Grade: A+

Fun Facts About City of Angels:

• The original production ran 24 previews and 879 performances, opening December 11, 1989 and closing January 19, 1992 at the Virginia Theatre (now the August Wilson).
• The show was nominated for 11 1990 Tony Awards, winning 6.
• The show featured the Broadway debut of Carolee Carmello, and Shawn Elliott (Donna Murphy's late husband).
• Director Michael Blakemore was nominated as Best Director of a Musical and Best Director of a Play in 1990 (Lettice and Lovage). He lost both. But he did the same thing in 2000 - and won both! (Kiss Me, Kate and Copenhagen).

Here's a look back at the show, too!

Stone and Stine: James Naughton and Gregg Edelman

(Left) James Naughton and Dee Hoty

(Right) Rachel York

Kay McClelland and Randy Graff
"What You Don't About Women"

The City of Angels Company

(Note to producers: REVIVE THIS SHOW! Please...)

#1894