Broadway Boys: Mr. September 2013: A Time to Kill's Rupert Holmes

Mr. September 2013

Rupert Holmes

WHY HE'S MR. BROADWAY: Let's face it, the past couple of years have been pretty good for Rupert Holmes in terms of theatre.  Last season, he had one of the most acclaimed revivals in years with the Roundabout production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  This season, he's adapted one of the most popular and acclaimed American novels of the late 20th Century into a stage play featuring an all-star cast, with John Grisham's A Time to Kill.  The there is his "pipeline." The Nutty Professor with the late Marvin Hamlisch, Secondhand Lions with  First Date's Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and still possible First Wives Club, Marty, Robin and the 7 Hoods.  That is quite a lot to look forward to!  Not one to rest on his laurels, the 5 time Tony nominee (2 for Drood, 1 for Say Goodnight, Gracie, and 2 for Curtains) is clearly one busy guy.  No wonder he's the first playwright and composer/lyricist to be Mr. Broadway.




FUN FACTS: 

• Rupert was born in Norwich, Cheshire, UK, but is an American and British citizen.
• He has three children - Wendy (who passed away in 1986), Nick and Timothy, with his wife, childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth.
• He's written songs for Barry Manilow, Dolly Parton and The Partridge Family and has also been recorded by Frank Sinatra, Jr., The Jetts and Britney Spears.
• Several of his songs are included in the classic Barbra Streisand film, A Star is Born.

• He has written for not only the stage, but for television, too, including the acclaimed series Remember WENN, and he is an award-wining author of such novels as Swing, Where the Truth Lies and The McMaster's Guide to Homicide: Kill Your Employer.
• He is probably most famous himself to the public at large for his two top 10 songs, "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" and "Him."

BROADWAY PROJECTS

IN THE PIPELINE

Jeff

5.013

The Mysteries of The Mystery of Edwin Drood

I've often written about that extra, extra special moment when a show really strikes a chord with you - emotionally, intellectually, creatively.  Lots of shows come close if you love the live theatre.  But you know the difference the first time that extra special show comes along, and you spend sometimes years trying to find that next one.  In my - gulp - 29 years of attending Broadway shows, that truly special bolt of lightning has hit my theatre bulls eye just 4 times: A Chorus Line (the first and most special), Sweeney Todd (a thrill in every way, and it opened my eyes to the world of Sondheim), next to normal (it revealed to me emotions I didn't know I had), and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (the first show that really made me appreciate the art form of American Musical Theatre).  Funny, touching, smart, creative, literary and literally participatory.

Drood then: Betty Buckley as Edwin Drood in 1985

Read all about the original production 

by clicking the "Back in Time" tab above

In the current world where we, as an audience, are invited to see the goings on in people's lives, and vote on matters of creative life and death for any numbers of talented individuals, the "solve-it-yourself-Broadway-musical" probably seems quaint and old-fashioned.  But the truth is, Drood, was way ahead of its time.  I remember the buzz of excitement and tinge of confusion as the pollsters whisked around the theatre taking our votes for who killed young Edwin Drood.  Most people did their best to play along, even if they weren't entirely sure what to do.  I remember the very first time I saw the show on Broadway.  The lady behind me raised her hand reluctantly, along with the rest of her family, as they voted in a block.  "Oh!  I'm sure it wasn't him (she voted for the Reverend Crisparkle)!  I should have paid more attention!"  Today's audiences are much better trained - they know what good singing and acting looks like (generally, anyway) and years of watching The Real World, Survivor and the like have taught all of us to look closely at every minute thing a person does.  What could be more perfect for The Mystery of Edwin Drood?

Drood now: The 2012 revival logo

And now, some 27 years later, the very first revival of my favorite theatrical musical is gearing up for a run in a few months.  With it comes a few "mysteries" about The Mystery of Edwin Drood 2.0.

• Will this version be a strict revival of the original? or...
• Will any of the revisions to the book in subsequent productions (tours, London, Australia) be in place? or...
• Will Rupert Holmes be back to further revise and reshape is Tony-winning book?
• Will he re-institute the original opening number, "There'll Be England Again"?  or will it go elsewhere in the score?  How about "A British Music Hall," a number that never made the final cut.
• Will this version incorporate the changes to the score, including the now optional (in the version you can rent to produce) "Ceylon" or use "A British Subject"?  Will "A Man Could Go Quite Mad" really be optional?  Will "A Private Investigation" take the place of "Settling Up the Score? (I hope so) or...
• Will there be some entirely new numbers?

Late last week, a new set of up and comers and theatre legends was announced, ready to pick up the mantle.  And I have to say that if the unique announcement by the Roundabout Theatre Company of the cast is any indication as to the commitment and creativity of this revival, it should be awesome!



Of course, with the casting, come a few more questions:

• Will the legendary Chita Rivera "win" every night because she's THAT awesome? or... 
• Will Merrily We Roll Along alum Betsy Wolfe steal the show as ingenue Rosa Bud? or...
• Will Will Chase have what it takes to be the very first Broadway John Jasper to actually be voted murderer? or...
• Will Andy Karl be super sexy and scary as Neville Landless? or...
• Will critical and fan favorite Jessie Mueller give them all a run for their money?  (And the burning "real life" question: What if Into the Woods transfers?  Will she leave Drood behind for the steps of the palace?  If they are both hits (wouldn't that be awesome???) She could open both and stay with one, right?
• And will Stephanie J. Block be able to hit the high note at the end of "The Writing on the Wall"?

Drood 2.0: Block, Chase and Karl

These questions, and many more will be answered on October 19th when the Twitter-verse comes alive with the news of young Edwin, his betrothed, Rosa Bud and the citizens of Cloisterham!

And that is just 98 days...

Jeff
3.309
@jkstheatrescene (Twitter); jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com (email); or comment below (Blogger)

Back In Time: 1985-86: The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Part II

*NOTE: This blog entry has been corrected since it first appeared. Please see the comment at the end of the article for an explanation.

In this second part of four looking back at 1986's Best Musical Tony winner, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and later, just Drood, I'll take a look at the creative team behind the show: where they were before, during and after the show. It is pretty interesting (to me, at least!). I hope you enjoy.

Rupert Holmes: Book, Music and Lyrics

Before Drood: Holmes was most famous as the singer-songwriter of the classic song, "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)." He had a few other hits, and did some songwriting for film.

During Drood: The show that sarted it all for his theatre career, he was the very first person to win the Tony for Best Book and Best Score of a musical, and *that didn't happen again until Jonathan Larsen received both for RENT.

• After Drood: Mr. Holmes went on to write much more for the theatre, including the plays Accomplice, Solitary Confinement (both mysteries of sorts, and both fast flops), the one-man play that ran neary two years on Broadway and had a long national tour, Say Goodnight, Gracie (Tony nominee, Best Play). TV fans might remember his series, Remember WENN, about the 40's radio station and featuring scads of Broadway talent, including his Drood, Betty Buckley; he is also a best-selling novelist of Swing and Where the Truth Lies, which was also made into a movie starring Colin Firth and Kevin Bacon. Most reccently, he contributed music, book and lyrics to Kander and Ebb's own mystery musical, Curtains, earning another Tony nod for Best Musical). His The First Wives Club: The Musical is on track for Broadway in the coming seasons.

Wilford Leach: Direction

Before Drood: A staple at the New York Shakespeare Festival, he helmed the landmark revival of The Pirates of Penzance, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith. Leach won his first Tony for direction for the show, and he also directed the film version. He was also an acclaimed stage designer.

During Drood: Wilford Leach won his second Tony Award for direction of a musical. This was no small fete, considering that this was the first (and to date) only Broadway musical that featured dozens of possible endings, selected on the spot by the audience and acted out by the company.

• After Drood: Sadly, Mr. Leach passed away in 1988.

Graciela Daniele: Choreography

Before Drood: Ms. Daniele was a Broadway performer before she began choreographing. She appeared as the original Hunyak in the original Chicago. Before that she appeared with Katharine Hepburn in Coco, and the original companies of Promises, Promises and Follies. Among her early choreography: The Pirates of Penzance, Zorba (Revival) and The Rink. She is married to lighting designer Jules Fischer.

During Drood: Daniele earned her third Tony nomination for the show. She was previously nominated for Pirates and The Rink.

• After Drood: Graciela Daniele continues to be a force in Broadway choreography. She wrote the book and fully staged Dangerous Games, directed and choreographed Once on This Island; she wrote, conceived and staged Chronicle of a Death Foretold, earning Tony nods for both Best Book and Best Choreography. Other credits include choreography/staging for the original Ragtime, The Goodbye Girl, The Pirate Queen, and the solo Broadway shows of Barbara Cook, Chita Rivera and Elaine Stritch. All told, she has been nominated for 10 Tony Awards, 9 Drama Desks, and that doesn'y even account for her off-Broadway work. Most recently, she provided the dances for the Pal Joey revival.
  

The Designers

Bob Shaw: Scenic Design

• Before Drood: The Pirates of Penzance, The Human Comedy


• During Drood: Shaw was Drama Desk nominated for his design of Drood.


• After Drood: Coastal Disturbances

Paul Gallo: Lighting Design

Before Drood: Among the many: Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, the revival of The Little Foxes and the musical Tintypes.

During Drood: He designed the lights for Drood (Drama Desk nomination) and The House of the Blue Leaves for Lincoln Center Theatre (Tony nomination).

After Drood: Among the many shows (37 on Broadway since Drood): Smile, the revival of Anything Goes, City of Angels, Crazy for You, Guys and Dolls (1992), Titanic, 42nd Street (2001), and most recently, Pal Joey. He has been nominated for 10 Drama Desks and 8 Tony Awards.

Lindsay W. Davis: Costume Design

• Before Drood: He assisted on the 1981 revival of Fiddler on the Roof.


• During Drood: Davis made his solo design debut on Broadway with The Mystery of Edwin Drood.


• After Drood: He designed the play The Cemetary Club. He continues to teach costume design.
  

Michael Starobin: Musical Direction

Before Drood: He got his Broadway start orchestrating no less than Sunday in the Park with George!

During Drood: The show was his first as a Broadway musical director.

After Drood: He has gone on to orchestrate or arrange 18 Broadway shows including the legendary Carrie, Legs Diamond, Falsettos, Spelling Bee, Young Frankenstein, and Disney's The Little Mermaid. He won Tony Awards for Assassins and next to normal.

Part III: The Ensemble of Edwin Drood, including the Oscar nominated director of a Best Picture winner.




Comments? Leave one here or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com

Jeff