The Act (musical)

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The Act
Original Cast Recording
Music John Kander
Lyrics Fred Ebb
Book George Furth
Productions 1977 Broadway

The Act is a musical with a book by George Furth, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander.

It was written to showcase the talents of Kander and Ebb favorite Liza Minnelli, who portrayed Michelle Craig, a fading film star attempting a comeback as a Las Vegas singer. The thin plot was little more than an excuse to present the star in concert.

After six previews, the Broadway production, directed by Martin Scorsese and choreographed by Ron Lewis, opened on October 29, 1977 at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 233 performances. Also in the cast were Barry Nelson and Wayne Cilento.

With an all-time ticket-price high of $25 for Saturday night orchestra seats, The Act racked up $2 million in advance sales, then the highest in Broadway history. But the production was doomed from the start, with its star in erratic behavior and frequently-missed performances, more than 10% of the entire run. During out-of-town tryouts, Gower Champion was called in to help with the staging (but took no directorial credit). Additionally, the original costumes were replaced. With the additional costs and with refund demands running high, it was impossible for the show to recoup its costs. [1]

Contents

[edit] Song list

Act I
  • Shine It On
  • It's the Strangest Thing
  • Bobo's
  • Turning
  • Little Do They Know
  • Arthur in the Afternoon
  • Hollywood, California
  • The Money Tree
Act II
  • City Lights
  • There When I Need Him
  • Hot Enough for You?
  • Little Do They Know (Reprise)
  • My Own Space

[edit] Awards and nominations

  • Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Minnelli, winner)
  • Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Nelson, nominee)
  • Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominee)
  • Tony Award for Best Costume Design (nominee)
  • Tony Award for Best Lighting Design (nominee)
  • Tony Award for Best Choreography (nominee)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Second Act Trouble: Behind the Scenes at Broadway's Big Musical Bombs (2006), Steven Suskin pp. 19-27, Hal Leonard Publishing, ISBN 1557836310

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Kander and Ebb musicals