When Goodspeed Musicals officially kicks off its 2021 season this fall, you won't be seeing the oft-postponed revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic 1949 Broadway musical "South Pacific" at the popular East Haddam venue. Not, to worry though.
You'll still get your Rodgers & Hammerstein's "fix" or "kick" when the curtain rises on "A Grand Night For Singing," a musical celebration of the music of Richard Rodgers and the lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II featuring songs from "The Sound of Music," "South Pacific," "Allegro," "The King and I" and other R & H musicals.
First performed on Broadway in 1993 at the now-defunct Criterion Center Stage Right, the two-act musical, directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Pamela Sousa, was nominated for two Tony Awards - Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical. It starred Martin Vidnovic, Victoria Clark, Alyson Reed, Jason Graae and Lynne Wintersteller.
After 21 months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Donna Lynn Hilton (Artistic Director of Goodspeed Musicals) is thrilled to be back in business after a very long absence. "We've experienced a rollercoaster of fear, disappointment and gratitude since March of 2020," she recalled. "First and foremost, we are grateful to the first responders, the front-line workers and the medical personnel whose work has brought us to this moment.
"We are thankful to finally share the good news that Goodspeed Musicals will reopen fully on September 24. We cannot wait to welcome audiences to once again enjoy one-of-a-kind theatre in our iconic home."
Per Hilton, the decision to drop "South Pacific" from the 2021 season and replace it with "A Grand Night For Singing" was fully justified for a number of reasons. "We must restart thoughtfully and ramp up slowly to ensure that Goodspeed remains secure for the long-term," she explained. " ' South Pacific' is one of the largest musicals that a theatre can undertake and it had become overwhelmingly clear that is was simply too big of a show for us to produce at this particular moment."
"Goodspeed is thrilled to welcome audiences back to the theater to enjoy 'A Grand Night for Singing' " added David B. Byrd (Managing Director for Goodspeed Musicals). "It's the perfect choice for Goodspeed at this moment. "It's a stylish, thoughtful reimagining of tunes from all of the Rodgers & Hammerstein shows we know by heart.
"Plus it's more modest size will enable us to continue to practice generally-accepted safety protocols developed with our union partners and outside experts."
(In the Director's Chair)
The two-act musical will be staged by audience and critic's favorite Rob Ruggiero (Artistic Director for TheaterWorks/Hartford) whose directorial credits include "Oliver!" "Next to Normal," "Showboat," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Rags," "American Son," "Evita," "Christmas on the Rocks" and "The Most Happy Fella."
It contains 35 songs from the Rodgers & Hammerstein songbook.
Act 1:
"Carousel Waltz" ("Carousel")
"So Far" ("Allegro")
"It's a Grand Night for Singing" ("State Fair")
"The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" ("Oklahoma!")
"Stepsisters' Lament" ("Cinderella")
"We Kiss in a Shadow" ("The King and I")
"Hello, Young Lovers" ("The King and I")
"A Wonderful Guy" ("South Pacific")
"I Cain't Say No" ("Oklahoma!")
"Maria" ("The Sound of Music")
"Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful" ("Cinderella")
"Honey Bun" ("South Pacific")
"The Gentleman Is a Dope" ("Allegro")
"Don't Marry Me" ("Flower Drum Song")
"I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" ("South Pacific")
"If I Loved You" ("Carousel")
"Shall We Dance?" ("The King and I")
"That's the Way It Happens" ("Me and Juliet")
"All At Once You Love Her" ("Pipe Dream")
"Some Enchanted Evening" ("South Pacific")
Act 2:
"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' " ("Oklahoma!")
"Wish Them Well" ("Allegro")
"The Man I Used to Be" ("Pipe Dream")
"It Might as Well Be Spring" ("State Fair")
"When the Children Are Asleep" ("Carousel")
"I Know It Can Happen" ("Allegro")
"My Little Girl" (Carousel")
"It's Me" ("Me and Juliet")
"Love, Look Away" ("Flower Drum Song")
"When You're Driving Through the Moonlight" ("Cinderella")
"A Lovely Night" ("Cinderella")
"Something Wonderful" ("The King and I")
"This Nearly Was Mine" ("South Pacific")
"Impossible" ("Cinderella")
"I Have Dreamed" ("The King and I")
"A Grand Night For Singing" will be staged at Goodspeed Musicals ( 6 Main St., East Haddam, CT) beginning September 24. Ticket prices start at $29 and will go on sale to the general public beginning June 24. For more information, call the Goodspeed box office at (860) 873-8668. The box office is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
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