"The Broadway Musical for people who love Broadway Musicals," 42ND STREET, winner of the 2001 Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for 'Best Musical Revival' is now on tour. The First National Tour opened at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, August 4, 2002 and is now coming to ASU's Gammage Auditorium, November 11-16, 2003.
A Broadway legend, 42ND STREET defined musical comedy, with its star-is-born story, spectacular design, score of hit standards, remarkable show chorus, and the most-admired ensemble tap dancing even to grace the Great White Way. A true "Lullaby of Broadway," John Simon of New York Magazine said: "An absolute knockout! From grand effect to minute detail, executed with savvy and sensitivity. Prodigious sets, splendiferous costumes, caressing and coruscating lights, and intoxicating configurations of dancers that defy our minds and muscles not to join in. As I write this, the songs are buzzing in my head, and my feet have to be restrained from tapping. 42ND STREET is back!"
Featuring Broadway song standards such as: "We're in the Money," "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me," "Lullaby of Broadway," "I Only Have Eyes For You," and, of course the spectacular title number, danced down a flight of steps -- the original production of 42ND STREET ran for more than eight years and is one of the ten longest-running shows in Broadway history. 42ND STREET won the Tony Award for Best Musical Theatre, the jewel in the crown of a renewed and invigorated 42ND STREET in New York City.
Starring in the 42ND STREET tour are Marcy McGuigan as Dorothy Brock, Daren Kelly as Julian Marsh, with the introduction of Shannon O'Bryan as fresh-from-Allentown Peggy Sawyer. Rounding out the principal performers are: Patti Mariano as Maggie Jones, Frank Root as Bert Barry, Robert Spring as Billy Lawlor, Mike O'Carroll as Abner Dillon, Michael Fitzpatrick as Mac, Thus and Doctor, Dexter Jones as Andy Lee, Darren Server as Oscar, John Antony as Pat Denning, and Alana Salvatore as Annie.
From the source material of 1930s movies including "42nd Street" (1933), "Gold Diggers of 1933," "Dames" (1934) and "Gold Diggers of 1935," Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble wrote the book (based on the novel by Bradford Ropes), Harry Warren wrote the music and Al Dubin wrote the lyrics, for the 1980 stage premiere of 42ND STREET. Mr. Bramble directed the new Broadway production and will direct the National Touring production. Randy Skinner who created new choreography and staged Gower Champion's signature dances for the Broadway production, will likewise choreograph the touring production. Additionally, the Broadway/Touring design team includes Douglas W. Schmidt (Sets), Roger Kirk (Costumes), Paul Gallo (Lighting), Peter Fitzgerald (Sound), David H. Lawrence (Wigs & Hair), Todd Ellison (Musical Director), Donald Johnston (Musical Adaptation, Arrangements & Additional Orchestrations) and Philip Lang (Orchestrations).
Dodger Theatricals, known for staging adventurous new works like Into The Woods, The Who's Tommy and Titantic, along with acclaimed and popular productions of classic musicals, including Guys and Dolls, The King and I, How to Succeed and The Music Man, among others, are the producers of 42ND STREET. The Dodger's long-time partner Joop van den Ende, recently produced 42ND STREET in Holland to great success. The National Tour of 42ND STREET is produced under a Special Production Agreement with Actors' Equity Association.
MARK BRAMBLE (Director/Book) is presently working on several projects: a stage adaptation for Walt Disney Theatrical Productions based on the film Dead Poets Society; Lily & Lily, an intimate musical based on the French farce Barillett and Gredy; and Gold Diggers, a traditional musical comedy. Mr. Bramble recently completed the direction of 42ND STREET in Amsterdam and has directed productions of 42ND STREET in London, Tokyo, Sydney and elsewhere throughout Europe. His writing credits include Barnum, which introduced Glenn Close as a leading actress and received ten Tony Award nominations, including those for "Best Book" and "Best Musical," and the original 42ND STREET, which received the 1981 Tony Award for "Best Musical," the Laurence Olivier Award for "Musical of the Year" and numerous other awards.
MICHAEL STEWART (Book) scored on Broadway the first time out when he won a Tony for his Bye, Bye Birdie libretto. Subsequently he was the librettist for Carnival, for which he won the Drama Critics' Circle Award and Hello, Dolly!, which won him both the Tony and the Drama Critics' prize. He also wrote the books for George M!, Mack and Mabel, The Grand Tour and both book and lyrics for I Love My Wife, and lyrics for Barnum. Mr. Stewart died in 1987.
HARRY WARREN and AL DUBIN (Music & Lyrics) are legendary tunesmiths both as a team and as individuals. Between the two, their prodigious careers span six decades. They wrote Broadway shows, and were pioneer songwriters for sound pictures. Al Dubin, born in Switzerland in 1891, died in New York in 1945. Harry Warren was born in Brooklyn in 1893 and passed away in 1981.
GOWER CHAMPION (Original Direction and Dances) was awarded the Tony Award for "Best Choreography" for 42ND STREET and also won the Drama Desk Award in the same category. His name is synonymous with some of the greatest musicals in Broadway history. He was the director and choreographer for: Lend an Ear, Bye Bye Birdie (for which he won Tony Awards as director and choreographer), Carnival (Tony nomination for direction), Hello, Dolly! (two more Tony Awards for direction and choreography), I Do! I Do!, The Happy Time (two more Tony Awards), Sugar, Irene and Mack & Mabel. He died in 1980.
RANDY SKINNER (Choreographer) is an award-winning director and choreographer whose work has encompassed Broadway, regional and Los Angeles productions. On Broadway, he co-directed and choreographed the world premiere of Rodgers and Hammerstein's State Fair, he choreographed Ain't Broadway Grand, and he assisted Gower Champion with the dances for the original 42ND STREET. Mr. Skinner also staged the London, Australia and two U.S. national companies and the recent Amsterdam production of 42ND STREET.
The National Tour of 42ND STREET opened for previews August 4th at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City and will tour extensively throughout North America in 2002 and 2003.
42nd STREET is presented by arrangement with ASU Public Events and Clear Channel Entertainment, Inc., and is a subscription offering of the 2003-2004 M&I Bank Broadway in Arizona series.
For more information about 42nd STREET, call ASU's Gammage Auditorium Box Office at 480-965-3434 or Ticketmaster at 480-784-4444 or visit www.asugammage.com.