"Thank heaven for little girls"
With 28-piece orchestra!
"Based on a novel by Colette" As produced by Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles and San Francisco Civic Light Opera Associations and by Saint Subber for Broadway
Charming young Gigi has a very Parisian career planned by her worldly aunt and grandmother. But amour has a mind of its own in this irresistable romantic comedy- as Gigi follows her own path to true love. You too will fall in love with Lerner and Loewe's Oscar-winning follow-up to My Fair Lady.
Enjoy the sparkling songs...
• The Night They Invented Champagne
Recommended for ages 10 and older.
Waltzing to a different drummer
by Michael Kotze
In the beginning, there was operetta. Having triumphed in Europe, operetta looked west, across the Atlantic Ocean. In America, it came, it saw, it conquered.
But once in the New World, something began to happen to operetta. It fell in with a different crowd, and soon had no time for its old pals, the soulful princesses, dancing hussars and gypsy barons that used to be operetta’s constant companions.
It was now hanging out with gangsters, bootleggers, madcap American heiresses and tap dancers, and going by a different name: musical comedy.
What happened? Jazz happened. As the new American popular music began to find its way to the stage, operetta underwent a metamorphosis as one great populist art form gave way to another, and the American musical was born.
Firmly rooted in the Old World
Some Broadway composers were born to Jazz; others had Jazz thrust upon them. None could ignore it, and they all assimilated the rhythms and harmonies of the new American sound into their work.
With one exception: Frederick Loewe. He was unique among the great Broadway composers in that his musical style never absorbed the American popular vernacular. To put it bluntly, Fritz didn’t swing.
Not that this proved much of a handicap. Loewe produced a string of hits that places him among the most successful composers of the American musical theater. And while the other top composers of his era, from Leonard Bernstein to Jule Styne, kept Broadway swinging with such shows as West Side Story and Bells Are Ringing, Loewe, innocent of jazz, labored on a series of romantic period pieces that, though undeniably modern in the sophistication of their storytelling, hark back unmistakably to the old world of operetta.
Loewe’s career was a virtual renaissance for time-honored operetta fundamentals, from the folk costumes and dances of Brigadoon (Scottish here, not the genre’s typical Austro-Hungarian goulash), to the unabashedly high-flown romanticism of Camelot, to the gowns and waltzes of My Fair Lady and Gigi. And all with lyric soprano heroines—unlike the other Broadway composers of his time, Loewe was not following in the footsteps of George Gershwin and Cole Porter, but walking the now somewhat overgrown pathways of Franz Lehár and Sigmund Romberg.
This all may come as no surprise when one considers Loewe’s background. Born in Berlin in 1901 to Viennese parents, he was the son of Edmund Loewe, a celebrated operetta tenor; when Frederick was four years old, his father played Danilo in the Berlin premiere of The Merry Widow.
New York to Montana and back
The boy followed in his father’s musical footsteps. He was a child prodigy at the piano, and made his solo debut with the Berlin Philharmonic at the age of 13. As if that weren’t enough, at 15 he published the song “Katrina,” a tribute to “the girl with the best legs in Berlin,” which purportedly sold two million copies.
Loewe traveled to America in 1923. His father had been summoned to New York by theatrical impresario David Belasco with an offer of a part in a new show; the 22-year-old Fritz (a nickname that stuck his entire life) tagged along, hoping to get a break on Broadway. Edmund Loewe died while rehearsals were underway, leaving Frederick and his mother 4,000 miles from home and in desperate financial straits.
Fritz went to work. He played piano in movie theaters, and claimed to have boxed professionally as well, despite the seemingly mutually exclusive digital demands of pianism and pugilism. For a while he taught horseback riding (apparently at least one aspect of his German military school training paid off) and later traveled west, working in Montana as a cowboy. This period of Loewe’s life is poorly documented, and we rely heavily on the colorful recollections with which he regaled friends and reporters later in life.
Fritz meets his match
By the early thirties, Loewe was back in New York, building his musical career. He played piano in restaurants and Broadway pits, and continued to compose. But it wasn’t until he met the young Harvard-educated lyricist and playwright Alan Jay Lerner that things began to happen. They teamed up in 1942 to write a musical comedy for a stock company in Detroit. This modest success took them to Broadway, where they collaborated on two short-lived shows, What’s Up and The Day Before Spring.
Then, in 1947, Lerner and Loewe finally had their hit. Brigadoon ran for nearly 600 performances, and set the tone for the period romances that would follow: Paint Your Wagon (1951), My Fair Lady (1956), Gigi (1958), and Camelot (1960). In each, Loewe’s music captures the atmosphere of its time and place to perfection. Equally remarkable is Loewe’s gift for musical characterization; the vocal stylings invented for each of Lerner’s vast and varied casts of characters is utterly convincing, whether a Cockney flower girl, Parisian playboy, or legendary king of England.
In this, Loewe went a step beyond the operetta composers of the previous generation who didn’t generally trouble themselves with the kind of detailed word-setting that Loewe regularly produced in his collaborations with Lerner. This compositional care gives Loewe’s work spontaneity and life, along with a conversational ease that is distinctly modern, despite its operetta roots. Fritz didn’t swing, but as his triumphant career proves, that didn’t mean a thing.
Click on photo for enlarged image. Natalie Ford (Gigi) and Natalie Ford (Gigi) and Nicholas Robert Hildreth (Honore Nicolas Foster (Gaston Foster (Gaston Lachailles) "fly Lachailles) and Natalie Lachailles) find love in to the sky on champagne." Ford (Gigi). Paris.
For Immediate Release: Contact: Rachel Greenhoe May 2, 2008 (847) 869-7930 ext. 15 (Press Only)
Light Opera Works Presents Lerner & Loewe’s GIGI June 6-15, 2008
Who: Light Opera Works What: Lerner & Loewe’s GIGIBook and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner Music by Frederick Loewe “Based on a novel by Colette” As Produced by Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles and San Francisco Civic Light Opera Associations and by Saint Subber for Broadway Run: Friday, June 6, 2pm Press Opening Night: Saturday, June 7, 8pm Sunday, June 8, 2pm Friday, June 13, 8pm Saturday, June 14, 8pm Sunday, June 15, 2pm Where: Cahn Auditorium 600 Emerson Street Evanston, IL Tickets: Main Floor- $85, $65 and $45 Balcony- $65, $45 and $29 *Children ages 21 and younger are half price. Box Office: The Light Opera Works Box Office is located at 927 Noyes St. in Evanston. To purchase tickets call (847) 869-6300 or order online at LightOperaWorks.com.
Evanston, IL: GIGI is the story of a young girl in Paris at the turn of the century who is being raised by her aunt and grandmother to become a courtesan. Gigi blossoms into a woman, escaping her intended profession and finding true love.
GIGI will be directed and choregraphed by Light Opera Works Artistic Director, Rudy Hogenmiller. Hogenmiller has directed and choreographed many productions for the company including KISS ME, KATE, SOUTH PACIFIC, THE MIKADO, THE MERRY WIDOW and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. He has been recognized with six Joseph Jefferson Awards and 16 nominations for best direction and choreography in Chicago. Hogenmiller has been a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers for more than 25 years.
Light Opera Works Music Director Roger L. Bingaman will conduct the 28-piece orchestra. Bingaman made his first appearance on the Light Opera Works podium in 1997, conducting THE MERRY WIDOW. Since then he has conducted many Light Opera Works productions including BEAUTIFUL HELEN OF TROY, THE STUDENT PRINCE, SWEETHEARTS, NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY, SOUTH PACIFIC, 110 IN THE SHADE, KISS ME, KATE, BITTER SWEET and OKLAHOMA! Bingaman has been director of the apprentice program and chorus master for the Sarasota Opera since 1998.
Casting for GIGI includes Natalie Ford (Gigi), Nicholas Foster (Gaston Lachailles), Robert Hildreth (Honore Lachailles), Barbara Clear (Mamita) and Jo Ann Minds (Aunt Alicia).
Natalie Ford (Gigi) appeared with Light Opera Works in OKLAHOMA! and BERLIN TO BROADWAY WITH KURT WEILL. She is a graduate of Indiana University, Bloomington, where she received a Master of Music in Voice and was Zerlina in DON GIOVANNI, Tytania in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, and Pauline in Bloomington Music Works’ THE TOYSHOP. She has participated in summer voice programs including the Charlie Creek Vocal Workshop, The Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute and The University of Miami at Salzburg.
Nicholas Foster (Gaston Lachailles) was previously seen at Light Opera Works in BITTER SWEET as Hugh Devon and RAGTIME as Younger Brother. Other credits include: SWEET CHARITY (Oscar/ Vittorio/ Charlie) at Drury Lane Oakbrook, PARADE (Leo Frank-Jeff Citation Award) at Bailiwick Repertory/ Mercury Theatre, A NEW BRAIN (Roger), CLOSER THAN EVER (Man 1- After Dark Award Best Ensemble), THE SECRET GARDEN (Dr. Craven), INTO THE WOODS (Cinderella’s Prince/ Wolf) and CHILDREN OF EDEN (Cain/ Japeth) at Porchlight Music Theatre, DO I HEAR A WALTZ (Eddie Yeager) and SHE LOVES ME (George understudy/ Ensemble) at Theatre at the Center, GRAND HOTEL (Baron understudy/ ensemble) at Drury Lane Water Tower, CABARET (Emcee), BABY (Danny), and GREASE (Eugene) at Pheasant Run Theatre. In addition, he has performed cabaret shows at Speakeasy Supper Club and Davenport’s Cabaret in Chicago.
Robert Hildreth (Honore Lachailles) has performed in a wide spectrum of music and theatre ranging from baritone soloist for the US Army Field Band to M. LeFevre and M. Andre in the first National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. His Orlando Opera appearances include Captain Tarnitz in THE STUDENT PRINCE and Hugh Devon in BITTER SWEET opposite soprano Roberta Peters. His Chicago credits include Vittorio Vidal in SWEET CHARITY, Heatherset in ME AND MY GIRL Heavenly Friend in CAROUSEL, Tackaberry in HOW TO SUCCEED, Andrew Carnes in OKLAHOMA!, Dean Webber in BABY, Frederick Damon in THE MALE ANIMAL, and Pickering in PYGMALION.
Barbara Clear (Mamita) is making her first appearance with Light Opera Works and will return later in the season as Mrs. Paroo in THE MUSIC MAN. In the Chicago area she has appeared at Apple Tree Theatre as Marina in UNCLE VANYA and as Mrs. Curtin in A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE. Barbara has worked at the Guthrie Theatre, Playwrights Center in Minneapolis and Pennsylvania Centre Stage, among others. Favorite roles include Molly in THE FRONT PAGE, Joan in SAINT JOAN and Joan in DAMES AT SEA. In addition to her MFA in Acting from Pennsylvania State University, Barbara holds an MS in Child Development from the Erikson Institute in Chicago.
Jo Ann Minds (Aunt Alicia) returns to Light Opera Works after playing Lady Devon in last season’s BITTER SWEET. Additional performances include Juno in ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD, Madame Armfeldt in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, Duchess of Plaza- Toro in THE GONDOLIERS, Maggie Grant in LADY IN THE DARK and Maria in THE MOST HAPPY FELLA. Well known in the Chicago area for roles in opera, operetta and musical theater, she has also been the guest soloist with the Evanston, Niles, DuPage and Harper Symphony Orchestras and has appeared on stage in leads with Apple Tree Theater, Opera Factory, Chamber Opera Chicago, Cameo Opera, Palmero Opera and North Shore Theater. Her Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire includes all thirteen principal alto roles, which she has performed in 31 productions with the Savoy-Aires and Gilbert and Sullivan Society, and has extensively toured Chicago and Indiana area theaters and schools with Papai Players Children‘s Theater. She recently appeared in the world premiere of THE PATRIOTS, by Ronald Combs, at Northeastern University creating, the major mezzo role of Hannah.
The design team for GIGI includes Nick Mozak (Scenic), Jeff Hendry (Costumes), Tatiana Srutwa (Hair and Make-Up), Andrew Meyers (Lighting), David Lee Bradke (Sound), Jenniffer J. Thusing (Stage Manager) and Paige Keedy (Production Manager).
Ticket prices for GIGI range from $29 to $85. Ages 21 and younger are half price. To order tickets, or for more information, call the Light Opera Works Box Office at (847) 869-6300 or order 24 hours a day online at LightOperaWorks.com.
Light Opera Works is a resident professional not-for-profit theater in Evanston, founded in 1980. The company's mission is to produce and present musical theater from a variety of world traditions. All productions are presented in English, with foreign works done in carefully edited modern translations. Maximum scholarship is employed to preserve the original vocal and orchestral material as well as the spirit of the original text whenever possible. Audiences have come to know that at Light Opera Works they will experience repertoire often unavailable on the stages of commercial theaters and opera houses, in modern productions with professional artists and full orchestra.
************end***********
Light Opera Works’ mission is to produce musical theater from a variety of world traditions, to engage the community through educational and outreach programs and to train artists in musical theater.
Chicago Sun-Times June 10, 2008 By Hedy Weiss
Highly Recommended
Thank heaven for rare and wondrous revival of ‘Gigi’
Watching Light Opera Works' beguiling production of "Gigi," the Lerner and Loewe musical that began life as a hit movie starring Maurice Chevalier, Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan, you might well find yourself asking one simple question: Why has such an altogether lovely, sophisticated, edgily romantic show been revived so infrequently over the years?
Though "Gigi" was a huge hit when it arrived on the screen in 1958, its creators (who two years earlier had triumphed with "My Fair Lady") only got around to turning it into a musical for the Broadway stage in 1973. That production failed to generate excitement and, looking back, the only explanation for this might be that it was, by then, simply out of synch with the times.
Now, with an extravagantly large orchestra in the pit (expertly led by Roger L. Bingaman), with director-choreographer Rudy Hogenmiller doing some of his most sensitive and evocative work to date, and with a gifted cast easily capturing both the charm and the bite of their characters, the show proves altogether irresistible. A decidedly French twist on "My Fair Lady" (though here it is a young man who tries to fashion his ideal mate), it also clearly influenced Sondheim's later show, "A Little Night Music."
The story (drawn from Collette's novel, and as French as a croissant), is gently narrated by Honore Lachailles (Robert Hildreth), the quintessential boulevardier and ladies' man who is now in his later years.
Gigi (Natalie Ford), is a fresh, high-spirited, adolescent schoolgirl with a mostly absent opera singer mother. She is being raised by her devoted, money-strapped grandmother, Inez Alvarez (Barbara Clear), a woman not without her own past romantic adventures, and is being "coached' in all the wrong materialistic values by her rather more scandalous Aunt Alicia (Jo Ann Minds).
From time to time, Lachaille's spoiled, womanizing nephew, Gaston (Nicholas Foster), heir to a sugar fortune, drops in to visit Gigi and her grandmother -- an escape from the boring women he dates (and dumps) at chic Parisian night spots. Still quite immature, Gaston is drawn to Gigi as if she were an amusing younger sister, but gradually he begins to realize she is becoming a rather formidable woman. In fact, he two have fallen in love.
"Gigi" is, above all, a comedy of very French manners, and the songs follow suit. Ford, a captivating actress with a gorgeous soprano, does a superb job of making the transformation from girl to woman, with beautiful renderings of such songs as "The Earth and Other Minor Things," "In This Wide, Wide World," and the effervescent "The Night They Invented Champagne."
Foster is ideal as Gaston, the bored, immature playboy, and truly comes into his own with a sensational performance of the revelatory title song. Clear and Minds combine forces as two sisters of very different character who argue over Gigi's marriage in "The Contract." And the worldly-wise Hildreth puts a light touch on such classics as "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" and "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore."
Applause, too, for the large ensemble, and for designers Nick Mozak (whose lean, elegant sets are lit by Andrew Meyers) and Jeff Hendry (creator of those lavish Belle Epoque costumes). All in all, "Gigi" is a quick trip to Paris and the seaside resort of Trouville -- one you can make without even leaving a big carbon footprint.
Pioneer Press June 12, 2008 By Dorothy Andries
Highly Recommended ‘Gigi’ is charming and sublime
Thank heaven for Gigi, that irrepressible creation of the French novelist Colette, who enchanted 20th century audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, first on stage, then in an Academy Award-winning movie, and then, at last, in a Broadway musical by Lerner and Loewe. Light Opera Works opened its delicious French pastry of a production last weekend and the Saturday night performance was an altogether charming and satisfying presentation. The songs, of course, are wonderful -- sublime romantic melodies, with savory lyrics, seasoned with irony and rue. Director Rudy Hogenmiller selected an excellent cast, who relished the humor and wit of the show, without betraying its tender heart. The first one we met was the worldly wise Uncle Honore, a bon vivant, who, in the person of Robert Hildreth, has a heart as fresh as April in Paris despite his silver hair. He gives us strong, convincing performances of "Thank Heaven For Little Girls" and "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore." Enter his world-weary nephew Gaston, played by Nicholas Foster, who has already tired of the superficialities of the Parisian demimonde, ably communicated in the hilarious "She is Not Thinking of Me." The feminine side of this amorous playground includes Mamita, Gigi's grandmother who is raising the child in modest circumstances. She is played with warmth by Barbara Clear, who paired beautifully with Honore in the poignant duet "I Remember it Well." Mamita's sister Aunt Alicia, who obviously played her cards right when she was a younger woman, is much better off financially, and she has made it her mission to educate Gigi in the ways of the Parisian world. Jo Ann Minds, known for her successful portrayal of numerous Gilbert and Sullivan characters, is a stand out in the role of this grand dame, tapping into every innuendo in the script and providing much of the humor throughout the show. Her number, "The Contract," is a comic tour-de-force. And then there is Gigi -- the lovely Natalie Ford, who was Laurey in Light Opera Works recent production of "Oklahoma!" She bears a passing resemblance to Leslie Caron, the heroine of the 1958 movie, but that's not all that recommends her. She brings a winning combination of energy and spirit to the adolescent Gigi in the first half of the show. She also has the grace to portray the young woman conflicted about the life that seems to be her only choice. Her voice is clear and lovely and she makes the part her own. Light Opera Works productions are always accompanied by a strong pit orchestra. This time 28 musicians performed Irwin Kostal's original Broadway orchestrations, under the capable baton of Roger L. Bingaman. Jeff Hendry's costumes are colorful and lavish. The multi-faceted scene design by Nick Mozak is exceptionally clever, evoking a Parisian feeling, without being fussy. Thank heaven for this delightful character and Light Opera Works' lovely production.
Chicagocritic.com June 9, 2008 By Tom Williams
Highly Recommended
Opulence and charm fuel Gigi
It is too bad that Light Opera Works can only mount six performances of their outstanding production of Gigi. Light Opera Works, under the steady leadership of Bridget McDonough and the artistic craftsmanship of Rudy Hogenmiller, fill a much needed niche -- they produce original, uncut versions of classic operettas and Broadway musicals with a full 28-piece orchestra using the original orchestrations and all the songs, underscoring and reprises. They also feature the complete cast, often with their lavish sets and costumes -- nothing is downsized in a Light Opera Works production.
This is an important contribution of the art of theatre -- remounting a classic in all its original form. How better to preserve the legacy of the art? The key element here is the cost of the full orchestra. It is estimated to cost around $8,000 per day for a 28-member orchestra, necessitating a top ticket price of $85! There must be a foundation or a corporate sponsor who will set up and subsidize this important work? Shows like Gigi should have a 4-6 week run so that a wide audience can experience these classic musicals and operettas as they should be mounted. Light Opera Works’ Gigi could run for months at a downtown Chicago venue -- it is that good!
Gigi is the stage version of the Oscar-winning (for Best Picture) 1958 film by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. Gigi is a high style ambience of Paris in 1901 featuring a large cast in full period costumes. Opulence and the good life of leisure are portrayed with gusto and verve. The stage version of the film contains several new songs. Light Opera Works’ production is first-class and splendidly produced. Rudy Hogenmiller makes full use of Loewe’s marvelous waltzes as he designed excellent choreography to depict the atmosphere of the leisure class at play.
Honore (the charmingly beguiling Robert Hildreth) is the aged playboy narrator who has spent a lifetime as a bachelor in constant search of women. We love him as a playful rascal. He sings the now famous tribute to women “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” with warmth. His nephew, Gaston (the debonair Nicholas Foster) is bored with high society and the fickle women he beds each night. His duet with Honore, “It’s A Bore,” is a cleverly whimsical testimony to the good life.
Next, we meet a precocious teen girl -- Gigi (the golden voiced Natalie Ford), being groomed by her aunt and grandmother to be a courtesan. She tells us about her state of mind with “The Earth And Other Things.” The humorous lessons Gigi receives from Mamita (Barbara Clear) and Aunt Alicia (Jo Ann Minds) are a hoot. We see the rules for entering the leisure class and realize that in 1901 French society, the proper marriage was a woman’s best bet for a good life.
The Parisian social scene is smartly shown in the show stopper “Paris is Paris Again” featuring a wonderful waltz and lavish costumes. Honore narrates well. Gaston is aghast as his latest love ignores him -- the whimsical “She Is Not Thinking Of Me” results.
Slowly, Gaston realizes that he has more fun with the tomboyish Gigi than his sophisticated ladies. His visits to Mamita and Gigi are worthwhile. He invites them to Trouville’s seaside resort. They celebrate with the rousing “The Night They Invented Champagne.” At the resort, Honore meets an old flame -- Mamita and the two reminisce their youthful fling in the delightful song “I Remember It Well” -- one of the shows best songs. Robert Hildreth and Barbara Clear nail the nostalgia marvelously. The romantic elements of Gigi bubble over constantly. Gigi sings her enjoyment in “I Never Want To Go Home Again.”
Act Two finds Gaston finally realizing that Gigi is now a woman that he truly loves. He sings the show’s lush love song with gusto as only a lover can -- Nicholas Foster is terrific singing the love anthem “Gigi.” The cute contract negotiation song features fine moments as Gigi’s aunt and grandmother as they secure Gaston’s wealth for Gigi. Complications arise as Gigi rejects Gaston’s arrangement. But, in true romantic tradition, the lovers finally get together as Gaston proposes marriage to Gigi. Honore celebrates getting old with his cute “I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore.”
This romantic coming of age stylized musical is a fun and tuneful affair long on splendor, fine singing and vivid dancing. The full orchestra and the complete arrangements makes Gigi a musical treat. Loewe’s rich score leaves us humming the melodies long afterward. This is a musical spectacle not to be missed.
|
||||||||
