OCTOBER 2008
GIGI, in concert
Book 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.
Featuring:
Melissa Braun as Gigi
Gaelan Beatty as Gaston
Carmine Bernhardt
Seth Drabinsky
Kevin Louden
Alex McLeod* as Honore
Ruth Nichol* as Inez Alvarez (Mamita)
Cecilia Smith* as Aunt Alicia
Music directed by Mark Reid (Very Good Eddie, Do Re Mi)
Directed by Mark Turpin
Piano Accompaniment by Angus Kellett
Stage Managed by Roger Smith
* appears courtesy of Canadian Actors Equity Association
The title character, a teenaged girl living in Paris at the turn of the 20th century, is being groomed as a courtesan by her grandmother Mamita and Aunt Alicia. Before she is deemed ready for her social debut, she encounters the highly eligible bon vivant bachelor Gaston Lachaille, who becomes capitvated by the girl as she is transformed from a wild adolescent to a charmingly poised young lady. Gaston's Uncle Honoré serves as both narrator and major player, as he once was involved romantically with Mamita, although advancing age has confused their recollections of the past.
Gigi had a long and checkered career in its journey to the musical stage. It first appeared as a 1945 novel by Colette, which was adapted for the screen with Danièle Delorme in 1948. In 1951, Anita Loos adapted the novel for the stage, and the Broadway production starred Audrey Hepburn in her first major role. Seven years later, while My Fair Lady was in Philadelphia prior to its New York City opening, Alan Freed approached Lerner about a feature film musical adaptation. Although Loewe had vowed never to work in movies, he was charmed by the book and agreed to collaborate on the project. It proved to be a major critical and commercial success and the winner of nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Fifteen years later, the creative team decided to augment their film score with additional tunes for a stage adaptation they first presented in Los Angeles and San Francisco. After seven previews, the Broadway production, opened on November 13, 1973 at the Uris Theatre, where it ran for 103 performances. The West End production opened on September 17, 1985 at the Lyric Theatre, where it ran for seven months.
(Show description and details courtesy of www.wikipedia.com) |
