42nd Street (Broadway)

42nd Street with music by Harry Warren, book by Michael Stewart & Mark Bramble and lyrics by Al Dubin, Based on the novel by Bradford Ropes; played on Broadway at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts from May 2, 2001 until January 2, 2005 for 1,524 performances and 31 previews, achieving a total gross in ticket sales of USD $133,018,977 from 2,228,839 patrons.

Produced by Dodger Theatricals, Joop Van Den Ende, and Stage Holding

Directed by Mark Bramble; Musical Staging and New Choreography by Randy Skinner; Original direction and dances by Gower Champion; Scenic Design by Douglas W. Schmidt; Costume Design by Roger Kirk; Lighting Design by Paul Gallo; Sound Design by Peter Fitzgerald; Hair & Wig Design by David H. Lawrence; Musical Director: Todd Ellison; Music arranged & with additional orchestrations & vocal arrangements by Donald Johnston; Music orchestrated by Philip J. Lang; Donald Johnston with additional lyrics by Johnny Mercer and Mort Dixon.

Starring Michael Cumpsty (Julian Marsh Apr 04, 2001 – May 26, 2002), Christine Ebersole (Dorothy Brock Apr 04, 2001 – Jun 09, 2002), Michael Arnold (Andy Lee), David Elder (Billy Lawlor), Allen Fitzpatrick (Mac), Jonathan Freeman (Bert Barry), Mylinda Hull (Annie Apr 04, 2001 – Jun 09, 2002), Kate Levering (Peggy Sawyer Apr 04, 2001 – Aug 18, 2001), Michael McCarty (Abner Dillon), Richard Muenz (Pat Denning), Billy Stritch (Oscar), Mary Testa (Maggie Jones), Brad Aspel (Waiter / Ensemble), Becky Berstler (Ensemble), Randy Bobish (Ensemble), Chris Clay (Ensemble), Michael Clowers (Ensemble), Maryam Myika Day (Ensemble), Alexander deJong (Ensemble), Amy Dolan (Ethel / Ensemble), Allen Fitzpatrick (Thug Doctor), Isabelle Flachsmann (Ensemble), Jennifer Jones (Ensemble), Dontee Kiehn (Ensemble / ’42nd Street Ballet’ Nifty), Renée Klapmeyer (Ensemble), Jessica Kostival (Ensemble), Keirsten Kupiec (Ensemble), Todd Lattimore (Ensemble), Melissa Rae Mahon (Ensemble), Michael Malone (Ensemble), Jennifer Marquardt (Ensemble), Meredith Patterson (Ensemble), Darin Phelps (Ensemble), Wendy Rosoff (Ensemble), Megan Schenck (Ensemble), Kelly Sheehan (Ensemble), Tamlyn Brooke Shusterman (Diane / Ensemble), Megan Sikora (Lorraine / Ensemble), Jennifer Stetor (Ensemble), Erin Stoddard (Ensemble), Yasuko Tamaki (Ensemble), Jonathan Taylor (Ensemble), Jerry Tellier (Thug / Ensemble), Elisa Van Duyne (Ensemble), Erika Vaughn (Ensemble), Mike Warshaw (Waiter / Ensemble), Merrill West (Ensemble), Shonn Wiley (Waiter / Ensemble) and Catherine Wreford (Phyllis / Ensemble)

Swings: Kelli Barclay, Becky Berstler (Partial Swing), Isabelle Flachsmann (Partial Swing), Melissa Giattino, Brian J. Marcum, Jerry Tellier (Partial Swing), Elisa Van Duyne (Partial Swing), Luke Walrath and Merrill West (Partial Swing)

Standby: Beth Leavel (Dorothy Brock, Maggie Jones)

Understudies: Brad Aspel (Bert Barry, Andy Lee), Becky Berstler (Annie), Randy Bobish (Andy Lee), Amy Dolan (Maggie Jones, Annie), Allen Fitzpatrick (Pat Denning, Abner Dillon), Renée Klapmeyer (Diane), Jessica Kostival (Dorothy Brock), Richard Muenz (Julian Marsh), Meredith Patterson (Peggy Sawyer), Darin Phelps (Mac, Doctor, Thug), Erin Stoddard (Peggy Sawyer, Lorraine), Jerry Tellier (Julian Marsh, Pat Denning), Elisa Van Duyne (Phyllis), Luke Walrath (Mac, Doctor, Thug) and Shonn Wiley (Billy Lawlor)

Assistant Choreographer: Kelli Barclay; Assistant Director: Valerie Gardner Rives; Associate Scenic Design: Chad Owens; Associate Costume Design: Nancy A. Palmatier; Associate Lighting Design: Philip S. Rosenberg; Associate Sound Design: Janet Smith; Assistant Scenic Design: Robert Bissinger, Robert John Andrusko, Robert Jay Braun, Jesse Poleshuck, and Yank Frances.

Executive Producer: Dodger Management Group (Sally Campbell Morse, Robert C. Strickstein); Company Manager: Sandra Carlson; Assistant Company Manager: Scott Wilcox; Technical Supervisor: Tech Production Services,Inc., Peter Fulbright, Elliot Bertoni, Mary Duffe and Rich Cocchiara; Assistant Lighting Design: Daniel Ordower and Jason Lyons; Automated Lighting Programmer: David Arch; Production Stage Manager: Frank Hartenstein; Stage Manager: Karen Armstrong; Assistant Stage Manager: Tripp Phillips and Laura Brown-MacKinnon.

Casting: Jay Binder; Marketing Consultant: Margery Singer; Press Representative: Boneau / Bryan-Brown; Dance Captain: Kelli Barclay; Assistant Dance Captain: Melissa Giattino; Marketing: Dodger Marketing; Online Marketing: Toby Simkin / Theatre.com Inc.; Advertising: Serino Coyne,Inc.;

Music adapted by Donald Johnston; Musical Coordinator: John Miller; Conducted by Todd Ellison; Associate Conductor: Fred Lassen; Woodwinds: Michael Migliore, Ken Hitchcock, Dave Pietro, Tom Christensen, Roger Rosenberg, Andrew Drelles, and Tim Ries; Trumpet: Joe Mosello, Ravi Best, Barry Danielian, and Dave Ballou; Trombone: Mark Patterson, Steve Armour, and Mike Christianson; French Horn: Theresa MacDonnell, Leise Anschuetz, and Michael Ishii; Bass: John Arbo; Guitar: Scott Kuney; Harp: Victoria Drake; Drums: Tony Tedesco; Percussion: Kory Grossman; Piano: Fred Lassen; Music Preparation: Miller Music Services

Cast Replacements: Patrick Cassidy (Julian Marsh May 07, 2004 – Jan 02, 2005), Michael Dantuono (Julian Marsh May 28, 2002 – Jun 20, 2002 and again Aug 12, 2003 – Aug 14, 2003), Patrick Ryan Sullivan (Julian Marsh from Aug 15, 2003), Tom Wopat (Julian Marsh Jun 21, 2002 – Aug 10, 2003), Beth Leavel (Dorothy Brock Jun 11, 2002 – May 06, 2004), Blair Ross (Dorothy Brock Aug 10, 2004 – Jan 02, 2005), Shirley Jones (Dorothy Brock May 07, 2004 – Aug 08, 2004), Nadine Isenegger (Peggy Sawyer Dec 17, 2002 – Jan 02, 2005), Kate Levering (Peggy Sawyer Aug 30, 2002 – Dec 15, 2002), Meredith Patterson (Peggy Sawyer Aug 19, 2001 – Aug 18, 2002), Brad Aspel (Andy Lee), Greg Beck (Oscar), Celina Carvajal (Annie), Chris Clay (Andy Lee), Michael Dantuono (Pat Denning), David Elder (Billy Lawlor), Matt Lashey (Billy Lawlor), Patti Mariano (Maggie Jones), Peter Marx (Andy Lee Apr 2003 – Jul 2003), Karen Murphy (Maggie Jones), Richard Pruitt (Abner Dillon), Alana Salvatore (Annie), Bob Walton (Bert Barry), Will Armstrong (Ensemble), Graham Bowen (Ensemble / Dorothy’s ‘Shadow Waltz’ Partner), Michael Clowers (Peggy’s ‘Habit’ Dance Partner ‘Dames’ Rehearsal Dancer / ’42nd Street Ballet’ Sailor), Erin Crouch (Diane / Ensemble), Brad DeLima (Ensemble / ‘Dames’ Rehearsal Dancer / ’42nd Street Ballet’ Sailor), Nikki Della Penta (Ensemble), Amy Dolan (Annie), Angie Everett (Ensemble), Luis Figueroa (Ensemble), Emily Fletcher (Ensemble), Jonathan Freeman (Bert Barry), Kristen Gaetz (Ensemble),Melissa Giattino (Ensemble), Susan Haefner (Ensemble / Ethel), Brad Hampton (Waiter / Ensemble), Merritt Tyler Hawkins (Diane / Ensemble), Nadine Isenegger (Lorraine / Ensemble), Kolina Janneck (Ensemble), Sarah L. Johnson (Ensemble), Angela Kahle (Ensemble / Phyllis), Amy F. Karlein (Ensemble), Regan Kays (Ensemble), Natalie King (Ensemble), Matt Lashey (Ensemble / ‘Dames’ Rehearsal Dancer), Todd Lattimore (‘Dames’ Rehearsal Dancer), Alison Levenberg (Ensemble), Gavin Lodge (Thug / Ensemble), Steve Luker (Mac Thug Doctor), Michael Malone (‘Dames’ Rehearsal Dancer), Brian J. Marcum (Waiter / Ensemble / ‘Dames’ Rehearsal Dancer), Joni Michelle (Ensemble), Amy Miller (Ensemble), Sarah Misiano (Ensemble), Joel Newsome (Bert Barry / Ensemble / Waiter), Shannon O’Bryan (Ensemble / ’42nd Street Ballet’ Nifty), Amy Palomino (Ensemble), Tony Palomino (Ensemble), Alison Paterson (Ensemble), Darin Phelps (Waiter), Wes Pope (Ensemble / ‘Dames’ Rehearsal Dancer / ’42nd Street Ballet’ Sailor), Frank Root (Bert Barry), Wendy Rosoff (Ensemble), John James Scacchetti (Ensemble), Joni Michelle Schenck (Ensemble), Megan Schenck (Phyllis / ’42nd Street Ballet’ Nifty), Jennifer Leigh Schwerer (Diane / Ensemble), Eric Sciotto (Ensemble / Waiter Dorothy’s ‘Shadow Waltz’ Partner), Cindy Shadel (Ensemble), Kelly Sheehan (Lorraine / ’42nd Street Ballet’ Nifty), Kristyn D. Smith (Ensemble), Vanessa Sonon (Ensemble), Jonathan Taylor (’42nd Street Ballet’ Thief ‘Dames’ Rehearsal Dancer), Will Taylor (Ensemble / ‘Dames’ Rehearsal Dancer), Elisa Van Duyne (Lorraine), Josh Walden (Ensemble), Nikki Williams (Ensemble), Kevin B. Worley (Ensemble) and Ericka Yang (Ethel / Ensemble)

Replacement Swings: Jeremy Benton, Sara Brians, Callie Carter, Nikki Della Penta, Melissa Giattino, Regan Kays, Cara Kjellman, Todd Lattimore, Gavin Lodge, Brian J. Marcum, Jennifer Marquardt, Sarah McLellan, Tony Palomino, Alison Paterson, John James Scacchetti, Elisa Van Duyne, Erika Vaughn, Josh Walden, Merrill West, and Kevin B. Worley (Partial Swing)

Replacements Standby: Dorothy Stanley (Dorothy Brock, Maggie Jones)

Replacement Understudies: Will Armstrong (Mac, Thug, Doctor), Jeremy Benton (Billy Lawlor), Randy Bobish (Billy Lawlor, Mac, Thug, Doctor), Sara Brians (Phyllis), Chris Clay (Mac, Thug, Doctor, Andy Lee), Michael Dantuono (Julian Marsh, Abner Dillon), Alexander deJong (Pat Denning), Nikki Della Penta (Phyllis), Emily Fletcher (Annie, Phyllis), Kristen Gaetz (Phyllis), Melissa Giattino (Maggie Jones), Susan Haefner (Maggie Jones, Annie), Regan Kays (Lorraine), Matt Lashey (Billy Lawlor), Todd Lattimore (Billy Lawlor), Gavin Lodge (Julian Marsh, Pat Denning, Billy Lawlor), Steve Luker (Bert Barry, Abner Dillon), Joni Michelle (Peggy Sawyer), Joel Newsome (Andy Lee, Bert Barry), Shannon O’Bryan (Peggy Sawyer), Tony Palomino (Andy Lee), Darin Phelps (Andy Lee), Eric Sciotto (Andy Lee), Kelly Sheehan (Lorraine), Vanessa Sonon (Peggy Sawyer), Jonathan Taylor (Bert Barry, Andy Lee), Jerry Tellier (Bert Barry), Elisa Van Duyne (Dorothy Brock), Mike Warshaw (Mac, Thug, Doctor) and Kevin B. Worley (Mac, Thug, Doctor, Billy Lawlor)

Other Later Replacements: Assistant Company Manager: Kelly Rach (from Sep 20, 2004), Nathan Gehan, and Jessica Coker; Company Manager: Michael Lonergan, and Kimberly Kelley; Company Management Assistant: Alissa Zulvergold (from Sep 19, 2004) Production Stage Manager: Arturo E. Porazzi, Tripp Phillips (Jun 2004 – Jan 02, 2005) and Karen Armstrong; Assistant Stage Manager: Janet Friedman, Zoya Kachadurian, Patty Lyons, Adam John Hunter and B.J. Forman; Stage Manager: Patty Lyons and Tripp Phillips; 3rd Assistant Stage Manager: Charlene Speyerer (Sep 19, 2003 – Sep 21, 2003); Trumpets: Don Downs; Associate Conductor: Matthew Sklar; Piano: Matthew Sklar; Conducted by Fred Lassen; Assistant Conductor: Matthew Sklar, and Mat Eisenstein; Management Associate: Sally Campbell Morse, Robert C. Strickstein, Robert Pullen, Staci Levine, and Myra Bowie; Trumpet 1: Anthony Gorruso; Woodwinds: Scott Shachter; Assistant Dance Captain: Sara Brians, and Cara Kjellman and Photographer: Joan Marcus

As Founder and CEO of Theatre.com and BuyBroadway.com. The pioneer in moving the Broadway industry onto the internet. The theatre press branded me as “Toby is the man pushing theatre, kicking and screaming, into cyberspace.” What started in 1989 as a Broadway industry service called ShowCall via dialup BBS for members of the League of American Theatre Producers evolved onto the world wide web in the early 90’s, and shortly after this, the vast majority of Broadway shows (starting with my production of Victor/Victoria) and theatrical organizations followed. The “Super site of Broadway” became a publicly traded company, prior to my re-branding it as Theatre.com at the Minskoff Theatre.

Described by Variety Magazine as a “marketing powerhouse“, it was the single largest theatre community in the world with over 180,000 active members (in the 1990’s this was massive). From buying official Broadway tickets and souvenirs, providing detailed global show listings, interactive show study & educational guides, live streaming shows and events (including many Opening Nights live broadcasts), industry news from major theatre journalists, pictures and videos, games, messaging directly to Broadway cast’s backstage or even licensing a musical, theatre.com offered it all in a single, easy-to-use interface to theatregoers globally.

This was a fresh revival production of the 1980 musical 42nd Street of the American dream come true story of Peggy Sawyer, a naive chorus girl-turned-overnight sensation on Broadway in 1933. The original production (see below) ran on Broadway for nine years from August 1980 to January 1989.

42nd Street

The video is the opening sequence to the 2001 Tony Awards. Featuring the original cast of the Tony winning revival of 42nd Street. Choreography by Randy Skinner. Shot in multiple parts — 1st in the theatre following a performance, the exterior of the theatre down into the subway and train itself (until about 3am), and live at Radio City from the auditorium entrance.

PRESS QUOTES

“Blazing theatrical fireworks!”
-The New York Times

“The stuff that Broadway is made of! 42ND STREET zings and soars!”
-United Press International

“Broadway’s brassiest hit … “
-People Magazine

“Simply sensational!”
-Chicago Tribune

“The big show that every season hopes to have … ”
-Where Magazine

“A winner! Simply miraculous! Rat-tat-tating pizzazz! A genuine two million dollar show-business bauble!”
-The Boston Globe

“A musical made in heaven!”
-Time Magazine

“Brilliant! It soars!”
-WABC-TV

“An earful, an eyeful and a heartful! Dazzling! A raging, exhilarating success!”
– Washington Post

“42ND STREET: A hit from tip to tap.”
-New York Post

“42ND STREET bigger, better than ever!”
-The [Hartford] Republican-American

“42ND STREET is a happy, rollicking, smash of a show!”
-Reno Gazette Journal

“Five stars!”
-The Buffalo News

“…a marvel to behold …”
-Spokesman-Review

“Every minute was entertaining…”
-El Paso Herald-Post

“…remarkably enjoyable…”
-The Sacramento Bee

“…as exciting as anything I’ve seen onstage.”
-Rapid City Journal

“…superior…”
-El Paso Times

“…still a sassy winner…”
-The Billings Gazette

“42ND STREET dances its way into your heart…”
-Huntsville Times

HISTORY: The Lullaby of Broadway…

In 1980, 42nd Street ushered in the new age of theatrical spectacle with a cast of 54, 750 costumes and dozens of stage effects. The making of 42nd Street, and its unforgettable opening at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway on August 25, 1980, created one of the most memorable theatrical events of the Twentieth Century.

From the opening of the pre-Broadway engagement at the Kennedy Center Opera House, in July of 1980, there has hardly been a week when 42nd Street hasn’t been playing somewhere in the world.

Mike Stewart and Mark Bramble were sitting in the Carnegie Hall Cinema watching the 1933 movie musical “42nd Street” back during the production period of The Grand Tour, circa 1978. “I wish we were working on this instead,” said one to the other, and Broadway’s grandest “Song and Dance Extravaganza” was born.

Jerry Herman demurred, insisting they had to keep the original score — couldn’t do it without “Shuffle Off To Buffalo,” “You’re Getting to be a Habit with Me,” and the gaudy, bawdy title tune – so they dusted off the Harry Warren/Al Dubin catalogue to supplement the five songs used in the film.

They gave the show to David Merrick – a mixed blessing, but they knew that if he said he would come up with thirty-six girls, he would indeed come up with thirty-six girls, amidst, as the early teaser ads said, “a cast of 54 (some younger). ”

When potential investors told Merrick the project was doomed, he decided to mount it out of his own pocket and began to run up $2.4 million worth of costs. (He bought out three small investors already in place, giving him complete control without any fiscal oversight whatsoever.)

Things looked dire when 42nd Street’s Kennedy Center tryout met a poor response. The show needed polishing, and Gower Champion was unable to do it. Champion had been ill for several years; a mysterious, lingering condition had first appeared during Mark & Mabel in 1974, postponing rehearsals, cutting short that show’s tryout, and apparently contributing to its fatalistic outlook. When Champion appeared stuck for 42nd Street improvements, Merrick “surreptitiously” imported director/choreographers Joe Layton and Ron Field for advice – and placed them in the audience, where the unsuspecting Gower haplessly stumbled upon them (a typical Merrick trick).

What Merrick didn’t know was just how ill Champion was – the director was undergoing constant blood transfusions in his Watergate Hotel room.

42nd Street came to Broadway and mysteriously went back into rehearsal, as previews were postponed and the opening date was changed and changed and changed. The producer issued illogical statements, explaining that he was waiting for “the Great Man way up there” to send a courier telling him when to open. Merrick has finally gone nuts was the inference – and the press gleefully covered the story.

In fact, Merrick decided late in the Washington run that the two big pivoting towers on either side of the set had to be cleared totally off stage for the grand finale. It can’t be done, he was told, because the pivoting mechanism was built into the onstage base of the towers. “Do it,” he said. “We’ll have to rebuild the whole thing,” he was told. “Do it,” he said.

The show moved to New York without its set, causing the postponement. Other producers would have blamed the delay on technical problems; by issuing “crazy” pronouncements, Merrick kept the show in the news and interest mounting.) Merrick also decided to change the billing to reflect the style of old movie musicals; thus, the opening night program credited the librettists for “Lead-ins and Crossovers.” The authors readily agreed, little knowing it would be interpreted as a nasty slam. Merrick quickly reinstated the “book” billing but the harm was done; at Tony time he apologized for costing the authors the award.

42nd Street opened dramatically at the Winter Garden under the auspices of David Merrick. Gower Champion directed and choreographed a cast headed by Jerry Orbach, Wanda Richert, Lee Roy Reams & Tammy Grimes, with the curtain-call announcement of Champion’s death earlier that day at the age of sixty.

The combination of the show’s ebullience and Champion’s tragic but timely exit pushed 42nd Street into quick sellout status and immense financial success throughout the English-speaking world.

Several months into the Broadway run, producer David Merrick moved 42nd Street from The Winter Garden Theatre downtown to the bigger Majestic Theatre on West 44th Street.

At the Majestic, 42nd Street played across the street from Barnum, the hit musical with book by Mark Bramble, lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman.

Later, 42nd Street moved from The Majestic Theatre to the St. James where it completed the original Broadway run after 3,486 performances.

In 2001, 42nd Street was revived on Broadway with a Tony^® Award winning hit production at the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts, on 42nd Street.

– ~ + ✦ ✷ ★ ★ ☆ {:-)-:} ☆ ★ ★ ✷ ✦ + ~ –

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42nd Street (Broadway)

42nd Street

PRESS QUOTES

HISTORY: The Lullaby of Broadway…

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