|
 Production
Staff | Awards | Synopsis
The Will
Rogers Follies opened at
the Palace Theatre in New York City on May 1, 1991.
Production
Staff
|
Produced by
Pierre Cossette, Martin Richards,
Sam Crothers, James M. Nederlander,
Stewart F. Lane, Max Weitzenhoffer, and
William E. Simon
Book
by Peter Stone
Music
composed and arranged by: Cy
Coleman
Lyrics
by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Settings
Design Tony Walton
Costume
Design Willa Kim
Lighting
Design Jules Fischer
Sound
Design Peter Fitzgerald
Projection
Design Wendall K. Harrington
Wig
Design Howard Leonard
|
Orchestrations
Billy Byers
Musical
Direction Eric Stern
Musical
Contractor John Miller
General
Management Marvin A. Krauss
Associates, Inc.
General
Press Representative Richard
Kornberg & Associates
Casting
by Julie Hughes and Barry Moss,
CSA
Production
Stage Manager Peter Von
Mayrhauser
Associate
Director Phillip Oesterman
Associate
Choreographer Jeff Calhoun
Directed
and Choreographed by Tommy Tune
|
Awards
(1990-91):
6 Tony
Awards for Musical, Score, Director, Choreography,
Costume Design and Lighting Design
3 Drama Desk Awards for Musical, Music (tie) and
Choreography
The New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best
Musical
Synopsis
Will Rogers
is famous for saying "I never met a man I didn't
like," and anyone who has ever seen or performed in
WILL ROGERS FOLLIES will agree that there has never
been a man-or woman-who did not like it.
Subtitled "A
Life In Revue," WILL ROGERS stands out among
musicals because of the magic of its protagonist.
Rare is the man who transcends decades and rises to
the level of legend. Will Rogers does this not only
because of his accomplishments, but because of his
philosophy, which espouses respect and confidence in
the goodness of his fellowman.
The curtain
rises on a Follies-style tribute to the man whose
daily newspaper column sent America on its way each
morning with a smile on its face. In fact Will was a
multimedia sensation, performing a weekly radio talk
show as well as starring in motion pictures.
Between rope
tricks which entertain the audience while the show
girls are changing their costumes for The Follies,
Will soothes us with his old-fashioned common sense.
The songs Never Met a Man I Didn't Like and
Give a Man Enough Rope are parables set to
music.
Now it's
time to get to know Will, his friends and family.
Will introduces us to the aviator Wiley Post, to his
six sisters, and to his father Clem. Born to parents
who were part Cherokee, Will learned early on to be
proud of his heritage.
When Will
turned nineteen, he set off, despite his father's
protests, to be a cowboy down in Argentina. It was
at the train depot that Will first laid eyes on
Betty Blake, the woman who would become his wife.
But how theatrical is that? Not enough, apparently,
because Mr. Ziegfeld quickly rewrites history and
lowers Betty romantically from the Moon to recreate
her first meeting with Will!
Once married
Will tours the country performing his routine until
the day his big break arrives, and he is offered a
part in Florenz Ziegfeld's Follies. After six
fabulous seasons, Will is called to Hollywood to
perform on the silver screen
After much
success and a run for President in 1928, Will
assesses his life. It is time to spend more time at
home. Nonetheless, Will is called on to soothe the
nation's jitters after the stock market crash. It
seems that his straight talk and simple truths
create quite an impact on the nation. You will find
that your audience responds in much the same way.
When Wiley
Post and Will lose their lives during a flying
adventure in Alaska, the nation mourns its lost
friend. The musical version, however, is an upbeat
celebration of this folk hero who made the world "a
whole lot better place" than it was before he
entered it.
Other
delightful musical numbers include Will-a-Mania,
It's a Boy, My Unknown Someone, Presents for Mrs.
Rogers and Let's Go Flying.
Will Rogers and Wiley Post
Photos from "The Will Rogers Follies"
Rockville Musical Theatre, November 2002
Click a photo to enlarge
Top
|
Will
Rogers
