If you’re heading to Melbourne between 25th November and 4th December 2011, you have the opportunity to attend the Australian premiere season of a little known Broadway musical called “Grey Gardens”, a musical which the New York Times has described as ‘an experience no passionate theatregoer should miss’.
Written by Doug Wright, (who won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play “I Am My Own Wife” which was seen at the Street Theatre in Canberra earlier this year) with music by Scott Frankell and lyrics by Michael Korie (who also wrote the lyrics for “Dr. Zhivago”), “Grey Gardens” is based on the cinema verite documentary of the same name by brothers David and Albert Maysles.
It tells the real-life story of Edith Bouvier Beale (to be played by Nancye Hayes) and her adult daughter, ‘Little’ Edie, (to be played by Pamela Rabe (pictured) the eccentric aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Roger Hodgman, who is directing this production, describes them as “two wonderful characters, larger-than-life, amazing eccentrics, lovable, crazy but not insane. The musical sets out to show what made them like that”.
As a young society debutante in the early 1940’s, ‘Little’ Edie Bouvier Beale was one of the brightest names on the social register. Known as ‘Body Beautiful Beale’ she was the ‘It Girl’ of her generation, even eclipsing her young cousin, Jacqueline Bouvier. In the years following the Second World War however life in their 28-room mansion, Grey Gardens, took an unexpected turn.
While Jackie and her sister, Lee Radziwill played out their lives on the world stage, Edie and her mother, Edith Bouvier Beale became east Hampton’s most notorious recluses.
“It’s a very good musical” Hodgman explained simply when I asked him why The Production Company had chosen it. “When “Grey Gardens” opened on Broadway in 2007 it garnered 10 Tony Award nominations, eventually winning three, one each for its stars, Christine Ebersole (‘Little’ Edie) and Mary Louise Wilson (Edith Bouvier Beale) and one for costume designer, William Ivey Long. The story has also been filmed as an award-winning telemovie which starred Jessica Lang and Drew Barrymore".
Hodgman has directed about 10 musicals for the Production Company and enjoys the challenge and discipline involved in working with top professional music theatre actors to produce a full-scale, albeit simplified, production with the emphasis on the piece rather than the spectacle. The rehearsal period for most of these productions is usually 4 weeks, but in this case it is only 3 weeks, because “Grey Gardens” is a more intimate show than those usually undertaken by The Production Company.
Also, unusually for The Production Company, “Grey Gardens” will run for a two week season in the more intimate Playhouse at the Victorian Art Centre instead of one week in the much larger State Theatre.
The Production Company has assembled a stellar cast for this production, and in addition to Nancye Hayes and Pamela Rabe, the cast will include John O’May, James Millar, Alex Rathgeber, Liz Styles and Bert LaBonte. The musical direction will be in the hands of Kellie Dickerson who has just finished an extensive tour as Musical Director for “Wicked”. Dana Jolly will create the choreography and Fleur Thiemeyer the costumes.
This is not the first time Nancye Hayes and Pamela Rabe have worked together, as Nancye reminded me when I talked to her about “Grey Gardens”. “Many years ago, I played Glinda the good witch opposite Pamela as the wicked witch in a production of “The Wizard of Oz” and later, directed her for a second production. I’m really looking forward to working with her again in “Grey Gardens”.
One of the country’s most acclaimed actors, Nancye Hayes has just returned from a trip to New York to see Tony Sheldon in “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” and immediately following her season in “Grey Gardens”, she will commence rehearsals for the Sydney season of “Annie” in which she plays Miss Hannigan.
There are many reasons why this production of “Grey Gardens” is attracting
attention among music theatre buffs around the country, not the least being the opportunity to see a stellar cast of music theatre professionals in a challenging musical. Hopefully it will be successful enough to encourage the Production Company to consider touring it to other cities. But just in case that doesn't happen, you have just 12 opportunities to catch this musical in Melbourne.
Bill Stephens