City of Angels (musical)

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City of Angels
Original Broadway Production
Music Cy Coleman
Lyrics David Zippel
Book Larry Gelbart
Theatre Virginia Theatre
Opened December 11, 1989
Closed January 19, 1992
Producer(s) Nick Vanoff, Roger Berlind, Jujamcyn Theaters, Suntory International Corporation and The Shubert Organization
Director Michael Blakemore
Choreographer Walter Painter
Scenic designer Robin Wagner
Costume designer Florence Koltz
Lighting designer Paul Gallo

City of Angels is a film noir style musical comedy with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel, and book by Larry Gelbart. It was set in Los Angeles in the late 1940s and ran on Broadway for 878 performances from 1989 to 1992.

Set in the 1940s, City of Angels is a detective story that presents its own writer, Stine, who is having trouble transposing his book onto the big screen. In parallel, one follows the protagonist of the film, Detective Stone, on his adventures... as Stine writes. Many of the characters have a counterparts in the other world; these parts may be double-casted. It is usually staged with the "real-life" scenes in "color" and the movie scenes in "black and white".

City of Angels won 6 Tony Awards in 1990, for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book (Musical), Best Actor (Musical) (James Naughton), Best Actress (Featured Role--Musical) (Randy Graff), and Best Scenic Designer. It was nominated for an additional 5 Tonys: Best Actor (Musical) (Gregg Edelman), Best Featured Actor (Musical) (René Auberjonois), Best Costume Design (Florence Klotz), Best Lighting Design (Paul Gallo), and Best Direction (Musical) (Michael Blakemore). In addition, Gelbart received a 1990 Edgar Award for Best Play.

[edit] Musical Numbers

  1. Prologue: Theme from City Of Angels
  2. Double Talk
  3. What You Don't Know About Women
  4. You Gotta Look Out For Yourself
  5. The Buddy System
  6. With Every Breath I Take
  7. The Tennis Song
  8. Ev'rybody's Gotta Be Somewhere
  9. Lost And Found
  10. All You Have To Do Is Wait
  11. You're Nothing Without Me
  12. Stay With Me
  13. You Can Always Count On Me
  14. Alaura's Theme
  15. It Needs Work
  16. L.A. Blues
  17. With Every Breath I Take [Duet]
  18. Funny
  19. I'm Nothing Without You
  20. Epilogue: Theme from City Of Angels
  21. Double Talk Walk

[edit] Cast

The Opening Night Broadway cast was:

  • Gregg Edelman - Stine (Hollywood)
  • James Naughton - Stone (Movie)
  • René Auberjonois - Irwin S. Irving (Movie) / Buddy Fidler (Hollywood)
  • Randy Graff - Oolie (Movie) / Donna (Hollywood)
  • Dee Hoty - Alaura Kingsley (Movie) / Carla Haywood (Hollywood)
  • Kay McClelland - Bobbi (Movie) / Gabby (Hollywood)
  • Rachel York - Mallory (Movie) / Avril (Hollywood)
  • James Cahill - Dr. Mandril (Movie) / Barber (Hollywood)
  • Carolee Carmello - Margaret (Movie) / Stand-In (Hollywood)
  • Peter Davis - Member of The Angel City 4 (Movie/Hollywood)
  • Shawn Elliott - Munoz (Movie) / Pancho Vargas (Hollywood)
  • Tom Galantich - Orderly (Movie) / Officer Pasco (Movie) / Gene (Hollywood)
  • Eleanor Glockner - Margie (Movie) / Anna (Hollywood) / Hairdresser (Hollywood)
  • James Hindman - Orderly (Movie) / Mahoney (Movie) / Del Dacosta (Hollywood)
  • Gary Kahn - Member of The Angel City 4 (Movie/Hollywood)
  • Amy Jane London - Member of The Angel City 4 (Movie/Hollywood)
  • Alvin Lum - Yamato (Movie) / Cinematographer (Hollywood)
  • Jacquey Maltby - Bootsie (Movie)
  • Keith Perry - Luther Kingsley (Movie) / Werner Kriegler (Hollywood)
  • Jackie Presti - Member of The Angel City 4 (Movie/Hollywood)
  • Herschel Sparber - Big Six (Movie) / Studio Cop (Hollywood)
  • Evan Thompson - Commissioner Gaines (Movie) / Shoeshine (Hollywood)
  • Doug Tompos - Peter Kingsley ((Movie) / Gerald Pierce (Hollywood)
  • Scott Waara - Jimmy Powers (Movie/Hollywood)
  • Raymond Xifo - Sonny (Movie) / Studio Cop (Hollywood)

Swings: Chrissy Faith and Marcus Neville.

Understudies: Carolee Carmello (Alaura Kingsley, Bobbi, Carla Haywood, Gabby), Chrissy Faith (Bootsie, Margaret, Member of The Angel City 4), Tom Galantich (Jimmy Powers, Stone), James Hindman (Buddy Fidler, Irwin S. Irving, Munoz, Sonny, Stine), Alvin Lum (Barber), Jacquey Maltby (Anna, Donna, Mallory Kingsley, Margie, Oolie), Marcus Neville (Commissioner Gaines, Del Dacosta, Gene, Mahoney, Member of The Angel City 4, Officer Pasco, Orderly) and Evan Thompson (Big Six, Dr. Mandril, Luther Kingsley, Werner Kriegler).

[edit] References

  1. Tupac, Kerianne M. "Film Noir Meets the Musical in "City of Angels"". Retrieved June 12, 2005.