Busker Alley
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| Busker Alley | ||
| The Broadway Production That Never Was. | ||
|---|---|---|
 St. James Theatre Previews from October 19, 1995 following a 16 city North American Tour. |
||
| Music | Richard M. Sherman | |
| Lyrics | Robert B. Sherman | |
| Book | AJ Carothers | |
| Director | Jeffrey Calhoon | |
| Choreographer | Jeffrey Calhoon | |
| Originally starring | Tommy Tune | |
Busker Alley is a musical by the Sherman Brothers, who wrote the scores to some of the Disney movies like Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book. AJ Carothers wrote the book. Tommy Tune played the lead character, "Charlie Baxter", a busker who was in love with another busker, but she really wanted to be a big star in the theatre so she leaves him to follow her dream. The show played in 16 cities throughout the United States through 1994 and 1995 and was scheduled to open on Broadway at the St. James Theatre when six weeks prior to moving to New York, Tune broke his foot. The investors subsequently pulled out of the show. Although several attempts at resuscitation have been attempted, thus far no successful production has yet been staged.
Contents |
[edit] Songs
- "Busker Alley"
- "Blow Us A Kiss"
- "Hula Love Song"
- "When Do I Get Mine?"
- "Strays"
- "Mates"
- "What To Do With 'Er"
- "He Has A Way/She Has A Way"
- "When the Moonlight's Bright In Brighton"
- "Crazy 'Appy Tears"
- "Tap Happy Feet"
- "Baby Me"
- "Ordinary Couples"
- "I'm On the Inside"
- "Where Are The Faces (Charlie the Busker)"
- "A Million Miles From You"
- "Tin Whistle Tune"
- "The World of Beautiful Girls"
- "All Around the Town"
- "Paddle Your Own Canoe"
- "Why the Tears?"
- "Waiting for Ann"
- "Never Trust A Lady"
[edit] Brief History
Busker Alley is based on the 1938 British Motion Picture, St. Martin's Lane. The title used for American release was The Sidewalks of London. The name was changed for American release due to the relative obscurity of the London street St. Martin's Lane to most Americans. Ironically the American title is similarly obscure to Londoners due to the differences in dialects. Specifically the British use the term "pavement", not "sidewalk". The star filled film cast included Charles Laughton as "Charles Staggers", Vivien Leigh as "Libby" and Rex Harrison as "Harley Prentiss".
In the mid 1960s, Disney staff scriptwriter, AJ Carothers rediscovered the motion picture and approached Disney staff songwriters, Robert and Richard Sherman with the idea of purchasing the rights to the film and making a stage musical out it. The Shermans and AJ Carothers did just that and in 1969, the musical "Piccadilly" was born. But nothing more became of it until in 1982 when interest was rekindled and the project was rewritten and renamed, (yet again) this time dubbed "Blow Us A Kiss". Still nothing happened with the property until later in the same decade when interest was again sparked and Tommy Tune became attached to the show. With a major Broadway star behind the project, the show was finally launched in 1994 with yet a new name: "Busker Alley". The show played in 16 cities with a planned Broadway debut scheduled for 1995 at the St. James Theatre. The show suffered numerous setbacks during the tour as well as two more name changes including the unfortunate "Stage Door Charley" (unilaterally chosen by the Producer's wife). The show finished its pre-Broadway tour, however, as "Buskers". Sadly the show has yet to open on Broadway, even though the show was slated to do so. The unfortunate turn of events occurred six weeks prior to the show's scheduled opening night. Tommy Tune broke his foot during one of the performances in Florida. Tune's foot would have healed; nevertheless, the show's backers got nervous and pulled out. The show was history despite a moving book and stellar song score.
In 2003 AJ Carothers and the Sherman Brothers revised their book and song score changing the name back to "Busker Alley" as it had been known at the beginning of the show's 1994-1995 run.
[edit] On Stage, and Off
Busker Alley was ready for its Broadway premiere but then tragedy struck. Tommy Tune broke his foot. On October 6, 1995 in the Movies News section of the New York Times Peter Marks wrote: "Can 'Busker' Go On Without Tune? Just before Tuesday evening's performance of "Busker Alley" in Florida, Jeff Calhoun, the show's director and choreographer, stood on the stage of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. "This is the foot of Tommy Tune," he told the audience as he held aloft an X-ray of Mr. Tune's broken left foot. What followed was one of the stranger performances in the difficult history of "Busker Alley"."
[edit] 11 Years On, One Night In New York
On November 13, 2006 the York Theatre Company presented a one-night only benefit performance of Busker Alley at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College finally giving this show its New York premiere. Jim Dale starred as "Charlie Baxter". Glenn Close also appeared in a cameo at the end of the show as "Dame Libby St. Albans". Also in the show Broadway veterans: Jessica Grové, Simon Jones, Noah Racey, John Bolton, Robert Fitch, Anne Rogers, Michael Lane Trautman and Cristy Candler.
Music and Lyrics are by Richard and Robert Sherman (Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and a book by AJ Carothers, Busker Alley finally had its New York premiere. Multi-Tony Award-winning theater/film designer and director Tony Walton (Well, Uncle Vanya, Guys and Dolls revival, Grand Hotel) directed. The creative team also included: Lisa Shriver as choreographer, Richard Pilbrow as lighting designer, Aaron Gandy as music director and Rebecca Lustig as Co-Costume Designer.
[edit] Trivia
- Three days later, on November 16, 2006, Mary Poppins, another Sherman Brothers musical about London also opened on Broadway.
- In 1995, acclaimed artist, Leroy Neiman created a 40-foot mural on Broadway theater façade for Busker Alley. That same year Neiman was ppointed a member of the New York City Advisory Commission for Cultural Affairs.
[edit] Resources
- Busker Alley - Busker video site
- Busker Central - Busker reference site
