High Society (musical)

High Society
Original Recording
Music	Cole Porter
Lyrics	Cole Porter Susan Birkenhead
Book	Arthur Kopit
Basis	Philip Barry play The Philadelphia Story
Productions	1998 Broadway 2005 West End

High Society is a musical with a book by Arthur Kopit and music and lyrics by Cole Porter and additional lyrics by Susan Birkenhead. It is based on the Philip Barry play The Philadelphia Story and the 1956 musical screen adaptation with Porter's songs, High Society.

Plot

The plot centers on pretentious Long Island socialite Tracy Lord, who is planning a June 1938 wedding to an equally pretentious executive when ex-husband Dexter Haven arrives to disrupt the proceedings. Additional comic complications arise when tabloid reporter Mike Connor, who is there to cover the wedding, also falls for the bride-to-be. The score's songs were compiled from various Porter musicals; in some instances, updated or new lyrics were provided by Susan Birkenhead.

Productions

Broadway

The musical had a try-out in San Francisco in 1997.^[1]

The musical premiered on Broadway at the St. James Theatre on April 27, 1998 and closed on August 30, 1998 after 144 performances and 27 previews. Directed by Christopher Renshaw, the cast included Stephen Bogardus (Macaulay Conner), Melissa Errico (Tracy), Daniel McDonald (Dexter), John McMartin (Uncle Willie), Randy Graff, Lisa Banes, Marc Kudisch, Betsy Joslyn and a 12-year-old Anna Kendrick. Sets were by Loy Arcenas, costumes were by Jane Greenwood, and lighting was by Howell Binkley. Des McAnuff was "brought in during the show's troubled tryout period" and is uncredited. Lar Lubovitch is credited as the choreographer, with Wayne Cilento uncredited.^[2]

Ben Brantley, in his review for The New York Times, wrote: "...spirits are definitely high in 'High Society,' which stars a sadly misused Melissa Errico, but they also feel forced and even desperate. The show, first seen in a tepidly received version in San Francisco, has since undergone drastic retailoring. And it ominously shed its director and choreographer of record, Christopher Renshaw and Lar Lubovitch, during New York rehearsals, with Des McAnuff and Wayne Cilento stepping in to make last-minute revisions. Perhaps that accounts for the feverish, at-sea quality that seems to possess the show's team of talented, proven performers. The production's guiding rule appears to be to do whatever is necessary to land a joke or to sell a song... Numbers that should bubble with dry effervescence are more likely to come across as a thick ferment of suds."^[3]

The costumes are on display at the Costume World Broadway Collection in Pompano Beach, Florida.^{[citation needed]}

London

A rather more successful West End production opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre on February 25, 1987 and ran for 420 performances. It starred Trevor Eve (Dexter), Stephen Rea (Mike), Angela Richards (Liz), Natasha Richardson (Tracy) and Ronald Fraser (Uncle Willie); the director was Richard Eyre.^[4]

On October 1, 2005, a West End revival starring Katherine Kingsley (Tracy Lord), Graham Bickley (Dexter Haven), Paul Robinson (Mike) and Jerry Hall (Mrs. Lord) opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre. This was based on the 2003 Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park production and subsequent tour. These productions were directed by Ian Talbot OBE.^[5] Tracie Bennett played Liz in the Open Air Theatre production and stole the show, according to The Guardian critic.^[6]

Song list

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

Original London production

References

External links

• Internet Broadway Database Listing
• High Society Production and Plot at Tams-Witmark