The Pirate Queen
| The Pirate Queen | |
|---|---|
 2006 Chicago Logo for The Pirate Queen |
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| Music | Claude-Michel Schönberg |
| Lyrics | Alain Boublil (French lyrics) Richard Maltby, Jr. (English lyric adaptations) John Dempsey (English lyric adaptations) |
| Book | Alain Boublil Claude-Michel Schönberg Richard Maltby, Jr. |
| Basis | Morgan Llywelyn's novel Grania: She-King of the Irish Seas |
| Productions | 2006 Chicago 2007 Broadway |
The Pirate Queen is a musical written by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, best known for their adaptation of Les Misérables. John Dempsey is the co-lyricist. The Pirate Queen marks the first time Boublil and Schönberg have created a musical with American collaborators. It is based on the life and adventures of the 16th century Irish chieftain and pirate Gráinne O'Malley, who was one of the last Irish clan leaders to resist the English conquest of Gaelic Ireland.
After a Chicago production, the musical ran on Broadway from March to June 2007. The cast featured Stephanie J. Block as the title character and Linda Balgord, who was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance as Queen Elizabeth I. The show received harsh appraisals from the critics and had weak sales.
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[edit] History
In 2005, the show was scheduled to premiere in Chicago, and Playbill reported that Colm Wilkinson was in talks to star in the project.[1] However, when casting was announced, Wilkinson was not included.[2]
Towards the end of the Chicago run, Miss Saigon co-lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. was brought in to work with Boublil on revisions to the book and lyrics in preparation for the Broadway opening. Additionally, Graciela Daniele worked on the musical staging.[3]
[edit] Production
The Pirate Queen debuted at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre in an out-of-town tryout on October 3, 2006, and ran through November 26, 2006.[4]
The Broadway previews began at the Foxwoods Theatre (then the Hilton Theatre) on March 6, 2007, with the opening on April 5. It closed on June 17, 2007 after 85 performances and 32 previews.[5]. Frank Galati directed, with musical staging by Graciela Daniele, Irish Dance choreography by Carol Leavy Joyce, and additional choreography by Mark Dendy. Musical direction and orchestrations were by Julian Kelly, with sets by Eugene Lee, costumes by Martin Pakledinaz and lighting by Kenneth Posner. Moya Doherty and John McColgan, creators of Riverdance, produced, with Edgar Dobie and Ronan Smith, of Doherty and McColgan's Riverdream production company, Executive Producers.
Linda Balgord received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Queen Elizabeth I.
A studio recording of the original Broadway cast, produced by Masterworks Broadway, was released on July 3, 2007. The recording does not include the full score, but only highlights.
[edit] Characters and cast
| Stephanie J. Block | Grania (Grace O'Malley) |
| Linda Balgord | Queen Elizabeth I |
| Hadley Fraser | Tiernan |
| Marcus Chait | Donal |
| Jeff McCarthy | Dubhdara |
| William Youmans | Bingham |
| Áine Uí Cheallaigh | Evleen |
| Brooke Elliott | Majella |
| Steven Barath | Eoin (on alternate performances) |
| Christopher Grey Misa | Eoin (on alternate performances) |
[edit] Critical response
Ben Brantley, reviewing in The New York Times, wrote that the show compares unfavorably with the composers' Les Misérables and that it registers as a relic of a long-gone era, but praised the performances of Block and Balgord.[6] The Variety reviewer wrote: "all-plot, no-heart new show is persuasively sung by a valiant cast, yet it never forges an emotional connection with the audience."[7]
The show received no Tony Award nominations and faced steadily declining grosses and high weekly running costs.[8] When the show closed, it was reported by The New York Times that it had lost "at least $16 million."[9]
[edit] Musical numbers
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† Indicates songs that are not on the Original Broadway Cast Recording.
[edit] Awards and nominations
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Balgord) (nominee)
- Outstanding Choreography (Leavy Joyce, Daniele) (nominees)
- Outstanding Costume Design (Pakledinaz) (nominee)
- Distinguished Performance Award (Block) (nominee)
[edit] Historical Grosses
| Week | Gross | Seats Sold |
Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03/11/2007 | $615,585 | 10,735 | 85.2% |
| 03/18/2007 | $590,498 | 10,210 | 81.1% |
| 03/25/2007 | $627,400 | 10,243 | 81.3% |
| 04/01/2007 | $663,265 | 11,613 | 80.7% |
| 04/08/2007 | $704,025 | 10,821 | 75.2% |
| 04/15/2007 | $757,333 | 12,007 | 83.4% |
| 04/22/2007 | $693,237 | 11,182 | 77.7% |
| 04/29/2007 | $656,079 | 10,582 | 73.5% |
| 05/06/2007 | $628,680 | 10,453 | 72.6% |
| 05/13/2007 | $648,484 | 10,576 | 73.5% |
| 05/20/2007 | $598,689 | 9,246 | 64.2% |
| 05/27/2007 | $516,724 | 8,893 | 61.8% |
| 06/03/2007 | $442,065 | 7,848 | 54.5% |
| 06/10/2007 | $454,325 | 7,308 | 50.8% |
| 06/17/2007 | $458,150 | 7,759 | 53.9% |
[edit] References
- ^ Jones, Kenneth (2005-11-03). "Frank Galati Will Stage 2006 World Premiere of The Pirate Queen, by Les Miz Writers". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/96055.html. Retrieved 2006-05-13.
- ^ Jones, Kenneth (2005-11-03). "Stephanie J. Block Is The Pirate Queen; New Show By Les Miz Writers Sets Sail in Fall". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/99666.html. Retrieved 2006-05-13.
- ^ Jones, Kenneth (2006-11-15). "Maltby and Daniele Will Swab The Pirate Queen’s Decks". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/103569.html. Retrieved 2006-11-29.
- ^ Jones, Kenneth.The Pirate Queen Sails Into Her Chicago Opening Oct. 29" playbill.com, October 29, 2006
- ^ Jones, Kenneth (2007-06-05). "New Broadway Musical The Pirate Queen Sails Away June 17". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/108574.html. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
- ^ New York Times review, Brantley, Ben, April 6, 2007, "THEATER REVIEW | 'THE PIRATE QUEEN'" Retrieved 5-2-2008
- ^ Variety review, Rooney, David, April 5, 2007 Retrieved 5-2-2008
- ^ Variety article, Rooney, David, June 5, 2007 Retrieved 5-2-2008
- ^ New York Times article, Robertson, Campbell, June 12, 2007, "As the Cheering of Tony Night Fades, Broadway Still Faces a Summer of Closings" Retrieved 5-2-2008
