Bonnie & Clyde (musical): Difference between revisions
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{{Listen|filename=youlovewhoyoulove.ogg|title="You Love Who You Love" |description=Bonnie & Clyde: "You Love Who You Love" - Melissa van der Schyff and Laura Osnes|format=[[Ogg]]}}In Depression-era West [[Texas]], Bonnie is a 23 year-old diner waitress who dreams of a life in the movies ("Picture Show"). Clyde Barrow, who has just broken out of prison with his brother Buck, discovers Bonnie on the side of the road and a connection is made between the two dreamers as he repairs her car ("This World Will Remember Us"). Back home, Blanche Barrow urges her husband, Buck, to turn himself in and set things right with the Lord and with the law ("You're Goin Back to Jail"). Upon hearing Buck's plan, Clyde is strongly opposed to the idea and separates from Buck. However, Clyde is eventually caught by authorities while Buck turns himself in ("God's Arms Are Always Open"). Clyde receives a much harsher jail sentence, and faces a difficult time of continuous physical and sexual assault while in prison. At the peak of his abuse, Clyde turns to a makeshift weapon and performs his first murder ("Raise a Little Hell"). He convinces Bonnie to smuggle a gun into his cell, and Clyde again breaks out of prison, this time killing a deputy ("This World Will Remember Us"). |
{{Listen|filename=youlovewhoyoulove.ogg|title="You Love Who You Love" |description=Bonnie & Clyde: "You Love Who You Love" - Melissa van der Schyff and Laura Osnes|format=[[Ogg]]}}In Depression-era West [[Texas]], Bonnie is a 23 year-old diner waitress who dreams of a life in the movies ("Picture Show"). Clyde Barrow, who has just broken out of prison with his brother Buck, discovers Bonnie on the side of the road and a connection is made between the two dreamers as he repairs her car ("This World Will Remember Us"). Back home, Blanche Barrow urges her husband, Buck, to turn himself in and set things right with the Lord and with the law ("You're Goin Back to Jail"). Upon hearing Buck's plan, Clyde is strongly opposed to the idea and separates from Buck. However, Clyde is eventually caught by authorities while Buck turns himself in ("God's Arms Are Always Open"). Clyde receives a much harsher jail sentence, and faces a difficult time of continuous physical and sexual assault while in prison. At the peak of his abuse, Clyde turns to a makeshift weapon and performs his first murder ("Raise a Little Hell"). He convinces Bonnie to smuggle a gun into his cell, and Clyde again breaks out of prison, this time killing a deputy ("This World Will Remember Us"). |
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Bonnie & Clyde |
Bonnie & Clyde begin a life of crime, robbing banks and traveling all around to avoid being caught ("Made in America"). They send occasional letters to Buck and Blanche, telling them of the adventures and opportunities they've made on the road. Buck begins to see that there is more for them out there than can be made in their current situation, and he and Blanche join them ("That's What You Call a Dream"). By this point, the gang has achieved folk hero status throughout the country, with officers in every Southern state on the hunt for these outlaws. In the hideout, Bonnie and Blanche nervously await the return of Clyde and Buck from a spree, as Bonnie reminds Blanche that a short and loving life wouldn't be so bad ("Dyin' Ain't So Bad"). When their hideout is raided by authorities, there is a huge shootout in which Buck is mortally wounded. Bonnie and Clyde narrowly escape, though the bloodied Blanche stays with Buck before being carried off by police and arrested. On May 23, 1934, on a rural Louisianan road, Bonnie and Clyde are ambushed and killed by police on the way to meet their parents. |
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==Songs== |
==Songs== |
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Revision as of 19:51, 21 November 2011
| Bonnie & Clyde | |
|---|---|
 Original Broadway poster | |
| Music | Frank Wildhorn |
| Lyrics | Don Black |
| Book | Ivan Menchell |
| Basis | The lives of Bonnie and Clyde |
| Productions | 2009 La Jolla Playhouse 2010 Asolo Repertory Theatre 2011 Broadway |
Bonnie & Clyde is a musical with a book by Ivan Menchell, music by Frank Wildhorn, and lyrics by Don Black. It is directed by Jeff Calhoun. The musical made its world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse in November 2009,[1] and opened on Broadway with previews beginning November 4, 2011.
The musical centers on title characters, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the ill-fated lovers and outlaws whose story has been infamous since they achieved folk hero status during the Great Depression. Wildhorn has described the music as a "non-traditional score, combining rockabilly, blues and gospel music."
Background
Previously, Black and Wildhorn collaborated on Dracula, the Musical, which also had its world premiere in La Jolla. Wildhorn got in touch with Black about the possibility of writing a song cycle based on the story of Bonnie and Clyde. They released a demo of songs - five of which are still in the present musical - them with Michael Lanning and Linda Eder for Atlantic Records. The music contains elements of country and western, the Blues, and Broadway pop.[2]
In February 2009, the show held an industry-only reading at Roundabout Theatre Company, starring Laura Osnes as Bonnie and Stark Sands as Clyde. It was directed by Jeff Calhoun. Other featured and ensemble cast were Rob Evan, Kelsey Fowler, Natalie Hill, Michael Lanning, David Larsen, Jacob Levine, Brynn O'Malley, Geoff Packard, Tricia Paoluccio, Jessica Phillips, Nancy Ringham, Bart Shatto, Marty Thomas, Ben Thompson, Tad Wilson and Betsy Wolfe.[3]
Production history
The musical had its world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, California, running from November 10, 2009, through December 20, 2009. Calhoun was the director and choreographer, with John McDaniel, music director and orchestrator; Tobin Ost, Scenic and Costume designer; Michael Gilliam, lighting designer; and Aaron Rhyne, projection designer. Osnes and Sands starred, along with Mare Winningham as Bonnie's mother, Wayne Duvall as the hot-tempered sheriff who's got it in for Clyde, Melissa van der Schyff as Blanche, Claybourne Elder as Buck and Leslie Becker as Clyde and Buck's mother.[4] It won five major 2009 San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Awards.
The next production opened on November 19, 2010 at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida. It ran through December 19, 2010, and was once again directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun.[5] Asolo producing artistic director Michael Edwards had said: "How it goes here will determine whether it goes to Broadway."[6]
The musical began Broadway previews on November 4, 2011, at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, with the opening scheduled for December 1, 2011.[7]
Plot
In Depression-era West Texas, Bonnie is a 23 year-old diner waitress who dreams of a life in the movies ("Picture Show"). Clyde Barrow, who has just broken out of prison with his brother Buck, discovers Bonnie on the side of the road and a connection is made between the two dreamers as he repairs her car ("This World Will Remember Us"). Back home, Blanche Barrow urges her husband, Buck, to turn himself in and set things right with the Lord and with the law ("You're Goin Back to Jail"). Upon hearing Buck's plan, Clyde is strongly opposed to the idea and separates from Buck. However, Clyde is eventually caught by authorities while Buck turns himself in ("God's Arms Are Always Open"). Clyde receives a much harsher jail sentence, and faces a difficult time of continuous physical and sexual assault while in prison. At the peak of his abuse, Clyde turns to a makeshift weapon and performs his first murder ("Raise a Little Hell"). He convinces Bonnie to smuggle a gun into his cell, and Clyde again breaks out of prison, this time killing a deputy ("This World Will Remember Us").
Bonnie & Clyde begin a life of crime, robbing banks and traveling all around to avoid being caught ("Made in America"). They send occasional letters to Buck and Blanche, telling them of the adventures and opportunities they've made on the road. Buck begins to see that there is more for them out there than can be made in their current situation, and he and Blanche join them ("That's What You Call a Dream"). By this point, the gang has achieved folk hero status throughout the country, with officers in every Southern state on the hunt for these outlaws. In the hideout, Bonnie and Blanche nervously await the return of Clyde and Buck from a spree, as Bonnie reminds Blanche that a short and loving life wouldn't be so bad ("Dyin' Ain't So Bad"). When their hideout is raided by authorities, there is a huge shootout in which Buck is mortally wounded. Bonnie and Clyde narrowly escape, though the bloodied Blanche stays with Buck before being carried off by police and arrested. On May 23, 1934, on a rural Louisianan road, Bonnie and Clyde are ambushed and killed by police on the way to meet their parents.
Songs
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Cast
- Bonnie Parker - Laura Osnes
- Clyde Barrow - Jeremy Jordan
- Blanche Barrow - Melissa van der Schyff
- Marvin "Buck" Barrow - Claybourne Elder
- Ted Hinton - Louis Hobson
- Cumie Barrow & Gov. Ferguson - Leslie Becker
- Emma Parker - Mimi Bessette
- The Sheriff - Joe Hart
- Bud - Matt Lutz
Response
La Jolla Playhouse
The Los Angeles Times review complimented the leads, saying that Osnes "effectively works the red-headed moll temptress angle while Stark Sands' Clyde flaunts his ripped torso as often as possible. And both possess sharp musical instincts." The Wildhorn score "is undeniably impressive." Although it notes that "stylistically, the work seems beholden to conventional forms yet curious about modern breakthroughs... what is motivating the retelling of this story?"[8]
Asolo Repertory Theatre
"Bonnie & Clyde" opened Friday at the Asolo Repertory Theatre with a bang -- actually quite a few deadly bangs -- and by night's end proved worthy of all the buzz it has created...On balance, though, "Bonnie & Clyde" has all the markings of a musical bound for success on the Great White Way and should be mandatory viewing for all local theater enthusiasts." -Wade Tatangelo, Brandenton.com[9]
There is much to recommend in this show about the two fame-obsessed Texas outlaws in the early 1930s. It boasts two star-making performances by Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes in the title roles, smooth and action-packed staging by Jeff Calhoun, an impressive set that also displays historic videos and photos, and a tune-filled score by Frank Wildhorn and lyricist Don Black." -Jay Handelman, Herald Tribune[10]
Awards
- San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Musical
- San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best Director of a Musical (Jeff Calhoun)
- San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Musical Direction
- San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Laura Osnes)
- San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Melissa van der Schyff)
References
- ^ Jones, Kenneth."Osnes and Sands Are La Jolla's Bonnie & Clyde; Winningham and Van der Schyff Also Cast," playbill.com, July 13, 2009
- ^ Bonnie & Clyde Demo Cast album castalbumcollector.com, retrieved January 5, 2010
- ^ Jones, Kenneth.Stark Sands and Laura Osnes Are Bonnie and Clyde in NYC Reading of Wildhorn Musical," playbill.com, February 4, 2009
- ^ Jones, Kenneth."Osnes and Sands Are Shooting Stars of 'Bonnie & Clyde, the Musical', Opening in CA" playbill.com, November 22, 2009
- ^ Jones, Kenneth."Frank Wildhorn's 'Bonnie & Clyde' Musical, Revised Since CA Run, Opens in Florida" playbill.com, November 19, 2010
- ^ Tatangelo, Wade."'Bonnie & Clyde' to hit Sarasota stage with guns blazing" bradenton.com, November 7, 2010
- ^ "Bang! Laura Osnes & Jeremy Jordan Are Bonnie & Clyde on Broadway Starting Nov. 4". Playbill.com. November 4, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-07.
- ^ "Theater review: 'Bonnie & Clyde' at La Jolla Playhouse". Los Angeles Times. November 23, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
- ^ "REVIEW: 'Bonnie & Clyde' lives up to Broadway hype". Brandenton.com. November 21, 2010. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
- ^ "REVIEW: Impressive 'Bonnie & Clyde' sings but needs tweaking". November 20, 2010. Retrieved 2009-09-20.