Secondhand Lions: A New Musical
| Secondhand Lions: A New Musical | |
|---|---|
| Music | Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner |
| Lyrics | Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner |
| Book | Rupert Holmes |
| Basis | 2003 film Secondhand Lions |
| Premiere | September 6, 2013: Seattle, Washington |
| Productions | The 5th Avenue Theatre |
Secondhand Lions: A New Musical is based on the 2003 movie of the same name. Music and lyrics for the musical were written by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, who also wrote First Date.[1] The book was by Rupert Holmes.
Production
The show premiered from September 6 to October 7, 2013 at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Washington.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
The show was directed by Scott Schwartz, who directed Golda's Balcony and co-directed Jane Eyre on Broadway. Scott Schwartz was appointed Artistic Director of the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, New York in 2013.[10]
Plot
Walter, a young boy, is unwillingly dropped off unannounced, by his mother, Mae, at his two great-uncle’s farmhouse in Texas for the summer. The uncles, Hub and Garth, recently bought the farm, returning after a long time with a secretly earned fortune. Over the course of the summer, Walter tries to find the method in which his uncles gained money, and what they did when in their absence. The tale reveals the uncles' courage and bravery in their prime.
Differences from the Film
- Jane, the girl across the pond, is an added character in the musical.
- The fantasy world of the uncle’s stories is acted out, creating a story within the show.
- The ‘relatives’ in the film that arrive to learn about the uncle’s fortune are omitted in the musical.
- There are no live animals in the musical.
- Jasmine, in the movie, is renamed Samira.
Musical numbers
Act 1
- Overture - Orchestra
- The Wild Lion Boys – Male Ensemble
- The Fort Worth College of Court Reporting – Mae
- Just Right – Walter
- Worth Believin’ In (Part 1)/The Steamship – Garth, Young Hub, Young Garth
- The Sultan of the Sultanate of Oujda – Fake Sultan, Ensemble
- Sand – Sultan, Harem Girls, Grand Vizier, Ensemble
- You Have to See It to Believe It – Jane, Walter
- You Have to See It to Believe It (Reprise) – Jane
- Mae’s Letter – Mae
- Just What I Needed –Samira
- Unlike Anyone I’ve Ever Known – Young Hub, Sultan
- Ghita’s Advice – Ghita, Samira, Harem Girls
- Hub’s Revelation – Hub, Garth, Young Hub, Walter, Ensemble
Act 2
- Entracte – Orchestra
- Just What I Needed (Reprise) – Samira, Ghita, Harem Girls
- Alive or Dead – Sultan, Ensemble
- You Have Brought Me Love – Samira, Young Hub
- Fly into a Better Tomorrow – Walter, Jane, Garth, Ensemble
- The Sultan of the Sultanate of Oujda (Reprise) – Prisoners
- The Sultan’s Lament – Sultan, Ensemble
- You Have Brought Me Love (Reprise) – Samira, Hub
- Worth Believin’ In (Part 2) – Hub
- The Wild Lion Boys (Reprise) – Stan
- Do Something for Me – Walter
- Don’t Count Us Out – Garth, Hub, Walter
- Worth Believin’ In (Finale) - Company
Roles and original cast
The principal cast of The 5th Avenue Theatre's production was as follows.[2][7]
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Garth | Gregg Edelman |
| Hub | Mark Jacoby |
| Mae | Kendra Kassebaum |
| Walter | Johnny Rabe |
| Samira | Jenny Powers |
| Young Garth | Jared Michael Brown |
| Young Hub | Kevin Earley |
| Sultan | Jason Danieley |
| Achmed | Justin Huertas |
| Jane | Sophia Anne Caruso |
| Ghita | Wendi Bergamini |
| Ricky-Jo | Nick Gaswirth |
| Bruno | Harris Milgrim |
| Vic | Deon Ridley |
| Sicilian Hoodlum | Harris Milgrim |
| Barlow | Nick DeSantis |
| Stan | Matthew Posner |
| Nurse | Sarah Rose Davis |
| Grown Walter | Kevin Earley |
| Todd | Johnny Rabe |
| Grown Jane | Jenny Powers |
| Sultan’s Grandson | Jason Danieley |
† Grayson J. Smith appeared as Walter Double, before the song 'Just Right'.
References
- ^ Gioia, Michael. "Break Up: Broadway's 'First Date', Starring Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, Will Close in January 2014", playbill.com, November 6, 2013
- ^ a b Secondhand Lions, 5thavenue.org, accessed April 27, 2016
- ^ Secondhand Lions Musical Aiming for 2013 Debut Archived November 10, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 5th Avenue Theatre Will Premiere New Musical Secondhand Lions Season Announced Archived October 8, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Secondhand Lions, Starring Gregg Edelman, Mark Jacoby and Johny Rabe Opens in Seattle Sept. 26
- ^ " 'Secondhand Lions' Musical Aims for Seattle Opening at Fifth Avenue Theater, Aug 2013", broadwayworld.com, October 15, 2012
- ^ a b Snetiker, Mark. "New 'Secondhand Lions' Musical to Make World Premiere at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre", broadway.com, March 4, 2013
- ^ Jacobson, Lynn. "Regional Legit Review: ‘Secondhand Lions’", Variety, September 30, 2013
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. "World Premiere of Secondhand Lions Musical, By Rupert Holmes and Writers of First Date, Ends Seattle Run Oct. 6", playbill.com, October 6, 2013
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. "Scott Schwartz Named Artistic Director of Bay Street Theatre", playbill.com, August 13, 2013