Broadway Opus: Roar of the Greasepaint the Smell of the Crowd Now Onsale

BROADWAY OPUS, a brand-new theatrical venture based in Philadelphia, will present Broadway musical theater in staged concert format, an increasingly popular form in which performers share the stage with the orchestra. Four performances of “The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd” will be presented June 10-12 at the Merriam Theater on Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts. The artistic team is led by Director BT McNicholl and Music Director David Chase.

Considered one of the richest scores in musical theatre literature, songs include “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me),” ”Feeling Good,” “A Wonderful Day Like Today” and “Things to Remember.” Recording artists over the decades have drawn from this score for their own hits; Tony Bennett includes “Who Can I Turn To” as part of his regular repertoire, and recently Michael Buble has recorded and performed “Feeling Good” in concert.

Staged concert productions employ essential elements of lighting, costumes and props and the story line is abridged with actors using the “book-in-hand” technique. “By placing the emphasis on music, we achieve an effect that is both lush and extraordinarily theatrical,” says BROADWAY OPUS Founding Director Margery Klain, a Philadelphia resident and New York theatrical producer with such shows as Broadway’s Obie-Award-winning A Shayna Maidel to her credit. BROADWAY OPUS is the third theatrical venture in the United States fully dedicated to this staged concert productions; the other two are the Encores Series in New York and Reprise in Los Angeles.

Forty years ago, Philadelphia played a key role in the ultimate New York success of “The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd.” An allegory told through the device of vaudeville and the game of life, it was written by Leslie Bricusse and the late Anthony Newley and first staged in the United Kingdom. Iconic Broadway producer David Merrick saw the production in Manchester , England and decided to bring it to the United States. When the show came to Philadelphia’s Forrest Theater in February, 1965, it was an immediate success. Losing no time, Merrick negotiated with RCA Victor in Camden, NJ to make an original cast recording. The album was on shelves nationwide in 11 days. By the time the show opened in New York in May, an astonishing 100,000 copies of the recording had been sold.

Tickets are available NOW through TicketMaster at 215-336-1234. For special group rates and subscription discounts, call 215-732-1396. The number for New Jersey residents is 856-338-9000. Delaware residents call 302-984-2000.

ALL BROADWAY TICKETS HERE

   

<---Back To Home Page

Concert Tickets, Sports Tickets, Broadway Tickets, Family Show Tickets

posted by ADMIN @ Tuesday, May 03, 2005