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Center Stage Records announced the release of the live West End cast recording of John Casssavetes’ Opening Night on CD and digital outlets on Sept. 12. The show features music and lyrics by three-time Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright.
John Cassavetes’ Opening Night is the first stage musical with music, lyrics, and orchestrations by Rufus Wainwright. It premiered in London at the Gielgud Theatre in the spring of 2024. The book and direction were by Ivo van Hove and is based on the 1977 movie Opening Night by American avant-garde director John Cassavetes.
The live album features Wainwright’s songs written for the original London West End production performed by the cast including Sheridan Smith, Nicola Hughes, and Benjamin Walker, recorded over the last four performances of the play at London’s Gielgud Theatre.
Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to the show’s finale performed by Sheridan Smith and company.
John Cassavetes’ Opening Night tells the story of an actress, Myrtle Gordon, who is premiering a play written for her that is about a woman coming to terms with aging. Myrtle does not come to terms with her own aging and rebels against the play and throws the entire production into jeopardy. A young female fan asking her for an autograph at the stage door gets killed by a car as she runs off onto the street. Myrtle is being haunted by the ghost of the young girl. On opening night, she arrives completely drunk but ultimately does what she does best: act and improvise.
To pre-save the album, click here.
Center Stage Records has announced the release of Get What You Want: The Songs of Michael Finke in streaming and digital formats on Sept. 12. The album showcases the rise of Finke, a rising musical theatre composer and lyricist who is heralded for his soaring ballads and unconventional story songs.
Get What You Want features an all-star cast, including Emily Afton, Ari Axelrod, Donna Lynne Champlin, Alex Goley, Alan H. Green, F. Michael Haynie, Tommy Kaiser, Sarah Naughton, Kyle Taylor Parker, Jelani Remy, Kate Rockwell, Analise Scarpaci, Justin David Sullivan, Talia Suskauer, and Matt Wood.
Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to “The Fabulous Miss Lila Morae” performed by Donna Lynne Champlin.
“Whenever I feel the need to write a new trunk song or musical project, I'll turn to the headlines,” Finke said of the song. “And of course a month before a concert at the Green Room, the Anna Delvey trial wrapped up and I was obsessed with her statement, ‘I'd be lying if I said I was sorry for anything.’ So Lila is my take on Anna. And it's worth mentioning this song might have my first and last "Simpsons-esque" prediction with the Shonda Rhimes/Netflix series.”
Finke has written the book, music, and lyrics for full-length musicals such as Reporting Live, Caroline and George, Surrounded By the Water, and Powerline Road, which recently completed a developmental Off-Broadway production at the ART/New York Gural Theater.
Produced by Robbie Rozelle and Michael Finke, and co-produced by Yasuhiko Fukuoka, the album features arrangements and orchestrations by Nils-Petter Ankarblom. The album features liner notes by Grammy and Tony Award nominee Nathan Tysen.
To pre-save the album, click here.
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Yes you read that headline correctly. It was announced today that a new musical comedy about Billy McFarland and the infamous Fyre Festival is currently in development featuring a book by Bryan Buckley, music by Paul Epworth, and scenic design by David Korins. Buckley is also set to direct.
The new musical has an all-star producing team behind it including Academy Award winner Taika Waititi, Rita Ora, Matthew Weaver, and Hungry Man Productions.
“I never saw myself doing a theatrical musical comedy,” said director and bookwriter Bryan Buckley. “But then again, I never saw something completely mind-bendingly ridiculous and intriguing as what went down with Fyre-festival. A spectacular failed endeavor—that will haunt a generation forever. I cannot wait to get this show out to the world. And yeah man, this time there will actually be music or your money back.”
“Working in the theater is always fun,” said Taika Waititi. “I mean I haven't done it for 15 years because it was no longer fun, but I've been told it will be fun this time. And I believe them. When Bryan Buckley told me he wanted to make a musical about the Fyre Festival, I said "Who the hell is Bryan Buckley?" I then remembered we've been friends and work mates for 15 years so it was kinda hard to say no. Honestly, I think the idea is exciting, weird, and potentially disastrous, which seems apt and is how I like to work. I can't wait to get started and snatch me some of that sweet American theatre money.”
It’s not just a Greek-sized tragedy of one man’s con. It’s a satirical indictment of an entire generation. Fyre Fest the Musical. It’s about as wrong as a bad idea can go.
In celebration of FYRE FEST THE MUSICAL’s announcement, Hungry Man Productions will release a 100 foot barge from Staten Island into New York Harbor, anchoring in Brooklyn for a historic launch event. Additional guerilla art installations will take place in New York City throughout the week.
