by Mark G. Auerbach
David Harris in Goodspeed’s production of Rags.
Rags Gets A Goodspeed Makeover
Rags, the famed 1986 musical flop, had a lot of promise going for it, when it opened in Boston enroute to Broadway. It featured a book by Joseph Stein, who had written Fiddler on The Roof. Charles Strouse of Bye Bye Birdie fame wrote the music, and Stephen Schwartz, the genius behind Wicked, wrote the lyrics. Its all-star cast included Theresa Stratas from the Metropolitan Opera, Connecticut Repertory Theatre’s Terrence Mann, and Judy Kuhn. Broadway, however, was indifferent towards Rags, which some described as a sequel to Fiddler on The Roof–the immigrant story after they arrived at Ellis Island. Mixed reviews and little advance sales caused the show to shutter after a handful of performances. The score was recorded, and it’s a must-have among musical theatre collectors.
Goodspeed Musicals is retooling Rags, which plays October 6-December 10 in
Samantha Massell in Goodspeed’s production of Rags.
East Haddam, CT. Original creators Charles Strouse and Stephen Schwartz have teamed up with David Thompson, who has adapted Joseph Stein’s book, to rework this timely and inspiring piece. Goodspeed explores the grit and determination of American immigrants through this joyous reimagining of a musical by some of Broadways biggest legends. They’ve got TheaterWorks Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero, whose staged Goodspeed’s Fiddler on The Roof and La Cage Aux Folles to direct. Parker Esse will choreograph.
The Rags company includes Samantha Massell from the most recent Broadway revival of Fiddler on The Roof as Rebecca, the role originated by Stratas. Connecticut native Christian Michael Camporin, who was in the original Broadway production of Finding Neverland, plays her son. Sean MacLaughlin, from the national tour of Evita, Adam Heller who played Tevye in Goodspeed’s Fiddler on The Roof, and Australian musical star David Harris, most recently seen in TheaterWorks’ Next to Normal and Barrington Stage’s Ragtime are also featured.
Linda Cho, Tony Award nominee for her costume designs for Hartford Stage’s and Broadway’s Anastasia, is designing the schmattas.
The Paul Taylor Dance Company in Continuum. Photo by Paul B. Goode.
You can be a part of Rags’ next chapter. For details: 860.873.8668 or www.goodspeed.org
Plan Ahead…
The Paul Taylor Dance Company celebrates its tenth consecutive season of performances at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, MA on October 7-8. The program will include three pieces: Set to music by Richard Wagner and Heinrich Baermann, Paul Taylor’s Roses (1985) is a paean to love and relationships in various stages. Set to Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” recomposed by Max Richter, Continuum (2017) is an abstract work by Taylor alumna Lila York, commissioned through Taylor Company Commissions and made on the Taylor dancers, about finding peace in a hostile environment. Paul Taylor’s Arden Court (1981) is one of the exuberant dances from his highly acclaimed collection of works set to baroque music. Music by William Boyce accompanies this look at three kinds of relationships: supportive, competitive, and flirtatious. For details: 413-528-0100 or www.mahaiwe.org
The Midtown Men
The Midtown Men, four alums of the original cast of Broadway’s Jersey Boys, bring their concert of 1960’s hits to Springfield Symphony Hall on October 5. After sharing the stage for over a thousand performances, Tony Award winner Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and Tony Award nominee J. Robert Spencer decided to take their signature sound and chemistry to audiences everywhere. This is not a performance of, nor affiliated with the show Jersey Boys. For details: www.symphonyhall.com
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra opens its Masterworks Series on October 6-8 at The Bushnell. Carolyn Kuan conducts a program that includes Beethoven’s Overture to Egmont and Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55, “Eroica”. Kanno’s Revive, Concerto for Koto and Shakuhachi is on the program with soloists Masayo Ishigure on koto and Kojiro Umezaki on shakuhachi. For details: 860-987-5900 or www.hartfordsymphony.org
A Christmas Carol returns to Berkshire Theatre Group’s Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA for its 12th season. TheDickens classic was adapted by Eric Hill, and Travis G. Daly will direct the show, which runs December 9-22. For the second year, BTG will hold a Special Community and Sensory-Friendly Performance of A Christmas Carol on
Mike Thornton
December 13. For details: 413-997-4444, or www.berkshiretheatregroup.org
Keep in Mind…
Mike Thornton, the actor who plays presidents from Clinton to Trump with The Capitol Steps, has been moonlighting with his jazz ensemble for years. He’s joining forces with the Berkshires-based jazz band Gruppo Mondo to record Top Standards, a new jazz album for MTA Records. They’ll record during a live performance on September 28 at the Egremont Barn in South Egremont. Thornton grew up in Northern CT. His acting credits include the Off-Broadway production of The Zoo Story, the American premiere of Blood Brothers, and the Kennedy Center production of Shear Madness. Gruppo Mondo includes Peter Primamore, Keyboard; Aaron Dean, Tenor Sax; Tom Major, Drums and Fran Tokarz, Bass. Thornton and Gruppo Mondo first performed together a couple of summers ago in Pittsfield, MA, when Thornton was performing at Cranwell with The Capitol Steps.For information on Mike Thornton: http://www.mikethorntonjazz.com/. For information on Gruppo Mondo: www.facebook.com/GruppoMondo/ . For information: 413-528-9580 or http://www.theegremontbarn.com/
The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the UConn in Storrs presents its Fall Puppet Performance Series, featuring outstanding works for puppet theater by professional puppeteers from across the Northeast and beyond. Productions and dates include: The Case of the Missing Kitten by WonderSpark Puppets on September 23; The Perils of Mr. Punch by Modern Times Theater on October 14; Sleeping Beauty by Tanglewood Marionettes on November 4; and Santa Got Fired and Other Silly Stories by Nappy’s Puppets on December 2. For details: 860-486-8580 or www.bimp.uconn.edu
Star of the Sea, the Galway-based Moonfish Theatre’s stage version of Joseph O’Connor’s novel, will be perormed on October 3-4, at UMass’ Bowker Auditorium as part of the theatre company’s international tour. Moonfish Theatre’s production is performed in Irish and English, as part of the UMass Fine Arts Center series. For details: 413-545-2511, 800-999-UMAS, or www.fineartscenter
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Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio. He produces and hosts ArtsBeat Radio on 89.5fm/WSKB.
