Musicals rule new season at Diamond Head Theatre
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor
The bill will be alive with the sound of music at Diamond Head Theatre next season; five of its six 2002-2003 plays are musicals, with a lone drama.
The season includes:
"Chicago," the musical by John Kaner, with book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, playing
Sept. 27 through Oct. 13. The show is noted for its dark characters and a rich score that includes such classics as "All That Jazz" and "The Cellblock Tango." It's razzle-dazzle jazz, set in Chicago in the roaring '20s, embracing Roxie Hart, who murders her lover, and her encounters with Velma Kelly, another murderess on death row, who vie for headlines and stardom and successful stage careers. Winner of six 1997 Tony Awards.
"The Sound of Music," the musical by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein, with book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, Dec. 6-22. It's easily the most beloved of Rodgers & Hammerstein's musicals. The score boasts the title tune, "Do-Re-Mi," "My Favorite Things," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," "Edelweiss," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" and more. Winner of six Tony Awards and five Academy Awards.
"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," a drama by Dale Wasserman based on the Ken Kesey book, Jan. 31-Feb. 16. Randle P. McMurphy, a patient in a mental ward, fights a futile battle to liberate his fellow "inmates," who are ruled by the inscrutable Nurse Ratched.
"Romance, Romance," a musical by Keith Herrmann, with book and lyrics by Barry Harman,
March 21-April 6. A charming look at the aspects of love, and the complications that result; Act I is an operetta of old Vienna, about a wealthy businessman and an elegant courtesan who discover amour only when disguised as a penniless poet and a millineress; Act II is set in the Hamptons and asks the question: Can a married man really be best friends with another woman who happens to be already married to another man?
"Follies," a musical by Stephen Sondheim with book by James Goldman, May 23-June 8. In revival recently on Broadway, this nostalgic show, about a theatrical impressario reuniting his "Follies" luminaries from yesteryear in a crumbling theater, is a marvelous showcase for seasoned troupers. The score includes such standouts as "Broadway Baby," "Losing My Mind" and "I'm Still Here."
"The Wizard of Oz," a musical by L. Frank Baum with tunes from the MGM film score by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, July 18-Aug. 3. This is the classic tale about Dorothy, the Lion, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman and the Wicked Witch of the West, and yes, Munchkins. The score is notable for such riches as "Over the Rainbow," "We're Off to See the Wizard," "If I Only Had a Heart," and "Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead."
Curtain times: 8 pm. Thursdays-Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays.
Season subscriptions: $180, $135, $90, $5; now on sale.
Individual tickets: $10-$40.
Reservations: 733-0274 or www.diamondheadtheatre.com.
