.gif)
City of Angels (musical)
Encyclopedia
City of Angels is a musical comedy with music by Cy Coleman
, lyrics by David Zippel
, and book by Larry Gelbart
. The musical weaves together two plots, the "real" world of a writer trying to turn his book into a screenplay, and the "reel" world of the fictional film.
at the Virginia Theatre on December 11, 1989 and closed on January 19, 1992 after 878 performances and 24 previews. It was directed by Michael Blakemore
with sets designed by Robin Wagner
and costumes by Florence Klotz
.
While the show continued on Broadway, the Los Angeles company opened in June, 1991 at the Shubert Theater in Century City, running 6 months, with Stephen Bogardus
as Stine, Lauren Mitchell as the villainess, and Randy Graff and James Naughton recreating their original roles. The production was revamped and embarked on a national tour, during which Barry Williams
, of The Brady Bunch fame, took over the role of Stone. Jordan Leeds was chosen from the tour's ensemble to play Stine. The tour played venues from the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa
, Florida in February 1992
to the National Theatre, Washington, DC in June 1992 to the Crouse-Hinds Concert Theatre, Syracuse, New York
, in November 1992. The national tour closed in November 1992, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The musical opened in London's West End at the Prince of Wales Theatre
in March 1993 and ran until November 13, 1993. Blakemore again directed with Roger Allam
as Stone and Martin Smith
as Stine, with Henry Goodman
as Buddy Fidler.
The theatre company Reprise! Broadway's Best production ran in January-February 2006 at Freud Playhouse, UCLA, Los Angeles. The cast featured Burke Moses
(Stone), Vicki Lewis
(Oolie), Tami Tappan Damiano (Gabby), and Stephen Bogardus
(Stine).
Alaura Kingsley, a striking socialite, is ushered into detective Stone's office by Oolie, his loyal Girl Friday. Alaura hires him to find her step-daughter Mallory Kingsley, a beautiful "bad" girl, who will later turn up in Stone's office. Stone receives a brutal beating from two thugs and is framed for a murder. As the plot thickens, Stone's own past comes to haunt him. The relatively simple missing daughter case turns complicated and may end up costing Stone his life. It keeps getting more and more complicated, possibly because the author keeps rewriting it.
The author, Stine, is a novelist adapting his novel, City of Angels into a screenplay for movie mogul Buddy Fidler. Buddy, a charismatic and autocratic producer-director, has an immense ego and, although he claims to be a fan of Stine’s work, he continually demands rewrites from the increasingly reluctant Stine. As Stine struggles to keep both his job and his novel's integrity, his wife Gabby disapproves of his womanizing and leaves for New York on a business trip. Shortly afterwards, he begins an affair with Buddy's secretary Donna. Gabby discovers this and leaves him.
When Stine fulfills Buddy's request to remove a racially-motivated plotline from the screenplay, Stone himself grows frustrated with his author's lack of integrity and berates him for it. Creator and creation have an argument, which Stine wins by typing a scene where the detective is beaten up.
Stine flies to New York in an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile with Gabby, earning Buddy's ire. When he returns, he discovers that Buddy has drastically rewritten the film's ending to his own satisfaction and given himself a prominent co-writing credit. Stine appears on set for the first day of filming to confront the unrepentant Fidler and discovers, to his shock, that a popular crooner has been cast as his hard-boiled detective. With Stone himself at his side, Stine rips up the script and quits. He is about to be beaten by two studio guards, when, in a reversal on their earlier confrontation, Stone aids him by typing a scene allowing Stine to defeat the guards and win back both his wife and his self-respect.
Apart from Stine and Stone, the actors portraying the characters in Stine's movie double as the Hollywood executives and actors Stine encounters.
Act II
WINNERS
Nominations
Drama Desk Awards
Gelbart received a 1990 Edgar Award
for Best Play.
Olivier Awards
Cy Coleman
Cy Coleman was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist.-Life and career:He was born Seymour Kaufman on June 14, 1929, in New York City to Eastern European Jewish parents, and was raised in the Bronx. His mother, Ida was an apartment landlady and his father was a brickmason...
, lyrics by David Zippel
David Zippel
David Joel Zippel is an American musical theatre lyricist.-Biography:Zippel was born in Easton, Pennsylvania. He is a 1976 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. While there, he wrote a "bizarre political musical" called Rotunda...
, and book by Larry Gelbart
Larry Gelbart
Larry Simon Gelbart was an American television writer, playwright, screenwriter and author.-Early life:...
. The musical weaves together two plots, the "real" world of a writer trying to turn his book into a screenplay, and the "reel" world of the fictional film.
Productions
City of Angels opened on BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Virginia Theatre on December 11, 1989 and closed on January 19, 1992 after 878 performances and 24 previews. It was directed by Michael Blakemore
Michael Blakemore
Michael Howell Blakemore OBE is an Australian actor, writer and theatre director. In 2000 he became the only individual to win Tony Awards for best Director of a Play and Musical in the same year for Copenhagen and Kiss Me, Kate....
with sets designed by Robin Wagner
Robin Wagner (designer)
Robin Wagner is an American scenic designer.Born Robin Samuel Anton Wagner in San Francisco, he attended art school and started his career in theatres in that city with designs for Don Pasquale, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Tea and Sympathy, and Waiting for Godot, among others...
and costumes by Florence Klotz
Florence Klotz
Florence Klotz was an American costume designer on Broadway and film.-Biography:Originally named as Kathrina Klotz, she later changed her name to "Florence" and was often nicknamed "Flossie"....
.
While the show continued on Broadway, the Los Angeles company opened in June, 1991 at the Shubert Theater in Century City, running 6 months, with Stephen Bogardus
Stephen Bogardus
-Biography:Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Bogardus graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in 1972 and Princeton University in 1976, where he was a member of the Princeton Nassoons and the Princeton Triangle Club.-Career:...
as Stine, Lauren Mitchell as the villainess, and Randy Graff and James Naughton recreating their original roles. The production was revamped and embarked on a national tour, during which Barry Williams
Barry Williams
Barry William Blenkhorn , known professionally as Barry Williams, is an American actor best known for his role as Greg Brady in the ABC television series The Brady Bunch.-Early life and career:...
, of The Brady Bunch fame, took over the role of Stone. Jordan Leeds was chosen from the tour's ensemble to play Stine. The tour played venues from the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, Florida in February 1992
to the National Theatre, Washington, DC in June 1992 to the Crouse-Hinds Concert Theatre, Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, in November 1992. The national tour closed in November 1992, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The musical opened in London's West End at the Prince of Wales Theatre
Prince of Wales Theatre
The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre on Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner...
in March 1993 and ran until November 13, 1993. Blakemore again directed with Roger Allam
Roger Allam
Roger Allam is an English actor, known primarily for his stage career, although he has performed in film and television. He played Inspector Javert in the original London production of the stage musical Les Misérables....
as Stone and Martin Smith
Martin Smith (actor/musician)
Martin Smith was a British actor, singer, and composer who starred in many shows in London's West End...
as Stine, with Henry Goodman
Henry Goodman
Henry Goodman is a British theatre actor. He trained at RADA in London alongside Jonathan Pryce.In 1988, he played George Green's brother-in-law Cyril in London's Burning. He played character roles in episodes of the popular UK police drama The Bill...
as Buddy Fidler.
The theatre company Reprise! Broadway's Best production ran in January-February 2006 at Freud Playhouse, UCLA, Los Angeles. The cast featured Burke Moses
Burke Moses
Burke William Moses is an American film and television actor. His brother is actor Mark Moses.Burke Moses first appeared on Broadway as a replacement in the role of Sky Masterson in the 1992 revival of Guys and Dolls...
(Stone), Vicki Lewis
Vicki Lewis
Vicki Lewis is an American film, stage, television and voice actress best known for her role as Beth in the NBC sitcom NewsRadio.-Personal life:...
(Oolie), Tami Tappan Damiano (Gabby), and Stephen Bogardus
Stephen Bogardus
-Biography:Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Bogardus graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in 1972 and Princeton University in 1976, where he was a member of the Princeton Nassoons and the Princeton Triangle Club.-Career:...
(Stine).
Plot
The setting is Hollywood in the late 1940s, with two stories occurring simultaneously: a Hollywood comedy and a detective drama. The real-life scenes are in color and the movie scenes in black and white. Costumes and setting reflect the reality vs. film.Alaura Kingsley, a striking socialite, is ushered into detective Stone's office by Oolie, his loyal Girl Friday. Alaura hires him to find her step-daughter Mallory Kingsley, a beautiful "bad" girl, who will later turn up in Stone's office. Stone receives a brutal beating from two thugs and is framed for a murder. As the plot thickens, Stone's own past comes to haunt him. The relatively simple missing daughter case turns complicated and may end up costing Stone his life. It keeps getting more and more complicated, possibly because the author keeps rewriting it.
The author, Stine, is a novelist adapting his novel, City of Angels into a screenplay for movie mogul Buddy Fidler. Buddy, a charismatic and autocratic producer-director, has an immense ego and, although he claims to be a fan of Stine’s work, he continually demands rewrites from the increasingly reluctant Stine. As Stine struggles to keep both his job and his novel's integrity, his wife Gabby disapproves of his womanizing and leaves for New York on a business trip. Shortly afterwards, he begins an affair with Buddy's secretary Donna. Gabby discovers this and leaves him.
When Stine fulfills Buddy's request to remove a racially-motivated plotline from the screenplay, Stone himself grows frustrated with his author's lack of integrity and berates him for it. Creator and creation have an argument, which Stine wins by typing a scene where the detective is beaten up.
Stine flies to New York in an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile with Gabby, earning Buddy's ire. When he returns, he discovers that Buddy has drastically rewritten the film's ending to his own satisfaction and given himself a prominent co-writing credit. Stine appears on set for the first day of filming to confront the unrepentant Fidler and discovers, to his shock, that a popular crooner has been cast as his hard-boiled detective. With Stone himself at his side, Stine rips up the script and quits. He is about to be beaten by two studio guards, when, in a reversal on their earlier confrontation, Stone aids him by typing a scene allowing Stine to defeat the guards and win back both his wife and his self-respect.
Apart from Stine and Stone, the actors portraying the characters in Stine's movie double as the Hollywood executives and actors Stine encounters.
Musical numbers
Act I- Prologue: Theme from City Of Angels
- Double Talk – Stone and Alaura Kingsley
- Double Talk – Buddy Fidler and Stine
- What You Don't Know About Women – Gabby and Oolie
- Ya Gotta Look Out For Yourself – Jimmy Powers and Angel City 4
- The Buddy System – Buddy Fidler and Donna
- With Every Breath I Take – Bobbi
- The Niby Tennis Song – Stone and Alaura Kingsley
- Ev'rybody's Gotta Be Somewhere – Stone and Angel City 4
- Lost And Found – Mallory Kingsley
- All Ya Have To Do Is Wait – Munoz, Yamato, Mahoney and Officer Pasco
- You're Nothing Without Me – Stine and Stone
Act II
- Stay With Me – Jimmy Powers and Angel City
- You Can Always Count On Me – Oolie
- You Can Always Count On Me – Donna
- Alaura's Theme-Orchestra & Chorus
- It Needs Work – Gabby
- L.A. Blues-Orchestra
- With Every Breath I Take – Stone and Bobbi
- Funny – Stine
- I'm Nothing Without You – Stone, Stine and Gabby
- Epilogue: Theme from City Of Angels
- Double Talk Walk (Curtain Call)
Broadway cast and characters
- Gregg EdelmanGregg EdelmanGregg Edelman is an American movie, television and theatre actor.Edelman was born in Chicago, Illinois, attended Niles North High School, where he starred as Lil' Abner opposite future soap star Nancy Lee Grahn, and was trained at Northwestern University...
- Stine (Hollywood) - James NaughtonJames NaughtonJames Naughton is an American director, theater, film and television actor.-Early life:Naughton was born in Middletown, Connecticut, the son of Rosemary and Joseph Naughton, both of whom were teachers He is the brother of actor David Naughton.-Career:Naughton graduated from Brown University and...
- Stone (Movie) - Rene AuberjonoisRene AuberjonoisRené Murat Auberjonois is an American actor, known for portraying Father Mulcahy in the movie version of M*A*S*H and for creating a number of characters in long-running television series, including Clayton Endicott III on Benson , Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Chef Louis in The Little...
- Irwin S. Irving (Movie) / Buddy Fidler (Hollywood) - Shawn ElliottShawn ElliottShawn Elliott is an actor. He is known for his role as Eduardo Fernandez, father of Alex and Gaby Fernandez on the TV show Ghostwriter. His most recent role was on the TV show Kidnapped.-External links:...
- Munoz(Movie) / Pancho Vargas(Hollywood) - Randy GraffRandy GraffRandy Graff is an American actress. Graff has been in feature films such as Keys to Tulsa and Rent as well as being in television shows such as NBC's Law & Order a number of times. In addition to film and television, Graff has been in several Broadway shows...
- Oolie (Movie) / Donna (Hollywood) - Dee HotyDee HotyDee Hoty is an American musical theatre actress. Over the course of her career, she has appeared in numerous high-profile Broadway productions and earned multiple Tony nominations for her performances.-Biography:...
- Alaura Kingsley (Movie) / Carla Haywood (Hollywood) - Kay McClelland - Bobbi (Movie) / Gabby (Hollywood)
- Rachel YorkRachel YorkRachel York is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in City of Angels, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Les Misérables, Victor Victoria, Kiss Me, Kate, Sly Fox, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels...
- Mallory (Movie) / Avril (Hollywood)
Recordings
There are recordings of the original Broadway cast on Sony (ASIN: B00000272K), released on February 9, 1990, and the London original cast on RCA (ASIN: B000003FN9), released October 12, 1993Awards and nominations
Tony AwardTony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
WINNERS
- Best Musical
- Best Original Score
- Best Book of a Musical
- Best Actor in a Musical (James Naughton)
- Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Randy Graff)
- Best Scenic Design
Nominations
- Best Actor in a Musical (Gregg Edelman)
- Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Rene Auberjonois)
- Best Costume Design (Florence Klotz)
- Best Lighting Design (Paul Gallo)
- Best Direction of a Musical (Michael Blakemore)
Drama Desk Awards
- Outstanding Musical (winner)
- Outstanding Book of a Musical (winner)
- Outstanding Lyrics David Zippel (winner)
- Outstanding MusicDrama Desk Award for Outstanding MusicThe Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music is an annual award presented by the Drama Desk, a committee comprising New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors...
Cy Coleman (winner) - Outstanding Set Design (winner)
- Outstanding Costume Design (nominee)
- Outstanding Lighting Design (nominee)
- Outstanding Actor in a Musical James Naughton (winner)
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical René Auberjonois (nominee)
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Randy Graff (winner)
- Outstanding Director of a MusicalMichael Blakemore (nominee)
- Outstanding Orchestration(winner)
Gelbart received a 1990 Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
for Best Play.
Olivier Awards
- The American Express Award for Best New Musical (WINNER)
- Best Director of a Musical (nominee)
- Best Actor in a Musical Roger Allam (nominee)
- Best Actress in a Musical Haydn Gwynne (nominee)
- Best Supporting Performance in a Musical Henry Goodman (nominee)