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The Red Shoes (musical)
Encyclopedia
The Red Shoes is a musical
with a book by Marsha Norman
, lyrics by Norman and Bob Merrill
(credited as Paul Stryker) and music by Jule Styne
. Based on Powell and Pressburger
's classic 1948 film adaptation of a Hans Christian Andersen
story, it tells the tale of a young girl who is unable to stop dancing when wearing a magical pair of red ballet
slippers.
, wanted the musical to essentially be a stage version of the 1948 film. However, the original director, Susan H. Schulman
, Norman, choreographer Lar Lubovitch
, and set designer Heidi Landesman felt that to follow the film closely would produce a "dull, dated show." Bob Merrill was brought in to assist in re-writing the lyrics. The Broadway
production, in 1993, was a failure, losing nearly $8 million.
and Monte Carlo
. Victoria Page is a ballet dancer with the company, which is led by Boris Lermontov. Julian Craster is an idealistic but egocentric young composer, who is in love with Victoria. Lermontov is a middle-aged impressario who wants to control Victoria, both on-stage and off. She is torn between the two men and her desire to dance, and ultimately commits suicide.
production opened at the George Gershwin Theatre
on December 16, 1993 and closed on December 19, 1993 after 51 previews and five performances. Directed by Stanley Donen and choreographed by Lar Lubovitch, the cast included Margaret Illmann
as ballerina Victoria Page, Steve Barton
(who replaced Roger Rees
during previews) as Svengali
-like Boris Lermontov, and Hugh Panaro
as Julian Craster, as well as George de la Peña
, and Leslie Browne
in supporting roles.
Act I
Act II
, reviewing for New York
magazine wrote that there were two good things about the musical; one was Margaret Illmann, who was a "marvellous dancer", although she could not sing. The other was the scenery of Heidi Landesman, who designed "inspired re-creations of known locales or inventions of unknown ones." Simon also noted that the "Red Shoes Ballet" "was still fun; it was here that Jule Styne's music, surprisingly, came to life and Lubovitch's choreography, obviously, became most unfetered."
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with a book by Marsha Norman
Marsha Norman
Marsha Norman is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. She received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play night, Mother...
, lyrics by Norman and Bob Merrill
Bob Merrill
Bob Merrill was an American songwriter, theatrical composer, lyricist, and screenwriter.Merrill was born Henry Merrill Levan in Atlantic City, New Jersey and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Following a stint with the Army during World War II, he moved to Hollywood, where he worked as a...
(credited as Paul Stryker) and music by Jule Styne
Jule Styne
Jule Styne was a British-born American songwriter especially famous for a series of Broadway musicals, which included several very well known and frequently revived shows.-Early life:...
. Based on Powell and Pressburger
Powell and Pressburger
The British film-making partnership of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, also known as The Archers, made a series of influential films in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1981 they were recognized for their contributions to British cinema with the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, the most prestigious...
's classic 1948 film adaptation of a Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
story, it tells the tale of a young girl who is unable to stop dancing when wearing a magical pair of red ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
slippers.
History
Prior to the Broadway opening, the producer, Martin Starger, fired the original director, the male lead, featured performers, and the production manager. This resulted in a delay of the opening from December 2 to December 16. Starger, Styne and the eventual director, Stanley DonenStanley Donen
Stanley Donen ; is an American film director and choreographer whose most celebrated works are Singin' in the Rain and On the Town, both of which he co-directed with Gene Kelly. His other noteworthy films include Royal Wedding, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Funny Face, Indiscreet, Damn...
, wanted the musical to essentially be a stage version of the 1948 film. However, the original director, Susan H. Schulman
Susan H. Schulman
Susan H. Schulman is an American theater director.Intent on a career as an actress, Schulman studied drama at Hofstra University in Hempstead, Long Island, New York in the 1960s. She attended Yale University on a playwrighting fellowship, graduating with a Master's Degree...
, Norman, choreographer Lar Lubovitch
Lar Lubovitch
Lar Lubovitch is an American choreographer and founded his own dance company, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968. Based in New York City, he and the company have toured worldwide....
, and set designer Heidi Landesman felt that to follow the film closely would produce a "dull, dated show." Bob Merrill was brought in to assist in re-writing the lyrics. The Broadway
Broadway 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...
production, in 1993, was a failure, losing nearly $8 million.
Synopsis
In 1921-1922 the Russian Ballet Lermontov company performs in London, ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
. Victoria Page is a ballet dancer with the company, which is led by Boris Lermontov. Julian Craster is an idealistic but egocentric young composer, who is in love with Victoria. Lermontov is a middle-aged impressario who wants to control Victoria, both on-stage and off. She is torn between the two men and her desire to dance, and ultimately commits suicide.
Production
The 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...
production opened at the George Gershwin Theatre
George Gershwin Theatre
The Gershwin Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 222 West 51st Street in midtown-Manhattan in the Paramount Plaza building. The theatre is named after composer George Gershwin and lyricist Ira Gershwin...
on December 16, 1993 and closed on December 19, 1993 after 51 previews and five performances. Directed by Stanley Donen and choreographed by Lar Lubovitch, the cast included Margaret Illmann
Margaret Illmann
Margaret L. Illmann is an Australian prima ballerina with an international career.Born in Australia, she moved to Canada to work with the National Ballet of Canada. From there her career lead her to all mayor stages in the world...
as ballerina Victoria Page, Steve Barton
Steve Barton
Steve Barton was an American actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, stage director and teacher.- Biography :Steven Neal Barton was born on June 26, 1954, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States, the youngest of three children of Tom and Mary Barton...
(who replaced Roger Rees
Roger Rees
Roger Rees is a Welsh actor. He is best known to American audiences for playing the characters Robin Colcord on the American television sitcom show Cheers and Lord John Marbury on the American television drama The West Wing...
during previews) as Svengali
Svengali
Svengali is a fictional character of George du Maurier's 1894 novel Trilby. Svengali "would either fawn or bully and could be grossly impertinent. He had a kind of cynical humour that was more offensive than amusing and always laughed at the wrong thing, at the wrong time, in the wrong place...
-like Boris Lermontov, and Hugh Panaro
Hugh Panaro
-Life and career:Panaro was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and resided in the East Oak Lane section of the city with his family. As a schoolchild, he attended St. Helena’s parochial school in the adjoining Philadelphia neighborhood of Olney. He played organ for the parish church from age twelve...
as Julian Craster, as well as George de la Peña
George de la Peña
George de la Peña is an American ballet dancer, musical theatre performer, choreographer, actor, and teacher. He was born in New York City, New York, U.S....
, and Leslie Browne
Leslie Browne
Leslie Browne is an American ballet dancer and actress.She was born Leslie Brown, the daughter of Kelly Brown and Isabel Mirrow. She had two brothers and one sister; her brother Kevin is a film producer. At the age of seven she began dancing, and would be trained at her father's studio in Arizona,...
in supporting roles.
Song list
Act I
- Swan Lake
- I Make the Rules
- The Audition
- Corps de Ballet
- When It Happens to You
- Top of the Sky
- Ballet Montage
- It's a Fairy Tale
- Be Somewhere
- The Rag
- Am I to Wish Her Love
Act II
- Do Svedanaya
- Come Home
- When You Dance for a King
- The Ballet of the Red Shoes
Response
The musical received "uniform, stake-in-the-heart" negative reviews, and lost nearly $8 million. John SimonJohn Simon (critic)
John Ivan Simon is an American author and literary, theater, and film critic.-Personal life:Simon was born in Subotica, Bačka, County of Bačka, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, later, known as Yugoslavia . He is of Hungarian descent...
, reviewing for New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine wrote that there were two good things about the musical; one was Margaret Illmann, who was a "marvellous dancer", although she could not sing. The other was the scenery of Heidi Landesman, who designed "inspired re-creations of known locales or inventions of unknown ones." Simon also noted that the "Red Shoes Ballet" "was still fun; it was here that Jule Styne's music, surprisingly, came to life and Lubovitch's choreography, obviously, became most unfetered."
Awards and nominations
- Drama Desk AwardDrama Desk AwardThe Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
for Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Illmann, nominee) - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical (De la Peña, nominee)
- Theatre World AwardTheatre World AwardThe Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
(Illmann, winner)