Congratulations to Christine Ebersole for winning the Tony for her role in Grey Gardens. I had the opportunity to see that show last November with an ATA Board Member, Janet McQuaid, when we went to New York for a conference. It’s a fantastic show and I highly recommend you see it if you get to New York. So why will it most likely NOT play the Paramount? Unless a Broadway Musical is especially designed for a small theatre, it will most likely not fit the Paramount. The sets for Grey Gardens are lavish, gorgeous and, unfortunately, large. Built as a vaudeville house in 1915 the Paramount was not designed for the large musical productions that have become the norm on Broadway.
Sidebar – I also got to see Christine Ebersole perform her cabaret act in New York in January – what a voice. That performance, however, came after a bizarre cabaret performance from Patrick Cassidy. Patrick spent much of his time on stage that day letting the audience know that he isn’t gay…Hey Patrick – no one cares. Anyway, Mr. Cassidy will be playing the Paramount on June 22 in a TexARTS presentation of Carousel. You can also see his mother, Shirley Jones, at the TexARTS event on September 21 at the Riverbend Centre.
We are thrilled to have Broadway musicals that have been produced especially for our intimate stage as part of the coming 07/08 Season including The Mikado and Damn Yankees. And while not a musical, the new play from our friends in Tuna, Texas is the highlight of the season [Tuna Does Vegas]starring Tony nominated actor Joe Sears.
Several Tony winning performers from tonight’s awards show have graced the Paramount stage including Tommy Tune, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Phylicia Rashad, and Marvin Hamlisch. (By the way, if you were at Marvin’s Paramount show – that kid he pulled up on stage wasn’t staged!) And if you watched Eddie Izzard’s hilarious Tony presentation for the Best Special Theatrical Event be sure to see Dame Edna at the Paramount in January – winner of this award in 2000 and then nominated again in 2005. Oh and our Programming Director, Lietza Brass, has been desperately trying to get Eddie Izzard to the Paramount – stay tuned!
Off-Stage with Ken Stein 