New York City’s “Encores” is a wildly popular series of semi-staged musicals. The emphasis is on shows that don’t regularly find their way back on Broadway in big lavish revivals. Los Angeles used to have its own version called “Reprise.” The program ran for 14 years before ending after the 2010-2011 season. Now welcome back Reprise 2.0. The inaugural season for this new iteration of Reprise begins this week with a semi-staged production of the Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields and Neil Simon musical Sweet Charity. The performances will be held at the Freud Playhouse at UCLA.
This musical, which had its Broadway debut in 1966, was based on the Federico Fellini movie Nights of Cabiria. The show was conceived, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse. Starring as Charity was his wife and muse, Gwen Verdon. Fosse went on to direct the 1969 film version starring Shirley MacLaine. The musical was revived in 1986 with Debbie Allen. Another Broadway revival was mounted in 2005 with Christina Applegate. In 2016 an off-Broadway production was presented with Sutton Foster in the title role.
Sweet Charity tells the story of a dancer-for-hire who dreams of leaving her dance hall days behind and falling in real love. Laura Bell Bundy (Legally Blonde) plays Charity in these shows and Barrett Foa (NCIS: Los Angeles) plays Oscar, the man who might just be the perfect match. Kathleen Marshall, who has three Tony Awards for her choreography for Anything Goes, The Pajama Game and Wonderful Town, directs and choreographs this production. Look for our interview with Marshall here.
Photo by Tom Drucker