Click here to read the full article.
Lionel Richie soared. Pat Benatar roared. Duran Duran stumbled but stayed sophisticated. Eminem was Eminem.
The four acts found very different ways to celebrate on Saturday night, but all can now say they’re Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. So are Carly Simon, Eurythmics, Harry Belafonte, Judas Priest and Dolly Parton, who gave the honor an enthusiastic embrace after temporarily turning it down.
The first act inducted at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles after a memorable speech from a shaven-headed Robert Downey Jr., Duran Duran took the stage and launched into their 1981 breakthrough hit “Girls on Film.”
The shrieking crowd was there for it, but the music wasn’t. The band was all but inaudible other than singer Simon Le Bon, whose vocals were essentially a cappella.
It was a fun if inauspicious beginning to a mostly slick and often triumphant show.
Lionel Richie soared. Pat Benatar roared. Duran Duran stumbled but stayed sophisticated. Eminem was Eminem.
The four acts found very different ways to celebrate on Saturday night, but all can now say they’re Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. So are Carly Simon, Eurythmics, Harry Belafonte, Judas Priest and Dolly Parton, who gave the honor an enthusiastic embrace after temporarily turning it down.
The first act inducted at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles after a memorable speech from a shaven-headed Robert Downey Jr., Duran Duran took the stage and launched into their 1981 breakthrough hit “Girls on Film.”
The shrieking crowd was there for it, but the music wasn’t. The band was all but inaudible other than singer Simon Le Bon, whose vocals were essentially a cappella.
It was a fun if inauspicious beginning to a mostly slick and often triumphant show.
- 11/7/2022
- by the Associated Press
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: A five-part video and podcast series celebrating the life and career of Broadway composer Lucy Simon – one of the final projects the sister of Carly Simon worked on prior to her death last week – launches today on YouTube and the Broadway Podcast Network.
Celebrating Lucy Simon was announced and released today by Broadway Podcast Network Co-Founders Dori Berinstein and Alan Seales. The series will feature never-before-heard stories from The Secret Garden composer Simon herself, as well as from such collaborators as Judy Collins, Marshall Brickman, Marsha Norman, Victoria Clark, and others.
The series will also include new performances by Broadway stars Sierra Boggess, Funny Girl‘s Ramin Karimloo, The Secret Garden original stars Daisy Eagan and John Cameron Mitchell, and others. Eagan, Boggess and Karimloo performed in two New York concert versions of The Secret Garden in 2016. Songs to be performed on the new series will include the musical’s “Wick,...
Celebrating Lucy Simon was announced and released today by Broadway Podcast Network Co-Founders Dori Berinstein and Alan Seales. The series will feature never-before-heard stories from The Secret Garden composer Simon herself, as well as from such collaborators as Judy Collins, Marshall Brickman, Marsha Norman, Victoria Clark, and others.
The series will also include new performances by Broadway stars Sierra Boggess, Funny Girl‘s Ramin Karimloo, The Secret Garden original stars Daisy Eagan and John Cameron Mitchell, and others. Eagan, Boggess and Karimloo performed in two New York concert versions of The Secret Garden in 2016. Songs to be performed on the new series will include the musical’s “Wick,...
- 10/25/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Carly Simon’s family was struck with tragedy last week when both of her sisters tragically passed away.
Carly’s sister Joanna, an opera singer, died from breast cancer at the age of 85 last Wednesday.
Lucy Simon, a Broadway composer, died from thyroid cancer at 82 the next day.
In Memoriam 2022: 100 Great Celebrities Who Died This Year!
The hit pop star also made a statement confirming their passing and remembering her talented family.
“Their loss will be long and haunting,” Simon said. “We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each-other’s secret shares. The co-keeper’s of each other’s memories.”
Joanna Simon was born on October 20, 1936 in The Bronx. She was huge figure in the New York Opera scene from her debut as Cherubino in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in 1962, and was also known for...
Carly’s sister Joanna, an opera singer, died from breast cancer at the age of 85 last Wednesday.
Lucy Simon, a Broadway composer, died from thyroid cancer at 82 the next day.
In Memoriam 2022: 100 Great Celebrities Who Died This Year!
The hit pop star also made a statement confirming their passing and remembering her talented family.
“Their loss will be long and haunting,” Simon said. “We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each-other’s secret shares. The co-keeper’s of each other’s memories.”
Joanna Simon was born on October 20, 1936 in The Bronx. She was huge figure in the New York Opera scene from her debut as Cherubino in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in 1962, and was also known for...
- 10/24/2022
- by Jacob Linden
- Uinterview
Carly Simon is paying a touching tribute to her late sisters, Joanna and Lucy.
The iconic “You’re So Vain” singer lost both of her siblings within just one day of each other, after Joanna died Wednesday from thyroid cancer and Lucy on Thursday following a long battle with breast cancer.
Read More: Carly Simon’s Sisters, Lucy And Joanna Simon, Die One Day Apart Of Each Other
“I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting,” said Carly, in a statement shared with Deadline. “As sad as this day is, it’s impossible to mourn them without celebrating their incredible lives that they lived.”
Carly continued, “We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each others secret shares. The co-keepers of each other’s memories.
The iconic “You’re So Vain” singer lost both of her siblings within just one day of each other, after Joanna died Wednesday from thyroid cancer and Lucy on Thursday following a long battle with breast cancer.
Read More: Carly Simon’s Sisters, Lucy And Joanna Simon, Die One Day Apart Of Each Other
“I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting,” said Carly, in a statement shared with Deadline. “As sad as this day is, it’s impossible to mourn them without celebrating their incredible lives that they lived.”
Carly continued, “We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each others secret shares. The co-keepers of each other’s memories.
- 10/23/2022
- by Sarah Curran
- ET Canada
Singer Carly Simon has paid tribute to her elder sisters, Lucy and Joanna, after they both passed away from cancer one day apart.
Simon’s oldest sister, Joanna, died of thyroid cancer on Wednesday (19 October), at the age of 85. Lucy died the following day of metastatic breast cancer, aged 82.
In a statement to People, Simon said the loss of her “incredible” siblings will be “long and haunting”.
“I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting,” Simon said.
“As sad as this day is, it’s impossible to mourn them without celebrating their incredible lives that they lived.
“We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each other’s secret shares. The co-keepers of each other’s memories.”
The sisters used to perform together in a...
Simon’s oldest sister, Joanna, died of thyroid cancer on Wednesday (19 October), at the age of 85. Lucy died the following day of metastatic breast cancer, aged 82.
In a statement to People, Simon said the loss of her “incredible” siblings will be “long and haunting”.
“I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting,” Simon said.
“As sad as this day is, it’s impossible to mourn them without celebrating their incredible lives that they lived.
“We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each other’s secret shares. The co-keepers of each other’s memories.”
The sisters used to perform together in a...
- 10/23/2022
- by Saman Javed
- The Independent - Music
Carly Simon paid tribute to her two older sisters Saturday after they both died of cancer a day apart.
Joanna Simon, a renowned opera singer, died Wednesday of thyroid cancer at the age of 85. The following day, Lucy Simon, a Broadway composer who also performed in a Sixties folk duo with Carly, died at 82 following a bout with metastatic breast cancer.
“I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting,” Carly Simon said in a statement Saturday...
Joanna Simon, a renowned opera singer, died Wednesday of thyroid cancer at the age of 85. The following day, Lucy Simon, a Broadway composer who also performed in a Sixties folk duo with Carly, died at 82 following a bout with metastatic breast cancer.
“I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting,” Carly Simon said in a statement Saturday...
- 10/23/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Pop superstar Carly Simon paid tribute to her sisters – opera singer Joanna Simon and Broadway composer Lucy Simon – who each died of cancer last week within one day of the other.
In a statement obtained by Deadline, Carly says:
I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting. As sad as this day is, it’s impossible to mourn them without celebrating their incredible lives that they lived.
We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each others secret shares. The co-keepers of each other’s memories. I have no words to explain the feeling of suddenly being the only remaining direct offspring of Richard and Andrea Simon.
They touched everyone they knew and those of us they’ve left behind will be lucky and honored to carry their memories forward.
In a statement obtained by Deadline, Carly says:
I am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of Joanna and Lucy Simon. Their loss will be long and haunting. As sad as this day is, it’s impossible to mourn them without celebrating their incredible lives that they lived.
We were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each others secret shares. The co-keepers of each other’s memories. I have no words to explain the feeling of suddenly being the only remaining direct offspring of Richard and Andrea Simon.
They touched everyone they knew and those of us they’ve left behind will be lucky and honored to carry their memories forward.
- 10/23/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Meghan Trainor opened up to Chris Wallace in an emotional interview about her struggles with anxiety and vocal surgery, culminating with the veteran journalist reaching across the table, taking her hand and telling her to believe in herself.
The singer recounted on Friday’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” the major roadblocks she faced following the success of her hit single “All About That Bass,” from doors closing rather than opening to surgery that could have ended her career for good.
Between surgeries required to repair a vocal cord hemorrhage, Trainor says she began experiencing debilitating panic attacks. She began to tear up when Wallace rolled a clip of one that began during a live taping of the Grammy nominations she was co-hosting: “I remember losing vision. I was trying not to faint.”
Trainor recalled thinking to herself, “Just don’t pass out on TV right now.” As soon as the cameras were off,...
The singer recounted on Friday’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” the major roadblocks she faced following the success of her hit single “All About That Bass,” from doors closing rather than opening to surgery that could have ended her career for good.
Between surgeries required to repair a vocal cord hemorrhage, Trainor says she began experiencing debilitating panic attacks. She began to tear up when Wallace rolled a clip of one that began during a live taping of the Grammy nominations she was co-hosting: “I remember losing vision. I was trying not to faint.”
Trainor recalled thinking to herself, “Just don’t pass out on TV right now.” As soon as the cameras were off,...
- 10/23/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
Josephine Melville, an actress and filmmaker known for her roles in the British soap opera “EastEnders” and “Prime Suspect 2,” died backstage Thursday evening after performing in the play “Nine Night.” She was 61.
Melville received “immediate assistance” from Nottingham Playhouse first aid staff, an audience member and paramedics who arrived shortly thereafter, according to a press release. “She was quickly and expertly treated but sadly she passed away at the scene,” it read. No cause of death was revealed.
“The entire company, and staff at both theatres are in a state of shock,” said the statement of Leeds Playhouse and Nottingham Playhouse, co-producers of the show. “Josephine was a truly wonderful and well-loved person, a revered and deeply respected performer, director, producer, archivist and writer, and a tremendous Auntie Maggie in ‘Nine Night.’ We are offering our full support to her family, our onstage and production crew and all staff at this awful time.
Melville received “immediate assistance” from Nottingham Playhouse first aid staff, an audience member and paramedics who arrived shortly thereafter, according to a press release. “She was quickly and expertly treated but sadly she passed away at the scene,” it read. No cause of death was revealed.
“The entire company, and staff at both theatres are in a state of shock,” said the statement of Leeds Playhouse and Nottingham Playhouse, co-producers of the show. “Josephine was a truly wonderful and well-loved person, a revered and deeply respected performer, director, producer, archivist and writer, and a tremendous Auntie Maggie in ‘Nine Night.’ We are offering our full support to her family, our onstage and production crew and all staff at this awful time.
- 10/22/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
Carly Simon is in mourning after both of her sisters — the Broadway composer, Lucy Simon, and former opera singer, Joanna Simon — died this week just one day apart of each other.
According to multiple reports, the “You’re So Vain” singer’s two sisters — whose father, Richard Simon, was the publishing magnate and co-founder of publishing giant Simon & Schuster — died from cancer. Joanna died Wednesday from thyroid cancer and Lucy on Thursday following a long battle with breast cancer. Joanna was 85 and Lucy 82, respectively. It’s been reported that Joanna died in a Manhattan hospital while Lucy died at her home in Piedmont, New York.
Lucy and Carly got their start in music as the folk singing duo The Simon Sisters. They would go on to release the song “Wynken, Blynken & Nod,” which charted at No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. Carly’s career would eventually take off, and she...
According to multiple reports, the “You’re So Vain” singer’s two sisters — whose father, Richard Simon, was the publishing magnate and co-founder of publishing giant Simon & Schuster — died from cancer. Joanna died Wednesday from thyroid cancer and Lucy on Thursday following a long battle with breast cancer. Joanna was 85 and Lucy 82, respectively. It’s been reported that Joanna died in a Manhattan hospital while Lucy died at her home in Piedmont, New York.
Lucy and Carly got their start in music as the folk singing duo The Simon Sisters. They would go on to release the song “Wynken, Blynken & Nod,” which charted at No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. Carly’s career would eventually take off, and she...
- 10/22/2022
- by Sarah Curran
- ET Canada
In a very sad development, Carly Simon lost both of her sisters this week, with Broadway composer Lucy Simon dying of breast cancer Thursday and former opera singer Joanna Simon passing from thyroid cancer on Wednesday.
Both deaths were confirmed by a source close to pop superstar Carly. Lucy Simon was 82, Joanna Simon was 84.
Born into wealth and a rarified atmosphere of celebrity and literati to Simon & Schuster publisher Richard Simon and wife Andrea, the Simon sisters – their brother Peter was the youngest sibling – would all find their ways to success in professional music careers.
Lucy entered show business in the early 1960s when she and Carly formed the folk singing duo The Simon Sisters, performing in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and New York City’s Greenwich Village. In 1964, the sisters recorded and released the song “Wynken, Blynken & Nod” to moderate success.
Within 10 years Carly Simon would become one of pop music...
Both deaths were confirmed by a source close to pop superstar Carly. Lucy Simon was 82, Joanna Simon was 84.
Born into wealth and a rarified atmosphere of celebrity and literati to Simon & Schuster publisher Richard Simon and wife Andrea, the Simon sisters – their brother Peter was the youngest sibling – would all find their ways to success in professional music careers.
Lucy entered show business in the early 1960s when she and Carly formed the folk singing duo The Simon Sisters, performing in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and New York City’s Greenwich Village. In 1964, the sisters recorded and released the song “Wynken, Blynken & Nod” to moderate success.
Within 10 years Carly Simon would become one of pop music...
- 10/21/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Lucy Simon, a Tony-nominated Broadway composer best known for “The Secret Garden” and the older sister of pop singer Carly Simon, died Thursday following a long battle with breast cancer. She was 82.
Her family said she died at her home in Piedmont, New York.
Simon was only the third female composer to have a production on Broadway with “The Secret Garden,” a musical based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. She composed the music with the book and lyrics by Marsha Norman.
In 1991 “The Secret Garden” was nominated for six Tony Awards, including nominations for Best Original Score for Simon and Norman, winning two. The musical ran for 709 performances on Broadway.
Simon also composed the music for the 2011 musical “Doctor Zhivago.”
Also Read:
‘Topdog/Underdog’ Broadway Review: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Corey Hawkins Create Sparks
Born in 1940 in New York City, Simon began performing as a folk duo with her younger sister,...
Her family said she died at her home in Piedmont, New York.
Simon was only the third female composer to have a production on Broadway with “The Secret Garden,” a musical based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. She composed the music with the book and lyrics by Marsha Norman.
In 1991 “The Secret Garden” was nominated for six Tony Awards, including nominations for Best Original Score for Simon and Norman, winning two. The musical ran for 709 performances on Broadway.
Simon also composed the music for the 2011 musical “Doctor Zhivago.”
Also Read:
‘Topdog/Underdog’ Broadway Review: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Corey Hawkins Create Sparks
Born in 1940 in New York City, Simon began performing as a folk duo with her younger sister,...
- 10/21/2022
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Lucy Simon, the composer and sister of pop superstar Carly Simon who received a Tony nomination in 1991 for her work on the long-running Broadway musical The Secret Garden, has died. She was 82.
Simon died Thursday at her home in Piedmont, New York, after a long battle with breast cancer, a family spokesperson announced.
She and Carly began their careers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, as The Simon Sisters, and their folk act opened for the likes of The Tarriers in Greenwich Village nightclubs. Their recording of “Wynken, Blynken & Nod” reached No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964.
Lucy Simon became the rare female composer to have a show on Broadway when The Secret Garden debuted in April 1991. Starring Rebecca Luker, Mandy Patinkin, Alison Fraser and Daisy Eagan and based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved children’s novel, the musical ran for 709 performances on Broadway, won...
Lucy Simon, the composer and sister of pop superstar Carly Simon who received a Tony nomination in 1991 for her work on the long-running Broadway musical The Secret Garden, has died. She was 82.
Simon died Thursday at her home in Piedmont, New York, after a long battle with breast cancer, a family spokesperson announced.
She and Carly began their careers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, as The Simon Sisters, and their folk act opened for the likes of The Tarriers in Greenwich Village nightclubs. Their recording of “Wynken, Blynken & Nod” reached No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964.
Lucy Simon became the rare female composer to have a show on Broadway when The Secret Garden debuted in April 1991. Starring Rebecca Luker, Mandy Patinkin, Alison Fraser and Daisy Eagan and based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved children’s novel, the musical ran for 709 performances on Broadway, won...
- 10/21/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The world's leading theatrical publishing and licensing company, Samuel French, announced today that The Secret Garden writing team Lucy Simon amp Marsha Norman, Doug Wright, and Antoinette Nwandu will be honored at the third annual Samuel French Awards. A special acknowledgement will also go to Heidi Ettinger, originating producer and Tony Award-winning set designer of The Secret Garden. Created to recognize the great work and unparalleled passion of theatre artists, as well as applaud their significant contributions to the industry, the Samuel French Awards will be presented in a private ceremony on Monday, October 29, 2018.
- 10/31/2018
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Producers Gerald Goehring and Michael F. Mitri announced today the cast for the lab of the highly-anticipated Broadway revival of the Tony Award-winning musical, The Secret Garden. With book and lyrics by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman, music by Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon and based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden will be directed, choreographed, and reimagined for a new generation by Tony Award winner Warren Carlyle. The lab will be held from May 19 through June 8.
- 5/9/2018
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Producers Gerald Goehring and Michael F. Mitri announced today that the highly anticipated, first-ever Broadway revival of the Tony Award-winning musical, The Secret Garden, will open next season. With book and lyrics by Tony Award winner Marsha Norman and music by Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon, The Secret Garden will be directed, choreographed, and reimagined for a new generation by Tony Award winner Warren Carlyle.
- 2/12/2018
- by Alan Henry
- BroadwayWorld.com
Today in 1991, The Secret Garden opened at the St. James Theatre, where it ran for 709 performances.The Secret Garden is a musical based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The musical's book and lyrics are by Marsha Norman, with music by Lucy Simon. Directed by Susan H. Schulman with choreography by Michael Lichtefeld, the cast featured Daisy Eagan, Mandy Patinkin, and Rebecca Luker. It won the 1991 Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical Daisy Eagan, and Best Scenic Design Heidi Landesman.
- 4/25/2016
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
“Les Misérables,” “The Secret Garden,” a feature film, and a fun commercial are all available for the auditioning this weekend. Check them out below! “Les MISÉRABLES”Do you hear the actors sing? The Broadway production of “Les Mis,” aided by Tara Rubin Casting, welcomes 11 male and eight female singers for the March 16 audition. As the casting notice points out, this entire show is sung! Performers with strong voices and a foundation of training are encouraged to submit themselves. “Land Of Nod”“A mother’s sudden illness forces her to reveal a secret to her children that will unite them and send them on a mythical adventure that will change the world.” How cool does that sound? This feature film from Co-operative Studios combines family and fantasy adventure, and CD Torro Crossley needs dozens of fun roles filled. Auditions take place March 12 in Altamonte Springs, Florida, with shooting scheduled for late spring.
- 3/4/2016
- backstage.com
Friends in Theater Company and State of Play Productions' The Secret Garden, a Broadway benefit for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, presented the first of two sold-out performances last night, January 11, at 730 p.m. at the Lucille Lortel Theater. The fully staged production was led by Rebecca Luker as Lily, Gabriella Pizzolo as Mary, and Bradley Dean as Archie with Tom Deckman, Ali Ewoldt, Frances Mercanti-Anthony, Bill Nolte, Eli Tokash, Max von Essen, and Cortney Wolfson. Additionally, composer Lucy Simon and original cast member Daisy Egan co-hosted the night. BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out photos from the curtain call and after partybelow...
- 1/12/2016
- by Jessica Fallon Gordon
- BroadwayWorld.com
The new Broadway musical Doctor Zhivago, which opened at the Broadway Theatre on April 21st, 2015, recorded its cast album on Thursday, May 28th. Authors include composer Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyricists Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Amy Powers the two multi-platinum Sunset Boulevard hits and book writer Michael Weller screenwriter for Hair and Ragtime. Check out photos from the recording session below...
- 5/30/2015
- by Genevieve Rafter Keddy
- BroadwayWorld.com
Independent film producer and CEO of Branded Pictures Entertainment J. Todd Harris ("The Kids Are All Right," "Bottle Shock") has been feeling an easterly pull back to his theatre roots over the past year. Having started in the theatre right out of college running the repertory company TheatreWorks in Palo Alto, the producer of nearly 40 films, is now producing the stage musical adaptation of Doctor Zhivago based on the Nobel Prize-winning Boris Pasternak’s novel, which also served as the basis for the 1965 Academy Award-winning David Lean film starring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie (and Rod Steiger, Geraldine Chaplin and Tom Courtenay). I had chance to catch up with this bi-coastal whirlwind last week after he returned from the show’s opening on Broadway.
Peter Belsito : Isn’t independent film hard enough? What got you interested in Broadway?
J. Todd Harris : (laughing). I didn’t think anything could be harder than independent films, but I was wrong. The fact is my wife Amy Powers is a co-lyricist on the show and has been working on it for over a decade after its first try-out at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2005. Four years ago, we moved to Australia for our way “out of town” run and I felt I could help raise a bit of money, so I was an associate producer. When word came in last year that it was going to Broadway, I told them I thought I could raise a million dollars and serve as one of the producers.
Pb : Did you raise your share? And how does it compare to raising money for a film?
Jth : I did, and then some, from about thirty individual investors. In that sense, it’s not unlike a lot of independent films that are financed with equity. It’s a different eco-system, but the concept is pretty similar. And, just like a lot of independent films, you don’t make money up front! It’s all about ownership, so you really hope the show breaks even soon. The authors – book, lyrics, composer – all get a royalty off the top. No nonsense like the movie business. This contributes to my love for my wife.
Pb : What is the show’s budget, if I may ask?
Jth : About 15M, it’s a Big Broadway show. There are well over one hundred investors and probably 30 credited producers. When A Gentleman’s Guide to Murder won the Tony Award last year, I thought the stage was going to collapse so many producers went up to collect the award. But, you know, it takes a village. Sometimes a small city. It’s okay to reward and acknowledge the backers of a show. It’s a huge risk and without these backers we’d be a poorer culture. They’re like modern day patrons. Why not give them a moment in the sun?
Pb : How did you get the rights to Doctor Zhivago? Such a big title!
Jth : I cannot take credit for that. Composer Lucy Simon (The Secret Garden) originally got the rights well over ten years ago and started working with a creative team, but before the La Jolla production the team changed and that’s when my wife was recruited to co-write the lyrics with Michael Korie ( Grey Gardens) and joined the team that included book writer Michael Weller (Loose Ends, screenplays for Hair and Ragtime ) and director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys). Des was artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse at the time. And the show’s lead producer Anita Waxman was involved very early on providing the seed capital for La Jolla and then putting the financing together for Australia and now Broadway.
Pb : That’s a long gestation period, even compared to Hollywood, isn’t it?
Jth : It is one of the longer ones, but these things can literally take years as creative teams gel, script and music mesh, and planets align for talent, money and – not least importantly – a theatre. The strange alchemy that gets a Broadway show a greenlight isn’t all that different than the weird science of getting a big Hollywood movie off the ground.
Pb : Sounds like a lot of cooks in the kitchen.
Jth : There are, but from a producing angle, there’s usually a small group of lead producers who make the major financial decisions and every creative team finds its own rhythm. Writers and composers are accorded a lot more respect in theatre; that’s the major difference from movies.
Pb : Are you happy with how the show has come out?
Jth : Thrilled. Of course, it’s hard to claim crystal clear perspective when one is as emotionally invested in the show as I am in Doctor Zhivago, but I think the creative team has taken an epic story and distilled it to its emotional and political core. Lucy Simon has written melodies that will live forever in the musical theatre firmament. Des has done a masterful job of staging a huge and complex show. Ambition doesn’t begin to describe it. We got mixed reviews, but so did Phantom, Cats and Wicked. The final arbiter is audiences, and the dozen or so times I’ve seen the show at the Broadway Theatre, there have been copious cheers and tears.
Pb : You also did a show last year?
Jth : Yes, I was part of the producing team that developed and produced Heathers The Musical, based on the Daniel Waters script directed by Michael Lehmann back in 1988. It was a great experience working with a very tight creative and producing team. Andy Fickman directed a script, book and music by Kevin Murphy and Larry O’Keefe. It ran off Broadway for about 5 months and we hope we can adapt that to the screen and go back to Broadway.
Pb : Do you find a lot of talent crossing over from Hollywood to Broadway?
Jth : More and more, that is the case. Not just writers, directors and actors, but also material. Broadway is flooded with adaptations of movies – Aladdin is running strong, Honeymoon In Vegas recently closed, and last year Bridges of Madison County and Big Fish had nice runs on Broadways as musicals. I definitely have my eye on other fare to crossover from screen to stage.
Pb : Can you tell us what you’re working on?
Jth : Not yet, but some very recognizable titles that I think are ideal for the Great White Way.
Peter Belsito : Isn’t independent film hard enough? What got you interested in Broadway?
J. Todd Harris : (laughing). I didn’t think anything could be harder than independent films, but I was wrong. The fact is my wife Amy Powers is a co-lyricist on the show and has been working on it for over a decade after its first try-out at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2005. Four years ago, we moved to Australia for our way “out of town” run and I felt I could help raise a bit of money, so I was an associate producer. When word came in last year that it was going to Broadway, I told them I thought I could raise a million dollars and serve as one of the producers.
Pb : Did you raise your share? And how does it compare to raising money for a film?
Jth : I did, and then some, from about thirty individual investors. In that sense, it’s not unlike a lot of independent films that are financed with equity. It’s a different eco-system, but the concept is pretty similar. And, just like a lot of independent films, you don’t make money up front! It’s all about ownership, so you really hope the show breaks even soon. The authors – book, lyrics, composer – all get a royalty off the top. No nonsense like the movie business. This contributes to my love for my wife.
Pb : What is the show’s budget, if I may ask?
Jth : About 15M, it’s a Big Broadway show. There are well over one hundred investors and probably 30 credited producers. When A Gentleman’s Guide to Murder won the Tony Award last year, I thought the stage was going to collapse so many producers went up to collect the award. But, you know, it takes a village. Sometimes a small city. It’s okay to reward and acknowledge the backers of a show. It’s a huge risk and without these backers we’d be a poorer culture. They’re like modern day patrons. Why not give them a moment in the sun?
Pb : How did you get the rights to Doctor Zhivago? Such a big title!
Jth : I cannot take credit for that. Composer Lucy Simon (The Secret Garden) originally got the rights well over ten years ago and started working with a creative team, but before the La Jolla production the team changed and that’s when my wife was recruited to co-write the lyrics with Michael Korie ( Grey Gardens) and joined the team that included book writer Michael Weller (Loose Ends, screenplays for Hair and Ragtime ) and director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys). Des was artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse at the time. And the show’s lead producer Anita Waxman was involved very early on providing the seed capital for La Jolla and then putting the financing together for Australia and now Broadway.
Pb : That’s a long gestation period, even compared to Hollywood, isn’t it?
Jth : It is one of the longer ones, but these things can literally take years as creative teams gel, script and music mesh, and planets align for talent, money and – not least importantly – a theatre. The strange alchemy that gets a Broadway show a greenlight isn’t all that different than the weird science of getting a big Hollywood movie off the ground.
Pb : Sounds like a lot of cooks in the kitchen.
Jth : There are, but from a producing angle, there’s usually a small group of lead producers who make the major financial decisions and every creative team finds its own rhythm. Writers and composers are accorded a lot more respect in theatre; that’s the major difference from movies.
Pb : Are you happy with how the show has come out?
Jth : Thrilled. Of course, it’s hard to claim crystal clear perspective when one is as emotionally invested in the show as I am in Doctor Zhivago, but I think the creative team has taken an epic story and distilled it to its emotional and political core. Lucy Simon has written melodies that will live forever in the musical theatre firmament. Des has done a masterful job of staging a huge and complex show. Ambition doesn’t begin to describe it. We got mixed reviews, but so did Phantom, Cats and Wicked. The final arbiter is audiences, and the dozen or so times I’ve seen the show at the Broadway Theatre, there have been copious cheers and tears.
Pb : You also did a show last year?
Jth : Yes, I was part of the producing team that developed and produced Heathers The Musical, based on the Daniel Waters script directed by Michael Lehmann back in 1988. It was a great experience working with a very tight creative and producing team. Andy Fickman directed a script, book and music by Kevin Murphy and Larry O’Keefe. It ran off Broadway for about 5 months and we hope we can adapt that to the screen and go back to Broadway.
Pb : Do you find a lot of talent crossing over from Hollywood to Broadway?
Jth : More and more, that is the case. Not just writers, directors and actors, but also material. Broadway is flooded with adaptations of movies – Aladdin is running strong, Honeymoon In Vegas recently closed, and last year Bridges of Madison County and Big Fish had nice runs on Broadways as musicals. I definitely have my eye on other fare to crossover from screen to stage.
Pb : Can you tell us what you’re working on?
Jth : Not yet, but some very recognizable titles that I think are ideal for the Great White Way.
- 4/26/2015
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Today in 1991, The Secret Garden opened at the St. James Theatre, where it ran for 709 performances.The Secret Garden is a musical based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The musical's book and lyrics are by Marsha Norman, with music by Lucy Simon. Directed by Susan H. Schulman with choreography by Michael Lichtefeld, the cast featured Daisy Eagan, Mandy Patinkin, and Rebecca Luker. It won the 1991 Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical Daisy Eagan, and Best Scenic Design Heidi Landesman.
- 4/25/2015
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Based on Boris Pasternak's Nobel Prize-winning 20th-century epic Russian masterpiece,Doctor Zhivagois directed by Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Michael Weller Ragtime, music by Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Kelly Devine Rocky. The musical officially openedat the Broadway Theatre lastnight, April 21, 2015, and BroadwayWorld was there for the big night. Check out photos from the curtain call below...
- 4/22/2015
- by Walter McBride
- BroadwayWorld.com
It’s got more marches than “The Music Man,” more battle scenes than “La Forza del Destino,” and it must set a record for the number of gun shots and bomb detonations in a Broadway musical. If all that noise doesn’t inspire an immediate visit to the ear doctor, there’s the score by Michael Korie, Amy Powers and Lucy Simon that’s guaranteed to require it. If that opening paragraph reads like an overly critical assessment of the new musical “Doctor Zhivago,” which opened Monday at the Broadway Theatre in New York, it’s nothing compared to the...
- 4/22/2015
- by Robert Hofler
- The Wrap
Doctor Zhivago, based on Boris Pasternak's Nobel Prize-winning 20th-century epic Russian masterpiece, is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller Ragtime, music by two-time Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael KorieGrey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine Rocky. BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the production below...
- 4/19/2015
- by BroadwayWorld TV
- BroadwayWorld.com
92Y presents an evening of conversation and musical performances from the cast and creative team of the new Broadway musical Doctor Zhivago, as they discuss bringing this timeless tale of romance and revolution to the Broadway stage. Stars Tam Mutu Yurii Zhivago and Kelli Barrett Lara Guishar perform songs from the new show they also join composer Lucy Simon a two-time Grammy winner and Tony nominee for The Secret Garden and director Des McAnuff the Tony-winning director of Jersey Boys to discuss bringing Boris Pasternak's classic tale to the stage, and making Doctor Zhivago sing. The conversation is moderated by Howard Sherman, U.S. correspondent for The Stage in London.
- 4/15/2015
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Doctor Zhivago, based on Boris Pasternak's Nobel Prize-winning 20th-century epic Russian masterpiece, is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller Ragtime, music by two-time Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine Rocky. BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the production below...
- 4/15/2015
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Save 40 on Doctor Zhivago, the acclaimed creative team leading the transformation from Nobel Prize-winning novel and film classic to stage spectacular is led by two-time Tony Award-winning director Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, and features a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller Ragtime, music by two-time Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee KellyDevine Rocky.
- 4/8/2015
- by Contests - Broadway
- BroadwayWorld.com
Doctor Zhivago will begin performances on Friday, March 27, 2015, and open on Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at 630pm, at the Broadway Theatre. Doctor Zhivago is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael WellerRagtime, music by two-time Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly DevineRocky.The company just gave the press a special sneak peek of the Broadway-Bound musical, and you can check out photos of the full gang below...
- 2/28/2015
- by Walter McBride
- BroadwayWorld.com
Doctor Zhivago will begin performances on Friday, March 27, 2015, and open on Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at 630pm, at the Broadway Theatre. Doctor Zhivago is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael WellerRagtime, music by two-time Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly DevineRocky.The company just gave the press a special sneak peek of the Broadway-Bound musical, and you can check out photos of the full gang in action below...
- 2/25/2015
- by Walter McBride
- BroadwayWorld.com
Doctor Zhivago will begin performances on Friday, March 27, 2015, and open on Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at 630pm, at the Broadway Theatre. Doctor Zhivago is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller Ragtime, music by two-time Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine Rocky.The company just gave the press a special sneak peek of the Broadway-Bound musical. Check out interviews with the full cast, as well as performances by the stars below...
- 2/25/2015
- by BroadwayWorld TV
- BroadwayWorld.com
The new Broadway musical Doctor Zhivago, based on Boris Pasternak's Nobel Prize-winning 20th-century epic Russian masterpiece, will arrive on Broadway on Friday, March 27, 2015, with opening night set for Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at the Broadway Theatre 1681 Broadway. This sweeping musical romance, which revolves around five intertwined lovers set against a panoramic portrait of a nation in upheaval, is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuffJersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller Ragtime, music by Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine Rocky.Below, check out a first listen of 'Now,' featuring Tam Mutu, who is making his Broadway debut as the passionate Doctor and poet Yurii Zhivago, and Kelli Barrett Wicked as Lara. Listen to...
- 2/10/2015
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Broadway's Doctor Zhivago is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller Ragtime, music by Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine Rocky. Doctor Zhivago will begin performances on Friday, March 27, 2015, and open on Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at 630pm, at the Broadway Theatre 1681 Broadway. The company just met the press and you can check out full photo coverage from the festivities below...
- 2/10/2015
- by Walter McBride
- BroadwayWorld.com
Broadway's Doctor Zhivago is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller Ragtime, music by Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine Rocky. Doctor Zhivago will begin performances on Friday, March 27, 2015, and open on Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at 630pm, at the Broadway Theatre 1681 Broadway. The company just met the press and you can check out a photo preview of the festivities below...
- 2/9/2015
- by Walter McBride
- BroadwayWorld.com
Broadway's Doctor Zhivago is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller Ragtime, music by Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine Rocky. Doctor Zhivago will begin performances on Friday, March 27, 2015, and open on Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at 630pm, at the Broadway Theatre 1681 Broadway. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the marquee below...
- 1/30/2015
- by Walter McBride
- BroadwayWorld.com
Doctor Zhivago will begin performances on Friday, March 27, 2015, and open on Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at 630pm, at the Broadway Theatre 1681 Broadway. Doctor Zhivago is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller Ragtime, music by Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine Rocky.
- 1/14/2015
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Milos Forman was looking for the best writer to adapt the hippie anti-war musical Hair for the big screen. The Czech filmmaker already had a growing U.S. following in the wake of The Firemen’s Ball and Taking Off when 1975’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest took home five Oscars including best film and best director. And while Michael Weller had zero experience as a screenwriter, he did have a reputation for plays that cast a gimlet eye on the generation that came of age in the era of protest against the Vietnam War and for civil rights. His works included Moonchildren (1971), Loose Ends (1979) and Spoils Of War (1988), which interwove the intensely felt political and personal obsessions of Baby Boomers on the cusp of adulthood.
For Forman, Weller would write two of the most underrated films of their time, Hair (1979) and, two years later, Ragtime. Like his...
For Forman, Weller would write two of the most underrated films of their time, Hair (1979) and, two years later, Ragtime. Like his...
- 12/29/2014
- by Jeremy Gerard
- Deadline
As BroadwayWorld first reported, the new Broadway musical Doctor Zhivago, based on Boris Pasternak's Nobel Prize-winning 20th-century epic Russian masterpiece, will begin performances on Friday, March 27, 2015, and open on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at the Broadway Theatre 1681 Broadway. This sweeping musical romance, which revolves around five intertwined lovers set against a panoramic portrait of a nation in upheaval, is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff Jersey Boys, with a book by Academy Award nominee Michael Weller Ragtime, music by Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Lucy Simon The Secret Garden, lyrics by Tony Award nominee Michael Korie Grey Gardens and Emmy Award nominee Amy Powers Ella Enchanted, and choreography by Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine Rocky. Doctor Zhivago will be produced on Broadway by Anita Waxman, Tom Dokton, Latitude Link, Ted HartleyRKO Stage and Chunsoo Shin, with Joe Corcoran, J. Todd Harris, The Pelican Group and John Frost.
- 10/1/2014
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
The Russian romance of Doctor Zhivago is officially coming to Broadway with performances beginning in spring 2015. The Des McAnuff-directed production of the musical, which is based on Boris Pasternak's novel, will occupy the Broadway Theatre with previews beginning March 27, 2015. It will open April 21, 2015. McAnuff, who directed Jersey Boys, first helmed the show when it premiered at 2006 La Jolla Playhouse. It was later tinkered with and staged in 2011 in Sydney also under McAnuff. "The creators of 'Doctor Zhivago,' the musical, have apparently learned much from their 2006 run at La Jolla Playhouse, where audiences reportedly felt history dwarfed the central story,...
- 10/1/2014
- by Esther Zuckerman
- EW.com - PopWatch
Doctor Zhivago is heading to Broadway this spring. The new Broadway musical — based on Boris Pasternak’s Nobel Prize-winning 20th-century epic, which also became a beloved 1965 David Lean film — will begin previews on March 27 before an April 21 opening at the Broadway Theatre. The Russian romance centering on five intertwined lovers is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), with a book by Oscar nominee Michael Weller (Ragtime), music by Grammy winner and Tony nominee Lucy Simon (The Secret Garden), lyrics by Tony nominee Michael Korie (Grey Gardens) and Emmy nominee Amy Powers
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- 10/1/2014
- by Ashley Lee
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chicago – Taken as one complete film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” is easily the best installment of the series. By splitting J.K. Rowling’s spellbinding final book into two parts, director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves had much more time to pace each sequence and develop each character to the best of their ability. The added minutes have enabled them to deliver a rousing finale to one of the greatest franchises in history.
That being said, I freely admit that my experience of growing up with Harry Potter has contributed considerably to my impassioned involvement in the subsequent film adaptations. To say the books are better than the movies would be to miss the point entirely. Literature and cinema are entirely different languages and must be judged on their own terms. The extraordinary thing about the “Potter” films is the fact that they have continued to get better...
That being said, I freely admit that my experience of growing up with Harry Potter has contributed considerably to my impassioned involvement in the subsequent film adaptations. To say the books are better than the movies would be to miss the point entirely. Literature and cinema are entirely different languages and must be judged on their own terms. The extraordinary thing about the “Potter” films is the fact that they have continued to get better...
- 7/28/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
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