Cyrano: The Musical

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Cyrano
The Musical
CyranoTheMusical.jpg
Original Broadway Playbill
MusicAd van Dijk
LyricsKoen van Dijk (Dutch lyrics)
Peter Reeves (English lyrics)
Sheldon Harnick (additional English lyrics)
Book Koen van Dijk
Basis Cyrano de Bergerac
by Edmond Rostand
Productions1992 Amsterdam
1993 Broadway

Cyrano: The Musical is a musical with music by Ad van Dijk, an original book and lyrics (in Dutch) by Koen van Dijk. For the Broadway production, English lyrics were provided by Peter Reeves, with additional lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.

Contents

Produced by Joop van den Ende, the original Dutch production Cyrano de Musical premiered in 1992 at the Stadsschouwburg (City Theatre) in Amsterdam. It is based on Edmond Rostand's classic 1897 play of the same name focusing on a love triangle involving the large-nosed poetic Cyrano de Bergerac, his beautiful cousin Roxane, and his classically handsome but inarticulate friend Christian de Neuvillette who, unaware of Cyrano's unrequited passion for Roxane, imposes upon him to provide the romantic words he can use to woo her successfully in mid-17th century Paris.

After 38 previews, the Broadway production, directed by Eddy Habbema, opened on November 21, 1993, at the Neil Simon Theatre, where it ran for 137 performances. The cast included Bill van Dijk as Cyrano, Anne Runolfsson as Roxane, and Paul Anthony Stewart as Christian, with James Barbour and Jeff Gardner in supporting roles. Timothy Nolen played Comte de Guiche and later took over the role of Cyrano.

The production garnered Tony Award nominations for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Costume Design, and Runolfsson won the Drama League Award for her performance.

In addition to the Netherlands and the United States, the musical has been produced in Belgium, Germany, and Japan. Despite the show's critical success, no Broadway recording was ever produced.

Song list

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

YearAward ceremonyCategoryNomineeResult
1994 Tony Award Best Musical Nominated
Best Book of a Musical Koen Van DijkNominated
Best Original Score Koen Van Dijk, Peter Reeves, Sheldon Harnick, Ad Van DijkNominated
Best Costume Design Yan TaxNominated

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