Peggy Sue Got Married (musical)

Last updated
Peggy Sue Got Married
Peggy Sue Got Married (musical) 2001.jpg
Promotional poster
Music Bob Gaudio
LyricsJerry Leichtling
Book Arlene Sarner
Jerry Leichtling
Basis Peggy Sue Got Married
Productions2001 West End

Peggy Sue Got Married is a 2001 musical adapted from the 1986 Francis Ford Coppola film of the same name. [1] The musical shares the same storyline as the movie, following a 42-year-old woman as she travels back in time to relive certain high school experiences. [2]

Contents

The book was written by Arlene Sarner and Jerry Leichtling, with music composed by Bob Gaudio, and lyrics by Jerry Leichtling. The musical opened in the West End theatres of London in August 2001, with Ruthie Henshall starring as Peggy Sue; other actors included Tim Howar, Gavin Lee, and Andrew Kennedy. [3] Ruthie Henshall received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical in the role of Peggy Sue. The production runs for two hour and thirty minutes, with one intermission.

Storyline

Peggy Sue is reevaluating her life at 42 years old due to an awaiting divorce with her cheating husband, who she has been with since he got her pregnant in high school. Upon going to a 25 year high school reunion, she travels back in time to 1960, when she was 17 years old. Even though she is back in her 17 year old body, she still has her same 42 year old mind, memories, and maturity. She takes this opportunity to relive her youth and do all the things she regrets not doing. She parties, tells her parents that she loves them, and talks to the school geek about his future success in life. Ultimately, she must choose to either go down the same path, or pursue her high school heart throb, Michael. [4]

Production

The musical opened in the West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre on August 20, 2001, and closed on October 13, 2001. [5] The mostly positive reviews praised Henshall's performance. [4] [6] Its early closing has been attributed to the reduced numbers of people visiting London after the events of 9/11; [7] during the time, many theatrical shows in West End also performed poorly. [8]

Cast and characters

Main characters [9]

CharacterRoleActor/Actress
Peggy SueMain Character Ruthie Henshall
CharliePeggy Sue's HusbandAndrew Kennedy
MichaelHigh School Heartthrob Tim Howar
RichardHigh School Nerd Gavin Lee
EvelynSara Weymouth
DougGerard Bentall
DeloresMelanie Marcus

Other characters

Miss Grano, Danny, Arthur, Mr. Kalodney, Walter, Joe, Linda, Maddy, Carol, School Nurse, and Jack.

Other cast

Gerard Bentall, Verity Bentham, Dawn Buckland, Chris Crompton, Samuel James, Melanie Marcus, Dean Maynard, Melitsa Nicola, Stuart Nurse, Paul Peacock, Richard Peakman, Wayne Perrey, Andrew Playfoot, Neil Reynolds, Tanya Robb, Vicki Simon, Donna Steele, Scarlett Strallen, Sam Strasfeld, Lucy Moorby, Pippa Gebette, Shirley Hafey, Terence Hillyer, Ian Waller, Francesca Newitt.

Design: Ruari Murchison

Lighting Design: Mark Jonathan

Sound: Rick Clarke

Musical Arrangements: Gary Hind

Choreographer: Sergio Trujillo [4]

Songs

Related Research Articles

<i>Chicago</i> (musical) 1975 musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb

Chicago is a 1975 American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. Set in Chicago in the jazz age, the musical is based on a 1926 play of the same title by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, about actual criminals and crimes on which she reported. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal".

<i>Peggy Sue Got Married</i> 1986 film by Francis Ford Coppola

Peggy Sue Got Married is a 1986 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola starring Kathleen Turner as a woman on the verge of a divorce, who finds herself transported back to the days of her senior year in high school in 1960. The film was written by husband-and-wife team Jerry Leichtling and Arlene Sarner.

Lesley Garrett, CBE is an English soprano singer, musician, broadcaster and media personality. She is noted for being at home in opera and "crossover music".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruthie Henshall</span> English entertainer

Valentine Ruth Henshall, known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End debut in Cats in 1987. A five-time Olivier Award nominee, she won the 1995 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Amalia Balash in the London revival of She Loves Me (1994).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaftesbury Theatre</span> Theatre in London, England

The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden. It opened in 1911 as the New Prince's Theatre, with a capacity of 2,500. The current capacity is 1,416. The title "Shaftesbury Theatre" belonged to another theatre lower down the avenue between 1888 and 1941. The Prince's adopted the name in 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Reinking</span> American actress, dancer, and choreographer (1949–2020)

Ann Reinking was an American dancer, actress, choreographer, and singer. She worked predominantly in musical theater, starring in Broadway productions such as Coco (1969), Over Here! (1974), Goodtime Charley (1975), Chicago (1977), Dancin' (1978), and Sweet Charity (1986).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enda Markey</span>

Enda Markey is an Irish-born, Sydney-based, theatrical producer and former singer and actor. He is the producer of the stage productions Side by Side by Sondheim and the international tour of Boublil and Schonberg's Do You Hear The People Sing?, and the Australian revival of Willy Russell's Blood Brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Lopes</span> British art curator (born 1978)

Laura Rose Lopes is an English art curator. She is the daughter of Andrew Parker Bowles and Queen Camilla, thus making her the stepdaughter of King Charles III.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas Henshall</span> Scottish actor

Douglas “Dougie” James Henshall is a Scottish television, film and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as Professor Nick Cutter in the science fiction series Primeval (2007–2011) and Detective Inspector Jimmy Pérez in the crime drama Shetland (2013–2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia McKenzie</span> English actress, presenter, director, writer

Julia Kathleen Nancy McKenzie is an English actress, singer, presenter, and theatre director. She has premièred leading roles written by both Alan Ayckbourn and Stephen Sondheim. On television, she is known for her BAFTA Award nominated role as Hester Fields in the sitcom Fresh Fields (1984–1986) and its sequel French Fields (1989–1991), and as Miss Marple in Agatha Christie's Marple (2009–2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Howar</span> Canadian-born actor and singer

Timothy Howar is a Canadian-born British actor and singer with the pop-rock band Mike + The Mechanics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jemima (cat)</span> Main character in the musical "Cats"

Jemima is a principal character in the musical Cats, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on the poetry of T. S. Eliot. The youngest member of the Jellicle cats, she is idealistic and very accepting of others. She becomes the first cat to accept the outcast Grizabella back into the tribe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Ellis</span> English actress and singer (born 1979)

Kerry Jane Ellis is an English actress and singer who is best known for her work in musical theatre and subsequent crossover into music. Born and raised in Suffolk, Ellis began performing at an early age before training at Laine Theatre Arts from the age of 16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samantha Barks</span> Manx actress and singer

Samantha Jane Barks is a Manx actress and singer who rose to fame after placing third in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008. She has released three studio albums: Looking in Your Eyes (2007), Samantha Barks (2016), and Into the Unknown (2021), and made her film debut as Éponine in the Tom Hooper-directed Les Misérables in 2012. Her performance in the film won her the Empire Award for Best Female Newcomer and a shared National Board of Review Award with the film's cast.

Anna-Jane Casey is an English singer, dancer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre.

The WhatsOnStage Awards, founded in 2001 as the Theatregoers' Choice Awards, are a fan-driven set of awards organised by the theatre website WhatsOnStage.com, based on a popular vote recognising performers and productions of English theatre, with an emphasis on London's West End theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruthie Ann Miles</span> American actress

Ruthie Ann Miles is an American actress and singer, best known for her roles in musical theatre, especially in The King and I and Here Lies Love, and on television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine Allado</span> Filipina-British actress and singer

Christine Marie Allado is a Filipina-British actress and singer. She is best known for her performance in the role of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in the multi Tony and Olivier award-winning West End Production of Hamilton: An American Musical and for starring as Vanessa in the multi Olivier award-winning West End production of In The Heights, both by Lin Manuel Miranda. Her television credits include starring in the BBC's 60th anniversary production of West Side Story as the lead role of Maria and Jasmine in Hallmark Channel's TV film Royal Hearts, as Agent Beverly Walker for The Accidental Spy. She is currently starring in “The Prince of Egypt” musical at the Dominion Theatre in the West End.

<i>& Juliet</i> 2019 jukebox musical

& Juliet is a 2019 coming-of-age jukebox musical featuring the music of Swedish pop songwriter Max Martin, with a book by David West Read. The story focuses on a "what if" scenario, where Juliet does not die at the end of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Miriam-Teak Lee is an English actress. She is known for her role as Juliet Capulet in & Juliet, for which she won a 2020 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.

References

  1. Morley, Sheridan (29 August 2001). "London Theater: Peggy Sue Gets Married Again". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  2. Billington, Michael (21 August 2001). "Peggy Sue Got Married". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  3. Paddock, Terri (21 August 2001). "Peggy Sue Got Married". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Loveridge, Lizzie (2001). "Peggy Sue Got Married - the Musical". CurtainUp. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  5. Webb, Paul (1 October 2001). "West End's Shaftesbury Divorces Musical Peggy Sue, Oct. 13". Playbill. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  6. Spencer, Charles (22 August 2001). "Ruthie triumphs over cliches". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  7. "Lack of tourists forces Peggy-Sue closure". The Guardian. 1 October 2001. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  8. Kennedy, Ingrid (7 October 2001). "The Interview: Ruthie Henshall". The Independent. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  9. Wolf, Matt (4 September 2001). "Peggy Sue Got Married". Variety. Retrieved 30 May 2023.