Side Show | |
---|---|
Original Broadway theatre poster | |
Music | Henry Krieger |
Lyrics | Bill Russell |
Book | Bill Russell |
Basis | The lives of Daisy and Violet Hilton |
Productions | 1997 Broadway 2014 Broadway revival 2016 Off West End |
Side Show is a musical by Bill Russell (book and lyrics) and Henry Krieger (music) based on the lives of Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who became famous stage performers in the 1930s.
The musical opened October 16, 1997, on Broadway; Robert Longbottom directed and choreographed, and the cast starred Emily Skinner as Daisy and Alice Ripley as Violet. Despite receiving some positive reviews, the show closed after 91 performances. A Broadway revival opened in November 2014, and closed after 56 performances.
The Boss, the ringmaster of a sideshow, introduces the exhibits: the bearded lady, a geek, the Cannibal King, the seraglio of a Hashemite sheik, and, lastly, his star attraction, the Siamese twins ("Come Look at the Freaks"). Buddy Foster, an aspiring musician, brings Terry Connor, a talent scout for the Orpheum Circuit, to see the Siamese twins, persuading him to enter the show all the way. Coerced ominously in by the Boss, Buddy thinks he could help them create an act and convinces Terry to meet them. The two men interrupt a birthday party for the girls ("Happy Birthday To You And To You").
Terry asks their names and they respond, "I'm Daisy" and "I'm Violet". He then asks them their dreams ("Like Everyone Else"); Violet, the gentler of the two, wants a life of a husband and home; Daisy, on the other hand, seeks fame and fortune. Terry tells them he wants to help their dreams come true ("You Deserve a Better Life"). After the Boss rudely refuses Terry's offer to be cut in on the twins' potential vaudeville career ("Crazy, Deaf and Blind"), Terry devises a scheme whereby Buddy will teach the girls a song. Jake, an African-American who plays the Cannibal King in the sideshow and is the twins' friend and protector, begs them to consider what they're getting into and the whole sideshow family adds its opinion ("The Devil You Know").
Two weeks later, Terry returns to see the twins perform and Buddy tells him how the personal dynamics with the girls are getting sticky ("More Than We Bargained For"). Before their secret late-night performance, the twins confess to each other how infatuated they are with the two men who've come into their lives ("Feelings You've Got to Hide").
The Hilton Sisters' secret debut is a great success ("When I'm By Your Side"). But the Boss discovers the subterfuge and physically threatens the twins when they tell him they're leaving the sideshow. Jake comes to their rescue and the other attractions threaten to leave also, causing the Boss to back down. Daisy, Violet and Jake, whom Terry has invited to help backstage on the twins' tour, bid farewell to their sideshow family ("Say Goodbye to the Freak Show").
It's time for the twins' first public performance, and Terry invites a group of reporters together before the show ("Overnight Sensation"). Before their vaudeville debut, the twins argue about their different ways of expressing interest in men ("Leave Me Alone"). Onstage they sing "We Share Everything" in a production number featuring them as queens of ancient Egypt.
After the twins' performing triumph, Terry and Buddy shower them with kisses. Hostile reporters ask tough questions about the girls' love life ("The Interview"). Terry and Buddy deny any romantic inclinations, leaving the twins to wonder if they will ever find romantic fulfillment ("Who Will Love Me as I Am?").
The second act opens with the Hilton Sisters at the height of their success - a Follies-style production number ("Rare Songbirds on Display"). Daisy's dream of stardom has come true but Violet seems no closer to her dream of finding a husband.
At a fancy New Year's Eve party, Buddy tries to cheer up Violet and ends up proposing marriage ("New Year's Day"). Afterwards, Terry imagines what it would be like to be alone with Daisy ("Private Conversation").
In an onstage number ("One Plus One Equals Three"), Buddy, Violet and Daisy issue an upbeat invitation to their wedding. But backstage both Daisy and Buddy separately express doubts as to how the arrangement will work. Jake overhears Buddy and, in an effort to save Violet from seemingly imminent heartbreak, confesses that he has loved her for years ("You Should Be Loved").
The night before Violet and Buddy's wedding as the grand finale of the Texas Centennial, Daisy is feeling left out. To appease her, Terry suggests going where they could be more-or-less alone together ("Tunnel of Love").
The big day arrives. Hawkers sell tickets and souvenirs ("Beautiful Day for a Wedding"). But in the dressing area, complications arise. Jake announces he is leaving. Buddy confesses he's not strong enough to marry Violet. Daisy offers a solution which will ensure a movie contract dependent on the wedding publicity ("Marry Me, Terry"). Terry cannot bring himself to publicly acknowledge what he feels for Daisy. She dismisses him and insists that Violet and Buddy go through with the ceremony, which will at least benefit everyone's career. Left alone, the twins find solace in each other ("I Will Never Leave You"). As the wedding proceeds, they reprise "Come Look at the Freaks" with full understanding and acceptance of who they are and what they are doing.
|
|
|
|
Character | Original Broadway Cast (1997) | Kennedy Center Cast (2008) | First Broadway Revival (2014) | Original London Cast (2016) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Daisy Hilton | Emily Skinner | Jenn Colella | Emily Padgett | Louise Dearman |
Violet Hilton | Alice Ripley | Lisa Brescia | Erin Davie | Laura Pitt-Pulford |
Terry Connor | Jeff McCarthy | Max von Essen | Ryan Silverman | Haydn Oakley |
Jake | Norm Lewis | Michael McElroy | David St. Louis | Jay Marsh |
Buddy Foster | Hugh Panaro | Bobby Steggert | Matthew Hydzik | Dominic Hodson |
The Boss/Sir | Ken Jennings | Michael Mulheren | Robert Joy | Christopher Howell |
Side Show opened on Broadway on October 16, 1997 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Robert Longbottom directed and choreographed, the sets were by Robin Wagner, costumes by Gregg Barnes and lighting by Brian MacDevitt. The cast starred Emily Skinner as Daisy Hilton and Alice Ripley as Violet Hilton. Despite receiving some positive reviews, the show closed on January 3, 1998 after 31 previews and 91 regular performances. [1] [2] Original producers were Manny Azenberg and Wayne Rogers (after his appearances on M*A*S*H and House Calls). [3]
Also featured was J. Robert Spencer.
It was nominated for four Tony Awards in 1998. [4] Although Side Show won none of these awards, it was the first and only time that two actresses were co-nominated for Best Actress in a Musical as a team.[ citation needed ] At the Tony Awards ceremony, the two stars performed the show's most popular number, "I Will Never Leave You". Ripley and Skinner later released two albums of duets (Duets and Unsuspecting Hearts), as well as a live recording of their 2006 reunion concert ("Skinner/Ripley: Raw at Town Hall").[ citation needed ]
In 1998, TheatreWorks near San Francisco produced the regional premiere of Side Show at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. [5] The production was a critical and popular success, receiving the Garland Award (Los Angeles) and various Dean Goodman Critics Choice Awards (San Francisco).[ citation needed ] The production afforded TheatreWorks its largest first day of ticket sales on their records for a single production. Subsequently, 2 extra performances were added to meet the demand.[ citation needed ] The production was directed by Robert Kelley and Bick Goss (Goss also choreographed). Kristin Behrendt, who had been a standby for (and performed) the role of Violet in the original Broadway cast, played the role of Daisy. The cast also included Debra Wiseman (Bullets Over Broadway,The Scarlet Pimpernel) as Violet, AJ Vincent (The Will Rogers Follies) as Terry (Dean Goodman Critics Choice Award Best Actor in a Musical), Pierce Peter Brandt (Les Miserables,Martin Guerre) as Buddy, and Stephonne Smith (The Scarlet Pimpernel) as Jake.
The show then had several successful regional productions throughout the country, including in 1999 in Denver, Colorado, by the Physically Handicapped Actors & Musical Artists League. While many were initially uncomfortable with the idea of disabled actors portraying "side show freaks", the production was well received and was presented with several awards, including the Denver Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts.[ citation needed ]
In 2001, Signature Theatre Company's production starred Amy Goldberger (Daisy), Sherri Edelen (Violet), Will Gartshore (Buddy Foster) Matt Bogart (Terry Connor), Eric Jordan Young (Jake), and Michael Sharp (The Boss). [6]
An abridged version of Side Show was presented at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. October 2–5, 2008 as part of their Broadway: Three Generations production. Jenn Colella and Lisa Brescia played Daisy and Violet, respectively, Bobby Steggert played Buddy, and Max von Essen played Terry. [7]
A revised version of the musical ran at the La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, California, in late 2013. Bill Condon directed, with Erin Davie as Violet and Emily Padgett as Daisy. The show has a "darker approach" and "incorporates new songs as well as additional biographical details of the Hilton twins' life and historical figures of the era." [8] Several new songs were added. In Act 1, Terry sings "Very Well Connected" to try to convince the twins that he can get them booked on the Orpheum Circuit. Buddy teaches the girls a song called "Typical Girls Next Door". During a backstory flashback, British physicians sing "Cut Them Apart" while the girls sing "I Will Never Leave You" for the first time. Harry Houdini teaches the girls to tune out all distractions around them in order to get some private time ("All in the Mind"). When the girls are being brought to the US, Sir sings "Come See a New Land" (Come Look at the Freaks reworked). The twins' first big performance is a new song, "Ready to Play." Act 2 opens with a new number, "Stuck With You", featuring the twins, Buddy, and a boy with whom Buddy seems to be having a relationship. This is followed by "Leave Me Alone", moved to Act 2. "New Year's Day" was reworked and added to "New Year's Eve". "Tunnel of Love" was reworked as "A Great Wedding Show." Several other songs from the original were cut: "You Deserve a Better Life", "Crazy, Deaf and Blind", "More Than We Bargained For", "When I'm By Your Side", "Overnight Sensation", "We Share Everything", "Rare Songbirds on Display", and "Beautiful Day for a Wedding".
The production next played at the Kennedy Center in June and July 2014. with choreography by Anthony Van Laast, scenic design by David Rockwell, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer and sound by Kai Harada. The cast starred Davie and Padgett and also featured Matthew Hydzik as Buddy Foster, Robert Joy as Sir, Ryan Silverman as Terry Connor and David St. Louis as Jake. [9]
The production began previews on Broadway at the St. James Theatre on October 28, 2014, opening officially on November 17, with the same cast. Despite very positive reviews, the revival did not catch on with audiences and closed on January 4, 2015 after only seven weeks. [10]
The musical made its UK premiere in 2016 at the Southwark Playhouse in London for a limited run, running from October 21, 2016 to December 3, 2016. [11] Directed by Hannah Chissick, the cast featured Louise Dearman (Daisy) and Laura Pitt-Pulford (Violet), with Dominic Hodson as Buddy Foster. [12] [13]
The first collegiate production of the reworked version of Side Show was produced as an immersive theatrical experience by USC School of Dramatic Arts in October, 2016 [14] and featured real twins. Daisy was played by Selene Julia Klasner and Violet by Carson Klasner.
Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | Tony Award | Best Musical | Nominated | |
Best Book of a Musical | Bill Russell | Nominated | ||
Best Original Score | Henry Krieger and Bill Russell | Nominated | ||
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical | Alice Ripley | Nominated | ||
Emily Skinner | Nominated | |||
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Alice Ripley | Nominated | |
Drama League Award | Distinguished Production of a Musical | Nominated |
Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Nominated | |
Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Ryan Silverman | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Erin Davie | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Director of a Musical | Bill Condon | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Sound Design | Peter Hylenski | Nominated | ||
Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Nominated | ||
Helen Hayes Award For the Kennedy Center production | Outstanding Musical | Won | ||
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical | Erin Davie | Nominated | ||
Emily Padgett | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical | Won | |||
Outstanding Director of a Musical | Bill Condon | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Choreography in a Musical | Anthony Van Laast | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Costume Design | Paul Tazewell | Won |
Follies is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman.
Daisy and Violet Hilton were English entertainers, who were conjoined twins. They were exhibited in Europe as children, and toured the United States sideshow, vaudeville and American burlesque circuits in the 1920s and 1930s. They were best known for their film appearances in Freaks and Chained for Life.
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is a musical with music by Burton Lane and a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner based loosely on Berkeley Square, written in 1926 by John L. Balderston. It concerns a woman who has ESP and has been reincarnated. The musical received three Tony Award nominations.
Sutton Lenore Foster is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is known for her work on the Broadway stage, for which she has received two Tony Awards for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, in 2002 for her role as Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and in 2011 for her performance as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes. Her other Broadway credits include Little Women, The Drowsy Chaperone, Young Frankenstein, Shrek the Musical, and Violet. On television, Foster played the lead role in the short-lived ABC Family comedy-drama Bunheads from 2012 to 2013. Since March 2015, she has starred in the TV Land comedy-drama Younger.
The Secret Garden is a musical based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The musical's script and lyrics are by Marsha Norman, with music by Lucy Simon. It premiered on Broadway in 1991 and ran for 709 performances.
Violet is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and libretto by Brian Crawley based on the short story "The Ugliest Pilgrim" by Doris Betts. It tells the story of a young disfigured woman who embarks on a journey by bus from her farm in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, all the way to Tulsa, Oklahoma in order to be healed. The musical premiered Off-Broadway in 1997 and won the Drama Critics' Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award as Best Musical.
Kerry Marie Butler is an American actress known primarily for her work in theatre. She is best known for originating the role Barbara Maitland in Beetlejuice, Penny Pingleton in Hairspray, and Clio/Kira in Xanadu, the latter of which earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.
The Drowsy Chaperone is a musical with book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar and music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison. It is a parody of American musical comedy of the 1920s. The story concerns a middle-aged, asocial musical theatre fan. As he plays the record of his favorite musical, the fictional 1928 hit The Drowsy Chaperone, the show comes to life onstage, as he wryly comments on the music, story, and actors.
Next to Normal is a 2008 American rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. The story centers on a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effects that managing her illness has on her family. The musical addresses grief, depression, suicide, drug abuse, ethics in modern psychiatry, and the underbelly of suburban life.
Sebastian Carlos Arcelus is an American actor, best known for his roles as Lucas Goodwin in the Netflix TV series House of Cards (2013–2016) and Jay Whitman in the CBS TV series Madam Secretary (2014–2019). Arcelus began his acting career in the early 2000s and spent the first decade of his career on Broadway, having played Roger in Rent, Fiyero in Wicked, Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys, and Buddy in Elf, among other roles.
Beth Leavel is a Tony Award-winning American stage and screen actress and singer.
Emily Skinner, also known as Emily Scott Skinner, is a Tony-nominated American stage actress and singer. She has played leading roles in such Broadway productions as Prince of Broadway, The Cher Show, Side Show, Jekyll & Hyde, James Joyce's The Dead, The Full Monty, Dinner at Eight, Billy Elliot, as well as the Actor's Fund Broadway concerts of Dreamgirls and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She has sung on concert stages around the world and on numerous recordings.
Alice Ripley is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and mixed media artist. She is known, in particular, for her various roles on Broadway in musicals, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal and Side Show. She most recently played three roles in the short-lived Broadway musical, American Psycho. Alice Ripley has released albums with her band, RIPLEY, including the single, "Beautiful Eyes", released in February 2012. She also performs as a solo artist, while in February 2011 she released Alice Ripley Daily Practice, Volume 1, a stripped-down collection of acoustic rock covers.
Sierra Marjory Boggess is an American theater actress and singer. She is best known for originating the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid on Broadway and for her multiple appearances as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera. Sierra has been involved in several productions of The Phantom of the Opera beginning with the Las Vegas production in 2006. In 2010 she was cast in the role of Christine Daaé in Phantom's sequel Love Never Dies.
Lauren Kennedy is an American actress, and singer who has performed numerous times on Broadway. She is now the producing artistic director of Theatre Raleigh in her home state of North Carolina.
Erin Davie is an American actress and singer, best known for her performance as the young Edith Bouvier Beale in the Broadway production of the musical Grey Gardens, taking the part on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre in 2006, after its initial run Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons.
9 to 5: The Musical is a 2008 musical based on the 1980 film of the same name, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. It features a book by Patricia Resnick, based on the screenplay by Resnick and Colin Higgins. The musical premiered in Los Angeles in September 2008, and opened on Broadway in April 2009. It received 15 Drama Desk Award nominations, the most received by a production in a single year, as well as four Tony Awards nominations. The Broadway production however was short-lived, closing in September 2009. A national tour of the US launched in 2010, followed by a UK premiere in 2012. It opened in the West End in February 2019.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is a jukebox musical with a book by Douglas McGrath that tells the story of the early life and career of Carole King, using songs that she wrote, often together with Gerry Goffin, and other contemporary songs by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Phil Spector and others.
Emily Padgett is an American actress, singer, and dancer.
Kate Rockwell is an American actress, dancer, and singer. She is known for her work on Broadway and for originating the roles of Skylar in Bring It On: The Musical in 2011 and of Karen Smith in the 2018 musical, Mean Girls, for the latter of which she received Drama Desk Award and Helen Hayes Award nominations.