Vanities, A New Musical is a musical with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum and a book by Jack Heifner, based on the book and 1976 play of the same name. The musical premiered Off-Broadway in 2009, after an engagement at the Pasadena Playhouse, California in 2008. A revised version was then staged in the West End in 2016.
Vanities, A New Musical opened at the Pasadena Playhouse, California on August 22, 2008. Music and lyrics were written by David Kirshenbaum, and the book by Jack Heifner with direction by Judith Ivey and choreography by Dan Knechtges. Lauren Kennedy (as Mary), Sarah Stiles (as Joanne) and Anneliese van der Pol (as Kathy) played the three former Texas cheerleaders.[1][2] Prior to the Pasadena production, the musical was originally produced at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto, California from June–July 2006, directed by Gordon Greenberg, which won the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best Production.[3][4] The Palo Alto production starred Leslie Kritzer as Kathy, Megan Hilty as Mary, and Stiles as Joanne.
The musical's original Broadway premiere, scheduled for February 2009 at the Lyceum Theatre, was postponed. Producer Sue Frost stated: "We're a victim of history, and the show will go on, and we are regrouping."[5][6]
The musical premiered Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre on July 2, 2009 in previews, and officially opened on July 16, 2009. Performances continued through August 9, 2009. The original cast starred Anneliese van der Pol as Kathy, Lauren Kennedy as Mary, and Sarah Stiles as Joanne. This was same cast and creative team from the Pasadena Playhouse.[7][8][9]
Michael A. Jenkins, producer of the musical, stated that a Broadway run isn't likely but a touring production in late 2010 or early 2011, including a stop at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas, is "quite likely," as is a simultaneous run in London.[10]
On July 6, 2016, it was announced that the show would premiere in the West End of London at Trafalgar Studios, for a limited run from September 6 to October 1, 2016, featuring new material not heard in New York. This production starred Ashleigh Gray as Kathy, Lauren Samuels as Mary and Lizzy Connolly as Joanne. It was directed and choreographed by Racky Plews, and produced by Matt Chisling and Amy Anzel.[11]
Three best friends journey through high school, college and their professional life, as they remember all their adventures. Joanne is a sweet, naive southern girl. Mary is very confident. Kathy is the planner. In high school, they are the popular cheerleaders and are planning all the social events. They go to college and plan to live together. They end up all in the same sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma. Joanne gets married and becomes extremely conservative. Mary opens an art gallery and explores sexual liberation. Kathy ends up living the high life in New York City and reads all the books she was supposed to read in college, "they are so much better than the cliff's notes." They end up fighting when they meet at Kathy's fabulous apartment in New York. Joanne gets drunk in response and talks about how she never has a break from her kids and Ted never lets her drink. However, at a funeral, they all make up and they end as they started, three best friends.
Musical Numbers
2009 Off Broadway
Act I
Who Am I Today — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Hey There, Beautiful — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
An Organized Life — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
I Can't Imagine — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Act II
I Don't Wanna Hear About It — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
An Organized Life (Reprise) — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Fly Into the Future — Mary
Cute Boys With Short Haircuts — Kathy
We're Gonna Be Okay — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Let Life Happen — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Act III
The Same Old Music — Joanne
An Organized Life (Reprise) — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Friendship Isn't What It Used to Be - Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Letting Go — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
2016 West End
Act I
Mystery I — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
An Organized Life — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
I Can't Imagine — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Act II
Mystery II — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
An Organized Life (1968) — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Fly Into the Future — Mary
Cute Boys With Short Haircuts — Kathy
Let Life Happen — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Act III
Mystery III — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
The Same Old Music — Joanne
An Organized Life (1974) — Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Friendship Isn't What It Used to Be - Kathy, Mary, Joanne
Douglas Howard Sills is an American actor and singer.
Anneliese Louise van der Pol is a Dutch-born actress based in the United States. She is best known for her portrayal of Chelsea Daniels on the Disney Channel series That's So Raven (2003–2007) and its spin-off Raven's Home (2017–present). In association with Disney Channel, van der Pol has recorded several songs, including "Over It", which was featured on the Stuck in the Suburbs soundtrack.
Disney Theatrical Productions Limited (DTP), also known as Disney on Broadway, is the stageplay and musical production company of the Disney Theatrical Group, a subsidiary of Disney Entertainment, a major division and business unit of The Walt Disney Company.
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Beth Leavel is an American stage and screen actress and singer.
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Barbara Walsh is an American musical theatre actress who has appeared in several prominent Broadway productions. Walsh is known for her Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nominated role as Trina in the original Broadway production of Falsettos, as well as her turn as Joanne in the 2006 Broadway Revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical Company.
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.
Vanities is a comedy-drama stage production written by Jack Heifner. The story centers on the lives and friendship of three Texas cheerleaders starting from high school in 1963, continuing through college as sorority sisters in 1968, and ending with the dissolution of their friendship in 1974 New York as their interests and livelihoods change and they are no longer as compatible with one another as they had been in their school days.
Lisa Brescia is an American musical theatre actress who has performed as lead and understudy in several Broadway shows. Raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she went on to pursue acting and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She taught Acting I and IV at Missouri State University and is now set to be the head of the Musical Theatre department at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.
Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer is an American musical theatre actress and singer.
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Warren Carlyle is a British director and choreographer who was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England. He received Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Director of a Musical for the 2009 revival of Finian's Rainbow.
Jennifer Cody is an American actress and dancer.
Vanities, A New Musical contains the songs from the Off-Broadway musical, Vanities, A New Musical, The album features music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, and a book by Jack Heifner. It was recorded after the musical's Off-Broadway run. The album was released digitally on December 15, 2009 and physically on February 2, 2010. The album features Anneliese van der Pol as Kathy, Lauren Kennedy as Mary, and Sarah Stiles as Joanne.
Sarah Grace Stiles is an American singer and actress known for her work in Off-Broadway and Broadway theatre.
Anna Louizos is an American scenic designer and art director. She is known for her Tony Award-nominated sets for the musicals In the Heights and High Fidelity, as well as the London, Broadway, Las Vegas, and touring productions of Avenue Q. Louizos was represented on Broadway with Cinderella at the Broadway Theatre in 2013–15.
Michele Ragusa is an American actress and singer currently residing in New Jersey. She is best known for her work in Broadway musicals and her solo performances and staged concerts with Symphony Orchestras around the United States. She also played a recurring role on the television comedy Happyish.
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