A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine
| A Day in Hollywood A Night in the Ukraine | |
|---|---|
 Original Broadway cast recording | |
| Music | Frank Lazarus and others |
| Lyrics | Dick Vosburgh |
| Book | Dick Vosburgh |
| Basis | A revue and Anton Chekhov's one-act play The Bear |
| Productions |
1979 West End 1980 Broadway |
A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine is a musical comedy consisting of two essentially independent one-act plays, with a book and lyrics by Dick Vosburgh and music by Frank Lazarus. Additionally, songs by other composers are incorporated into the score. The musical premiered in the West End and then ran on Broadway.
Plot overview
The first act, A Day in Hollywood, a revue of classic Hollywood songs of the 1930s performed by singers and dancers representing ushers from Grauman's Chinese Theatre, features a significant amount of tap dance. The second, A Night in the Ukraine, is loosely based on Anton Chekhov's one-act play The Bear, and is presented in the style of a Marx Brothers movie.
In a review of a regional production the reviewer from The New York Times commented that the musical "...has a hybrid score that lists music by Frank Lazarus, with book and lyrics by Dick Vosburgh, additional songs composed by Jerry Herman and a solid midsection medley devoted to the prolific composer of popular movie music, Richard A. Whiting. We are treated to a pleasant musical grab bag..."[1]
Productions
The musical premiered in the West End at the Mayfair Theatre on 28 March 1979, where it ran for 168 performances.
The musical opened on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre on May 1, 1980, transferred to the Royale Theatre on June 17, 1980 and closed on September 27, 1981 after 588 performances and nine previews. The musical was directed and co-choreographed by Tommy Tune, with Thommie Walsh as co-choreographer, with scenic design by Tony Walton, costume design by Michel Stuart and lighting design by Beverly Emmons. The cast included David Garrison, Priscilla Lopez, Peggy Hewett, Kate Draper, Albert Stephenson, and Stephen James.[2]
Songs
(Songs are by Vosburgh and Lazarus unless otherwise noted)
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Awards and nominations
Original Broadway production
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Tony Award | Best Musical | Nominated | |
| Best Book of a Musical | Dick Vosburgh | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Score | Frank Lazarus and Dick Vosburgh | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | David Garrison | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Priscilla Lopez | Won | ||
| Best Direction of a Musical | Tommy Tune | Nominated | ||
| Best Choreography | Tommy Tune and Thommie Walsh | Won | ||
| Best Scenic Design | Tony Walton | Nominated | ||
| Best Lighting Design | Beverly Emmons | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Peggy Hewett | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Choreography | Tommy Tune and Thommie Walsh | Won | ||
| 1979–1980 | Theatre World Award | Outstanding New York City Stage Debut | Stephen James | Won |
References
- ↑ Klein, Alvin. "Theater; 'Day In Hollywood' In Fairfield", The New York Times, October 4, 1987
- ↑ " A Day in Hollywood / a Night in the Ukraine Production Information", PlaybillVault.com, accessed January 5, 2012
External links
- Internet Broadway Database listing
- A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine - Plot summary and character descriptions from StageAgent.com
- A Day In Hollywood/A Night In The Ukraine Plot and Musical Numbers at guidetomusicaltheatre.com