Iron Curtain (musical)
Iron Curtain is a comedy musical about the Soviet Union, with music by Stephen Weiner, lyrics by Peter Mills, and a book by Susan DiLallo.[1]
Story
The musical follows Murray and Howard, an unsuccessful musical writing team, as they attempt to write a great musical.[1] However, all of their ideas are taken. Meanwhile, Nikita Khrushchev, the Russian Premier, is becoming tired of the horrible musicals being produced by writers in the Soviet Union. He assigns Yevgenyi Onanov to create a propaganda musical, promoting Communism and working for the glory of Russia. However, the musical that Onanov creates, a bad rip-off of Oklahoma!, is terrible. Khrushchev tells Onanov to fix it, or his demise may be imminent. He also assigns Shmearnov to the problem, with the same consequences for failure. The pair kidnaps Murray and Howard to fix the musical. They are brought behind the Iron Curtain, and they begin work on the musical with the help of a crazy cast of characters.[1]
Other characters include:
- Shirley Dooley - Howard's not-quite girlfriend, who literally follows him to the ends of the earth.
- Sergei Shmearnov - A overbearing KGB agent with an agenda of his own.
- Yevgenyi Onanov - A Soviet producer working for the ministry of musical persuasion.
- Hildret Heintz - An East German director with a sadistic bend to her.
- Masha Petrovna Haylukmikova - A Russian chorus girl with an eye for Murray.
The Ensemble portrays the remainder of the small characters, which manages to be a large part of the show.
Production
The musical's off-off broadway premiere featured Marcus Neville as Howard, Jeff Edgerton as Murray, and Jessica Grové as Masha.[2] The rest of the cast included Bethe B. Austin, Larry Brustofski, Maria Couch, Amber Dow, Dominic Roberts (replaced David Miller), Dara Seitzman, Doug Shapiro, Robby Sharpe, Rich Silverstein, Gordon Stanley, Brad York.
A California production of Iron Curtain ran in April 2008. This production had many regional theater actors such as James Kopean (Howard) and Robert Jerome Pagan (Murray). The show also starred two young and talented female leads Sara Sweat (Masha) and Natalie Hawkins.
Issaquah, WA's Village Theatre[3] (Main Stage) ran the show as part of their 2010-2011 Main Stage Season, playing from 16 March - 22 May 2011. Village Theatre's production received rave reviews from sources all over the web and Seattle-area, and was a great success.
References
- 1 2 3 The New York Times (2006-04-13). "Iron Curtain Review of Iron Curtain". Retrieved 2007-12-14.
- ↑ Talking Broadway. "Talking Broadway Review of Iron Curtain". Retrieved 2007-12-14.
- ↑ Village Theatre, Issaquah, WA .
External links
- Iron Curtain Review from Off Broadway
- Iron Curtain Review from The New York Times