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In FashionOpening Date: Feb 22, 1973
Closing Date: March 18, 1973 Air date: March 10, 1974 Medium: TV Where to watch: DVD (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from this link) |
Stage Production Notes
In Fashion is a musical based on George Feydeau’s Tailleur Pour Dames.
The musical was staged 4 years into the 31-year tenure of artistic director Jon Jory, and 3 years before the launch of the acclaimed Humana Festival of International Plays at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Throughout his time at the theatre, Jory transformed the fledgling regional venue into an internationally recognized hub for new works and new playwrights. Jory also wrote the book for In Fashion.
Composer Jerry Blatt was musical director for Bette Midler, and both Blatt and lyricist Lonnie Burstein were writers for Sesame Street.
Jory, Blatt, and Burstein had previously collaborated on Tricks, a musical comedy based on Moliere’s Les Fourberies de Scapin. Tricks received Broadway run at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon) starring René Auberjonois. Following mostly negative reviews, Tricks closed after just 8 performances.
In Fashion The musical was first presented at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, where it ran from February 22 — March 18, 1973. According to critic William Mootz of Louisville newspaper The Courier-Journal, In Fashion was “one of the most popular hits in ATL history.”
In Fashion is a musical based on George Feydeau’s Tailleur Pour Dames.
The musical was staged 4 years into the 31-year tenure of artistic director Jon Jory, and 3 years before the launch of the acclaimed Humana Festival of International Plays at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Throughout his time at the theatre, Jory transformed the fledgling regional venue into an internationally recognized hub for new works and new playwrights. Jory also wrote the book for In Fashion.
Composer Jerry Blatt was musical director for Bette Midler, and both Blatt and lyricist Lonnie Burstein were writers for Sesame Street.
Jory, Blatt, and Burstein had previously collaborated on Tricks, a musical comedy based on Moliere’s Les Fourberies de Scapin. Tricks received Broadway run at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon) starring René Auberjonois. Following mostly negative reviews, Tricks closed after just 8 performances.
In Fashion The musical was first presented at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, where it ran from February 22 — March 18, 1973. According to critic William Mootz of Louisville newspaper The Courier-Journal, In Fashion was “one of the most popular hits in ATL history.”
Filmed Production Notes
Theatre in America taped In Fashion as part of a series featuring regional theatre, which was sponsored by the Exxon Corporation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Due to the lack of a suitable “TV theatre” in Louisville, Theatre in America flew the cast of In Fashion to New York.
In Fashion was taped before a live audience at the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York on July 8 and 9, 1973. Audience members were able to attend the taping for free. According to Louisville’s The Courier-Journal critic William Mootz, the score was re-orchestrated for the television production, and by comparing press clippings from the original and footage from the recording, it seems the costumes were also altered for the taping.
The show aired on Theatre in America on March 10, 1974.
Mootz, who had also enjoyed the original stage production, gave the television version a positive review, describing it as “a light-hearted, frothy show, surely one of most entertaining video bon-bons of the season.” He also noted that the lyrics were easier to understand on the small screen, and that the new orchestrations served the show well.
In Fashion was released on VHS in 1999, and Kultur released the DVD in 2003.
In Fashion is now available on DVD (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from this link).
Theatre in America taped In Fashion as part of a series featuring regional theatre, which was sponsored by the Exxon Corporation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Due to the lack of a suitable “TV theatre” in Louisville, Theatre in America flew the cast of In Fashion to New York.
In Fashion was taped before a live audience at the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York on July 8 and 9, 1973. Audience members were able to attend the taping for free. According to Louisville’s The Courier-Journal critic William Mootz, the score was re-orchestrated for the television production, and by comparing press clippings from the original and footage from the recording, it seems the costumes were also altered for the taping.
The show aired on Theatre in America on March 10, 1974.
Mootz, who had also enjoyed the original stage production, gave the television version a positive review, describing it as “a light-hearted, frothy show, surely one of most entertaining video bon-bons of the season.” He also noted that the lyrics were easier to understand on the small screen, and that the new orchestrations served the show well.
In Fashion was released on VHS in 1999, and Kultur released the DVD in 2003.
In Fashion is now available on DVD (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from this link).
In Fashion PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Ed Sullivan Theatre
Producer: Matthew N. Herman, Lindsay Law, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Jac Venza
Book: Jon Jory
Lyrics: Lonnie Burstein
Music: Jerry Blatt
Director: Bob Schwarz and Jon Jory
Musical Director and Orchestrations: Peter Howard
Choreography: Donald Saddler
Scenic Design: Tom John
Costume Design: Carrie Robbins
Lighting Design: Ralph Holmes
Cast:
Max Wright (Etienne), Charlotte Rae (Madame Aigreville), Susan Kaslow (Yvonne), Daniel Davis (Moulineaux), Patrick Tovatt (Bassinet), Pamela Hall (Suzanne), Ken Jenkins (Aubin), Donna Curtis (Rosa)
Theatre: Ed Sullivan Theatre
Producer: Matthew N. Herman, Lindsay Law, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Jac Venza
Book: Jon Jory
Lyrics: Lonnie Burstein
Music: Jerry Blatt
Director: Bob Schwarz and Jon Jory
Musical Director and Orchestrations: Peter Howard
Choreography: Donald Saddler
Scenic Design: Tom John
Costume Design: Carrie Robbins
Lighting Design: Ralph Holmes
Cast:
Max Wright (Etienne), Charlotte Rae (Madame Aigreville), Susan Kaslow (Yvonne), Daniel Davis (Moulineaux), Patrick Tovatt (Bassinet), Pamela Hall (Suzanne), Ken Jenkins (Aubin), Donna Curtis (Rosa)
Sources
Books
Articles
Websites
- Jeffrey Ullom, The Humana Festival: The History of New Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Southern Illinois University Press (2008)
Articles
- Clive Barns, “Stage: 'Tricks,' MusicalBased on Moliere, Arrives” New York Times (Jan 9, 1973)
- Mel Gussow, “Jon Jory Is Leaving Actors Theater,” New York Times (Jan 19, 2000)
- Kenneth Jones, “Jon Jory, Champion of New Plays, to Leave Actors Theatre of Louisville in Fall,” Playbill (Jan 19, 2000)
- William Mootz, “ATL’s ‘In Fashion’ makes TV debut,” The Courier-Journal (March 13, 1974), p.26
- The New York Times, “The Openings of the Week,” (Jan 7, 1973) p.123
- Richard F. Shepard, “Going Out Guide,” New York Times (July 7, 1973), p.8
- Uncredited, “Television This Week,” New York Times (March 10, 1974), p.125
Websites
- Actors Theatre, “In Fashion,” Accessed via: https://actorstheatre.org/shows/in-fashion-1972-1973/
- Lonnie Burstein Hewitt, Accessed via: http://www.lonniebursteinhewitt.com/
Written by Luisa Lyons (December, 2017; updated May 2018)