Stage Production Notes
The Light in the Piazza is based on Elizabeth Spencer’s 1960 novella of the same name. It tells the story of an American mother and daughter traveling through Italy in the summer of 1953.
Written by Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel, the musical version of The Light in the Piazza began life at Intiman Theater in Seattle, before a run at the Goodman Theater in Chicago.
The show transferred to Broadway, beginning previews at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on March 17, 2005, and officially opening on April 18, 2005. The cast featured Kelli O'Hara, Matthew Morrison, and Victoria Clark.
Critics praised the production’s visual sumptuousness, though were not entirely enamored with Adam Guettel’s score. Variety's David Rooney claimed that while the score was "pleasing," it "lacked body," while Ben Brantley of the New York Times stated the production overall was “encouragingly ambitious and discouragingly unfulfilled.”
Victoria Clark was universally praised for her portrayal of the middle-aged mother Mrs. Johnson, a character who Ben Brantley stated had “the virtue of being a convincingly ordinary person who finds extraordinary self-expression in song.” Clark won the Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her performance.
The production won two Outer Critics Circle Awards, five Drama Desk Awards, and six Tony Awards including the Tony Award for Best Original Score.
The Light in the Piazza became the surprise hit of the season and twice extended its run, remaining open for just over a year. Two weeks before it closed on July 2, 2006, the production was broadcast live on PBS.
The show embarked on a year-long national tour in August 2006, starring Christine Andreas as Mrs. Johnson, and Elena Shaddow as her daughter Clara.
A tenth anniversary gala concert celebrating the show, and featuring the original cast, was held at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on April 4, 2016.
The Light in the Piazza is available for licensing through Rodgers and Hammerstein.
The Light in the Piazza is based on Elizabeth Spencer’s 1960 novella of the same name. It tells the story of an American mother and daughter traveling through Italy in the summer of 1953.
Written by Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel, the musical version of The Light in the Piazza began life at Intiman Theater in Seattle, before a run at the Goodman Theater in Chicago.
The show transferred to Broadway, beginning previews at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on March 17, 2005, and officially opening on April 18, 2005. The cast featured Kelli O'Hara, Matthew Morrison, and Victoria Clark.
Critics praised the production’s visual sumptuousness, though were not entirely enamored with Adam Guettel’s score. Variety's David Rooney claimed that while the score was "pleasing," it "lacked body," while Ben Brantley of the New York Times stated the production overall was “encouragingly ambitious and discouragingly unfulfilled.”
Victoria Clark was universally praised for her portrayal of the middle-aged mother Mrs. Johnson, a character who Ben Brantley stated had “the virtue of being a convincingly ordinary person who finds extraordinary self-expression in song.” Clark won the Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her performance.
The production won two Outer Critics Circle Awards, five Drama Desk Awards, and six Tony Awards including the Tony Award for Best Original Score.
The Light in the Piazza became the surprise hit of the season and twice extended its run, remaining open for just over a year. Two weeks before it closed on July 2, 2006, the production was broadcast live on PBS.
The show embarked on a year-long national tour in August 2006, starring Christine Andreas as Mrs. Johnson, and Elena Shaddow as her daughter Clara.
A tenth anniversary gala concert celebrating the show, and featuring the original cast, was held at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on April 4, 2016.
The Light in the Piazza is available for licensing through Rodgers and Hammerstein.
Filmed Production Notes
The Light in the Piazza was broadcast live on PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center on June 15, 2006.
The broadcast was viewed by just over two million people, reportedly an “average” number for the Live from Lincoln Center program.
Box office sales were positively affected by the broadcast, though the scheduled closing two weeks later may have also contributed to the bump. In the two weeks leading up to the broadcast, ticket sales for the show had seen a sudden drop from around 70% capacity to 46% capacity. The week before the The Light in the Piazza aired on PBS, capacity increased to just over 63%, and dipped slightly the week of the broadcast. This trend repeated itself with the MTV broadcast of Legally Blonde The Musical.
The Light in the Piazza is not currently available to view.
The Light in the Piazza was broadcast live on PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center on June 15, 2006.
The broadcast was viewed by just over two million people, reportedly an “average” number for the Live from Lincoln Center program.
Box office sales were positively affected by the broadcast, though the scheduled closing two weeks later may have also contributed to the bump. In the two weeks leading up to the broadcast, ticket sales for the show had seen a sudden drop from around 70% capacity to 46% capacity. The week before the The Light in the Piazza aired on PBS, capacity increased to just over 63%, and dipped slightly the week of the broadcast. This trend repeated itself with the MTV broadcast of Legally Blonde The Musical.
The Light in the Piazza is not currently available to view.
The Light in the Piazza PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Vivian Beaumont Theater
Producer: Lincoln Center Theater
Book: Craig Lucas
Music and Lyrics: Adam Guettel
Director: Bartlett Sher, film: Kirk Browning
Musical Director: Ted Sperling
Orchestrations: Ted Sperling, Adam Guettel, Bruce Coughlin
Choreography: Jonathan Butterell
Scenic Design: Michael Yeargan
Costume Design: Catherine Zuber
Lighting Design: Christopher Akerlind
Sound Design: ACME Sound Partners, Nevin Steinberg
Hair and Wig Design: Jerry Altenberg
Stage Manager: Thom Widmann
Cast:
Victoria Clark (Margaret Johnson), Katie Rose Clark (Clara Johnson), Aaron Lazar (Fabrizio Naccarelli), Chris Sarandon (Signor Naccarelli), Michael Berresse (Giuseppe Naccarelli), Sarah Uriarte Berry (Franca Naccarelli), Patti Cohenour (Signora Naccarelli), Beau Gravitte (Roy Johnson), Felicity LaFortune (Tour Guide) and Joseph Siravo (Priest),
Ensemble:
David Bonanno, David Burnham, Laura Griffith, Prudence Wright Holmes, Jennifer Hughes, Michel Moinot
Theatre: Vivian Beaumont Theater
Producer: Lincoln Center Theater
Book: Craig Lucas
Music and Lyrics: Adam Guettel
Director: Bartlett Sher, film: Kirk Browning
Musical Director: Ted Sperling
Orchestrations: Ted Sperling, Adam Guettel, Bruce Coughlin
Choreography: Jonathan Butterell
Scenic Design: Michael Yeargan
Costume Design: Catherine Zuber
Lighting Design: Christopher Akerlind
Sound Design: ACME Sound Partners, Nevin Steinberg
Hair and Wig Design: Jerry Altenberg
Stage Manager: Thom Widmann
Cast:
Victoria Clark (Margaret Johnson), Katie Rose Clark (Clara Johnson), Aaron Lazar (Fabrizio Naccarelli), Chris Sarandon (Signor Naccarelli), Michael Berresse (Giuseppe Naccarelli), Sarah Uriarte Berry (Franca Naccarelli), Patti Cohenour (Signora Naccarelli), Beau Gravitte (Roy Johnson), Felicity LaFortune (Tour Guide) and Joseph Siravo (Priest),
Ensemble:
David Bonanno, David Burnham, Laura Griffith, Prudence Wright Holmes, Jennifer Hughes, Michel Moinot
Sources
Articles
Websites
- Ben Brantley, “A Wise Autumnal American in Florence,” New York Times (April 19, 2005)
- Broadway.com Staff, “The Light in the Piazza Extends at Lincoln Center Through January 1,” Broadway.com (Jun 9, 2005)
- David Gordon, “Victoria Clark, Kelli O'Hara, and Stars of The Light in the Piazza to Reunite,” TheaterMania (Jan 29, 2016)
- David Rooney, "Review: ‘The Light in the Piazza’'" Variety (April 18, 2005)
- John Simon, “Everything is Illuminated,” New York Magazine (April, 2005)
- Robert Simonson, “The Light in the Piazza "Live From Lincoln Center" Attracts Big Audience,” Playbill (Sept 15, 2006)
- Robert Simonson, “The Light in the Piazza, Long-Running Lincoln Center Theater Hit, Closes July 2,” Playbill (July 2, 2006)
- Lindsey Wilson, “ASK PLAYBILL.COM: Broadway on DVD,” Playbill (Aug 21, 2008)
Websites
- IBDb, “The Light in the Piazza,” Accessed via: https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/the-light-in-the-piazza-390705
- IMDb, “The Light in the Piazza,” Accessed via: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0825072/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
- Lincoln Center Theater, “The Light in the Piazza,” Accessed via: http://www.lct.org/shows/the-light-in-the-piazza/
- Playbill, “Grosses,” Accessed via: http://www.playbill.com/production/gross?production=00000150-aea6-d936-a7fd-eef6b8f40000&p=0
Written by Luisa Lyons (May, 2017)