The Act (musical)
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| The Act | ||
| Original Broadway Production | ||
|---|---|---|
 Original Cast Recording |
||
| Music | John Kander | |
| Lyrics | Fred Ebb | |
| Book | George Furth | |
| Theatre | Majestic Theatre | |
| Opened | October 29, 1977 | |
| Closed | July 1, 1978 | |
| Producer(s) | Feuer & Martin | |
| Director | Martin Scorsese | |
| Choreographer | Ron Lewis | |
| Scenic designer | Tony Walton | |
| Costume designer | Halston | |
| Lighting designer | Tharon Musser | |
The Act is a musical with a book by George Furth, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander.
It was written to showcase the talents of Kander and Ebb favorite Liza Minnelli, who portrayed Michelle Craig, a fading film star attempting a comeback as a Las Vegas singer. The thin plot was little more than an excuse to present the star in concert.
After six previews, the Broadway production, directed by Martin Scorsese and choreographed by Ron Lewis, opened on October 29, 1977 at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 233 performances. Also in the cast were Barry Nelson and Wayne Cilento.
With an all-time ticket-price high of $25 for Saturday night orchestra seats, The Act racked up $2 million in advance sales, then the highest in Broadway history. But the production was doomed from the start, with its star (and only) attraction battling drug and alcohol addictions resulting in erratic behavior and frequently-missed performances, more than 10% of the entire run. With refund demands running high, it was impossible for the show to recoup its costs.
[edit] Song list
Act I
- Shine It On
- It's the Strangest Thing
- Bobo's
- Turning
- Little Do They Know
- Arthur in the Afternoon
- Hollywood, California
- The Money Tree
Act II
- City Lights
- There When I Need Him
- Hot Enough for You?
- Little Do They Know (Reprise)
- My Own Space
[edit] Awards and nominations
- Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Minnelli, winner)
- Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Nelson, nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Costume Design (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Lighting Design (nominee)
- Tony Award for Best Choreography (nominee)
[edit] External link
| Kander and Ebb musicals |
|---|
| Flora the Red Menace • Cabaret • The Happy Time • Zorba • 70, Girls, 70 • Chicago • The Act • Woman of the Year • The Rink • And The World Goes 'Round • Kiss of the Spider Woman • Steel Pier • All About Us • The Visit • Curtains |
