Musical by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland
First Wives Club is amusical with music and lyrics byBrian Holland,Lamont Dozier, andEddie Holland. The musical is based on the 1996 movie ofthe same name.
The musical premiered inSan Diego, California, in 2009, with abook byRupert Holmes. A reworked version had a production in Chicago, in 2015, with a newbook byLinda Bloodworth-Thomason.
The first production of the show opened at TheOld Globe Theater inSan Diego, California, on July 17, 2009, in previews, through August 23, 2009,[1] prior to a projectedBroadway engagement. The book was byRupert Holmes, with a score by the "one-time only reunited"Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team from 1960sMotownsoul music fame.Francesca Zambello directed the San Diego production.[2][3] The creators and Zambello were engaged for the project in 2006.[4] An industry reading of the musical was held in February 2009, with principalsAna Gasteyer,Carolee Carmello andAdriane Lenox.[5]
The principal cast in the San Diego production originally includedKaren Ziemba as Annie,Adriane Lenox as Elise,Barbara Walsh as Brenda,John Dossett as Aaron, Kevyn Morrow as Bill,Brad Oscar as Morty, Sara Chase as Trophy Wife, andSam Harris as Duane. Lisa Stevens choreographed, with scenic design by Peter J. Davison and costumes by Paul Tazewell.[6] On June 16, 2009, Lenox dropped out of the production due to health concerns and was replaced bySheryl Lee Ralph.[7][8] The production's tryout received mixed to negative reviews,[9] but the production sold approximately 29,000 tickets in its five-week run.[citation needed]
The musical was reworked and opened in Chicago in March 2015 at theOriental Theatre with a book re-written byLinda Bloodworth-Thomason ofDesigning Women.[10][11] Originating producers, Jonas Neilson and Paul Lambert, teamed with Elizabeth Williams and John Frost, and brought onSimon Phillips to direct.[12]
- Act I
- "Stop in the Name of Love" – Elise, Cynthia
- "Reach Out" – Young Cynthia, Brenda, Annie, and Elise
- "Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" – Young Girl, Bill, Aaron, and Morty
- "Forever Came Today" – Young Husbands and Wives
- "Forever Came Today" (reprise) – Cynthia
- "I'm So Lucky" - Annie, Brenda, Elise
- "I'm Not That Kind of Girl" – Cassandra and the Boys
- "Stir It Up" – Dr. Leslie Rosen
- "My Heart Want to Try One More Time" – Brenda
- "Stir It Up" (reprise) – Club Singers
- "Whirlpool of Emotions" – Annie
- "My World Is Empty Without You" – Cynthia, Brenda, Annie, and Elise
- "Shoulder to Shoulder" – Annie, Elise, and Brenda
| - Act II
- "Morty Is the Best" – Morty, Shelley, Ensemble
- "I'm So Lucky" (several reprises) – various
- "I Am Duarto" – Duane
- "One Sweet Moment" – Elise, Brenda, Annie, Aaron, Bill, and Morty
- "Remember Jerusalem" – Jason, Ensemble
- "Payback's a Bitch" – Brenda, Elise, Annie, Duane, Shelley, Ensemble
- "Old Me New Me (Part 1) " – Bill
- "Old Me New Me (Part 2)" – Aaron
- "Old Me New Me (Part 3)" – Morty
- "Finale" – Elise, Annie, Brenda, Ensemble
|
- ^Jones, Kenneth."MusicalFirst Wives Club Will Now Convene July 17 Toward July 31 Opening". Playbill.com, June 1, 2009
- ^Hebert, James."Globe to be first to stage musicalFirst Wives Club"Archived 2009-05-28 at theWayback Machine,The San Diego Union-Tribune, September 5, 2008
- ^Jones, Kenneth."First Wives Club Musical Will Premiere in San Diego in 2009; Zambello Directs", playbill.com, September 5, 2008
- ^Simonson, Robert."Rupert Holmes to Pen Book forFirst Wives Club Musical", playbill.com, May 26, 2006
- ^Jones, Kenneth."Lenox, Carmello, Gasteyer, Oscar, Dossett, Harris and More SingFirst Wives Club in NYC", playbill.com, January 27, 2009
- ^Gans, Andrew."Ziemba, Lenox and Walsh to Star in Old Globe'sFirst Wives Club". Playbill.com, May 15, 2009
- ^Jones, Kenneth."Tell Us, Miss Jones: Sheryl Lee Ralph Will Be Part ofFirst Wives Club", playbill.com, June 16, 2009
- ^Jones, Kenneth."First Wives Club – The Musical Convenes July 17 at Old Globe" playbill.com, July 17, 2009
- ^Vaughan, Carson."Critics have issues with 'First Wives'".Variety, August 3, 2009
- ^Oxman, Steven (March 12, 2015)."Pre-Broadway Review: 'First Wives Club,' The Musical".Variety. RetrievedJune 10, 2022.
- ^Jones, Chris."Not so sweet revenge in pre-BroadwayFirst Wives Club",Chicago Tribune, March 12, 2015
- ^Hetrick, Adam."The First Wives Club Musical Confirms 2015 Chicago Pre-Broadway Premiere", playbill.com, June 30, 2014
