| Jerry's Girls | |
|---|---|
 Original Cast Recording | |
| Music | Jerry Herman |
| Lyrics | Jerry Herman |
| Basis | Revue of Jerry Herman's songs |
| Productions | 1985Broadway 2015 London 2015Melbourne |
Jerry's Girls is amusicalrevue based on the songs ofcomposer/lyricistJerry Herman.
Created by Herman and Larry Alford in 1981, the show originated as a modest presentation at Onstage, anightclub located in theTheater District inMidtown Manhattan, New York City. The revue consisted of four actresses and Herman. Writing inThe New York Times, John S. Wilson called it "a brilliantly lively and scintillating evening ofcabaret."[1]
AfterLa Cage aux Folles opened to rave reviews two years later, producerZev Buffman approached the pair and suggested they mount a full-scale, all-star version. On February 28, 1984, the expandedJerry's Girls premiered at the Royal Poinciana Playhouse inPalm Beach, Florida, withCarol Channing,Andrea McArdle, andLeslie Uggams, backed by an all-female chorus, recreating scenes and songs from Herman's hits, includingHello, Dolly!,Mame, andMack and Mabel.Jerry's Girls, the show's opening number set to the music of "It's Today" fromMame, enumerated the many actresses who had appeared in Herman's shows over the years.[2] The show then toured, playing at theKennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater for six weeks in June 1984. The revue went on to play engagements in 1984: in Kansas City, Missouri, Seattle, Vancouver, British Columbia, San Francisco, Denver, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and New Orleans.[3][4] Anoriginal cast recording was released byPolydor Records.
The revue premiered onBroadway, directed by Alford andchoreographed byWayne Cilento, on December 18, 1985 at theSt. James Theatre, where it ran for 141 performances and 14 previews. Uggams was joined by new cast membersDorothy Loudon andChita Rivera. (Channing had other commitments and Chita Rivera was cast for her strong dancing.) A chorus of eight singers was added. Some reviewers praised the revue, withClive Barnes writing "It can stay at the St. James Theatre forever, at the very least."[5]
In a critical review,Frank Rich ofThe New York Times wrote "The only thing thatJerry's Girls has in common with a bona fide Jerry Herman musical is that it occupies the St. James, the theater where Dolly once promised she'd never go away again... Whatever the point of the all-female cast, one must still wonder why the show's particular female stars were chosen. None of them have been associated with Mr. Herman's musicals. Only one (Miss Uggams) is primarily a singer. All three have strident mannerisms that the director, Larry Alford, takes sadistic glee in calling to our attention."[6]
Chita Rivera received a nomination for theTony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.
An Australian production featuringDebbie Byrne,Judi Connelli,Marcia Hines andJeanne Little played in Sydney and Melbourne in 1987. It was staged by Alford with set and costume design byRoger Kirk.[7]
The revue was presented in London at the St. James Studio in March 2015, Produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment and Guy James, starringAnna-Jane Casey, Ria Jones and Sarah-Louise Young, with direction by Kate Golledge and choreography by Matthew Cole.[8] The revue transferred to the Off-West EndJermyn Street Theatre for a 3-week run in May 2015, with Emma Barton, Ria Jones and Sarah-Louise Young.[9] The reviewer of the Jermyn Street Theatre production wrote: "When all three are singing and dancing together, the production cannot be faulted. The harmonies are strong and secure, and give real substance to Herman’s magnificent tunes."[10]
The Production Company presented the revue at the Playhouse, Arts Centre, Melbourne, Australia from 21 November to 6 December 2015. This production included eleven leading actresses. The director Dean Bryant set the revue in a rehearsal hall.[11]
|
|