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S.A. writer's musical inspired by Manilow

RR's post at ATF about his new musical.

Newsgroups: alt.tv.farscape
Subject: Musical Theatre
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 11:13:37 -0600

San Antonio Express-News - April 1, 2004
Jasmina Wellinghoff
Special to the Express-News

If the title of the new Josephine Theater show "New York City Rhythms"
immediately brings the Barry Manilow tune to mind, that's no coincidence.

Conceived and written by San Antonian Ross Ruediger, the musical, which
opens Saturday, is built with and around Manilow's music, including the
title number and 23 other hits, from "Mandy" to "Bandstand Boogie,"
"Copacabana," "This One's for You" and "I Made It Through the Rain."

Both Ruediger and director Missy Miller say they have been fans of the pop
star "from way back" and they know that there are many others like them in
San Antonio.

"He is the ultimate entertainer," said Miller. "He's musical, has a great
sense of timing and is a good all-round showman. It's a dying breed. So
when Ross contacted me about this show back in November, I was definitely
interested."

For the Josephine, which has had a string of successes with swing- themed
revues, "Rhythms" represents both a continuation of and a departure from
that format. Like the revues, it has well-known songs that lend themselves
to imaginative choreography, but it also has a story line and fleshed-out
characters.

Ruediger describes his concept as a contemporary love story involving two
overlapping love triangles. At the center of both is entertainer Gerry
Flash (Thomas Miller), who works in the Manilow Hotel lounge. One triangle
consists of him, his protégée Amanda Hart (Cassie LaBeau), and his former
fiancée Linda Snow (Melissa Etheredge), who unexpectedly shows up at the
hotel on New Year's Eve. In the second triangle, Gerry finds himself
between Linda and her current boyfriend, Martin Hood (Jonathan Jones).

"I wanted to do something that reflects how complicated love is in this
day and age," said Ruediger, who is primarily a screenwriter. "These
characters live in a gray area; there are no absolutes. But I also wanted
to make people happy for two hours, so they will go out singing these
great songs. That's where the musical- theater aspect comes in. Nobody
ends up unhappy (in the show)."

Manilow's songs, which will be sung by various characters as fits the
script, have been arranged by new music director Fabian Ortiz. To avoid
infringing on copyrights, the arrangements must be sufficiently different
from Manilow's recordings to qualify as new "derivative works," explained
Ortiz. In his version, Ortiz tried to bring out the timelessness of the
songs rather than the sounds of the '60s and '70s.

Miller and Ortiz praised the quality of the singers, including former
"American Idol" contestants Jones and LaBeau, and Miller's older brother,
Thomas, who plays numerous instruments.

"He even kind of looks like Manilow," added Ruediger.

New York City Rhythms
Where: Josephine Theater, 339 W. Josephine St.
When: Opens Saturday; shows at 8:15 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 2:30 p.m.
Sundays through May 16 Tickets: $20 general admission. Reservations, (210)
734-4646. Extra: The theater opens 45 minutes before show time. Patrons
can dance onstage to live music.

--
RR

"That's the problem with individuals: they're always trying."
- Number 2, "The Prisoner"

Posted by thinkum at April 21, 2004 09:44 AM