Fame or Famine

In the realm of “Broadway Cast Albums I’d Like to Own” is the chance to hear crooner Harry Connick Jr. playing the role of Jimmy in the remake of Gershwin’s Oh, Kay! You may not have heard of the musical, but it was the source of perennial torch song favorite Someone to Watch Over Me.

The new musical (which is working under the title “Untitled Gershwin Project” since they change the name of the character Kay) will premiere in Boston in fall of 2008 before a Broadway opening in 2009. Other cast members have not been announced, though the project will be directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall. The casting notice was looking for “supreme farceurs”, though, so it looks to be a pretty fun cartoonish romp through the music of George and the lyrics of Ira Gershwin.

But wait, there’s more!

Buried in the bottom of the Playbill article about this was the announcement of one of the more unusual plot devices I’ve ever seen. Remember the Gene Kelly movie An American in Paris?  Of course they want to bring this hit movie musical to the stage, hoping to follow in the success of Singin’ in the Rain.

But there’s a twist: rather than simply take the movie script to the stage, they’re turning it into a “prequel”, a musical about the making of the movie.  It sounds like the story will be a romantic romp between an American woman and a French club singer, and aside from the original songs like S’Wonderful there will be new pieces penned by librettist Ken Ludwig.

At some point my request for the unlimited travel budget will be approved; in the meantime, I’ll look forward to hearing more about these musicals as they come closer to opening.

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