“An American in Paris” seems destined for a long run on Broadway, and when producers do form their first national tour, don’t be surprised if the show kicks off in Schenectady.
The musical based on the 1951 film with Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron had its official New York opening Sunday night at the Palace Theater, and in the audience was Proctors CEO Philip Morris and a half-dozen or so other Capital Region theater fans who are all involved in producing what by all accounts seems to be Broadway’s next huge success.
“It’s like being proud of your kids,” said Morris, back in Schenectady on Monday. “You can’t tell if it’s as good as you hope or think it is. But the place was electric, it was an unbelievable show, and when it was over the audience was standing and screaming. It was incredible.”
In Monday’s New York Times, theater critic Charles Isherwood gave the show a rave review. He called the production, “very much a traditional Broadway musical, with a book by the playwright Craig Lucas that amplifies the movie’s thin story line, mostly to witty and vivifying effect. And while its two radiant leading performers, Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope, are ballet dancers by profession, they also sing [quite well] and deliver dialogue [more than quite well].”
Positive reviews also came from The Associated Press, the New York Daily News and The Guardian (U.S. edition).
Proctors’ backing
Proctors is involved in the show as a producer in two different ways. The downtown Schenectady theater is a member of Elephant Eye, a consortium of theaters around the country that invest in shows, and Proctors is also part of the Independent Presenters Network, a smaller but similar group. Along with those two connections, Morris’ enthusiasm created another independent group of supporters for the new work created by director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon.
“When I came out of the reading about three and a half years ago, I was so excited I committed myself to being an above-the-line producer,” said Morris. “That meant an investment of $250,000, and Proctors doesn’t have that kind of money. But I went to the board at Proctors and a few other people who I knew were supporters of the arts, and I told them, ‘listen, you’re going to have to trust me.’ They were people from the Schenectady, Saratoga area, and they were excited to be part of it.”
Elliott Masie of Saratoga Springs, owner of Masie Productions, is a member of the group. He had already enjoyed some success on Broadway, earning a Tony nomination as a producer for “Kinky Boots” in 2013. Like Morris, Masie left Schenectady on Sunday and headed down to New York for the 5 p.m. show.
“Just like collaboration is a big part of putting on a show in the theater, so is the producing aspect,” said Masie. “I’ve known Philip for years, so I was very happy to be a part of this collaborative puzzle. We all pulled together to raise $250,000 because most of the time you’re not going to find one person to write that kind of check. But I’ve been involved in producing for a while now, and being in this area I was honored and delighted to be part of something that Proctors was involved in. I think it’s very appropriate that Proctors be involved, because when they take these great shows out on tour these days, Schenectady is one of the places they do their teching.”
Masie was referring to technical rehearsal, where a popular Broadway show typically ends its New York run and begins mounting a touring production, as was the case in “Newsies” in 2014 and will happen this fall when “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” begins its national tour at Proctors.
Tweet from Fairchild
Fairchild, who performed as a principal with the New York City Ballet last summer, tweeted Masie at 2:30 Monday morning to let him know that the reviews for the show were extremely positive.
“There were strong indications that everyone was going to like it, but it was great to get that note from Robbie at 2:30 in the morning,” said Masie. “What was so wonderful is that Charles Isherwood, who can be a very tough critic, got it. His [Times] review was exactly what I was dreaming of. This show is a different thing for the theater, much like when Disney came out with ‘The Lion King’ using all the puppets. This was different, and Isherwood got that. He understood about the furniture and other pieces moving and being a part of the choreography, and he loved it. My wife and I were reading the review, crying as we read it, we felt so good.”
Morris couldn’t guarantee that a national tour of “An American in Paris” would do its technical rehearsal at Proctors, but he did feel optimistic about the show making an appearance in Schenectady, eventually.
“It’s early, and we have talked about a tour but nothing is nailed down yet,” he said. “But you can be sure, if it goes out on tour, it will be coming to Proctors.”
The story is about a young American soldier and a beautiful French girl looking for a new beginning at the conclusion of World War II.
The 1951 film, which won six Oscars, including Best Picture, was inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George and Ira Gershwin. Many of the songs are American standards, including “Embraceable You” and “Our Love is Here to Stay.”
Reach Gazette reporter Bill Buell at 395-3190 or [email protected].
Categories: Entertainment
