When she was a child actress, Aileen Quinn played the title role in the film version of "Annie." Now that she's grown up, she's dropped the diminutive and become Annette for the national tour of Saturday Night Fever. Yes, the former Manhattan moppet will play the forlorn Brooklyn disco dame in the musical based on the 1977 film of the same name. The tour begins March 3 in Chicago.
As expected, Richard H. Blake will play Tony Manero on the tour, opposite Jeanine Meyers as Stephanie Mangano. Blake understudied the role of Tony at the Minskoff Theatre.
Also in the cast are Jim Ambler, Joseph Ricci, Danial Jerod Brown, Joey Calveri and Andy Karl.
Robert Stigwood and Jon B. Platt will produce the tour, which is to reach San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, Boston, Washington DC and Detroit, MI, booking currently through July 2002.
Specific dates, running through 2001, run as follows: March 3-April 1: Chicago, Oriental Theatre
April 3-8: Seattle, Paramount Theatre
April 10-May 6: San Francisco, Orpheum Theatre
May 8-20: Minneapolis, Orpheum Theatre
May 29-June 24: Los Angeles, Shubert Theatre
June 26-July 8: Cosa Mesa, CA, Orange County PAC
July 10-22: Portland, OR, Civic Theatre
July 24-29: San Diego, Civic Theatre
Aug. 7-19: Houston, Jones Hall
Aug. 21-Sept. 2: Dallas, Music Hall
Sept. 4-Oct. 14: Toronto, Pantages Theatre
Oct. 16-21: Indianapolis, Murat Theatre
Oct. 23-28: Richmond, VA, Landmark Theatre
Oct. 30-Nov. 18: Detroit, Masonic Theatre
Nov. 20-25: Norfolk, VA, Chrysler Hall
Nov. 27-Dec. 2: Providence, PAC
Dec. 4-9: Buffalo, Shea's Theatre
*
When the road show was first announced, producers asserted that it would boast a production the same size and scope at the New York show. But it now appears the musical will go the same way as The Scarlet Pimpernel and Ragtime — that is, a smaller cast will hit the road. The Fever tour will feature several fewer performers than does the Broadway show, producer Manny Kladitis told Playbill On-Line. Kladitis could not say the exact number of actors that would be cut, except that it would be less than ten.
Kladitis stated, furthermore, that the set for the touring show would match the New York version. Both Pimpernel and Ragtime saw their impressive scenic values shrink in the regions.
*
Saturday Night Fever features many of the Bee Gees songs from the 1977 movie, including "Stayin' Alive" (which opens the show) and "Night Fever," and others that weren't, such as "Tragedy." Also thrown into the mix are K.C. and the Sunshine Band's "Boogie Shoes," Rick Dees' "Disco Duck," and Barry Gibb's "What Kind of Fool." All the songs are woven into the coming of-age story, often functioning as plot-furthering personal statements by the story's various Brooklyn-based dancin' fools.
Saturday Night Fever is adapted for the stage by Nan Knighton, in collaboration with Broadway newcomer Arlene Phillips (who directs and choreographs), Paul Nicholas and Robert Stigwood (who will produce with Manny Kladitis and David Rocksavage). Director Phillips has served as choreographer on such feature films as "Annie" and "Monty Python's Meaning of Life."
