So where will Forever Tango go when The Beauty Queen of Leenane moves into the Walter Kerr Theatre?
Martin McDonagh's story of an elderly woman who tries to spoil her homely 40-year-old daughter's first (and possibly last) chance for romance will begin previews April 14 and open April 22 at the Kerr. Tango spokesperson Stephen Pitalo (of Boneau/Bryan-Brown) told Playbill On Line (March 5) the dance revue will go into a Nederlander house, though he could not say which one. The two venues that seem to be available are the Richard Rodgers, which will probably be dark until Footloose arrives in October. A source close to Tango told Playbill On-Line a likelier scenario is that the revue will take over the Marriott Marquis Theatre, soon to be vacated by The Capeman.]
In other Forever Tango news, RCA Victor released the original cast album of the revue Feb. 24. The Argentinian dance show gave its 250th performance at the Walter Kerr Theatre Jan. 24, making it the longest running of several tango shows that have opened on Broadway in recent years. That was 51 performances more than Tango Argentino.
Forever Tango opened June 16, 1997 for a limited run that was supposed to end Aug. 9, but then was extended several times before announcing an open run.
Produced by Steven Baruch, Richard Frankel, Thomas Viertel, Marc Routh, Jujamcyn and Interamerica Inc., Forever Tango offers 14 dancers, one vocalist (Carlos Morel) and an 11-piece orchestra. New and traditional Argentinean music accompanies the dances. Asked why he thought Forever Tango was such a hit with Broadway audiences, spokesperson Stephen Pitalo said, "1997 was the year of the `Tango.' Now it looks like 1998 will be, too." "Tango is a feeling that you dance," said creator/director Luis Bravo. "A story you tell in three minutes. It's passionate, it's melancholic. It's tender, violent. You dance it with somebody -- but it's so internal, you dance it by yourself. More than just a dance, the tango is a music, a drama, a culture, a way of life." Bravo is best known as a cellist with the various international philharmonic orchestra.
Dancing this Tango are Miriam Larici & Diego DiFalco, Luis Castro & Claudia Mendoza, Carlos Gavito & Marcela Duran, Jorge Torres & Karina Piazza, Carlos Vera & Laura Marcarie, Guillermo Merlo & Cecilia Saia, Pedro Calveyra & Nora Robles, and Gabriel Ortega & Sandra Bootz, Carolina Zokalski.
Designing the show are Bravo (lighting), Argemira Affonso (costumes), Tom Craft (sound) and Jean-Luc Don Vito & Marian Torre (make-up). Lisandro Adrover serves as music director and arranger, and composed several pieces in the production.
Forever Tango was the first show of the 1997-98 Broadway season and the first tenant in the Walter Kerr Theatre since the Frank Langella revival of Noel Coward's Present Laughter. For tickets ($30-$75) and information on Forever Tango, call (212) 239-6200.
