Both Christine Andreas (The Scarlet Pimpernel) and Linda Eder (Jekyll & Hyde) have released solo CDs, now it's time for another Frank Wildhorn alum to put out a record. Christiane Noll, who co-stars with Eder in J&H, expects to release her CD Aug. 25.
Michael Caprio, of Varese Sarabande, told Playbill On-Line (July 14) the CD, titled "A Broadway Love Story" will follow the concept of "a one-woman love story" and feature showtunes by such composers as Stephen Sondheim, Irving Berlin, Kander & Ebb, Marvin Hamlisch and Bock & Harnick. Caprio says the basic idea is, `what if all these great composers got together and wrote a musical love story?'
Among the tunes on the CD will be "When The Rain Falls," a cut song from The Scarlet Pimpernel. The CD was recorded in May at Los Angeles' Westlake Audio studios. Other showsongs include "Wherever He Ain't (Mack & Mabel), "Twenty-Four Hours of Lovin'" (The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas), "I Don't Remember Christmas" from Starting Here, Starting Now), "A Quiet Thing" (Flora the Red Menace) and "The Next Time It Happens" (Pipe Dream).
In related news, fellow J & H cast-member Jaramillo McLeod, who plays Simon Stride, recently released a solo CD of Spanish and English songs. According to Jekyll spokesperson Rick Miramontez, the tunes run from pop to opera to theatre songs.
Jekyll & Hyde celebrated its 500th performance at the Plymouth Theatre on the matinee of July 8. In other J&H news, Luba Mason will succeed Eder in the role of Lucy in the Broadway production. She will give her first performance in the Frank Wildhorn musical Sept. 1. Mason's credits include Paul Simon's The Capeman of last season, Hedy La Rue in the recent Broadway revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, plus The Will Rogers Follies and the national tour of Sunset Boulevard.
Jekyll & Hyde's two other stars, Robert Cuccioli and Noll, are signed to stay with the show through Jan. 3, 1999.
According to a production spokesman, Cuccioli is missing several performances in July (July 20-24, 29-30) because he's starring in an independent feature film, titled Butterfly Legend. Standby Robert Evan, who already does the matinees, takes over on those dates. He is also scheduled to play the role in the show's national tour, starting up March 1999 in Seattle. No co-stars have been announced yet. Here are the tour dates (as of July 8):
March 9, 1999: Grand Forks/Seattle, Paramount Theatre
March 30, 1999: Grand Rapids, MI, Devos Hall
April 6: Boston, Wang Performing Arts Center
April 13: Wallingford, CT, Oakdale Theatre
April 20: Detroit, Fisher Theatre
May 11: Minneapolis, Orpheum Theatre
May 18: Dallas, Music Hall
June 1: Tulsa, OK, Tulsa Performing Arts Center
May 15: Memphis, Orpheum Theatre
June 22: Toronto, Ford Center
July 20: Vancouver, Ford Center
Aug. 3: San Francisco, Golden Gate Theatre
Aug. 31: San Diego, Civic Center Theatre
Sept. 7: Los Angeles, Pantages Theatre
As for Jekyll's international plans, here are the latest sites:
Nov. 1998: Australia's Capitol Theatre.
Jan. 1999: Madrid, Spain
Feb. 1999: Germany's Neue Metropol Theatre in Bremen
Fall 1999: Scandinavian tour
According to the Richard Kornberg press office, also in the works are productions in London, Mexico City, Venezuela and -- stand back -- Buenos Aires.
