No, it's not Pete `n' Tillie, nor is it Keely & Du; it's Pete 'n Keely, a new two character musical that received a reading at NY's Triad cabaret space, July 27-28, and will get another reading, Sept. 21, as part of the National Alliance For Musical Theatre conference.
Not part of the original Festival plans, the organizers nonetheless wished to include the piece in the two-day slate of musical readings. (For more information on the Alliance Festival, please see the Playbill On-Line story, "Eight New Musicals Sing Out at NY Alliance Fest, Sept. 21-22.")
The free, 55-minute presentation, backed by piano, will take place downstairs at the John Houseman Theatre, 450 West 42nd St., at 6:30 PM. Mark Waldrop, who penned the acclaimed lyrics for Off-Broadway's When Pigs Fly serves as lyricist and director for the show, which features music by Patrick Brady, as well as pop standards.
Starring in Pete `n Keely will be George Dvorsky and Sally Mayes. Dvorsky appeared on Broadway in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and in Leading Men Can't Dance at Rainbow & Stars. Mayes starred on Broadway in Welcome To The Club and She Loves Me, and Off Broadway in Closer Than Ever.
Librettist James Hindman (who's currently a standby for Robert Westenberg in 1776, told Playbill On-Line songs in the show include "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big," "I Thought About You," and "But Beautiful." "We have a lot of Sammy Cahn-kind of songs," said Hindman. 0osed to, say, well-known numbers by Irving Berlin. They're songs that you know but you don't know you know." New tunes in the musical include "Tony And Cleo." The story, set in 1968, concerns a show biz couple, now divorced, who reunite for a live television taping. Author Hindman told Playbill On-Line he hoped the show's concept would turn out similar to Forever Plaid (which played at the same theatre when it was called "Steve McGraw's"). Hindman is fairly new to the playwriting game. He's been workshopping two plays, Sammy, and Mercada And The Talking Stars, which a one-person show for Carol Woods.
As for Pete `n Keely, Hindman told Playbill On-Line (Sept. 16), the Roundabout Theatre has requested a reading of the piece, and four more readings at the Triad are projected. Hindman sees either Off-Broadway or a Triad like cabaret venue as the ultimate target.
--By David Lefkowitz
