PhotosPHOTO EXCLUSIVE: Behind the Scenes With Will Reynolds and 5th Avenue Theatre's A Room with a View MusicalThe 5th Avenue Theatre presents the new romantic musical A Room with a View. Cast member Will Reynolds (Passion) documented the preview process leading up to an April 30 opening night.
By
Matthew Blank
April 29, 2014
Based on the E.M. Forster novel that inspired the Merchant Ivory film of the same name, the musical, which was conceived by Marc Acito, features music and lyrics by Jeffrey Stock and a book by Acito. Performances continue through May 11.
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PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: Behind the Scenes With Will Reynolds and 5th Avenue Theatre's A Room with a View Musical
Directed by David Armstrong, Laura Griffith (South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza) and Louis Hobson (Next to Normal, Bonnie & Clyde) star as Lucy and George, respectively. The cast also includes Patti Cohenour (The Sound of Music, The Phantom of the Opera), Jadd Davis (Sweeney Todd, Cabaret), Allen Fitzpatrick (Driving Miss Daisy, Les Misérables), Richard Gray (First Date, Spamalot), Suzy Hunt (Grey Gardens, Singin’ in the Rain), Matt Owen (Elf, Spamalot), Will Reynolds (Love Story, Emma) and Jenny Shotwell (Pirates of Penzance, Titanic).
"Set in the 'Downton Abbey' era — a world of privilege and tradition on the precipice of change — A Room with a View tells the story of the very proper Lucy Honeychurch," press notes state. "During a vacation in Florence, Lucy's whole life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly falls in love with the handsome and rebellious George Emerson, a man beneath her class. Torn between love and duty, Lucy soon learns that sometimes love is worth breaking all the rules. As in the novel and film, this new musical includes a lively, non-sexual skinny dipping scene."
"A Room with a View is one of the most beautiful musicals I've encountered," executive producer and artistic director David Armstrong said in a previous statement. "Following in the footsteps of musicals like Memphis and A Christmas Story, A Room with a View is getting a second life at The 5th, and with the support, experience, and dedication of our artistic staff, I believe this show could have a very bright future ahead of it." Musical arrangements for A Room with a View are by Jeffrey Stock. The creative team includes set designer Walt Spangler, lighting designer Tom Sturge, sound designer Ken Travis, costume designer Deborah Trout and hair and makeup designer Mary Pyanowski Jones. Additional staff includes associate director Makaela Pollock, associate music director Christopher D. Littlefield, dialect coach Judith Shahn, assistant lighting designers Kent Cubbage and Tristan Roberson and costume design assistant Michelle Terese Grimm.
Tickets and more information are available by calling (206) 625-1900 or visiting 5thavenue.org.
The production will include Bernstein’s incidental music for Lillian Hellman’s adaptation of The Lark, and Menotti’s The Unicorn, The Gorgon, and The Manticore.
Based on the novel and film by Frank Cottrell Boyce, the new musical will reunite Guettel with Tony-winning Light in the Piazza director Bartlett Sher.