Man of La Mancha, George M! and Cole Porter's rare Red, Hot and Blue! make up the 2000 season of Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam, CT.
The Tony Award-winning revival company, Goodspeed Opera House, announced its new 2000 season Dec. 6.
La Mancha (April 7-July 1, 2000) is the Don Quixote musical that begat "The Impossible Dream." The romantic, seriocomic tuner drawn from Cervantes began at Goodspeed 35 years ago and went on to win the Tony for Best Musical. Tony-winner Gerald Gutierrez (Most Happy Fella, The Heiress, A Delicate Balance) will direct the Joe Darion-Mitch Leigh Dale Wasserman show.
George M! (July 7-Oct. 7) is the musical of the life and work of showman George M. Cohan, the playwright-actor-director-producer songwriter who wrote "Yankee Doodle Boy," "Mary" and "Give My Regards to Broadway." Michael Stewart (Bye Bye Birdie) and John and Fran Pascal wrote the book.
Porter's rarely revived Red, Hot and Blue! (Oct. 13-Dec. 31, 2000) starred Jimmy Durante, Bob Hope and Ethel Merman in 1936 and offered two of Porter's enduring hits: "It's De-Lovely" and "Ridin' High." The plot by Russel Crouse and Howard Lindsay centers on the search for a missing heiress whose identity can only be determined by a waffle-iron mark on her behind. To assist in the search, a new millionairess arranges the parole of several prison inmates. One sentimental con resents his release and misses being the captain of the prison polo team.
Also in the score are "Down in the Depths," "The Ozarks Are Callin' Me Home," "Red, Hot and Blue," "What a Great Pair We'll Be," "Five Hundred Million," "You've Got Something," "Carry On" and "Ours."
Advance season subscriptions are available through the Goodspeed box office (860) 873-8668. Single tickets go on sale Feb. 13, 2000.
Dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theatre, Goodspeed Musicals produces six musicals each season at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT, and at its second stage, Goodspeed-at Chester/The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, CT. The Terris opened in 1984 for the development of new musicals.
-- By Kenneth Jones
