Rhythm of a Gentle Bossa Nova: NYC Shout! Revue Conjures Female Pop Hits of 1960s
By Kenneth Jones
11 Jul 2006
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From left: Erin Crosby and Marie-France Arcilla are part of the ensemble in Shout! The Mod Musical.
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| photo by Ben Strothmann | Shout! The Mod Musical, boasting hip-swiveling hits that made household names of Petula Clark, Lulu and Shirley Bassey in the 1960s, gets its New York City debut July 11 at Off-Broadway's Julia Miles Theatre.
Co-created by Whoop-Dee-Doo! veterans Phillip George and David Lowenstein, Shout! "flips through the years like a musical magazine, tracking five young women as they come of age during the liberating days of the 1960s that made England swing," according to the producers. It's "a non-stop journey through the infectious and soulful pop anthems and ballads" associated with Petula Clark ("Downtown"), Dusty Springfield ("Son of a Preacher Man") and Lulu ("To Sir With Love"), among others.
Using "letters to an advice columnist, true confessions, quizzes and advertisements as a frame," Shout!, which had a run in London and was seen in Florida in recent weeks with the New York cast, offers a score that includes "To Sir With Love," "Downtown," "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me," "Son of A Preacher Man" and "Goldfinger."
Each character in the five-actress show is identified by the color of her costume, "reflecting a composite personality": Marie-France Arcilla (Blue), Erin Crosby (Yellow), Julie Dingman Evans (Orange) Erica Schroeder (Green) and Denise Summerford (Red).
David Lowenstein choreographs and Phillip George directs, with additional material by Peter Charles Morris and Phillip George.
The Off-Broadway opening is July 27.
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David Lowenstein choreographed Howard Crabtree's Whoop-Dee-Doo!, and Phillip George has directed 14 editions of Forbidden Broadway, plus Howard Crabtree's Whoop-Dee-Doo! (Drama Desk Award, Best Musical Revue), and was associate director on When Pigs Fly.
Peter Charles Morris and Phillip George have collaborated for 15 years on projects in New York and in London including Whoop-Dee-Doo!
The first edition of Shout! appeared on stage at the Duplex in New York in 2000 and then transferred to London's Jermyn Street Theatre where it was nominated as Best Musical by WhatsOnStage.
The design team is David Gallo (scenic design), Phillip Heckman (costume design), Jason Lyons (lighting design) and Tony Meola (sound design). Musical arrangements, orchestrations and direction are by Brad Vieth.
Shout! is produced by PLUS Entertainment's Victoria Lang & Pier Paolo Piccoli, Brent Peek and Mark Schwartz.
The Julia Miles Theatre, home of The Women's Project, is at 424 W. 55th Street.
Shout! The Mod Musical will play Tuesday at 7 PM, Wednesday-Saturday at 8 PM, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 3 PM. During previews, all tickets are $39.50 After opening (July 27), all seats are $55. For tickets, try Telecharge.com or (212) 239-6200 or www.telecharge.com. For group sales, call (212) 764-8745.
For more information, visit www.shoutthemodmusical.com.
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