Producer Manny Kladitis hopes to turn a new audience on to the Gershwin brothers. Fascinating Rhythm a revue created by Mark Lamos and Mel Marvin and directed by Lamos, was first mounted at Hartford Stage in 1997. (Lamos was still artistic director of the theatre at the time.) Now the musical is being prepped for a Broadway-bound tour, with Columbia Artists Theatrical Management partnering the project with producer Kladitis.
"We want to show how viable Gershwin's work -- both the music and the lyrics -- is today," said Kladitis (Feb. 26). "We'll take a young, pop approach. It won't be a star vehicle, just young, raw, exciting talent."
Kladitis predicts a League of Resident Theatre (LORT) regional production in September, followed by a brief tour to "shoot for New York quickly for Broadway 1999."
Gershwin music made its most recent Broadway appearance was in Crazy For You.
-- By David Lefkowitz