Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles and Anneliese van der Pol played three high school Texas pals who come of age in the '60s and who grow up (and apart) in the coming decades. The musical that has music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum and book by Jack Heifner (based on his play) ended its limited run at Second Stage Theatre on Aug. 9.
The three-actress musical comedy — mixed with rue, yearning and salty humor — is expected to have a life in regional theatres; the show will be licensed for performance. The cast album, produced by Joel Moss, will be available by late 2009.
The eight-piece band is led by music director Bryan Perri. Orchestrations are by Lynne Shankel.
Kirshenbaum told Playbill.com on Aug. 21, "We've restored a cut verse here and there, a few things that were trimmed during rehearsals and previews, that we all missed and always knew we wanted to restore for the CD. Everyone's been terrific about helping pull this together so soon after the end of the run at Second Stage. Lynne, Bryan, and Joel especially, along with me, put a lot of thought into this over the last couple weeks, and made some small but significant changes to hopefully make this a really satisfying listening experience, and to stand on its own as an album."
* This musical version of Jack Heifner's hit 1970s play Vanities officially opened Off-Broadway July 16 at Second Stage Theatre. Judith Ivey directed. The show began previews July 2. Dan Knechtges (Xanadu, ...Spelling Bee) handled musical staging.
Vanities, the musical, "spans the turbulent '60s through the late '80s and explores how important friends are as one faces life's defining moments: growing up, getting older and getting over it," according to show notes. The three actresses play the women at various ages in the span of 30 years.
Originally produced at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto, CA in 2006, the new musical was also showcased at the 2006 National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) Festival of New Musicals and seen at Pasadena Playhouse in August 2008.
Kennedy (Spamalot, Side Show), Stiles (Avenue Q, …Spelling Bee) and van der Pol (Beauty and the Beast, TV's "That's So Raven") starred, as they did in a Pasadena Playhouse run in 2008.
Vanities was previously announced to play New York's Lyceum Theatre, but producers decided to postpone the Broadway bow in light of the troubled economy.
The design team included Anna Louizos (set), Joe Aulisi (costume), Paul Miller (lighting), and Tony Meola (sound). Vocal arrangements are by Carmel Dean.
Visit www.vanitiesthemusical.com.
