I saw this on there today:
Back when we had season tickets to Music Circus, one of the shows that Dad and I went to was this one, "Chess". I remember thinking it was pretty cool, since it wasn't one of the classic Broadway musicals. Those "classic" ones are not really my cup of tea as far as performance art goes. I'll go and go from now until whenever, because other people I care about may be fans.
"Chess", though, was modern and intellectual, and one character, the moderator I think, when barking an order at one of the player's handlers (or it could have been the girl both players were in love with) says: "I want them HERE at noon SMILING." Then, as he's exiting the row, he turned and bellowed one the most memorable lines from any Music Circus show I ever heard: "Well, I don't give a shit if they're smiling."
Cursing and Cold War politics at a Music Circus show? That was fantastic. Maybe I'll take Corrie to this...
While living in New York Corrie was signed up with something called Gold Star Entertainment. They were a seat-filling organization that attempted to sell-out shows at wildly reduced prices. Corrie would get an email about what deals were available that week, and we'd decide what to see. That's how we saw "Madame Butterfly" among other shows and ballgames.
One show was called "Dust", wrought by Billy Goda:
Once again I encountered things I wasn't expecting. This show was free, with the six dollar service charge per ticket. Twelve bucks for some Thee-ayter?
Not a musical, the show revolved around three main characters; the protagonist was a guy, a recovering meth addict and newly released from jail, who had a job as a handyman in a condo; his girl; and the antagonist was played by Richard Masur, recognizable from his work in movies, the character here was one of the condo residents who treats the protagonist poorly.
This show had everything: cursing, drug use, gun play, threats---both idle and real---and the girl was even topless for ten solid minutes during an intimate argument scene.
We had no idea what it was about before showing up; read no reviews, had heard nothing...jackpot!
I'd hadn't thought about "Chess" for years, so today's discovery was rather sweet.
I do remember Chess, although only rather vaguely. Obviously I remember working Music Circus, and one of the most memorable of those shows was Guys and Dolls. It was for that show that we (the crew) had to move a dozen or so benches onto the stage in the first act, for the bus scene, and Nicely Nicely's leadoff shtick. I remember bugging the actress who played the lead Doll into having her picture taken with me "backstage," which was really one of the open areas outside the tent.
ReplyDeleteOther shows I remember: Showboat, The Secret Garden, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The King and I. That tent got fuckin hot, even at night.