Événement

Follies, In Concert

"A stunning musical pastiche so brilliant as to be breathtaking." -New York Daily News (1971)

APPLAUSE! Musicals in Concert brings together a group of veteran Vancouver performers to star in the rare musical Follies, running five performances only April 28-May 1, at Performance Works on Granville Island.

Follies is a retrospective of the "Ziegfeld Follies," in which Stephen Sondheim blends the nostalgia of popular songs of the past with his own style of sentimental ballad. The show is a love letter to musical theatre, complete with songs in the styles of George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter. Rarely produced due to its challenging score and dark subject matter, Follies was awarded both the Drama Critics and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical of 1971, and also won seven Tony Awards.

Set in the early 1970s at the Wesimann Theatre in New York on the eve preceding its demolition. Before the wrecking ball transforms the theatre into a parking lot, a reunion is taking place for members of the former "Weismann Follies". As the evening goes on, the former performers relive many of their past experiences, both good and bad. The show has many popular Sondheim standards including "I'm Still Here", "Broadway Baby", and "Losing My Mind".

Follies has a book by James Goldman, and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim is the preeminent composer and lyricist of the American musical theatre. His best known works include West Side Story, Gypsy, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Company, among others. Mr. Sondheim celebrates his 80th birthday this month (March 22). The late James Goldman was an American Academy Award-winning screenwriter and playwright best known for his play and screenplay A Lion in Winter.

Follies will run Wednesday April 28th through Saturday May 1 at 8PM, with a 2PM matinee on Saturday May 1. Performances take place at Performance Works, 1218 Cartwright Street, Granville Island.