Podcast appearances and mentions of Rick Elice

Peter and the Starcatcher, by the American writer Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Water for Elephants), is a Tony Award-winning play inspired by J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan stories. It reveals how Peter, the Lost Boys, and Captain Hook came to find themselves in Neverland, and it puts a new character named Molly at the centre of the action.Also, the big sound of a cappella Sacred Harp singing will ring out in an Australian theatre this month in a new play called The Hall, and we pay tribute to our recent guest Roz Hervey, who has died. Roz was a celebrated dancer, choreographer, director and, most recently, Creative Producer at Restless Dance Theatre.

Hi there, you submarine watchers! We're here for another special edition of Silhouettes JB Podcast! We've got Jersey Boys "Elder" David Cace in the Zoom studio helpin' us put the finishing touches on our special party celebrating the 20th anniversary of the original production of Jersey Boys at the La Jolla Playhouse in sunny California! David regales us with stories of running mozzarella cheese and Italian bread from Hoboken, New Jersey to Las Vegas for his friend and original Four Season, Tommy DeVito, being in the room getting ready for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction with Tommy and Nick Massi and so much more. Our party is on Monday, October 14th, 2024 at the famous Patsy's Italian Restaurant, 236 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019 from 6:00 PM-9:00 PM! Broadway is dark, so all your favorite stars will be there! Some family members to expect: Rick Elice (original book writer), David Noroña (La Jolla Playhouse cast), Tony Award Nominee J. Robert Spencer (Broadway), Andy Karl (Broadway), Renée Marino (Broadway, Tour, Film), Quinn VanAntwerp (Broadway, Canada), Travis Cloer (Broadway, Vegas) Aaron De Jesus (Vegas, Tour, New World Stages) and John Edwards (Broadway)! Oh, what a night it's going to be! Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oh-what-a-night-celebrating-20-years-of-jersey-boys-for-fans-by-fans-tickets-899366067117?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl A; Salud!♥️

Hi there, you submarine watchers! We're here for a special edition of Silhouettes JB Podcast! We've got Pamela Singer and Wanda Libardi in the Zoom studio helpin' us gear up for our special party celebrating the 20th anniversary of the original production of Jersey Boys at the La Jolla Playhouse in sunny California! Fun fact: Did you know that Leslie Odom Jr. played Barry Belson, replacing Titus Burgess who went to go do the Beach Boys musical, Good Vibrations on Broadway‽ Our party is on Monday, October 14th, 2024 at the famous Patsy's Italian Restaurant, 236 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019 from 6:00 PM-9:00 PM! Broadway is dark, so all your favorite stars will be there! Some family members to expect: Rick Elice (original book writer), David Noroña (La Jolla Playhouse cast), Tony Award Nominee J. Robert Spencer (Broadway), Andy Karl (Broadway), Renée Marino (Broadway, Tour, Film), Quinn VanAntwerp (Broadway, Canada), Klara Zieglerova (original set designer) and John Edwards (Broadway)! Oh, what a night it's going to be! Get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oh-what-a-night-celebrating-20-years-of-jersey-boys-for-fans-by-fans-tickets-899366067117?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl A; Salud!♥️

Music Credits:"Overture" from Dear World (Original Broadway Cast Recording)  | Music by Jerry Herman | Performed by Dear World Orchestra & Donald Pippin"Greased Lightnin'" from Grease (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |  Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey |  Performed by John Travolta , Jeff Conaway

If there's one lesson to take away from Rick Elice's life story, it's to never say no to a free lunch. He shares anecdotes from his past, including childhood memories of seeing theatre productions that got him to pursue acting and getting fired for his first Broadway show as an actor. While he's always loved theatre, Rick also looks back on the beginning of his advertising career, which happened at a musical's opening night at the Public Theatre where he found himself standing next to Matthew Serino. With so many successful stints and an amazing career trajectory, he likens himself to a pinball, getting flipped from one project to the next. Having written the book for Broadway's “The Addams Family”, he recalls the show's timeline and why the national tour became a much more successful version of the story then they had originally written. He talks about his latest work, “Water for Elephants”, and the show's universal themes of belonging and loss. He reflects on his personal experiences, including grief over the loss of his partner that deeply influenced his approach to writing the musical – emphasizing the importance of storytelling as a way to connect with the audience and to provide comfort to those who feel marginalized or unheard. Ultimately, he talks about his motivations and inspirations in life, citing the beauty of the world and his sense of his own unimportance as the main ones. Rick Elice is a four time Tony Award nominated author, a playwright, an actor, a teacher, and an entrepreneur who has been involved in the Broadway scene in one form or another since 1979. In 1982, he became the creative director of Serino Coyne, Inc., one of the top theatrical marketing agencies in New York, and then became a creative consultant for the Walt Disney Studio from 1999 to 2008. His first Broadway credit as a book writer aka playwright was “Jersey Boys”, which opened in 2005, and led him to write the stories, the books for the Broadway shows of “The Addams Family”, “Peter and the Starcatcher”, “The Cher Show”, and now, “Water for Elephants”, which just nabbed him his fourth Tony nomination. Rick is also writing the books for “The Princess Bride” musical, and “Smash” musical, among others. Connect with The Theatre Podcast: Support the podcast on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheTheatrePodcast YouTube: YouTube.com/TheTheatrePodcast Threads, Twitter & Instagram: @theatre_podcast TikTok: @thetheatrepodcast Facebook.com/OfficialTheatrePodcast TheTheatrePodcast.com My personal Instagram: @alanseales Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick talks with Len Berman and Michael Riedel about his process of writing. His latest musical Water for Elephants is also up for a Tony Award.

Today, I'm thrilled to announce my interview with Sara Gettelfinger, who is currently returning to Broadway after a 10-year hiatus to star as Barbara in Water for Elephants. Tune in today to hear some of the stories of her legendary career, including how her persistence got her into CCM, why Michele Pawk was an early hero of hers, rehearsing with Gwen Verdon, a special audition for Jack O'Brien, working with Jerry Zaks on The Addams Family, the shows she'd like to see done at Encores!, the importance of Rick Elice's work in her return to acting, the thrills and challenges of working with George C. Wolfe, how she created the character of Little Edie Beale, the process of being let go from Grey Gardens, and so much more. She also shares the moving and inspiring details of her hard-won journey back to Broadway. You won't want to miss this intimate conversation with one of Broadway's best.

I'm thrilled to announce the release of my episode with Tony-nominated librettist Rick Elice, whose musical Water for Elephants is currently playing at Broadway's Imperial Theater. Tune in to find out about all the facets of his varied career, which he describes as being a “pinball in a pinball machine,” including how a forbidden experience with Follies got him hooked on theater, late-night calls from Elaine May, how Annie led to being hired by Serino-Coyne, crashing a lunch with Stanley Donen, when Cher quoted “Hello, Dolly!” to him, what intrigued him about the Smash musical, the trick he used for marketing The Lion King, the advice he got from Neil Simon and Mike Nichols, why Tom Stoppard is responsible for his career as a playwright, and more. He also shares a beautiful tribute to the late, great Chita Rivera, who worked with Rick's husband Roger Rees on their mutual last project, The Visit. You won't want to miss this episode!

The new musical adaptation of “Water for Elephants,” based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Sara Gruen, opens at Broadway's Imperial Theatre tomorrow night. Previews began in late February. The show is directed by Tony Award winner Jessica Stone and features a book by Rick Elice and music and lyrics by our guests - PigPen Theatre Co.

Rick Elice co-wrote Jersey Boys (winner 2006 Tony Award, 2007 Grammy Award and 2009 Olivier Award for Best Musical) with the great Marshall Brickman; The Addams Family; Peter and the Starcatcher (winner of five 2012 Tony Awards); and The Cher Show (currently on tour in the UK). In the pipeline: The Princess Bride for Disney; Smash for Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg, music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, directed by Susan Stroman. Rick is also adapting Sara Gruen's novel Water for Elephants; the popular film, Silver Linings Playbook; and writing an original musical, Treasure, with 2021 Ed Kleban Award-winner Benjamin Scheuer. Rick's book, Finding Roger, An Improbably Theatrical Love Story, is published by Kingswell. Heartfelt thanks to those whose theatre work makes him grateful for the day he was born: Sondheim, Stoppard, Bennett, Prince, Fosse, Robbins, Nichols, Nunn, Laurents, Stone, Taymor, Papp, Schumacher, Schneider, David, Strong, Gaudio, Valli, McAnuff, Trujillo, Timbers, Coyne, Brickman, and, eternally, Roger Rees. Rick thinks about them a lot. He never thought about Jersey much. He does now.

Rick Elice co-wrote Jersey Boys (winner 2006 Tony Award, 2007 Grammy Award and 2009 Olivier Award for Best Musical) with the great Marshall Brickman; The Addams Family; Peter and the Starcatcher (winner of five 2012 Tony Awards); and The Cher Show (currently on tour in the UK). In the pipeline: The Princess Bride for Disney; Smash for Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg, music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, directed by Susan Stroman. Rick is also adapting Sara Gruen's novel Water for Elephants; the popular film, Silver Linings Playbook; and writing an original musical, Treasure, with 2021 Ed Kleban Award-winner Benjamin Scheuer. Rick's book, Finding Roger, An Improbably Theatrical Love Story, is published by Kingswell. Heartfelt thanks to those whose theatre work makes him grateful for the day he was born: Sondheim, Stoppard, Bennett, Prince, Fosse, Robbins, Nichols, Nunn, Laurents, Stone, Taymor, Papp, Schumacher, Schneider, David, Strong, Gaudio, Valli, McAnuff, Trujillo, Timbers, Coyne, Brickman, and, eternally, Roger Rees. Rick thinks about them a lot. He never thought about Jersey much. He does now.

All losses are unique and present their own challenges, and the death of a daily companion and life partner carries its own. Cantor Rebecca Garfein, former Senior Cantor at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in NYC, and Rick Elice, a famed and award-winning writer for theatre, have faced the loss of a husband and have been public […] The post Dealing with Spousal Loss: Rick Elice and Cantor Rebecca Garfein appeared first on Plaza Jewish Community Chapel.

Rick Elice, writer of Jersey Boys, the absolute smash hit musical Jersey Boys joins Dave as the show returns to the Bord Gais Energy Theatre on the 2nd of November. It's a real jukebox musical, and it looks at the formation, the huge success, and the eventual breakup of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Rev. Bill Crews dips back into the archives to replay his interview with musical theatre empresario Rick Elice.   Rick Elice shares his insights about the role of theatre in understanding human beings and connecting to one another.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JERSEY BOYS COMPOSER: Bob Gaudio LYRICIST: Bob Crewe BOOK: Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice DIRECTOR: Des McAnuff CHOREOGRAPHER: Sergio Trujillo PRINCIPLE CAST: Christian Hoff (Tommy), Daniel Reichard (Bob), John Lloyd Young (Frankie) OPENING DATE: Nov 06, 2005 CLOSING DATE: Jan 15, 2017 PERFORMANCES: 4,642 SYNOPSIS: The rise and fall of The Four Seasons, a real-life band that dominated the 1960s music scene, is told through rotating narrators, who all offer their own theories as to why the band succeeded and subsequently dissolved.  The early 2000s saw an onslaught of failed jukebox musicals which aimed to capitalize on the disposable income of former rock fans by luring them to the theatre with familiar songs. Jersey Boys was successful because it tells the true, engrossing story of the Four Seasons and juxtaposes the violence of the narrative against the sterile, cherry tunes for which the band was known. Rick Elice examines how contradicting stories from the three living band members lent the show a multi-perspective narrative frame. The show set the standard for jukebox musicals which tell the story of the artists behind the music and led a fleet of such shows to Broadway for decades such as Beautiful and Tina. Rick Elice co-wrote Jersey Boys (winner 2006 Tony Award, 2007 Grammy Award and 2009 Olivier Award for Best Musical) with Marshall Brickman. His play, Peter and the Starcatcher, received nine 2012 Tony Award nominations (including two for Rick) and won five, more than any play of the season. It's currently playing in New York and on tour across North America. Also on Broadway, Elice wrote The Addams Family (with Marshall Brickman, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa), currently touring North America, with productions in Europe and South America. In 2014, the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego presented the world premiere of his new musical, Dog and Pony (music and lyrics by Michael Patrick Walker). Rick is currently writing a musical for Disney Theatricals with Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, based on the film Make Believe, and Super Fly (co-written with Seth Zvi Rosenfeld), directed and choreographed by modern dance legend, Bill T. Jones. Heartfelt thanks to those whose work in the theatre makes him grateful for the day he was born: Sondheim, Stoppard, Bennett, Prince, Fosse, Robbins, Nichols, Tune, Nunn, Laurents, Stone, Kushner, Taymor, Papp, Schumacher, Schneider, Coyne, Brickman, Timbers and Rees. Rick thinks about them a lot. He never thought about Jersey much. He does now. SOURCES Jersey Boys, Original Cast Recording. Decca Records (2005) Jersey Boys starring Erich Bergen and John Lloyd Young, directed by Clint Eastwood. Warner Brothers (2014) Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons by David Cote, published by Broadway (2007) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julia and Kait are joined once again by their amazing friends from the Brotakus Podcast! This week, the four of them sit down to discuss Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice. They discuss the influence this piece has on the story of Peter Pan, the racist undertones within the show, and the beauty of being young. Enjoy! 

"To have faith is to have wings." In our third week of Peter Pan Month, we are looking at the novel Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson as well as the stage adaptation written by Rick Elice and starring Christian Borle, Adam Chanler-Berat, and Celia Keenan-Bolger. This Peter Pan prequel/reboot follows the adventures of Peter, an orphan being sold into slavery, and a girl named Molly who is protecting a chest full of starstuff, a magical substance with immense power. Trials on the treacherous seas lead to wild escapades on a remote island, forcing Peter and Molly to face pirates, mermaids, crocodiles, and more before their journey ends. We talk through the book's story and then discuss the creative changes and revisions made for the stage version. We discuss the characters' names, Black Stache vs. Captain Hook, the play's story theatre format, the creative parallels the play adds, the small title change, character motivations, how Peter Pan gets his name, and more! Next time, join us to discuss the 1953 Disney animated classic version of Peter Pan featuring the voices of Bobby Driscoll, Hans Conried, and Kathryn Beaumont. Join the discussion! If you want to interact with other fairy tale fans, discuss this week's retelling, participate in podcast polls, catch fairy tale related news, join our Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/ofslippersandspindles/ Follow us on Instagram! We share behind-the-scenes info, fun facts, historical pictures of Drew and Cassie, bookstagram photos, and more! https://www.instagram.com/ofslippersandspindles/ We love to hear from you! You can reach us at ofslippersandspindles@gmail.com Music: Through The Woods by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com 

"I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!" Drew and Cassie are here to gush over the 2003 film adaptation of Peter Pan starring Jeremy Sumpter, Jason Isaacs, and Rachel Hurd-Wood! This film knows that Wendy is the protagonist and focuses on the underlying romantic tensions between Peter and Wendy in some beautiful and unique ways. We talk about the movie's incredible soundtrack, a generation's crush on Jeremy Sumpter, adaptation vs. retelling, Barrie's vision for a film version of Peter Pan, the many wonderful performances from the three leads as well as Carsen Gray, Ludivine Sagnier, Richard Briers, and Theodore Chester, Neverland's location in the universe, the pink affect, the incorporation of the power of the hidden kiss throughout the movie, Hook's flight, the emotional reunion at the end, and much more! Next time, join us to discuss the novel Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, as well as its stage adaptation written by Rick Elice starring Christian Borle, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Adam Chanler-Berat. Join the discussion! If you want to interact with other fairy tale fans, discuss this week's retelling, participate in podcast polls, catch fairy tale related news, join our Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/ofslippersandspindles/ Follow us on Instagram! We share behind-the-scenes info, fun facts, historical pictures of Drew and Cassie, bookstagram photos, and more! https://www.instagram.com/ofslippersandspindles/ We love to hear from you! You can reach us at ofslippersandspindles@gmail.com Music: Through The Woods by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com 

Broadway News: Ariana DeBose was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in West Side Story. DeBose's nomination follows Rita Moreno's historic 1961 Oscar win, playing the same role in the earlier film adaptation. Lin-Manuel Miranda received a Best Song nomination for his "Dos Oruguitas" from Encanto, a nod that could achieve EGOT status. Miranda's screen adaptation of Jonathan Larson's biomusical tick, tick...BOOM! was recognized, with Broadway alum Andrew Garfield getting a nomination for Best Actor for his performance as Larson.  Tony nominee Amber Gray will play her final performance as Persephone in Hadestown February 19. Casting for the role of Persephone will be announced shortly. A musical adaptation of “Smash” is setting its sights on Broadway! The musical, based on the NBC television show, will feature a book by Bob Martin and Rick Elice and a score from Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who wrote original songs for the television show. Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron, all of whom worked on the television show, will produce the new musical. Production dates have not yet been announced. The Public Theater recently announced the line-up for the 60th Anniversary Season of Free Shakespeare in the Park at The Delacorte Theater. This summer, Free Shakespeare in the Park will begin with the drama Richard III, directed by Tony nominee Robert O'Hara and featuring Danai Gurira in the title role. The season will continue with the return of the free Public Works musical adaptation of As You Like It after it was originally scheduled for the 2020 season, but delayed due to the pandemic. Adapted by Public Theater Artist-in-Residence Shaina Taub and Director of Public Works Laurie Woolery, with music and lyrics by Shaina Taub. Casting: Color Purple movie musical casting including American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino has been cast as Celie. It's a reprise of a role she held on Broadway in 2009. Tony nominee Danielle Brooks will take on the role of Sofia. She also starred in a different revival of The Color Purple on Broadway. Fantasia and Brooks will join the previously reported Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, Oscar and Grammy winner H.E.R. as Squeak, Halle Bailey as Young Nettie, and stage and screen star Colman Domingo as Mister. Full casting has been announced for the Broadway revival of Neil Simon's Plaza Suite starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. Tony winner John Benjamin Hickey directs the production, which will now begin previews February 25 at the Hudson Theatre for a limited engagement through June 26. Opening night is set for March 28. Joining Parker and Broderick in Suite 719 of the Plaza Hotel will be Danny Bolero as The Waiter, Molly Ranson as Jean McCormick/Mimsey Hubley, and Eric Wiegand as The Bellhop/Borden Eisler. Tony winner Michael McGrath and Tony nominee Erin Dilly will standby for Broderick and Parker, respectively, with Laurie Veldheer and Cesar J. Rosado serving as understudies. The upcoming Broadway revival of Funny Girl has unveiled the complete company as they begin their official first day of rehearsals. The production, starring Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice and Tony and Olivier nominee Rameen Karimloo as Nick Arnstein, begins March 26 at the August Wilson Theatre ahead of an April 24 opening night. Additional previously announced cast members include Jared Grimes as Eddie Ryan, and Emmy winner Jane Lynch as Mrs. Rosie Brice. They will be joined by Peter Francis James as Florenz Ziegfeld, Ephie Aardema as Emma/Mrs. Nadler, Debra Cardona as Mrs. Meeker, Toni DiBuono as Mrs. Strakosh, Martin Moran as Tom Keeney, and Julie Benko as the standby for Fanny Brice.  Follow @BwayPodNetwork on Twitter. Find co-hosts on Twitter at @AyannaPrescod, @CLewisReviews, and @TheMartinAcuna. Subscribe To BPN's newsletter HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk about the broadway musical Jersey Boys, what is next for him, and the current state of Broadway.

For the final episode of this series, we're chatting to the amazing Cameron Blakely! Cameron originated the role of Gomez when The Addams Family  made its UK premiere in 2017. He is currently reprising his performance for the musical's latest UK tour.Directed by Matthew White, with choreography by Alistair David, The Addams Family has book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. Cameron is well known for his long association with Les Miserables. He has played Thenardier countless times in the West End and on tour. He recently played Bamatabois/Babet in the concert version of the show at the Sondheim Theatre, having played the role for the 25th Anniversary Concert  at the O2 Arena.Just a few of Cameron's other credits include: Dennis Dupree in Rock of Ages (UK Tour), W T Steadi in Calon Lan (Swansea Grand Theatre), Lex Hogan in Eugenius (The Other Palace), Narrator/Mysterious Man in Into the Woods (Royal Exchange Theatre), Fagin in Oliver! (Watermill Theatre), Gatch/Twimble in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Concert), Lazar Wolf in Fiddler on the Roof (Grange Park Opera), Mr Lucas/Mr Scruton in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole (Leicester Curve) and Sam in Mamma Mia! (international tour), Cameron has worked extensively at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, where his roles have included: Charley  in Where's Charley?, Badger in The Wind in the Willows, Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Rosencrantz in Hamlet, Peter in Romeo and Juliet and Nathaniel in The Taming of the Shrew.The Addams Family resumes its UK tour on 11th January in Milton Keynes and is booking through to June 2022. Visit www.theaddamsfamily.co.uk for info and tour dates.Hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @Andrew_Tomlins Thanks for listening! We're taking a little break in January, but will be back next year with lots more incredible guests. Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts. 

Season two premiere! #JerseyBoys co-writer #RickElice tells us how he put Jersey on the page with Marshall Brickman. You’re in for a a mini masterclass on how to make the whole world explode through dialogue. Learn about the -Timeline of JB before La Jolla. It’s earlier than you think! -Historical present tense in each season’s monologues -Creation of the JB character “Lorraine” -History of the jukebox musical 1 hour -Distinction between jokes and laughs 1:42 -ORIGINAL dialogue in pizza scene at La Jolla -Sit-down scene reactions from Tommy DeVito and Frankie Valli’s reactions before La Jolla And more! A’ Salud

Following the journey of The Addams Family has been surprising. Before I started, I wasn’t even sure the original creative team would want to go on record with me about the show’s tumultuous development. And yet, their gracious excitement to jump back into the world of The Addams Family showed me something that I hadn’t experienced as a member of the Broadway cast: many people like this show. First and foremost on that list was book co-author Rick Elice, who enjoyed getting his hands dirty as he wrote and rewrote the book to uncover clearer and more specific obstacles for his characters. Also on that list were Dontee Kiehn and Steve Bebout who, after closing the Broadway and national tours, went on to stage many, many well-received productions of the musical around the globe. And then there were those who are mounting the show now: the teachers and students creating little Addams Families of their own all across the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the not-so secret secrets in this show about secrets is that The Addams Family went through massive structural changes multiple times on its way to becoming the most popular musical in America. Many of the changes were noted in my previous discussions with Rick Elice and Dontee Kiehn: solidifying the focus on the family, the addition of the wedding curtain call. But both Rick and Dontee had been with the show since before rehearsals for its pre-Broadway tryout in Chicago. I wanted to speak to someone who was a part of the changes made on the show’s journey to Broadway. So I called up Steve Bebout. Steve Bebout has worked as the associate director on four massive Broadway musicals, including Something Rotten!, The Book of Mormon and Sister Act. But, like me, The Addams Family was Steve’s Broadway debut. We both initially were outsiders entering the world of this lumbering imperfect production. So I wanted to get his take on what made the show work from when he first joined the team in late 2009. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My first stop on this journey was reaching out to an old colleague, Rick Elice. Along with Marshall Brickman, Rick wrote the book for the musical adaptation of The Addams Family. Rick and I’s path crossed a handful of times during my tenure with the original Broadway production: he was in the room when I had my final audition, he was in the building to put in new leads or when the show closed on New Year’s Eve 2011. But I mostly knew Rick from being the husband of our leading man, Roger Rees, who took over the role of Gomez Addams two months into my run. Last month, I sent an email to Rick for the first time in more than nine years. Imagine when he replied within 24 hours, excited about the opportunity to discuss the show. In the years since, Rick wrote the script for Peter and the Starcatcher, The Cher Show, and has maintained the multiple companies of his show Jersey Boys, currently the 12th longest running show in Broadway history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this very spooky (and slightly belated) episode of Adapt or Perish we're celebrating Halloween with a look at the creepiest and kookiest family of them all—The Addams Family. In this episode we discuss: Charles Addams' original New Yorker cartoon. The Addams Family (ABC, 1964–1966), created by David Levy, starring John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Jackie Coogan, and Ted Cassidy. The Addams Family (Paramount, 1991), directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, written by Caroline Thompson and Larry Wilson, and starring Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, and Christina Ricci. Addams Family Values (Paramount, 1993), directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, written by Paul Rudnick, and starring Julia, Huston, Lloyd, Ricci, Joan Cusack, David Krumholtz, Peter MacNicol, and Christine Baranski. Addams Family Reunion (Saban, 1998), directed by Dave Payne, written by Rob Kerchner and Scott Sandin, and starring Tim Curry, Daryl Hannah, Kevin McCarthy, Estelle Harris, and Ed Begley, Jr. The New Addams Family (Saban, 1998–1999), starring Glenn Taranto and Ellie Harvie. The Addams Family (2010), music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, original Broadway cast including Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. The Addams Family (MGM, 2019), directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan, written by Matt Lieberman, and starring Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Nick Kroll, and Allison Janney. Footnotes: The 1973 and 1992–1993 Hanna-Barbera cartoons The Addams Family pinball machine (1992) A short taste of Rip Taylor The Craft (Columbia, 1996) Return to Oz (Disney, 1985) Roger Rees singing "Happy/Sad" from The Addams Family on Broadway Dark Shadows the show vs. Dark Shadows the movie Nick Kroll: Coach Steve vs. Fester You can follow Adapt or Perish on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and you can find us and all of our show notes online at adaptorperishcast.com. We're also on Patreon! You can find us at patreon.com/adaptcast. We have multiple reward levels, which include access to a patron-only community and a patron-only, biweekly bonus show! We hope to see you there. If you want to send us a question or comment, you can always email us at adaptorperishcast@gmail.com.

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WRITER: Elice with Marshall Brickman wrote the book for the Broadway musical Jersey Boys.

Rev. Bill Crews speaks to Broadway impresario Rick Elice about his career and life.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Career Q&A with Roger Rees on August 7, 2012. Moderated by Rick Elice. ROGER REES' project, Peter and the Starcatcher, written by Rick Elice and co-directed with Alex Timbers, won 5 TONY awards; this prequel to Peter Pan continues to delight audiences at the Brooks Atkinson Theater on 47th street in New York. Mr. Rees won the Olivier Award in London, the Tony Award in New York, plus an Emmy nomination for Best Actor, playing Nicholas in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. Mr. Rees was an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Broadway Writer

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This week's show we continue our conversation with "Jersey Boys” and "The Cher Show" book writer Rick Elice. This time we dip back to the late 70's and early 80's to discuss New York theater at that time and what it was like being at the start of what became one of the most powerful advertising agencies on Broadway. This week's music: “A Little Priest” from “Sweeney Todd,” “I Hope I Get It,” “I Can Do That,” “The Music and the Mirror” from “A Chorus Line,” “Broadway Baby” from “Follies,” Carol Burnett singing, “Let Me Entertain You” and Lauren Bacall singing “Welcome to the Theater,” from “Applause." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's show is part one of our conversation with "Jersey Boys” and "The Cher Show" book writer Rick Elice. Taped at Orso Restaurant in December, on this episode we dive into Rick's process for writing “The Cher Show” and his experience working with the one and only Cher. But, before all that, Jamie and Rob discuss the January closings on Broadway and later, with “You May Be Wondering,” Rob offers a little more history on the phenomenon of jukebox musicals. This week's music: The Four Lads singing, “Another Op'nin', Another Show, Sonny & Cher singing, “The Beat Goes On” and Cher singing, “Strong Enough” and “Dark Lady." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The credits for the Spreckels Theater Company production of The Addams Family, running now through October 28, notes that the musical is “based on characters created by Charles Addams.” It is not a recreation of the beloved 1960’s sitcom. It is not an adaptation of the visually inventive films of the ‘90’s. At the insistence of the Charles Addams Foundation, who retain control of all things Addams, the source material for the musical had to be the cartoons Addams published for fifty years in the New Yorker. The 2010 Broadway musical by Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice and Andrew Lippa had a moderately successful run before becoming a theatrical Halloween season staple. It banks on the goodwill and fond memories of the generations raised with the reruns or the films and then goes in a very different direction. Uncle Fester (Erik Weiss) narrates the show and lets the audience know it’s gonna be a story about love. A teenage Wednesday Addams (Emma LaFever) is worried about bringing her “normal” boyfriend/fiancée Lucas (Cooper Bennett) and his straight-laced, midwestern parents (Larry Williams, Morgan Harrington) home to meet her unconventional family. Wednesday lets her father Gomez (Peter Downey) in on her marriage plans but gets him to agree to not reveal her intentions to her mother Morticia (Serena Elize Flores) till an announcement is made at dinner. Things don’t go as planned. It’s a stock plot dressed up with the Addams characters though the characters bear little resemblance to their previous incarnations. Downey comes closest with a very nice paternal take on Gomez while Flores’ voluptuous Morticia lacks the character’s dark, funereal tone. The score is bouncy yet unmemorable, but there are a lot of good voices delivering it. Prepare to be knocked out when Pugsley (Mario Herrera) sings about the potential loss of a playmate sister with “What If.” Ignore the trick the show’s creators play with The Addams Family characters and you’ll enjoy a family-friendly Halloween treat. ‘The Addams Family’ runs through Oct. 28 at Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park. Fri. & Sat @ 8 pm; Sun @ 2 pm, Thurs, Oct. 25 @ 7 pm. For more information, go to spreckelsonline.com. Now, in order for a show like Count Dracula - running now in Monte Rio through October 27 - to work, it has to be either played straight or as total camp. Playwright Ted Tiller’s 1971 version of the Bram Stoker novel under the direction of Nadja Masura tries to do both and the mix just doesn’t work. Tiller also seems to have worked under the assumption that no one had ever heard vampire lore before and inserted reams of lengthy, dull exposition that makes the show run an hour longer than it should. A good set, some nice effects, and a game cast can’t mask the un-dead weight of a leaden script. ‘Count Dracula’ runs through Oct. 27 at the Russian River Hall in Monte Rio. Fri. & Sat. @ 8pm; Sun @ 3pm. For more information, go to curtaincallrussianriver.com.

Jersey Boys is by far my favorite Broadway musical. For those who are unfamiliar with Jersey Boys, you must be living under a rock! Jersey Boys was a 2005 jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is presented in a documentary-style format that dramatizes the formation, success and eventual break-up of the 1960s rock 'n' roll group The Four Seasons. The musical is structured as four "seasons", each narrated by a different member of the band who gives his own perspective on its history and music. Songs include "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Sherry", "December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)", "My Eyes Adored You", "Stay", "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", "Working My Way Back to You" and "Rag Doll", among others. The title refers to the fact that the members of The Four Seasons are from New Jersey and are men. The musical ran on Broadway from 2005 to 2017, and since its debut has seen two North American national tours and productions in London's Wes --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mike36/support

Jersey Boys is by far my favorite Broadway musical.  For those who are unfamiliar with Jersey Boys, you must be living under a rock! Jersey Boys was a 2005 jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice.  It is presented in a documentary-style format that dramatizes the formation, success and eventual break-up of the 1960s rock 'n' roll group The Four Seasons. The musical is structured as four "seasons", each narrated by a different member of the band who gives his own perspective on its history and music. Songs include "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Sherry", "December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)", "My Eyes Adored You", "Stay", "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", "Working My Way Back to You" and "Rag Doll", among others. The title refers to the fact that the members of The Four Seasons are from New Jersey and are men. The musical ran on Broadway from 2005 to 2017, and since its debut has seen two North American national tours and productions in London's West End, Las Vegas, Chicago, Toronto, Singapore, South Africa, The Netherlands and elsewhere. Jersey Boys won four 2006 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and the 2009 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Jersey Boys was the behind the scenes story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. From the streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this was the musical that rocked the world. Let’s talk about some legal issues that surfaced during the running of the musical. Specifically, there are two cases that grew out of copyright infringement claims and shook the foundation of the Jersey Boys empire. They are SOFA Ent., Inc. v. Dodger Prod. and Corbello v. DeVito. In this episode, I'll discuss each case. For those who are die-hard fans of "Jersey Boys," you will love the new musical, "A Bronx Tale" that has taken Broadway by storm. 

Book writer Rick Elice, came into the theatre by an unusual route, and became a book writer later than some others, but he has made a huge impact since his debut with Jersey Boys. Taking in a Tony nomination for that show and a second for Peter and the Starcatcher. With more shows in the works, this new titan discusses his various theories about what different techniques make a book work, using examples from his past and upcoming shows.

Frozen recently opened on Broadway, and we got a chance to talk with Jeremy Chernick, the effects designer for this tech heavy production. He talks about his job and work on this show, Alladin and others, as well as offering techniques to achieve FX gold on a dime budget. Following this, we have two excerpts from what might as well be called Broadway Master Classes. Broadway Lyricist Glenn Slater has been writing with arguably two of the most influential composers of the past 40 years, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Menken. He has two shows currently running on Broadway, wrote lyrics for Galavant on television, and has a career, it is safe to assume, that any lyricist would sell their soul for. He didn't sell his soul, however, but spent years honing his craft. Here, he shares some of what he has learned. Book writer Rick Elice, came into the theatre by an unusual route, and became a book writer later than some others, but he has made a huge impact since his debut with Jersey Boys. Taking in a Tony nomination for that show and a second for Peter and the Starcatcher. With more shows in the works, this new titan discusses his various theories about what different techniques make a book work, using examples from his past and upcoming shows. The full versions of all these interviews are available in their complete, unedited form at broadwaybullet.com, so be sure to check those out. Now, let's discover how the masters of Broadway do their thing!

We've got a sampling for you this episode, a show on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Independent Theatre. First, Q. Smith and Geno Carr are giving their all eight times a week in Come From Away, and have been at it through the musical's development. They walk us through the excitement of this exhilarating show. Then, Jersey Boys is returning to New World Stages, and book writer Rick Elice stops by to let us know about that and walk us through his early history in NYC up to the fateful call to write one of the most popular musicals of this century. Finally, Frankenstein comes alive every Monday night in New York, and this time the mad creator is Eric Sirota, writing book, music and lyrics. He tells us about the show, and the unique challenges of doing a long run essentially in a festival format.

Jersey Boys is the 2006 Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Award®-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, and Nick Massi. We recently had the opportunity to chat with one of the co-authors, Rick Elice, about how it is such a homecoming to finally see the show on a New Jersey stage and how the show really represents the soundtrack to people's lives. Don't miss the NJ Premiere of Jersey Boys on Oct 13-15!

Ridley Pearson is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 50 novels, nearly equally divided between crime/suspense and middle grade adventure novels. His work has been published in two dozen languages, and has been adapted by network television and for the Broadway stage. Peter and the Starcatchers, co-written with Dave Barry, was adapted by Rick Elice into a play which went on to Broadway to win 5 Tony Awards. Ridley was awarded The Raymond Chandler Fulbright fellowship in detective fiction from Oxford University in 1990, was an Edgar Award nominee, was admitted to the Missouri Writer Hall of Fame  in 2013. His novels have won numerous state reading awards. Peter and the Starcatchers set a Guinness World Record for most readers reading the same novel at the same time. http:Visit Tamara and Alistair at their websites. Alistair’s novel, THE ANGEL ALEJANDRO is available! Sign up HERE for Thorne & Cross book updates, special deals, upcoming guests on Haunted Nights LIVE! and more. This is a copyrighted, trademarked podcast owned solely by the Authors on the Air Global Radio

Hosts Briana Phipps, Jeff Graham and Mark J Freeman discuss The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Jersey Boys is a 2005 jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe, and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is presented in a documentary-style format that dramatizes the formation, success and eventual break-up of the 1960s rock 'n roll group The Four Seasons. The musical is structured as four "seasons", each narrated by a different member of the band who gives his own perspective on its history and music. Songs include "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Sherry", "December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)", "My Eyes Adored You", "Stay", "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", "Working My Way Back to You" and "Rag Doll", among others. The title refers to the fact that the members of The Four Seasons are from New Jersey. The musical opened on Broadway in 2005 and has since had two North American National Tours and productions in London's West End, Las Vegas, Chicago, Toronto,

Rick Elice is a writer and former stage actor. Along with Marshall Brickman, he wrote the book for the Broadway musical Jersey Boys, which received a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk nomination for best book for a musical in 2006. He collaborated with Brickman once again, this time writing the book for the musical, The Addams Family, which opened on Broadway on April 8, 2010. He wrote Peter and the Starcatcher, which opened in California in 2009, played off-Broadway in 2011, and moved to Broadway in 2012. Peter and the Starcatcher won five of the nine Tony nominations it received in 2012. He also wrote Leonardo’s Ring, Dog and Pony, and Turn of the Century. He was creative director at Serino Coyne, Inc. (1982–2000), where he produced advertising campaigns for more than 300 Broadway shows including A Chorus Line and The Lion King. He has been a creative consultant for Walt Disney Studios from 1999–2009. Tune into this podcast and hear Rick talk about his unique path and . . . How he wrote his first project because of a blizzard and an egg timer. (Writers, you gotta try this!) The show that changed his life, and why. How understanding the marketing of Broadway helps him write for Broadway. The unbelievable and jaw dropping advice he got from Tom Stoppard. How the business reacted when he went from marketing guy to writer . . . and how you can transition too. Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway www.theproducersperspective.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WHITE BONE by Ridley Pearson Corruption isn’t a “problem” in Kenya, it’s the way of doing business. The poaching of ivory from African elephants, driven by insatiable demand from mainland China, fuels constant blood and slaughter. Knox faces police, national rangers, journalists, and safari companies who are each in their own symbiotic relationship with elephants, both good and bad. As the threat from Al-Shaabab militants interferes with his pursuit of Grace, Knox finds himself pitted against the most savage and suicidal fighters in the world. And there’s this woman, Grace, always in his head. His gut. As Grace watches as her civilized self slips away while abandoned in the bush, Knox races against the clock to find her. (Penguin) Ridley Pearson Book List and Awards His website: ridleypearson.com Follow him on Facebook Follow him on Twitter Listen to Interviews About The Author:  Ridley Pearson is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 48 novels, divided between suspense and young adult adventure. Over the years, his work has been published in two dozen languages, and has been adapted by network television and for the Broadway stage. His book Peter and the Starcatchers, written with Dave Barry, was adapted by Rick Elice into a play which went on to Broadway to win 5 Tony Awards.

On Thursday I went to see The Addams Family Musical, a performance by Federation University’s 2016 graduating Musical Theatre class. The musical comedy was written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and based on Charles Addams’ iconic characters in his comic strip The Addams Family. It was performed at Theatre Works on Acland St in St Kilda and its closing night was on Saturday. As soon as the orchestra began playing the overture you knew this play would be a crowd pleaser. Rainer Pollard conducted a talented group of musicians, who were both expressive and controlled, and their performance suggested a strong connection between the conductor and musicians. The play then began with the Addams family gathered around the family tree in the graveyard, a yearly ritual to celebrate life and death, and honour their ancestors. The ensemble of ancestors, portraying figures like Marie Antoinette, a WW1 soldier and a suffragette, were summoned out of their graves for the first number; When You’re an Addams. What a spectacular start to the show. The entire cast were charismatic and the blocking of the dancing was inspired and well planned. Adrienne Chisholm’s set and costume design was fantastic, notably the ancestors looked like spooky spectres as they swanned across the stage. As the family return to the house, Uncle Fester (Liam Dodds) stayed behind and closed off the gates to the underworld, enlisting the help of his ancestors to ensure a dinner scheduled for that night went smoothly. Wednesday Addams, (Tess Walsh) had suddenly fallen in love with a preppy young man from Ohio, Lucas Beineke (Jack Saunders) and invited him around for dinner so their two families could meet. Two worlds were about to collide, and the couple needed all the help they could get for One Normal Night, the name of another musical number which was spellbinding. Many of the family members struggled to understand Wednesday’s new found feelings, as she began to favour bursting into song over torturing her brother Pugsley (Mackenzie Pinder). Her parents, Gomez and Morticia Addams (Andrew Thomas, Bridget Mylecharane) are gravely concerned by her new attitude but try to set aside their differences for the sake of their daughter’s happiness. However, Pugsley fears he will lose his sister to the light side and plots to break up her relationship during the dinner. The prim parents of Lucas, Mal and Alice Beineke (Shaune Davis, Cathryn McDonald) arrive and are seated for supper. They end the meal with a game called Full Disclosure, where you slip from a chalice and tell the absolute truth. Pugsley pours a potion into the cup, a concoction which is designed to bring out one’s dark side, and it is intended for Wednesday but is instead intercepted by Alice and she transforms into her less inhibited self. A special mention goes to Patrick Schnur, who played the butler, Lurch, and to Emma Austin who played Grandma Addams. They were delightful to watch for their comedic timing in particular. A highlight of the night was when the Beineke’s had arrived and the family was trying to be as ordinary as possible. Grandma, returning from the cemetery of ancestors, suddenly bursts through the front door, and seeing them exclaims, “Boy, is it normal out there!” Another highlight was the expressions on all performers faces during the scene where Alice asks whether they have a little girls room, and Gomez replies “We used to but we let them all out.” Liam Dodds should be commended for his convincing and expressive performance of Uncle Fester, a character who is in love with the moon. My only criticism would be concerning the Tango De Amor towards the end of the Act Two, which felt a bit underwhelming on the technique side in comparison to the other dance numbers. However, it was an extremely strong performance by all cast and crew. The director, David Wynen, Musical Director, Rainer Pollard and Production Manager, Jim Austin, should be pleased with their show. Review written by Erin ConnellanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday I went to see The Addams Family Musical, a performance by Federation University’s 2016 graduating Musical Theatre class. The musical comedy was written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and based on Charles Addams’ iconic characters in his comic strip The Addams Family. It was performed at Theatre Works on Acland St in St Kilda and its closing night was on Saturday. As soon as the orchestra began playing the overture you knew this play would be a crowd pleaser. Rainer Pollard conducted a talented group of musicians, who were both expressive and controlled, and their performance suggested a strong connection between the conductor and musicians. The play then began with the Addams family gathered around the family tree in the graveyard, a yearly ritual to celebrate life and death, and honour their ancestors. The ensemble of ancestors, portraying figures like Marie Antoinette, a WW1 soldier and a suffragette, were summoned out of their graves for the first number; When You’re an Addams. What a spectacular start to the show. The entire cast were charismatic and the blocking of the dancing was inspired and well planned. Adrienne Chisholm’s set and costume design was fantastic, notably the ancestors looked like spooky spectres as they swanned across the stage. As the family return to the house, Uncle Fester (Liam Dodds) stayed behind and closed off the gates to the underworld, enlisting the help of his ancestors to ensure a dinner scheduled for that night went smoothly. Wednesday Addams, (Tess Walsh) had suddenly fallen in love with a preppy young man from Ohio, Lucas Beineke (Jack Saunders) and invited him around for dinner so their two families could meet. Two worlds were about to collide, and the couple needed all the help they could get for One Normal Night, the name of another musical number which was spellbinding. Many of the family members struggled to understand Wednesday’s new found feelings, as she began to favour bursting into song over torturing her brother Pugsley (Mackenzie Pinder). Her parents, Gomez and Morticia Addams (Andrew Thomas, Bridget Mylecharane) are gravely concerned by her new attitude but try to set aside their differences for the sake of their daughter’s happiness. However, Pugsley fears he will lose his sister to the light side and plots to break up her relationship during the dinner. The prim parents of Lucas, Mal and Alice Beineke (Shaune Davis, Cathryn McDonald) arrive and are seated for supper. They end the meal with a game called Full Disclosure, where you slip from a chalice and tell the absolute truth. Pugsley pours a potion into the cup, a concoction which is designed to bring out one’s dark side, and it is intended for Wednesday but is instead intercepted by Alice and she transforms into her less inhibited self. A special mention goes to Patrick Schnur, who played the butler, Lurch, and to Emma Austin who played Grandma Addams. They were delightful to watch for their comedic timing in particular. A highlight of the night was when the Beineke’s had arrived and the family was trying to be as ordinary as possible. Grandma, returning from the cemetery of ancestors, suddenly bursts through the front door, and seeing them exclaims, “Boy, is it normal out there!” Another highlight was the expressions on all performers faces during the scene where Alice asks whether they have a little girls room, and Gomez replies “We used to but we let them all out.” Liam Dodds should be commended for his convincing and expressive performance of Uncle Fester, a character who is in love with the moon. My only criticism would be concerning the Tango De Amor towards the end of the Act Two, which felt a bit underwhelming on the technique side in comparison to the other dance numbers. However, it was an extremely strong performance by all cast and crew. The director, David Wynen, Musical Director, Rainer Pollard and Production Manager, Jim Austin, should be pleased with their show. Review written by Erin Connellan

Reviews of ((1) YENTL, by Leah Napolin, at the New Jewish Theatre; (2) LA BOHEME, by Giacomo Puccini, at Opera Theatre of St. Louis; (3) THE TWO-CHARACTER PLAY, by Tennessee Williams, at the Midnight Company; (4) A PERFECT ANALYSIS GIVEN BY A PARROT, by Tennessee Williams, at the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis; (5) THE ST. LOUIS ROOMING HOUSE PLAYS, by Tennessee Williams, at the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis; (6) JERSEY BOYS, by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice and Bob Gaudio & Bob Crewe, at the Fox Theatre; (7) DEARLY DEPARTED, by David Bottrell & Jessie Jones, at the Alpha Players; and (8) MITZI’S ABORTION, by Elizabeth Heffron, at Tesseract Theatre.

Ever wondered how Peter Pan came to be the boy who never grew up? Or how he and Captain Hook came to be arch nemeses?We might never know the real reason (at least according to author J.M. Barrie), but the authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson sure dreamed up a fabulous possibility in the book “Peter and the Starcatcher.” Billed as a "grown-up's prequel," it was adapted for the stage by Rick Elice and ultimately won five Tonys on Broadway in 2012.Now the musical is having its local premiere at Portland Playhouse, through May 29. We thought, who better to see it with than actor Rodney Hicks for the next stop in our “What Are You Looking At?” series. Hicks has starred in a number of Broadway productions, including the original production of Rent. He also happens to have seen the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions of “Peter and the Starcatcher.” Read the full story: http://www.opb.org/artsandlife/article/peter-starcatcher-portland-playhouse

Bob Wilcox and Gerry Kowarsky review (1) PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, by Rick Elice, at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; (2) BAD JEWS, by Joshua Harmon, at the New Jewish Theatre; (3) THE GIN GAME, by D. L. Coburn, at St. Louis Actors' Studio; (4) SUBLIME INTIMACY, by Ken Page, at Max & Louie Productions; (5) DEVIL BOYS FROM BEYOND, by Buddy Thomas, Kenneth Elliot, & Drew Fornarola, at Stray Dog Theatre; (6) SHOTGUN, by John Biguenet, at the Webster Univ. Conservatory; and (7) ALL IS CALM, by Peter Rothstein, Erick Lichte & Timothy C. Takach, at Mustard Seed Theatre.

Bob Wilcox and Gerry Kowarsky review (1) ANGEL STREET, by Patrick Hamilton, at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; (2) MATILDA THE MUSICAL, by Dennis Kelly & Tim Minchin, at the Fox Theatre; (3) MARY POPPINS, by Julian Fellowes, Richard M. & Robert B. Sherman, George Stiles & Anthony Drewe, at Variety Children's Theatre; (4) SPRING AWAKENING, by Steven Sater & Duncan Sheik, at Take Two Productions; (5) THE PIANO LESSON, by August Wilson, at the Clayton Community Theatre; (6) SCOTLAND ROAD, by Jeffrey Hatcher, at Saint Louis Univ.; (7) MEDEA, by Euripides, at Univ. of Missouri–St. Louis; and (8) THE ADDAMS FAMILY, by Andrew Lippa, Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, at Over Due Theatre Company.

On July 8, 2013, SDCF hosted a panel discussion focused on the future of musical theatre. The panel featured writer Rick Elice, songwriter Jeff Bowen, singer/songwriter Amanda Green, director Stafford Arima, choreographer Kelly Devine and songwriter Benj Pasek. This conversation zeroes in on collaboration, the audition process and accepted genres of music as changing factors in the development of musical theatre today.

Bob Wilcox and Gerry Kowarsky review ((1) SUESSICAL, by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Dr. Suess, at The Muny, (2) LITTLE WOMEN, adapted by Marian DeForest from Louisa May Alcott, at Clayton Community Theatre, (3) SWEENEY TODD, by Stephen Sondheim & Hugh Wheeler, at Family Musical Theater, (4) LA TRAVIATA, by Giuseppe Verdi, at Union Avenue Opera, (5) THE ADDAMS FAMILY, by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice and Andrew Lippa, at The Muny, (6) HAMLET, by William Shakespeare, at St. Louis Shakespeare, (7) LABUTE NEW THEATRE FESTIVAL, by Neil LaBute et al., at St. Louis Actors' Studio, (8) OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS, by Joe DiPietro, at Insight Theatre Co., and (9) SCUTTER MURPHY'S WAKE, by Patrick Conroy, at First Run Theatre.

Bob Wilcox and Gerry Kowarsky review (1) WE WILL ROCK YOU, by Queen & Ben Elton, at the Fox; (3) SOUPS, STEWS AND CASSEROLES: 1976, by Rebecca Gilman, at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; (3) RED LIGHT WINTER, by Adam Rapp, at HotCity Theatre; (4) RENT, by Jonathan Larson, at New Line Theatre; (5) THE AWAKENING, by Kate Chopin, adapted by Henry I. Schvey, at St. Louis Actors' Studio; (6) LUCIA Di LAMMERMOOR, by Donizetti, at Winter Opera St. Louis; (7) MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940, by J. Bishop, at Kirkwood Theatre Guild; THE CEMETERY CLUB, by I. Menchell, at Alpha Players; and ANGEL STREET, by P. Hamilton, at Theatre Guild of Webster Groves; and (8) PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, by Rick Elice & Wayne Barker, at the Peabody Opera House.

Bob Wilcox and Gerry Kowarsky interview Bobby Miller and Wayne Salomon after reviewing (1) SHIRLEY VALENTINE, by Willy Russell, at Dramatic License Productions; (2) THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS, adapted from Isabel Allende by Caridad Svich, at Webster Univ. Conservatory; (3) JERSEY BOYS, by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, Bob Gaudio & Bob Crewe, at the Fox Theatre; (4) MIDDLETOWN, by Will Eno, at Saint Louis Univ.; and (5) YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, by George S. Kaufman & Moss, at Washington Univ.

Jersey Boys is a smash hit musical based on the songs and the life story of pop band Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons which started life at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California in 2004, moved to Broadway the following year and has since opened all over the world, winning best musical awards at the Tonys in 2006 and the Olivier Awards in 2008. Producer David Ian talks about bringing the show to the UK after seeing the last preview on Broadway. West End cast members David McGranaghan and Jon Boydon, who play Nick Massi and Tommy DeVito, and Tim Driesen, who has been playing Frankie Valli in the Dutch production, talk about the rigorous selection and training process and about what it is like to be a part of the show. Richard Hester, who has been involved with the show since it began in San Diego in 2004, tells us what it has been like to go from stage manager of that original production to being in charge of 11 productions throughout the world. Finally, co-writer Rick Elice talks us through the process of creating the show and looks back on a successful ten-year run. For more information on the UK tour, see www.jerseyboysuktour.com.

Three of the driving forces for smash-hit Broadway musical "Jersey Boys" discuss many behind the scenes details and stories behind their successes.

Theater Talk welcomes guests Rick Elice and Roger Rees, the writer and co-director of the Tony-nominated play, "Peter and the Starcatcher," Elice's enchanting prequel to the children's classic Peter Pan.

Bob Wilcox and Gerry Kowarsky review (1) THE ADDAMS FAMILY, by Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice, & Andrew Lippa, at the Fox Theatre, (2) HENRY V, by William Shakespeare, at St. Louis Shakespeare, (3) PASSING STRANGE, by Stew & Heidi Rodewald, at New Line Theatre, (4) TOP GIRLS, by Caryl Churchill, at Webster University Conservatory, (5) REASONS TO BE PRETTY, by Neil LaBute, at The NonProphet Theater Co., (6) THE VIOLINIST, by Susan Berardi, at Inspired Productions, (7) RABBIT HOLE, by David Lindsey-Abaire, at Insight Theatre Co., (8) SOUTH PACIFIC, by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II, & Joshua Logan, at The Alpha Players, and (9) THE HOT L BALTIMORE, by Lanford Wilson, at Soundstage Productions.

The production team behind "Hurlyburly" - advertising representative Rick Elice, agent Milton Goldman, legal counsel Jay S. Harris, stage manager Peter Lawrence, press representative Sandra Manley, and producer Frederick Zollo - discuss how David Rabe's play found a producer, director, and high profile cast for its debut at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, its successful off-Broadway run prior to Broadway, producing with a profit pool plan, production costs including the advertising budget, and the present state of the American play.

The business team behind Hurlyburly -- advertising representative Rick Elice, agent Milton Goldman, legal counsel Jay S. Harris (Tony Winner for 1999’s Side Man), stage manager Peter Lawrence, press representative Sandra Manley, and producer Frederick Zollo (Tony Awards for Part One and Two of Angels in America and the 2002 revival of Private Lives) -- discuss how David Rabe's play found a producer, director, and high profile cast for its debut at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, its successful off-Broadway run prior to Broadway, producing with a profit pool plan, production costs including the advertising budget, and the present state of the American play.

The "Jelly's Last Jam" production team - general manager Michael David, advertising representative Rick Elice of Serino Coyne, press agent Richard Kornberg, producers Pamela Koslow and Margo Lion, and legal counsel Jean Ward - discuss developing the musical for Music-Theater Group, working with director/performer Gregory Hines, creating a standout ad campaign, and fundraising with multiple workshops and finding corporate investors for the resulting $5 million production budget.

The Jelly's Last Jam production team -- general manager Michael David (who’s plays have won 49 Tony Awards), advertising representative Rick Elice of Serino Coyne, press agent Richard Kornberg, producers Pamela Koslow and Margo Lion (Tony Awards for Hairspray in 2003 and Elian Stritch at Liberty in 2002), and legal counsel Jean Ward -- discuss developing the musical for Music-Theater Group, working with director/performer Gregory Hines, creating a standout ad campaign, and fundraising with multiple workshops and finding corporate investors for the resulting $5 million production budget.

The Jersey Boys Podcast #070 (recorded Friday, December 4, 2009) includes our much anticipated and long over due interview with Rick Elice who co-wrote the Jersey Boys Book with Marshall Brickman. Listen! (Size: 31.6-MBs, Time: 45m36s) Support the podcast via...

The "Damn Yankees" production team - legal counsel Robert Barandes, press representative Peter Cromarty, advertising representative Rick Elice, producers Mitchell Maxwell and Victoria Maxell, and general manager Charlotte Wilcox - discuss obtaining the rights, using a two-level structure of producing starting with an out-of-town production at the Old Globe, the finances of booking a Broadway theater, a new logo for an extensive ad campaign, and how the baseball theme provided many PR opportunities.

The witty and humorous Jersey Boys' librettists Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice bring us up to date on their recent activities and discuss the devoted fan base of their Tony Award-Winning musical.

"The Lion King" production team -- press representative Chris Boneau, composer Lebo M, advertising representative Rick Elice, producers Peter Schneider and Thomas Schumacher, and director, costume and mask designer Julie Taymor -- talk about the development of the animated film, the subsequent development of the theatrical show led by Taymor's vision, forming a creative design team, merging Western and African music into a unique collaborative sound, the publicity and advertising challenges, and marketing a nearly sold-out show for a long run.

The Lion King production team -- press representative Chris Boneau, composer Lebo M, advertising representative Rick Elice, producers Peter Schneider and Thomas Schumacher, and director, costume and mask designer Julie Taymor (Tony Award for the show) -- talk about the development of the animated film, the subsequent development of the theatrical show led by Taymor's vision, forming a creative design team, merging Western and African music into a unique collaborative sound, the publicity and advertising challenges, and marketing a nearly sold-out show for a long run