The Witches of Eastwick (musical)
Encyclopedia
The Witches of Eastwick is a 2000 musical
based on the novel of the same name
by John Updike
. It was adapted by John Dempsey
(lyrics and book) and Dana P. Rowe
(music), directed by Eric Schaeffer, and produced by Cameron Mackintosh
.
The story is based around three female protagonist
s, the 'Witches' Alexandra Spofford, Jane Smart, and Sukie Rougemont. Frustrated and bored by their mundane lives in the town of Eastwick, a shared longing and desire for "all manner of man in one man" comes to life in the form of a charismatic stranger, a devil
-like character, Darryl Van Horne. Seducing each of the women in turn Darryl teaches them how to further expand the powers locked within, though their new unorthodox lifestyle scandalizes the town. As these powers become more sinister and events spiral out of control, the women come to realise that Darryl's influence is corrupting everyone he comes into contact with and resolve to use their new-found strength to exile him from their lives.
in the lead role of Darryl Van Horne and Maria Friedman
(Sukie), Lucie Arnaz
(Alexandra) and Joanna Riding
(Jane) as the three witches. The show began its preview period in London
's West End
on June 24, 2000 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
. Opening on July 18 to mixed-positive reviews, the decision was taken to transfer to the more intimate Prince of Wales Theatre
from March 23, 2001. Ian McShane left and was replaced by his understudy, Earl Carpenter, whilst the physical production was revised to fit in the smaller theatre. A number of lyrics and scenes were revised and the song 'Who's the Man?' was replaced with a rousing gospel number entitled 'The Glory of Me'. A general cast change from July 1, 2001 saw Clarke Peters
lead the company, with Josefina Gabrielle and Rebecca Thornhill as Alex and Sukie respectively, joining Joanna Riding who stayed with the show after receiving the Olivier Award nomination for the role. The show received generally favourable reviews with the second cast but, after a 15 month run, closed on October 27, 2001, following a downturn in tourism, an after-effect of the 9/11 attacks in New York.
at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne
. Starring Paul McDermott
as Darryl van Horne, with Marina Prior
, Angela Toohey and Pippa Grandison as Jane, Alexandra and Sukie respectively, with Sabrina Batshon, future finalist of Australian Idol
season 7, as The Little Girl, the show began previews on 19 August 2002. Revisions were made, including new lyrics and the excision of one number, 'Loose Ends'. However, the show never found an audience and closed on 17 November 2002.
The Russian production opened in Moscow
on 12 March 2003 using new sets as well as on-stage rain and fire effects. The role of Darryl van Horne was double-cast with Dmitriy Pevtsov and Aleksey Kortnev sharing the part. Other roles were similarly played by two or three actors. A brief revival was held in 2007, with scaled down sets and effects, but with Pevtsov reprising his role.
The premiere in the Czech Republic
opened on February 2007 at the Brno City Theatre, directed by Stanislav Moša and choreographed by Igor Barberić. The show was translated into Czech by Jiří Josek and produced the first commercial recording since the Original London Cast album.
as Darryl Van Horne, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan
as Sukie Rougemont, Emily Skinner
as Alexandra Spofford, and Christiane Noll
as Jane Smart. Kudisch received the Helen Hayes Award
, Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical.
The authors made numerous changes to the show. Numbers were abbreviated ("Eastwick Knows"), cut ("I Love A Little Town") and added ("Your Wildest Dreams"). Scenes and songs were re-arranged,
and the production received positive notices. The Washington Post
reviewer wrote that "The musical adaptation has way more kick than the wispy 1987 film.... It's on the technical level that [Eric Schaeffer]'s production still has kinks to work out, for until the actresses are airborne... the mechanics look and feel clunky." BroadwayWorld.com stated that "director Eric Schaeffer certainly pulls The Witches of Eastwick all together... does it ever succeed." CultureVulture.net commented that the show is "full of body-shaking thunder, raunchy behavior, and surprises. Gut reaction based on the performance seen June 17 says this show will make it to Broadway and be reasonably successful there." Talkin' Broadway wrote that the "Broadway actors... give memorable and funny performances in the four lead roles.... Choreographer Karma Camp gets a chance to show off in this production."
. Visiting a further 26 cities, the tour finished at the King's Theatre, Glasgow
on the 9th of May 2009. It starred Marti Pellow
as Darryl van Horne, with Ria Jones as Alexandra, Poppy Tierney as Jane and, reprising her role from the London production, Rebecca Thornhill as Sukie. This entirely new production incorporated many of the changes made for the American Premiere as well as making yet more (re-expanding Eastwick Knows and a new reprise of Dance with the Devil to bring the exorcism scene to a close). It was directed by Nikolai Foster and designed by Peter Mckintosh with choreography by Geoffrey Garratt and musical direction by Tom Deering.
and Jacquelyn Piro as the three witches. In 2003 a staged reading took place at the Manhattan Theater Club under the direction of Gabriel Barre, starring James Barbour
, Emily Skinner
, Carolee Carmello
and Jennifer Laura Thompson.
The show received its amateur premiere in Australia in July 2005. Over a dozen licensed productions followed in the UK and Ireland. The license was withdrawn due to the 2008 UK tour. A Brazilian production is set to open in late 2011.
town of Eastwick
Act I
A little girl sings the praises of her little town of Eastwick, Rhode Island ("Eastwick Knows"). She is quickly interrupted and overpowered by the rest of its inhabitants who describe Eastwick as a town where everyone looks through their curtains at everyone else and where gossip is more powerful than the truth. A forced parade led by and honouring self appointed First Lady of Eastwick, Felicia Gabriel, overtakes proceedings but as she is about to receive her prize a freak thunderstorm forces everyone to run home.
Alexandra (Alex), Jane and Sukie, the three Witches, have retreated to Alex’s living room for peanut butter brownies, martinis and begin to complain. They talk about their boredom with their current relationships which include casual sex, abstinence and Sukie’s affair with Felicia’s husband, Clyde. Alex’s son, Michael, enters with his girlfriend, Jennifer, who also happens to be Felicia’s daughter. The teenagers are disgustingly in love with each other and the Witches, seeing how happy they are, sing about the kind of man they would like in their lives ("Make Him Mine").
In Felicia’s kitchen, Felicia and Clyde show how truly unhappy they are and how Felicia is determined to keep her public face on their relationship. The phone rings; a man from New York has arrived and bought the deserted Lenox Mansion and is tearing down the trees in his backyard. Felicia, being the considerate soul she is, thinks of the snowy egrets that will lose their homes and decides to rally the town to stop him. Arriving at Lenox Mansion, Darryl Van Horne emerges from a puff of smoke and begins to charm all the residents except Felicia ("I Love A Little Town"). The "Eastwick Preservation Society" banner explodes in a fireball and everyone flees.
Darryl meets Alexandra on the beach where she is sculpting in the sand. Embarrassed, she allows Darryl to take her back to his house. They discuss sculpture and Darryl begins his seduction ("Eye of the Beholder"). Gossip begins to work its way round the town and Darryl goes to Jane’s studio where she is playing the cello. They discuss music and have a wild and sexual cello/violin duet which ends in the cello playing by itself and a massive musical and actual orgasm ("Waiting For The Music To Begin").
Clyde promises Sukie that he will leave Felicia but she enters with Jennifer and catches the two of them. Their excuse is that they're preparing research on Darryl and Lenox Mansion. When Sukie returns home Darryl is waiting for her. Darryl gets Sukie to break out of her introverted shell and talk to him ("Words, Words, Words"). Instead of sleeping with her, he invites her to a tennis game. It’s only when Sukie arrives and sees Alex and Jane that all three realise that Darryl has been sleeping with all of them. He serves a ball which explodes in mid-air and says that he’s the man they prayed for.
Michael and Jennifer meet and sing their puppy-love duet ("Something") while the rest of the town meet to do laundry and gossip about Darryl and his conquests ("Dirty Laundry"). During the number, Felicia, to her horror, discovers Jennifer kissing Michael and immediately sends her away from Eastwick.
Alex, Jane and Sukie enter, each wearing a stunning sexy dress singing about their childhood insecurities ("I Wish I May"). Darryl sweet talks the women and teaches them how to curse Felicia by throwing things into an enchanted cookie jar. They throw a tennis ball, a bracelet and some feathers into the jar and immediately, Felicia starts to throw up…a tennis ball, a bracelet and some feathers. Enchanted, the Witches turn to Darryl who tells them to close their eyes and suddenly they are flying high above the audience.
Act II
Darryl invites Alex to Mexican Night at his house and she reflects on her single-minded pursuit ("Another Night At Darryl’s"). At Nemo’s Diner, Darryl bumps into Felicia and Clyde. He taunts her and she vomits a cherry pit. Seeing that Eastwick’s men have no idea how to please their women Darryl teaches the town about how to have real sex ("Dance With The Devil").
The Witches go to Darryl’s in coats and take them off to reveal matching lingerie. Just as they are about to have sex, Darryl’s manservant, Fidel, delivers a letter from The Eastwick Preservation Society that says they are suing him for filling in the wetlands. In revenge, all four start throwing anything they can find into the cookie jar. In Felicia’s kitchen, we see the result as she screams at the still bewitched Clyde ("Evil"). Eventually, she can no longer with cope with the curse and tells Clyde to do something so he hits her with a frying pan. Suddenly free of Felicia he shouts that he’s finally happy. However, with her dying breath, Felicia pulls Clyde’s tie into the waste disposal unit
and turns it on.
The Witches start to avoid Darryl. When they return to Lenox Mansion, they tell Darryl that he has taken it too far. Furious, he screams at them but they run away and Darryl swears revenge. On the beach, Sukie bumps into the now orphaned Jennifer. She tries to offer advice but can’t find the words ("Loose Ends"). Darryl enters once Sukie leaves and begins to seduce Jennifer. He tricks her into marrying him and this news prompts the Witches to send Darryl back where he belongs.
Before the wedding Darryl leads the town in singing the praises of himself ("The Glory of Me"). The wedding begins but the Witches appear and, using a voodoo doll of Darryl they begin attacking him ("The Wedding"). Vowing revenge, Darryl is thrown back to Hell in a fireball and the church collapses. Michael and Jennifer are reunited ("Something" Reprise) and the Witches realise the error of their ways ("Look At Me").
Act Two:
Cut Songs
Act Two:
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
based on the novel of the same name
The Witches of Eastwick
The Witches of Eastwick is a 1984 novel by John Updike.-Plot summary:The story, set in the fictional Rhode Island town of Eastwick in the late 1960s, follows the witches Alexandra Spofford, Jane Smart, and Sukie Rougemont, who acquired their powers after leaving or being left by their husbands....
by John Updike
John Updike
John Hoyer Updike was an American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic....
. It was adapted by John Dempsey
John Dempsey (lyricist)
John Dempsey is a theatrical lyricist and playwright who has worked in Britain and the United States. Much of his work in musical theater has been written with composer Dana P. Rowe. With Rowe, he wrote the book and lyrics for Zombie Prom , The Fix , and the stage adaptation of John Updike's The...
(lyrics and book) and Dana P. Rowe
Dana P. Rowe
Dana P. Rowe is an American musical theater composer whose works have been performed in New York and London. Much of his work has been written with lyricist John Dempsey. With Dempsey, he wrote the music for Zombie Prom , The Fix , and the stage adaptation of John Updike's The Witches of Eastwick...
(music), directed by Eric Schaeffer, and produced by Cameron Mackintosh
Cameron Mackintosh
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh is a British theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world" by the New York...
.
The story is based around three female protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s, the 'Witches' Alexandra Spofford, Jane Smart, and Sukie Rougemont. Frustrated and bored by their mundane lives in the town of Eastwick, a shared longing and desire for "all manner of man in one man" comes to life in the form of a charismatic stranger, a devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
-like character, Darryl Van Horne. Seducing each of the women in turn Darryl teaches them how to further expand the powers locked within, though their new unorthodox lifestyle scandalizes the town. As these powers become more sinister and events spiral out of control, the women come to realise that Darryl's influence is corrupting everyone he comes into contact with and resolve to use their new-found strength to exile him from their lives.
Original London production
Starring Ian McShaneIan McShane
Ian David McShane is an English actor, director, producer, voice artist, and comedian.Despite appearing in numerous films, McShane is best known for his television roles, particularly the BBC's Lovejoy and HBO's Western drama Deadwood...
in the lead role of Darryl Van Horne and Maria Friedman
Maria Friedman
Maria Friedman is an English actress working in television, musical theatre, and concerts. She has won three Olivier Awards for her stage work.-Early years:...
(Sukie), Lucie Arnaz
Lucie Arnaz
Lucie Désirée Arnaz is an American actress, singer, dancer and producer. She is the daughter of actors Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and is the sister of actor Desi Arnaz, Jr..- Early life :...
(Alexandra) and Joanna Riding
Joanna Riding
Joanna Riding, is an English actress. For her work in West End musicals, she has won two Laurence Olivier Awards, and has been nominated for two others.-Biography:...
(Jane) as the three witches. The show began its preview period in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
on June 24, 2000 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
. Opening on July 18 to mixed-positive reviews, the decision was taken to transfer to the more intimate Prince of Wales Theatre
Prince of Wales Theatre
The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre on Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner...
from March 23, 2001. Ian McShane left and was replaced by his understudy, Earl Carpenter, whilst the physical production was revised to fit in the smaller theatre. A number of lyrics and scenes were revised and the song 'Who's the Man?' was replaced with a rousing gospel number entitled 'The Glory of Me'. A general cast change from July 1, 2001 saw Clarke Peters
Clarke Peters
Clarke Peters is an American actor, singer, writer and director best known for his role as Detective Lester Freamon on the HBO drama The Wire.-Early life:...
lead the company, with Josefina Gabrielle and Rebecca Thornhill as Alex and Sukie respectively, joining Joanna Riding who stayed with the show after receiving the Olivier Award nomination for the role. The show received generally favourable reviews with the second cast but, after a 15 month run, closed on October 27, 2001, following a downturn in tourism, an after-effect of the 9/11 attacks in New York.
Original London Cast
- Ian McShaneIan McShaneIan David McShane is an English actor, director, producer, voice artist, and comedian.Despite appearing in numerous films, McShane is best known for his television roles, particularly the BBC's Lovejoy and HBO's Western drama Deadwood...
as Daryll Van Horne - Lucie Arnaz as Alexandra Spofford
- Joanna Riding as Jane Smart
- Maria Friedman as Sukie Rougemont
- Rosemary Ashe as Felicia Gabriel
- Stephen Tate as Clyde Gabriel
- Caroline Sheen as Jennifer Gabriel
- Peter Jobak as Michael Spofford
- Gee Williams as Fidel
- Sarah Lark as Little Girl
- Jasna Ivir as Gina Marino
- Tim Walton as Joe Marino
- Anne Marie McCormack as Gretta Neff
- Kevin Wainwright as Raymond Neff
- Lisa Peace as Marge Persley
- Shaun Henson as Homer Persley
- Earl Carpenter as Reverend Ed Parsley
- Kathryn Akin as Brenda Parsley
- Jocelyn Hawkyard as Rebecca Barnes
- Nick Searle as Toby Bergman
- Valda Aviks as Eudora Bryce
- Matt Dempsey as Curtis Hallerbread
- Scarlett Strallen as Mavis Jessup
- Julia Sutton as Franny Lovecraft
- Chris Holland as Frank Ogden
- Alison Forbes as Mabel Ogden
- Maurice Lane as Dr Henry Pattison
- Jean McGlynn as Marcy Wills
London Replacements
- Earl Carpenter replaced Ian McShane as Daryll Van Horne on March 23, 2001
- Clarke Peters replaced Earl Carpenter as Daryll Van Horne on July 1, 2001
- Josefina Gabriel replaced Lucy Arnaz as Alexandra Spofford on July 1, 2001
- Rebecca Thornhill replaced Maria Friedman as Sukie Rougemont on July 1, 2001
- Paul Spicer replaced Peter Jobak as Michael Spofford on July 1, 2001
- Elizabeth Yeats replaced Jasna Ivir as Gina Marino on July 1, 2001
- Christopher Howell replaced Kevin Wainwright as Raymond Neff on July 1, 2001
- Amanda Villamayor replaced Kathryn Akin as Brenda Parsley on July 1, 2001
Australia, Russia and Czech Republic
The first international production opened in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. Starring Paul McDermott
Paul McDermott (comedian)
Paul McDermott is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, director, singer, artist and television host. He currently hosts the satirical news-based 'Good News World' a follow up to quiz show Good News Week which airs in Australia on Network Ten...
as Darryl van Horne, with Marina Prior
Marina Prior
Marina Prior is an Australian singer and actress.- Early life :When she was a young child her parents returned to Australia and she grew up in Melbourne, attending Syndal South Primary School and Korowa Anglican Girls' School...
, Angela Toohey and Pippa Grandison as Jane, Alexandra and Sukie respectively, with Sabrina Batshon, future finalist of Australian Idol
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
season 7, as The Little Girl, the show began previews on 19 August 2002. Revisions were made, including new lyrics and the excision of one number, 'Loose Ends'. However, the show never found an audience and closed on 17 November 2002.
The Russian production opened in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
on 12 March 2003 using new sets as well as on-stage rain and fire effects. The role of Darryl van Horne was double-cast with Dmitriy Pevtsov and Aleksey Kortnev sharing the part. Other roles were similarly played by two or three actors. A brief revival was held in 2007, with scaled down sets and effects, but with Pevtsov reprising his role.
The premiere in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
opened on February 2007 at the Brno City Theatre, directed by Stanislav Moša and choreographed by Igor Barberić. The show was translated into Czech by Jiří Josek and produced the first commercial recording since the Original London Cast album.
2007 U.S. premiere
The American premiere opened at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia in a limited engagement from June 5, 2007 through July 15, 2007. Directed by Eric Schaeffer, the original director and Signature Theatre's Artistic Director, the cast starred Marc KudischMarc Kudisch
Marc Kudisch is an American stage actor, who is best known for his musical theatre roles on Broadway.-Early life and education:...
as Darryl Van Horne, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan
Jacquelyn Piro Donovan
Jacquelyn Piro Donovan is an American musical theatre actress and singer. She holds the distinction of portraying both Cosette and Fantine in Les Misérables , the only actor in Broadway history to do so...
as Sukie Rougemont, Emily Skinner
Emily Skinner
Emily Skinner is an American musical theatre actress and singer. She has performed in such Broadway shows as Side Show, James Joyce's The Dead, The Full Monty, Dinner at Eight and, currently, in Billy Elliot...
as Alexandra Spofford, and Christiane Noll
Christiane Noll
Christiane Noll is an American singer and actress known for her work in musicals and on the concert stage. She is perhaps best known for originating the role of Emma Carew in Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll & Hyde, as well as her roles in Urinetown and City of Angels.-Life and career:Noll was born in New...
as Jane Smart. Kudisch received the Helen Hayes Award
Helen Hayes Award
A Helen Hayes Award is a theater award named for the famed actress Helen Hayes to recognize excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are managed by Linda Levy Grossman. and presented by the Washington Theatre Awards Society.-Awards:The Helen Hayes...
, Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical.
The authors made numerous changes to the show. Numbers were abbreviated ("Eastwick Knows"), cut ("I Love A Little Town") and added ("Your Wildest Dreams"). Scenes and songs were re-arranged,
and the production received positive notices. The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reviewer wrote that "The musical adaptation has way more kick than the wispy 1987 film.... It's on the technical level that [Eric Schaeffer]'s production still has kinks to work out, for until the actresses are airborne... the mechanics look and feel clunky." BroadwayWorld.com stated that "director Eric Schaeffer certainly pulls The Witches of Eastwick all together... does it ever succeed." CultureVulture.net commented that the show is "full of body-shaking thunder, raunchy behavior, and surprises. Gut reaction based on the performance seen June 17 says this show will make it to Broadway and be reasonably successful there." Talkin' Broadway wrote that the "Broadway actors... give memorable and funny performances in the four lead roles.... Choreographer Karma Camp gets a chance to show off in this production."
Original 2007 U.S Premiere Cast
- Marc Kudisch as Daryll Van Horne
- Emily Skinner as Alexandra Spofford
- Christine Noll as Jane Smart
- Jacquelyn Piro Donovan as Sukie Rougemont
- Karlah Hamilton as Felicia Gabriel
- Harry A. Winter as Clyde Gabriel
- Erin Driscoll as Jennifer Gabriel
- James Gardiner as Michael Spofford
- Scott J. Strattsburg as Fidel
- Brittany O'Grady as Little Girl
- David Corington as Joe Marino
- Tammy Roberts as Gina Marino
- Jeremy Benton as Raymond Neff
- Amy McWilliams as Gretta Neff
- Ilona Dulaski as Marge Perley
- Thomas Adrian Simpson as Reverend Ed Parsley
- Sherri L. Edelen as Brenda Parsley
- Deigo Preito as Frank Ogden
- Matt Conner as Toby Bergeman
- Brianne Cobuzzi as Rebecca Barnes
UK Tour 2008-2009
The first UK tour opened on the 23rd of August 2008 at the Theatre Royal, NorwichTheatre Royal, Norwich
The Theatre Royal is the largest theatre in Norwich, Norfolk, England. It presents a large range of drama, dance, comedy, music and other entertainment...
. Visiting a further 26 cities, the tour finished at the King's Theatre, Glasgow
King's Theatre, Glasgow
The King's Theatre is located in Glasgow, Scotland. It was built for Howard & Wyndham Ltd under its chairman Baillie Michael Simons as a sister theatre of their Theatre Royal in the city and was designed by Frank Matcham, opening in 1904. The theatre is primarily a receiving house for touring...
on the 9th of May 2009. It starred Marti Pellow
Marti Pellow
Marti Pellow has been the lead singer of the Scottish pop group Wet Wet Wet since their formation in 1982. He has also recorded solo material.-Early life:...
as Darryl van Horne, with Ria Jones as Alexandra, Poppy Tierney as Jane and, reprising her role from the London production, Rebecca Thornhill as Sukie. This entirely new production incorporated many of the changes made for the American Premiere as well as making yet more (re-expanding Eastwick Knows and a new reprise of Dance with the Devil to bring the exorcism scene to a close). It was directed by Nikolai Foster and designed by Peter Mckintosh with choreography by Geoffrey Garratt and musical direction by Tom Deering.
Original 2008 UK Tour Cast
- Marti Pellow as Daryll Van Horne
- Ria Jones as Alexandra Spofford
- Poppy Tierney as Jane Smart
- Rebecca Thornhill as Sukie Rougemont
- Rachel Izen as Felicia Gabriel
- James Graeme as Clyde Gabriel
- Joanna Kirkland as Jennifer Gabriel
- Chris Thatcher as Michael Spofford
- Oliver Walker as Fidel
- Victoria Hay as Little Girl
- Russel Leighton Dixon as Joe Marino
- Ngo Omene Ngofa as Gina Marino
- Gregory Clarke as Raymond Neff
- Claire Platt as Gretta Neff
- Julie Stark as Marge Perley
- Ralph Birtwell as Reverend Ed Parsley
- Samantha Mercer as Brenda Parsley
- Ross Finnie as Frank Ogden
- Oliver Watton as Toby Bergman
- Vikki Lee Taylor as Rebecca Barnes
Readings and amateur productions
Prior to opening in London, a reading was held in New York on 5 March 1999 starring lyricist John Dempsey as Darryl van Horne with Sandy Duncan, Ruthie HenshallRuthie Henshall
Valentine Ruth Henshall , better known as Ruthie Henshall, is an English singer, dancer, and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Henshall attended the Laine Theatre Arts school in Epsom, Surrey before making her first professional appearance on stage in 1986...
and Jacquelyn Piro as the three witches. In 2003 a staged reading took place at the Manhattan Theater Club under the direction of Gabriel Barre, starring James Barbour
James Stacy Barbour
James Stacy Barbour , a.k.a. James Barbour, is a singer and Broadway actor. He graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in Acting and a minor in Philosophy.- Theatre credits :...
, Emily Skinner
Emily Skinner
Emily Skinner is an American musical theatre actress and singer. She has performed in such Broadway shows as Side Show, James Joyce's The Dead, The Full Monty, Dinner at Eight and, currently, in Billy Elliot...
, Carolee Carmello
Carolee Carmello
Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals.She made her Broadway debut in a small role in City of Angels...
and Jennifer Laura Thompson.
The show received its amateur premiere in Australia in July 2005. Over a dozen licensed productions followed in the UK and Ireland. The license was withdrawn due to the 2008 UK tour. A Brazilian production is set to open in late 2011.
Plot synopsis
Setting: the fictional Rhode IslandRhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
town of Eastwick
Act I
A little girl sings the praises of her little town of Eastwick, Rhode Island ("Eastwick Knows"). She is quickly interrupted and overpowered by the rest of its inhabitants who describe Eastwick as a town where everyone looks through their curtains at everyone else and where gossip is more powerful than the truth. A forced parade led by and honouring self appointed First Lady of Eastwick, Felicia Gabriel, overtakes proceedings but as she is about to receive her prize a freak thunderstorm forces everyone to run home.
Alexandra (Alex), Jane and Sukie, the three Witches, have retreated to Alex’s living room for peanut butter brownies, martinis and begin to complain. They talk about their boredom with their current relationships which include casual sex, abstinence and Sukie’s affair with Felicia’s husband, Clyde. Alex’s son, Michael, enters with his girlfriend, Jennifer, who also happens to be Felicia’s daughter. The teenagers are disgustingly in love with each other and the Witches, seeing how happy they are, sing about the kind of man they would like in their lives ("Make Him Mine").
In Felicia’s kitchen, Felicia and Clyde show how truly unhappy they are and how Felicia is determined to keep her public face on their relationship. The phone rings; a man from New York has arrived and bought the deserted Lenox Mansion and is tearing down the trees in his backyard. Felicia, being the considerate soul she is, thinks of the snowy egrets that will lose their homes and decides to rally the town to stop him. Arriving at Lenox Mansion, Darryl Van Horne emerges from a puff of smoke and begins to charm all the residents except Felicia ("I Love A Little Town"). The "Eastwick Preservation Society" banner explodes in a fireball and everyone flees.
Darryl meets Alexandra on the beach where she is sculpting in the sand. Embarrassed, she allows Darryl to take her back to his house. They discuss sculpture and Darryl begins his seduction ("Eye of the Beholder"). Gossip begins to work its way round the town and Darryl goes to Jane’s studio where she is playing the cello. They discuss music and have a wild and sexual cello/violin duet which ends in the cello playing by itself and a massive musical and actual orgasm ("Waiting For The Music To Begin").
Clyde promises Sukie that he will leave Felicia but she enters with Jennifer and catches the two of them. Their excuse is that they're preparing research on Darryl and Lenox Mansion. When Sukie returns home Darryl is waiting for her. Darryl gets Sukie to break out of her introverted shell and talk to him ("Words, Words, Words"). Instead of sleeping with her, he invites her to a tennis game. It’s only when Sukie arrives and sees Alex and Jane that all three realise that Darryl has been sleeping with all of them. He serves a ball which explodes in mid-air and says that he’s the man they prayed for.
Michael and Jennifer meet and sing their puppy-love duet ("Something") while the rest of the town meet to do laundry and gossip about Darryl and his conquests ("Dirty Laundry"). During the number, Felicia, to her horror, discovers Jennifer kissing Michael and immediately sends her away from Eastwick.
Alex, Jane and Sukie enter, each wearing a stunning sexy dress singing about their childhood insecurities ("I Wish I May"). Darryl sweet talks the women and teaches them how to curse Felicia by throwing things into an enchanted cookie jar. They throw a tennis ball, a bracelet and some feathers into the jar and immediately, Felicia starts to throw up…a tennis ball, a bracelet and some feathers. Enchanted, the Witches turn to Darryl who tells them to close their eyes and suddenly they are flying high above the audience.
Act II
Darryl invites Alex to Mexican Night at his house and she reflects on her single-minded pursuit ("Another Night At Darryl’s"). At Nemo’s Diner, Darryl bumps into Felicia and Clyde. He taunts her and she vomits a cherry pit. Seeing that Eastwick’s men have no idea how to please their women Darryl teaches the town about how to have real sex ("Dance With The Devil").
The Witches go to Darryl’s in coats and take them off to reveal matching lingerie. Just as they are about to have sex, Darryl’s manservant, Fidel, delivers a letter from The Eastwick Preservation Society that says they are suing him for filling in the wetlands. In revenge, all four start throwing anything they can find into the cookie jar. In Felicia’s kitchen, we see the result as she screams at the still bewitched Clyde ("Evil"). Eventually, she can no longer with cope with the curse and tells Clyde to do something so he hits her with a frying pan. Suddenly free of Felicia he shouts that he’s finally happy. However, with her dying breath, Felicia pulls Clyde’s tie into the waste disposal unit
Garbage disposal
A garbage disposal unit or waste disposal unit is a device, usually electrically powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink's drain and the trap which shreds food waste into pieces small enough—generally less than —to pass through plumbing.Garbage disposal units are widely used in...
and turns it on.
The Witches start to avoid Darryl. When they return to Lenox Mansion, they tell Darryl that he has taken it too far. Furious, he screams at them but they run away and Darryl swears revenge. On the beach, Sukie bumps into the now orphaned Jennifer. She tries to offer advice but can’t find the words ("Loose Ends"). Darryl enters once Sukie leaves and begins to seduce Jennifer. He tricks her into marrying him and this news prompts the Witches to send Darryl back where he belongs.
Before the wedding Darryl leads the town in singing the praises of himself ("The Glory of Me"). The wedding begins but the Witches appear and, using a voodoo doll of Darryl they begin attacking him ("The Wedding"). Vowing revenge, Darryl is thrown back to Hell in a fireball and the church collapses. Michael and Jennifer are reunited ("Something" Reprise) and the Witches realise the error of their ways ("Look At Me").
London (as of closing night - 27 October 2001)
Act One:- Overture
- Eastwick Knows
- Make Him Mine
- A Little Town
- Eye of the Beholder
- Waiting for the Music
- Words, Words, Words
- Something
- Dirty Laundry
- I Wish I May
Act Two:
- Entr’acte
- Another Night at Darryl’s
- Dance with the Devil
- Another Night at Darryl’s (reprise)
- Evil
- Dirty Laundry (reprise)
- Loose Ends
- A Little Town (reprise)
- I Wish I May (reprise)
- The Glory of Me
- The Wedding
- Something (reprise)
- Look At Me
Cut Songs
- Before the Night (cut in previews)
- What about the Egrets? (cut in previews)
- What Everyone Woman Wants (cut in previews)
- Who's the Man? (cut when the show moved from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane to the Prince of Wales Theatre, replaced with 'The Glory of Me')
- Loose Ends (cut during previews in Australia in 2002, as well as all subsequent amateur productions)
US Premiere Production
Act One:- Overture
- Eastwick Knows
- Make Him Mine
- Darryl van Horne
- Waiting for the Music
- Words, Words, Words
- Your Wildest Dreams
- Something
- Dirty Laundry
- I Wish I May
- Finale - Act One
Act Two:
- Another Night at Darryl’s
- Dance with the Devil
- Evil
- Dirty Laundry (reprise)
- Darryl van Horne (reprise)
- The Wedding / Dance With the Devil (Reprise) - UK Tour 2008
- Look At Me
Awards and nominations
2001 Olivier Awards:- Best New Musical (nomination)
- Best Actress in a Musical - Joanna RidingJoanna RidingJoanna Riding, is an English actress. For her work in West End musicals, she has won two Laurence Olivier Awards, and has been nominated for two others.-Biography:...
(nomination) - Best Supporting Actress in a Musical - Rosemary AsheRosemary AsheRosemary Ashe is an English stage actress and classically trained opera singer. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music and the London Opera Centre....
(nomination) - Best Lighting Design (nomination)
External links
- Website for the new touring production
- Information about "The Witches of Eastwick" from Maria Friedman site
- Playbill.com article on American production, June 5, 2007
- Curtain Up review of London production
- detailed history of the London production from albemarle-london.com
- Performance License Details
- Ovrtur.com Page