Description
This is a rare July 16th, 1976 programme (playbill) from the First Public Performance of the Original West End production of the MARVIN HAMLISCH, EDWARD KLEBAN, JAMES KIRKWOOD, NICHOLAS DANTE and MICHAEL BENNETT musical "A CHORUS LINE" at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London. (The production would officially open July 22nd, 1976 and run for 903 performances.) ..... "A Chorus Line" was an unprecedented box office and critical success, receiving 12 Tony Award nominations and winning nine Tony's, in addition to the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Originally part of the New York Shakespeare Festival season, the production opened April 15th, 1975 at the Off-Broadway Newman Theatre and quickly made plans to move to New York's Sam S. Shubert Theatre on July 25th, 1975. It ran on Broadway for 6,137 performances, becoming the longest-running production in Broadway history up to that time. It remains the longest running Broadway musical originally produced in the United States ..... The London cast included TOMMY AGUILAR, MICHAEL AUSTIN, CHRISTINE BARKER, STEVE BAUMANN, NANCY DAFGEK, MARK DOVEY, TROY GARZA, MITZI HAMILTON, EIVIND HARUM, JEFF HYSLOP, LOIDA IGLESIAS, RON KUROWSKI, JENNIFER ANN LEE, WENDY MANSFIELD, YVETTE MATHEWS, GINA PAGLIA, A. WILLIAM PERKINS, T. MICHAEL REED, KEN ROGERS, SANDY ROVETA, TIMOTHY SCOTT, DONN SIMIONE, RONALD STAFFORD, JANE SUMMERHAYS, MIRIAM WELCH, NANCY WOOD and RONALD YOUNG ..... CREDITS: Music by MARVIN HAMLISCH; Lyrics by EDWARD KLEBAN; Book by JAMES KIRKWOOD and NICHOLAS DANTE; Sets designed by ROBIN WAGNER; Costumes designed by THEONI V. ALDREDGE; Co-Choreographer: BOB AVIAN; Conceived, Choreographed and Directed by MICHAEL BENNETT; Produced by MICHAEL WHITE by arrangement with JOSEPH PAPP and the NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL ..... DETAILS: The 24 page playbill measures 5 1/4" X 8 1/2" inches and includes a special cover, full production credits, cast list, synopsis of scenes, list of musical numbers and bios of each of the actors and members of the creative team as well as two production photos ..... CONDITION: With the exception of tiny marks on the cover and minor rust at the staples, this rare playbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
