A Class Act

A Class Act

Infobox Musical
name= A Class Act
subtitle=


caption= Original Logo
music= Edward Kleban
lyrics= Edward Kleban
book= Linda Kline
Lonny Price
basis= The life of Edward Kleban
productions= 2000 Off-Broadway
2001 Broadway
awards=

A Class Act is a musical with a book by Linda Kline and Lonny Price and music and lyrics by Edward Kleban. The musical is based on the life of composer-lyricist Ed Kleban, who died at the age of 48 in 1987. The musical uses flashbacks and the device of time running backwards to retrace the high and low points of Kleban's personal and professional life.

The production was stitched together by Kleban's friend Kline and by Price using a trunkful of songs that Kleban wrote for a number of musicals that never were produced. In addition to serving as a tribute to one of the award-winning collaborators of "A Chorus Line", "A Class Act" provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how a musical is created and brought to the stage and offers a warning about how an artist’s personal life - including struggles with mental illness and cancer - can interfere with, obstruct, and doom his professional pursuits.

Production

The musical was initially produced Off-Broadway by the Manhattan Theatre Club at Stage II, opening on October 3 2000 and running through December 10, 2000. It transferred to Broadway at the Ambassador Theatre, where it opened on March 11 2001 and ran for 105 performances and 30 previews. The Broadway cast, under the direction of Price, included Price as Ed Kleban, Randy Graff (Sophie), Jeff Blumenkrantz (Charley), and Sara Ramirez (Felicia). The Manhattan Theatre Club cast included Price, Graff, Carolee Carmello (Lucy), David Hibbard, and Julia Murney.

Plot

In 1988, a memorial service to Ed Kleban is being held at the Shubert Theatre. Ed appears at his own memorial. His friends and colleagues remember him and think back over the past. As the time shifts backwards, the friends reminisce about the songwriting workshop held by Lehman Engel (B.M.I. Workshop). As Ed interacts with the people in his life, he deals with ambitions, success, failures, and loves.

Characters

* Ed-- Edward Kleban, lyricist and composer
* Sophie -- Ed's oldest friend and first love, an oncologist
* Lehman Engel -- head of the songwriting workshop
* Michael Bennett -- director/ choregrapher of "A Chorus Line"
* Marvin Hamlisch - composer of "A Chorus Line"
* Lucy -- Ed's last significant other
* Felicia -- Ed's boss at Colombia Records
* Bobby -- Ed's best friend
* Charlie -- a friend from the workshop
* Mona -- one of Ed's many love affairs

Song list

;Act I
*Light on My Feet--Ed and Company
*The Fountain in the Garden--Company
*One More Beautiful Song--Ed and Sophie
*Fridays at Four--Company
*Bobby's Song--Bobby
*Charm Song--Lehman and Company
*Paris Through The Window--Ed, Bobby and Charley
*Mona--Mona
*Under Separate Cover--Sophie, Lucy and Ed
*Don't Do It Again--Felicia and Ed
*Gauguin's Shoes--Ed and Company
*Don't Do It Again (Reprise)-- Lehman
*Follow Your Star--Sophie and Ed ;Act II
*Better--Ed and Company
*Scintillating Sophie--Ed
*The Next Best Thing To Love-- Sophie
*Broadway Boogie Woogie--Lucy
*Better (Reprise)--Ed and Company
*I Choose You--Ed and Lucy
*The Nightmare--Ed
*Say Something Funny--Company
*I Won't Be There--Ed
*Self Portrait--Ed

Recording

A recording by the Off-Broadway Cast was released by RCA Victor Broadway on February 20, 2001.

Nominations

Tony Award for
* Best Musical
* Best Book of a Musical
* Best Original Score
* Best Actress in a Musical (Graff)
* Best Orchestrations
Drama Desk Award for
* Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Graff)
* Outstanding Lyrics
* Outstanding Music

External links

* [http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=12818 Internet Broadway Database listing]
* [http://www.curtainup.com/classact.html Curtain Up review]
* [http://www.aislesay.com/NY-CLASS.html aisle say review and essay by David Spencer]
* [http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9C03E1DE133AF931A25750C0A9679C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fK%2fKleban%2c%20Edward New York Times review, 3/12/01]


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