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Megan Fairchild to Make Her Broadway Debut in "On The Town"


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See the story below.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/192574-Additional-Casting-Announced-for-Broadway-Revival-of-On-the-Town

Congratulations to Megan on her upcoming Broadway debut. Looks like a lot of NYCB principals will be working in theatrical productions next season (Robbie in American in Paris and Tiler Peck in Little Dancer)

By the way, On the Town is choreographed by Sara Mearns boyfriend, Josh Bergasse.

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What has broadway got against ABT dancers? ;)

Or DTH dancers?

Heck, what have they got against fellow Broadway gypsies? Don't many have extensive ballet training?

I smell a conspiracy orchestrated to lock anyone who isn't connected to the house of Balanchine out of the game!

Everyone knows that City Ballet is the only thing that matters!

End of rant.

Tapfan takes her meds and lies down.

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There have been a number of ABT dancers on Broadway. Ashley Tuttle in Movin Out, Keith Roberts in Mathew Bourne's Swan Lake. Some ABT dancers were also in Twyla's short lived Broadway flop based on the music of Dylan. Twyla has always favored ABT dancers.

It's not surprising that On the Town picked a NYCB dancer, since the choreographer is Bergasse, who is Mearns boyfriend. He probably has much more first hand knowledge of the NYCB dancers than those at ABT. Also not surprising that Wheeldon picked R. Fairchild for American in Paris, as Wheeldon has a much closer connection to the NYCB dancers. Finally, Tiler Peck (to be in the upcoming DC production of Stroman's Little Dancer) and Susan Stroman go waaaay back. Stroman picked Tiler to be in Broadway's the Music Man when she was a kid. They have remained close ever since. Wonder if Stro was at Tiler's recent nuptuals.

Desmond Richardson (formerly with Ailey) performed the lead in a Fosse revival a few years ago.

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Thanks for the info. I knew that Desmond had been on Broadway and in film. I also knew that Makarova had won a Tony and an Olivier Award for her work in musical theater. Didn't know about the others.

I assumed there was still quite a bit of snobbery existing in the world of classical dance that implies that when ballet people do Broadway, they are slumming.

When I think of how many in the the ballet establishment may view other dance forms, I'm reminded of how the Hollywood movie industry used to look down on the Hollywood TV industry as an inferior art form.

Or how Ethel Barrymore initially referred to theater people doing films as "prostituting" oneself.

Funny how larger, more mainstream audiences and great goo-gobs of filthy Hollywood lucre can make wh---s of just about anyone.

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It's not any more surprising that Tharp chose ABT people any more than it is that Wheeldon chose NYCB people: they were both affiliated with the respective companies. Tharp became Associate AD when she merged the core of her troop into ABT, and Roberts joined her next group in the early 00's. She did choose former NYCB dancer Benjamin Bowman for "Movin' Out."

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Another one to add to the list of ABT dancers on Broadway: John Selya (formerly of ABT) was also on Broadway in Movin' Out.

In addition to MB Swan Lake, Keith Roberts starred in Movin' Out.

I can't wait for "On the Town" and "An American in Paris"!

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City ballet's prep school vibe annoys me to no end, but big props to Megan, Robert and Tiler for stepping out of their comfort zones to try something new.

I deeply admire Broadway musical theater artists who dance, act AND sing. The ability to do all three at a professional level is quite difficult.

Just ask Miami city ballet dancers who were asked to dance, act and sing in their production of West Side Story.

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Yes, that's right. I remember reading somewhere that she started off as a child actress and that she thought she might return to acting when her ballet career ended.

Still, it's been a while since she worked as an actress. Good for her.

Gosh I wish movie musicals would make a comeback. Unfortunately in this day and age of un-yielding irony and loud, action "event" movies that crowd out every other genre of film, that's very unlikely.

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When Robert LaFosse did Jerome Robbins' Broadway, was he still with ABT or had he already moved over to NYCB. So sorry I never got to see that show. It came out when I was just getting started in my career, so no funds available for cultural events. I wish they would revive it.

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Wow. I never knew LaFosse had been with ABT. In fact, the only thing I knew of his work was when the cast of Fosse: The Musical, appeared on the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy telethon.

I'm just in awe of the breadth of knowledge of the people on this forum.

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I believe it was Stroman who suggested Tiler begin taking classes at SAB. :-)

Also, dont forget Stephen Hanna who dod Billy Elliot on Broadway, went back to NYCB and then back to Billy.

There are also a few former NYCB women who did Phantom on Broadway and on tour. Amanda Edge springs to mind first.

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I believe it was Stroman who suggested Tiler begin taking classes at SAB. :-)

Also, dont forget Stephen Hanna who dod Billy Elliot on Broadway, went back to NYCB and then back to Billy.

There are also a few former NYCB women who did Phantom on Broadway and on tour. Amanda Edge springs to mind first.

This is a little off the subject perhaps, but the late (great) actor, Eli Wallach was a student of Martha Graham's for quite awhile. He even did her warm ups pre performance.

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When Robert LaFosse did Jerome Robbins' Broadway, was he still with ABT or had he already moved over to NYCB. So sorry I never got to see that show. It came out when I was just getting started in my career, so no funds available for cultural events. I wish they would revive it.

LaFosse had already been a principal at NYCB for several years before performing in Jerome Robbin's Broadway.

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http://www.playbill.com/news/article/194508-On-the-Town-Producers-Launch-New-Investment-Platform-Including-Equity-Stake-in-Upcoming-Revival

I happened to see this item on the efforts of producers of On The Town to raise additional capital for the show from small "accredited" investors. I don't regard this as a good sign. When a musical or play seems like it will be a big hit, the regular roster of broadway investors line up in droves because they feel they can make a tidy profit. .

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