GHOST The Musical
This week we’re going back into the early teenies for a bit of heartbreaking musical theatre. Today’s TONY Tuesday is:
“Unchained melody/I had a life” from GHOST at the 2012 TONY awards ceremony.
GHOST is a 2011 musical, based on the Oscar winning film of the same name. ‘GHOST’ tells the story of lover Sam and Molly. One night they find themselves the victim of an attack which results in Sam’s death. Stuck between this world and the next Sam starts trying to contact Molly. When Molly gets superstitious, she enlists the help of medium Oda Mae Brown to contact Sam. The trio then work together in hopes to avenge Sam’s death so his soul can find peace.
In 2010 the writing team recorded four numbers in the abbey road studios to help promote the musical that had been booked in for it’s out of town try-out in Manchester beginning in March of the following year. The music and lyrics were composed by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics and Glen Ballard with a book by Bruce Joel Rubin. This production reunited most of the creative team of ‘Matilda’. Matthew Warchus directed, with set and costume design by Rob Howell, Orchestrations by Christopher Nightingale, lighting design by Hugh Vanstone, illusions by Paul Kieve and choreography by Ashley Wallen, sound design by Bobby Aitken and projection design by Jon Driscoll. Broadway star Caissie Levy was cast in the role of Molly opposite Richard Fleeshman as Sam and Sharon D. Clarke as Oda Mae Brown.
The show opened on 28th March in Manchester and ran till 14th May to a pretty much sold out audience before transferring to the West End’s Piccadilly Theatre where it began previews a month later on 24th June. The show received mixed reviews in town, however, the illusions and production values of the show were positively received. Fleeshman and Levy stayed with the show until January 2012 where they were succeeded by Mark Evans and Siobhan Dillon. On 23rd April 2012 Levy and Fleeshman opened the show on Broadway at The Lunt-Fontanne theatre. Changes had been made from the London production to streamline the characters and story more, also adding a new overture and omitting the song “Ball of wax” being replaced with “You gotta let go”. Upon opening, the musical, like in London received mixed reviews but was praised for its sets and illusions winning a drama desk and making Paul Kieve the only illusionist in history to have won the award. Despite the production being nominated for 3 TONY awards it closed 18th August 2012.
‘GHOST’ has been produced regionally and on an international tour in the USA, it has also toured internationally, around the UK and had successful productions in Australia and Germany.
I saw ‘GHOST’ on its second ever preview in my first year at drama school and I won’t ever forget it. Visually stunning and emotionally raw this is definitely a musical for you Besties!
Cast recording available on Spotify and AppleMusic
FACTS:
Music: Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard
Lyrics: Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard Book: Bruce Joel Rubin
Theatre: The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Run: April 23rd 2012 – August 18th 2012 (136 performances)
TONYS:
(NOMINATED) Best performance by a featured actress in a musical – Da’Vine Joy Rudolph, Best Scenic Design – Rob Howell and Jon Driscoll, Best lighting design – Hugh Vanstone.
OLIVIERS:
(Nominated) Best musical, Best performance in a supporting role in a musical – Sharon D. Clarke, Best set design – Rob Howell, Best lighting design – Hugh Vanstone, Best sound design – Bobby Aitken.
