(foreground) Susan Watson and Joel Patterson are delighted by evangelist / con artist Babylove (Meg Mackay, bkgrnd) in 42nd Street Moon's concert version of The Grass Harp.
SAN FRANCISCO (17 September 1999) -- San Francisco's award-winning "lost musical" company, 42nd Street Moon, presents Tony Award-nominated actress Susan Watson and local cabaret sensation Meg Mackay in a concert version of the 1971 musical THE GRASS HARP, based on a Truman Capote novella. The show has been specifically revised for this production by the original writing team, and will feature a brand new song. THE GRASS HARP, directed by Greg MacKellan with music direction by Brandon Adams, plays October 27 (press opening: October 29) through November 14 at San Francisco's New Conservatory Theatre Center. For tickets ($12-22), the public can call 415/861-8972.
THE GRASS HARP is Kenward Elmslie and Claibe Richardson's musical version of Truman Capote's touching and whimsical novella. The third Capote novella to be transformed for the musical stage (after HOUSE OF FLOWERS and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S), THE GRASS HARP starred Barbara Cookand brought a cast of lovable eccentrics and an atmosphere of homespuninnocence to Broadway. Now, nearly thirty years later, Elmslie has revised his book in anticipation of this production, restoring the song "Brazil" and premiering a new song, "The Dark Night of the Soul," which Elmslie and composer Richardson just completed this past July.
Susan Watson, Broadway's "definitive ingenue" during the '60's and early '70's, will reprise her leading role of free spirit Dolly Talbo, a performance she first undertook in a 1978 production in Los Angeles. Watson also created roles in BYE, BYE, BIRDIE, A JOYFUL NOISE (for which she received a Tony nomination), and the title role in the 1970 revival of NO! NO! NANETTE. One of her first professional performances came when Jerome Robbins selected her for his London production of WEST SIDE STORY. Soon after she was seen as Luisa in THE FANTASTICKS, when it was an unknown one-act musical seeking backers for an off-Broadway production. She later recreated that role for television's Hallmark Hall of Fame production starring Bert Lahr and Ricardo Montalban. Her recordings include the original cast recordings of BYE, BYE, BIRDIE, BEN FRANKLIN IN PARIS, CELEBRATION, and NO, NO, NANETTE as well as "18 Interesting Songs From Unfortunate Musicals," "Keep Your Undershirt On," and her own "Broadway Celebration."
Joining Watson in the role of fiery revivalist Baby Love will be Meg Mackay, local cabaret artist and a favorite of 42nd Street Moon audiences. Mackay is a veteran of both the long-running San Francisco favorite BEACH BLANKET BABYLON and the national tour of the Tony Award-winning TORCH SONG TRILOGY, and recipient of three Drama-Logue Awards and five Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards. She has performed most recently in the Ethel Merman role in CALL ME MADAM at 42nd Street Moon, the Julie Andrews role in PUTTING IT TOGETHER at TheatreWorks, and in the Carol Channing role in HELLO, DOLLY! with the Mountain Play. The San Francisco Examiner applauded: "Mackay is simply superb ... she's the kind of artist who buoys an entire ensemble number and can provide invaluable support even when she's silent. When she gets a chance to solo, she brings down the house." In addition, Mackay has released two recordings, "So Many People" and "Legally Blonde."
These two sterling actresses will be joined onstage by Jesse Caldwell, Joel Patterson, Lucinda Hitchcock-Cone, Amy Cole, Steve Patterson, and Ed Simonick; and Lily Katz and Roxanne Myshlewski as two of Babylove's children, the Heavenly Pride-N-Joys.
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