SAN FRANCISCO (23 July 1998) -- San Francisco-based 42nd Street Moon adds an unusual murder-mystery comic romp to its repertoire of forgottenmusicals with its production of REDHEAD, a 1959 creation with music by Albert Hague and lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Although originally writtenfor Beatrice Lillie, the show starred Gwen Verdon as a young woman who has visions of a killer stalking actresses in Victorian London. REDHEAD won eight Tony awards, including Best Musical and Best Actress for Verdon, and two more nominations. The score for REDHEAD contains the beautiful "Look Who's In Love" and the hilarious "'Erbie Fitch's Twitch," among other songs. REDHEAD, presented in concert version by 42nd Street Moon, will play September 2 through 20 (press opening: September 3) at New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco: tickets may be purchased by calling 415/861-8972.

In this delightful musical comedy, Essie Whimple is a wistful young woman working in her aunts' wax museum in London at the turn of the century. A local music hall dancer is strangled, and Essie is entangled in the search for the killer, aided by mysterious, mystical visions and an American strongman who turns out to be the man of her dreams. In addition to Best Musical and Best Actress, REDHEAD also won Tony Awards for Choreographer (the legendary Bob Fosse), Costume Designer (Rouben Ter-Arutunian) and Best Actor (Richard Kiley), and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Leonard Stone) and Best Conductor and Musical Director (Jay Blackston). REDHEAD was written by Dorothy and Herbert Fields, Sidney Sheldon and David Shaw, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields and music by Albert Hague.

REDHEAD is the first of two shows in 42nd Street Moon's DELICIOUS DAMES OF BROADWAY! season celebrating lyrics by the great Dorothy Fields. The second Fields classic will be A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, based on the famous book and film of the same name, which will be presented in October. Fields, who also wrote lyrics for SWEET CHARITY and SEESAW, won an Academy Award for "The Way You Look Tonight." She teamed up with her brother Herbert and songwriter Irving Berlin to create such unforgettable shows as ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, A CONNECTICUT YANKEE, HIT THE DECK, FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMEN and DUBARRY WAS A LADY.

Co-author Sidney Sheldon went on to become a best-selling writer, penning mystery novels and creating the long-running television series "I Dream of Jeannie"; and David Shaw wrote librettos for Broadway's TOVARICH and the television musicals "Our Town" and "Ruggles of Red Gap." Composer Albert Hague wrote the music for Broadway's PLAIN AND FANCY as well as the television Christmas classic, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas." An accomplished actor as well, Hague is probably best remembered as the music teacher Shorofsky in the television series "Fame."

42nd Street Moon's production of REDHEAD will star Bay Area favorite Lesley Hamilton (SOMETHING FOR THE BOYS, A CONNECTICUT YANKEE, THREE SISTERS) in the role of Essie. Also featured will be Pierce Brandt (FANNY), as Tom Baxter, her American strongman boyfriend. Steve Patterson will play Howard, the flamboyant owner of the music hall, and Coralee Persse and Ruth Robbins are the Simpson sisters, Essie's aunts who own the waxworks. Also appearing will be Tom Elliott, Sharron Drake, Robin Steeves, George Quick, Arwen Anderson, and Jessie Gray. REDHEAD will be directed by Dennis Lickteig, with music direction by Sam Schieber and choreography by Jayne Zaban.

"DELICIOUS DAMES OF BROADWAY!," celebrating composers and performers such as Dorothy Fields, Ethel Merman, Shirley Booth, and Ginger Rogers, opened with Stephen Sondheim's DO I HEAR A WALTZ and George and Ira Gershwin's GIRL CRAZY, and will continue with A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, NYMPH ERRANT, and CALL ME MADAM.

Back to the 1998 Season