Runaways (musical)
| Runaways | |
|---|---|
| Music | Elizabeth Swados |
| Lyrics | Elizabeth Swados |
| Book | Elizabeth Swados |
| Productions |
1978 Off-Broadway 1978 Broadway |
Runaways is a musical which was written, composed and directed by Elizabeth Swados, about the lives of children who run away from home and live on the city streets. The characters were taken from workshops conducted by Swados with real-life runaways in the late 1970s.
Background
Swados took her idea for a musical with the theme of running away "from home, from a boyfriend, from a predator,... from yourself" to Joseph Papp, who agreed to produce it. She looked for the children who would be in the musical in various places in New York City, such as a community center, and "little by little, we built a world where runaways came together, told their stories, and acted out the hardships they endured."[1] Swados did research for her project as she gathered the cast, and some in the cast were actual runaways. The show was done in a series of songs, monologues, scenes, poems, and dances.[2]
Productions
The musical premiered off-Broadway on February 21st, 1978 at the Public Theater Cabaret as presented by the New York Shakespeare Festival. It moved to Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre on May 13th, 1978 and closed on December 31st, 1978 after 12 previews and 274 performances. The director and choreographer was Elizabeth Swados, with scenic design by Douglas W. Schmidt and Woods Mackintosh, costume design by Hilary Rosenfeld, and lighting design by Jennifer Tipton. In 2007, a re-worked concert version of the show produced by Jamie McGonnigal and directed by Rent's Rodney Hicks played Joe's Pub.[3]
The orchestra consisted of Piano and Toy Piano, String Bass, Congas, Timbales, Bongos, Bell Sirens and Others, Trap Set, Triangle, Glass and Ratchet, Saxophone and Flutes, and Guitar (played by Elizabeth Swados).
Original Broadway cast
- Hubbell — Bruce Hlibok
- Interpreter for Hubbell — Lorie Robinson
- A.J. — Carlo Imperato
- Jackie — Rachael Kelly
- Luis — Ray Contreras
- Nikki Kay Kane — Nan-Lynn Nelson
- Lidia — Josie de Guzman
- Manny — Randy Ruiz
- Eddie — Jon Matthews
- Sundar — Bernie Allison
- Roby — Venustra K. Robinson
- Lazar — David Schechter
- Eric — Evan H. Miranda
- Iggy — Jonathan Feig
- Jane — Kate Schellenbach
- Ez — Leonard D. Brown
- Mex-Mongo — Mark Anthony Butler
- Melinda — Trini Alvarado
- Deidre — Karen Evans
- Mocha — Sheila Gibbs
- Ensemble - Toby Parker
- Ensemble - Timmy Michaels (Michael Demetrious)
Synopsis summary
28 "multi racial, multi ethnic" children explore the "fragmented" life of the runaway[4] in an inner city. Through songs, monologues and poems the children examine and explain why they are runaways. They are abused, come from broken families, or are in an orphanage. The children show a range of emotions, and are seen as victims but also "perpetrators". They "plead with their families and society 'Let Me Be A Kid Again.'"[5]
Songs and scenes
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Response
According to Cecil A. Smith, "It was a novel show, even for a period of musical theatre that sought novelty. Angry, disturbing, and ultimately too prosaic for sustained musical flight, it was complete proof that Elizabeth Swados had new plans for the musical and that she had the talent to realize them.[6]
Harold Clurman wrote: "Though the show offers a number of attractive features, only a few of them are actually congruent with its theme...There are...a few charming numbers: one of them is called 'Enterprise' derisive of our national fetish...The Swados music is utilitarian rather than lyrically or dramatically expressive-it is employed, as in the Japanese or Chinese theatres, as sound to call attention to signal moments...Even if I had liked more of the numbers than I did, I would still have thought 'too much show!' ".[7]
The New York Times reviewer wrote of the Public Theater production that the show was an "inspired musical collage... [it] takes a harsh and uncompromising look at the world of runaways, but it is written and performed with great compassion." The music is "disco, salsa, country and western and blues...Not just the songs, but the soliloquies and poems - some of them contributed by members of the cast - are also deeply personal...In all aspects 'Runaways' is a triumph."[2]
Awards and nominations
Original Off-Broadway production
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Obie Award | Best Direction | Elizabeth Swados | Won |
Original Broadway production
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Tony Award | Best Musical | Nominated | |
| Best Book of a Musical | Elizabeth Swados | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Score | Nominated | |||
| Best Direction of a Musical | Nominated | |||
| Best Choreography | Nominated | |||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Musical | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Director of a Musical | Elizabeth Swados | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Lyrics | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Music | Nominated | |||
References
- ↑ Swados, Elizabeth. At play: Teaching Teenagers Theater, Macmillan, 2006, ISBN 0-571-21120-8, pp.xxix- xxii
- 1 2 Gussow, Mel. "Stage:Inspired 'Runaways' ", The New York Times, March 10, 1978, p. C3
- ↑ Runaways in Concert presented March 25
- ↑ Jones, John Bush. Our Musicals, Ourselves:A Social History of the American Musical Theater, UPNE, 2003, ISBN 0-87451-904-7, p. 287
- ↑ Filichia, Peter. Let's Put on a Musical!: How to Choose the Right Show for Your School, Community, Or Professional Theater, Watson-Guptill, 1997, ISBN 0-8230-8817-0, p. 173
- ↑ Smith, Cecil A. Musical Comedy in America:From The Black Crook to South Pacific, From The King & I to Sweeney Todd, Routledge, 1987, ISBN 0-87830-564-5, p. 320
- ↑ Clurman, Harold. The Collected Works of Harold Clurman, Hal Leonard Corporation, 1994, ISBN 1-55783-132-7, pp. 902-903
External links
- Runaways at the Internet Broadway Database
- Internet Off-Broadway Database listing
- Plot synopsis on guidetomusicaltheatre.com
- Public Theater listing