Bounce (musical)

Infobox Musical
name= Bounce
subtitle=


caption= Original Cast Recording
music= Stephen Sondheim
lyrics= Stephen Sondheim
book= John Weidman
basis=
productions= 2003 Chicago
2008 Off-Broadway planned
awards=

"Bounce" (now titled "Road Show") is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by John Weidman that premiered in a workshop in New York City in 1999 under the title "Wise Guys".

Production history

The musical premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop from October 1999 through November 1999 under the title "Wise Guys"; it was directed by Sam Mendes and starred Nathan Lane and Victor Garber as brothers Addison Mizner and Wilson Mizner. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/49231.html Sondheim's Wise Guys Will Not Appear on Bway in April 2000]

A legal case involving Scott Rudin and Weidman and Sondheim held up futher production, until the case was resolved. [ [http://www.sondheim.com/news/gold_a_wise_decision.html Court case and background information on sondheim.com] ] Rewritten and retitled as "Bounce", it premiered on June 20, 2003 at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. It was directed by Harold Prince and starred Richard Kind and Howard McGillin as Addison and Wilson Mizner, with Jane Powell as the brothers' mother and Michele Pawk as a dance–hall girl. [ [http://www.sondheim.com/news/bway_loses_its_bounce.html "B'way Loses Its 'Bounce'" at sondheim.com] ] The musical also ran at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. from October 2003 through November 2003 with the Chicago cast. It received mixed–to–negative reviews and was not produced in New York. [Portantiere, Michael. [http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/4067 "Reviews: Bounce",] theatermania.com, November 10, 2003] [Simonson, Robert. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/81102.html "Bounce Bounces Out of Chicago; Kennedy Center Is Next Hop",] playbill.com, August 10, 2003] [ [http://www.sondheimguide.com/bounce.html Sondheim Guide / Bounce] ]

;Subsequent activityA private reading of "Bounce" was held at the Public Theater on February 6, 2006. It was reported that Eric Schaeffer directed, with Richard Kind and Bernadette Peters among the cast. [Simonson, Robert. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/97762.html "Sondheim and Weidman's "Bounce" to Get Reading at Public Theater Feb. 6",] playbill.com, February 6, 2006]

John Doyle has confirmed that he will direct the musical, which he said will open at the Public Theater in the Fall 2008. [Hetrick, Adam. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/116953.html "Catered Affair's Doyle Will Direct Bounce for Fall Bow at the Public",] playbill.com, April 18, 2008] According to playbill.com, a casting notice gives the performance dates as beginning on October 28, 2008 through November 30, with the "caveat" that casting notices "do not necessarily reflect exact production dates." [Hetrick, Adam. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/118385.html "Sondheim and Weidman's Bounce Will Bow at Public Theater This Fall",] playbill.com, June 5, 2008] [ [http://www.publictheater.org/content/view/145/153 Public Theater 2008-09 listing] ]

The new name of the show is "Road Show", according to an announcement by the Public Theater. Additionally, casting has been announced, with Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani playing brothers Wilson and Addison Mizner. Other cast members include Alma Cuervo (Mama), Claybourne Elder (Hollis), and William Parry (Papa). Additionally, the production's opening has been scheduled for October 28, 2008, official opening November 18, and closing December 28, 2008 at The Public's Newman Theater. [Jones, Kenneth. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/120382.html "Sondheim & Weidman's Bounce Is Now Called Road Show; Cast Announced",] playbill.com, August 12, 2008]

Plot

"Bounce" is the story of Addison and Wilson Mizner's adventures across America in the early 20th century, from the Gold rush in Alaska to Florida. ["The New York Times", Ben Brantley, November 1, 2003, Section B, p. 7.]

Musical Numbers

"As presented in June 2003 at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago";Act I
* Bounce
* Opportunity
* Gold!
* Gold! (Reprise)
* What's Your Rush?
* Next to You
* Addison's Trip Around the World
* What's Your Rush? (Reprise)
* Alaska
* New York Sequence
* The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me
* Isn't He Something?
* Bounce (Reprise);Act II
* The Game
* Talent
* You
* Addison's City
* Boca Raton
* Last Fight
* Bounce (Reprise)

References

External links

* [http://sondheimreview.com/v10n2.htm#article 2003 Interview with Richard Kind and Howard McGillin]
* [http://sondheimreview.com/v10n3.htm#article 2004 Interview with Stephen Sondheim, John Weidman, and Jonathan Tunick]
* [http://sondheimreview.com/v10n4.htm#article 2003 Story about recording the original cast CD]
* [http://www.talkinbroadway.com/ob/11_02_03.html talkinbroadway.co review, November 2, 2003]
* [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/120386.html Interview with Sondheim, August 12, 2008}