Busker Alley

Infobox Musical
name= Busker Alley


caption= Poster for planned Broadway production
music= Richard M. Sherman
lyrics= Robert B. Sherman
book=AJ Carothers
basis= 1938 film "St. Martin's Lane"
productions= 1994 US tour
1995 Broadway Canceled
2006 NY Benefit performance
awards=

"Busker Alley" is a musical by the Sherman Brothers, who wrote the scores to some of the Disney movies like "Mary Poppins" and "The Jungle Book". AJ Carothers wrote the book. Tommy Tune played the lead character, "Charlie Baxter", a busker who was in love with another busker, but she really wanted to be a big star in the theatre so she leaves him to follow her dream. The show played in 16 cities throughout the United States during 1994 and 1995 and was scheduled to open on Broadway at the St. James Theatre when six weeks prior to moving to New York, Tune broke his foot. The investors subsequently pulled out of the show. Although several attempts at resuscitation have been attempted, thus far no successful production has yet been staged. Plans to stage the musical have been announced for the 2008-09 season, however, with Tony Walton as director and designer and Jim Dale to star. [ [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/113147.html "Busker Alley Aiming for 2008 Broadway Bow with Tony Winner Dale", playbill.com article, Nov. 30, 2007] ]

ongs

: Source: [http://www.allmusicals.com/b/buskeralley.htm allmusicals]

*"Busker Alley"
*"Blow Us A Kiss"
*"Hula Love Song"
*"When Do I Get Mine?"
*"Strays"
*"Mates"
*"What To Do With 'Er"
*"He Has A Way/She Has A Way"
*"When the Moonlight's Bright In Brighton"
*"Crazy 'Appy Tears"
*"Tap Happy Feet"
*"Baby Me"
*"Ordinary Couples"
*"I'm On the Inside"
*"Where Are The Faces (Charlie the Busker)"
*"A Million Miles From You"
*"Tin Whistle Tune"
*"The World of Beautiful Girls"
*"All Around the Town"
*"Paddle Your Own Canoe"
*"Why the Tears?"
*"Waiting for Ann"
*"Never Trust A Lady"

Background and history

Busker Alley is based on the 1938 British Motion Picture, St. Martin's Lane. The title used for American release was The Sidewalks of London. The name was changed for American release due to the relative obscurity of the London street St. Martin's Lane to most Americans. Ironically the American title is similarly obscure to Londoners due to the differences in dialects. Specifically the British use the term "pavement", not "sidewalk". The star filled film cast included Charles Laughton as "Charles Staggers", Vivien Leigh as "Libby" and Rex Harrison as "Harley Prentiss".

In the mid 1960s, Disney staff scriptwriter, AJ Carothers rediscovered the motion picture and approached Disney staff songwriters, Robert and Richard Sherman with the idea of purchasing the rights to the film and making a stage musical out it. The Shermans and AJ Carothers did just that and in 1969, the musical "Piccadilly" was born. But nothing more became of it until in 1982 when interest was rekindled and the project was rewritten and renamed, (yet again) this time dubbed "Blow Us A Kiss". Still nothing happened with the property until later in the same decade when interest was again sparked and Tommy Tune became attached to the show.

The 1994-95 U.S. tour

With a major Broadway star behind the project, the show was finally launched in 1994 with yet a new name: "Busker Alley". Starring Tune and featuring Darcie Roberts, Brent Barrett and Marcia Lewis, it was directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun with sets by Tony Walton. The show played in 16 cities with a planned Broadway debut scheduled for 1995 at the St. James Theatre. It suffered numerous setbacks during the tour as well as two more name changes including "Stage Door Charley" (unilaterally chosen by the Producer's wife). The show finished its pre-Broadway tour, however, as "Buskers". [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117904233.html?categoryid=33&cs=1 "Variety" review, June 29, 1995] ]

Six weeks prior to the scheduled Broadway opening night Tommy Tune broke his foot during one of the performances in Florida. On October 6, 1995 in the "Movies News" section of the New York Times Peter Marks wrote: "Can 'Busker' Go On Without Tune? Just before Tuesday evening's performance of "Busker Alley" in Florida, Jeff Calhoun, the show's director and choreographer, stood on the stage of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. 'This is the foot of Tommy Tune,' he told the audience as he held aloft an X-ray of Mr. Tune's broken left foot. What followed was one of the stranger performances in the difficult history of "Busker Alley"." Although Tune's foot would have healed, the show's backers got nervous and pulled out.

In 2003 AJ Carothers and the Sherman Brothers revised their book and song score, changing the name back to "Busker Alley" as it had been known at the beginning of the show's 1994-1995 run.

New York premiere

On November 13, 2006 the York Theatre Company presented a one-night only benefit performance of "Busker Alley" at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College finally giving this show its New York premiere after 11 years. Jim Dale starred as "Charlie Baxter". Glenn Close also appeared in a cameo at the end of the show as "Dame Libby St. Albans". Also in the show were: Jessica Grové, Simon Jones, Noah Racey, John Bolton, Robert Fitch, Anne Rogers, Michael Lane Trautman and Cristy Candler.

Music and Lyrics are by Richard and Robert Sherman with the book by AJ Carothers. Theater/film designer and director Tony Walton directed. The creative team also included: Lisa Shriver as choreographer, Richard Pilbrow as lighting designer, Aaron Gandy as music director and Rebecca Lustig as Co-Costume Designer. [ [http://www.yorktheatre.org/BuskerAlley.htm York Theatre information] ]

Broadway

"Busker Alley" has been announced for a Broadway production for the 2008-09 season, with Tony Walton as director and designer and Jim Dale to star. [ [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/113147.html "Busker Alley Aiming for 2008 Broadway Bow with Tony Winner Dale", playbill.com article, Nov. 30, 2007] ]

Trivia

*In 1995, acclaimed artist, Leroy Neiman created a 40-foot mural on Broadway theater façade for Busker Alley. That same year Neiman was appointed a member of the New York City Advisory Commission for Cultural Affairs.

*Jim Dale and Glenn Close have been on Broadway together before: they originated the roles of P.T. Barnum and his wife, Charity Barnum, in Cy Coleman's Barnum (musical) in 1980.

References

External links

* [http://www.buskeralley.com Busker Alley] - High-definition Busker video site featuring news, art, and photos
* [http://www.buskercentral.com Busker Central] - Complete busker reference site
* [http://www.curtainup.com/buskeralleyfeature.html] - Curtain Up article, ca. 2007