Gigi (musical)

Infobox Musical
name= Gigi
subtitle=


caption= Original Cast Recording
music= Frederick Loewe
lyrics= Alan Jay Lerner
book= Alan Jay Lerner
basis= Novel by Colette
productions= 1973 Broadway
1985 West End
awards= Tony Award for Best Score

"Gigi" is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe.

The title character, a teenaged girl living in Paris at the turn of the 20th century, is being groomed as a courtesan by her grandmother Mamita and Aunt Alicia. Before she is deemed ready for her social debut, she encounters the highly eligible "bon vivant" bachelor Gaston Lachaille, who becomes capitvated by the girl as she is transformed from a wild adolescent to a charmingly poised young lady. Gaston's Uncle Honoré serves as both narrator and major player, as he once was involved romantically with Mamita, although advancing age has confused their recollections of the past.

"Gigi" had a long and checkered career in its journey to the musical stage. It first appeared as a 1945 novel by Colette, which was adapted for the screen with Danièle Delorme in 1948. In 1951, Anita Loos adapted the novel for the stage, and the Broadway production starred Audrey Hepburn in her first major role. Seven years later, while "My Fair Lady" was in Philadelphia prior to its New York City opening, Arthur Freed approached Lerner about a feature film musical adaptation. Although Loewe had vowed never to work in movies, he was charmed by the book and agreed to collaborate on the project. It proved to be a major critical and commercial success and the winner of nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Fifteen years later, the creative team decided to augment their film score with additional tunes for a stage adaptation they first presented in Los Angeles and San Francisco. After seven previews, the Broadway production, directed by Joseph Hardy and choreographed by Onna White, opened on November 13 1973 at the Uris Theatre, where it ran for 103 performances. The cast included Karin Wolfe as Gigi, Daniel Massey as Gaston, Maria Karnilova as Mamita, Agnes Moorehead as Aunt Alicia, and Alfred Drake as Honoré. Arlene Francis replaced the ailing Moorehead later in the run (Moorehead died of cancer on April 30 1974).

An original cast recording was released by RCA Victor.

The West End production opened on September 17 1985 at the Lyric Theatre, where it ran for seven months [http://www.thisistheatre.com/shows/lyric150.html] . The cast included Amanda Waring as Gigi and Geoffrey Burridge as Gaston, with Beryl Reid as Mamita, Siân Phillips as Aunt Alicia, and Jean-Pierre Aumont as Honoré. A London cast album was released by First Night Records.

ong list

;Act I
* Overture
* Thank Heaven for Little Girls
* It's a Bore
* The Earth and Other Minor Things
* Paris Is Paris Again
* She's Not Thinking of Me
* It's a Bore (Reprise)
* The Night They Invented Champagne
* I Remember It Well
* I Never Want to Go Home Again;Act II
* Gigi
* The Contract
* I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore
* In This Wide,Wide World
* Thank Heaven for Little Girls (Reprise)

Awards and nominations

*Tony Award for Best Original Score (winner)
*Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Drake, nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Scenic Design (nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Costume Design (nominee)

External links

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