COME RIDE THE CAROUSEL
It’s sad, really, that a town crammed with some of the best musical artists in the country has so few musicals produced. And when they are, for the most part, it’s the overblown Broadway tour variety or a one-night-only concert staged reading. Fortunately, colleges continue to offer some of the best productions at nominal prices. And when there is a production of one of the greatest musicals ever written, attention must be paid.
On Friday, May 6, 2016 at Freud Playhouse, The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (UCLA TFT) opens Rodgers & Hammerstein’s brilliant and bittersweet Carousel. Directed by Jeremy Mann, with musical direction by Dan Belzer and choreography by Christine Kellogg, this new revival will feature as Nettie Broadway actress Linda Kerns alongside students from the Department of Theater. I can’t stress strongly enough that some of the finest productions I’ve seen were at colleges; the talent will simply astound you (and they’ll be supported by a 12-piece orchestra). This is a short run through May 14 only, so act fast.
Carousel is based on Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnár’s 1909 play, Liliom, but transfers the story from Europe to the Maine coastline. The musical, which revolves around the tragic romance between carousel barker Billy Bigelow and mill worker Julie Jordan, includes such highlights as “If I Loved You,” “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over,” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
Carousel
UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
Freud Playhouse, UCLA
plays May 6 – 14, 2016
for tickets, visit UCLA
