Giant (musical)

Giant is a musical based on the 1952 Edna Ferber novel of the same name, with music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa and the book by Sybille Pearson. The musical premiered at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia in 2009. The story follows a ranch family in Texas over 30 years, and the effect of the oil boom. The musical premiered Off-Broadway in 2012.

Giant
Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording
MusicMichael John LaChiusa
LyricsMichael John LaChiusa
BookSybille Pearson
BasisGiant
by Edna Ferber
Productions2009 Signature Theatre
2012 Dallas Theater Center
2012 Off-Broadway

Production history and background

Edna Ferber's great-niece, Julie Gilbert, had approached LaChiusa about five years ago to write a musical based on the novel Giant. LaChiusa and Pearson initially thought it impossible to stage as a musical. The novel covers decades, and has a large number of characters, with a massive backdrop in wide-open, early 20th-century Texas. "Pearson said she and LaChiusa decided to use the novel, rather than the movie, as the basis for their adaptation because 'the movie, in its own greatness, changes some of the plot.' "[1] The Signature Theatre commissioned LaChiusa to write the musical as the first installment in its American Musical Voices Project.

Jonathan Butterell directed the world premiere production in Signature's MAX theatre, where it ran from April 28 through May 31, 2009. The ranch family was played by Lewis Cleale (Bick) and Betsy Morgan (Leslie), Ashley Robinson was Jett, the young ranch hand who finds oil, with Michele Pawk as Luz, Bick's older sister and John Dossett as Uncle Bawley, Marisa Echeverria as Juana, the Mexican wife, Jordan Nichols as Bick's son Jordy Jr, and Andres Quintero as Angel, son of Mexican American laborers.[2][3]

The show closely follows the novel, rejecting the many plot changes that were made for the classic 1956 film of the same name starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean.[4]

The music displays various musical styles from Mexican folk to country to rock 'n' roll, jazz and mariachi.[5][6]

A reading of the musical was held in New York City on January 10, 2011 with Kate Baldwin, Michael Esper, Steven Pasquale and Tom Wopat and directed by Michael Greif.[7]

The Dallas Theater Center, in a co-production with the Public Theater, presented the musical, with performances starting on January 18, 2012 in previews and running through February 19, with direction again by Greif. The cast featured Kate Baldwin (Leslie), Aaron Lazar (Bick), P.J. Griffith (Jett), John Dossett (Bawley) and Dee Hoty (Luz).[7][8] The musical originally was written with three acts and two intermissions, but for the Dallas production, it was re-written to have two acts and one intermission.[9]

The musical then premiered Off-Broadway at the Public Theater running from October 26 to December 16, 2012 (the engagement was originally scheduled through December 2, 2012).[10] Most of the Dallas cast returned while Michele Pawk and Brian d'Arcy James took over the roles of Luz and Bick respectively. The first post New York production took place at Illinois Wesleyan University in November 2015. The competitive BFA in Music Theatre was granted the rights while they are still limited to professional companies and prior to licensing opening up for academic and amateur productions. [11]

Synopsis

In Texas in 1922, Jordan "Bick" Benedict, a rich cattleman, marries Leslie, from Virginia. Bick is focused on working the family ranch, Reatta, but exhibits bigotry against Mexicans. This racism is seen in his older sister, Luz, who is against outsiders. Jett Rink is a handyman but discovers oil; he is infatuated with Leslie. A neighbor and Bick's reclusive uncle, Uncle Bawley, tells the tale of the legend of the coyote. Bick ends the relationship with a girlfriend, Vashti.

As they age over the years, Leslie feels rejected by Bick and realizes that they do not really know each other. Leslie and Bick's son marries a Mexican woman as Leslie tries to help the downtrodden Mexican American workers and Bick comes to accept his son's choice.

Songs

Critical response

The show has received mostly positive reviews, hedged by concerns over its length (3 hours, 45 minutes) and the nontraditional use of three acts.[12][13]

Peter Marks of the Washington Post wrote: "...the composer, Michael John LaChiusa, has written for this world premiere some of the lithest, most dramatically compelling music of his career. And that his collaborator, librettist Sybille Pearson, brings to the stage some potent Lone Star State characters... At its epic length, it becomes an advanced-placement sort of musical -- more for the ardent enthusiast than the casual entertainment-seeker."[14]

The Variety reviewer noted that the "inventive score is filled with pleasant melodies that hark to the old West, along with more soaring operatic pieces." However, he felt that "the show is humorless and sometimes incoherent. There are choppy, unconnected scenes, especially in the dark and leaden third act. Meanwhile, pivotal highlights such as a principal character's life-changing oil gusher are presented in retrospect, robbing the story of needed spark and surely confusing anyone unfamiliar with the Ferber yarn."[15]

Awards and nominations

The musical received eight Drama Desk Award nominations: Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Brian d’Arcy James), Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Kate Baldwin), Outstanding Music, Outstanding Lyrics, Outstanding Book of a Musical, Outstanding Orchestrations (Bruce Coughlin), and Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical.[16] The play received a nomination by the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical.[17]

Recording

A two disc cast album of the musical was released on the Ghostlight label in 2013.[18][19]

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References
  1. Branson, Hailey. "A musical of Giant proportions Washington theater to stage classic Texas tale", The Houston Chronicle, May 9, 2009, p. 4
  2. Jones, Kenneth. "Cleale, Dossett, Blazer, Robinson and More Begin Giant, the Musical, Run April 28 in VA,", Playbill.com, April 28, 2009
  3. Giant production information" Archived 2009-05-17 at the Wayback Machine sig-online
  4. Weldon, Glen."Signature's Giant: Writing on the Sprawl, The world premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's unevenly glorious musical" Washington City Paper, May 13, 2009
  5. Choochan, Gail. "Signature's 'Giant' worth the investment of four hours", The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Virginia), May 21, 2009, no page number
  6. Frederick, Missy. "Size Isn't All That Matters In Signature's Giant", DCIST May 15, 2009
  7. Hetrick, Adam. Texas-Bound Giant Musical Gets NYC Reading With Kate Baldwin, Michael Esper and Steven Pasquale" Playbill.com, January 14, 2011
  8. Hetrick, Adam (January 18, 2012). "New York-Aimed Giant, with Kate Baldwin, Aaron Lazar and P.J. Griffith, Sweeps Into Texas Jan. 18". Playbill. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  9. Spindle, Les."INTERVIEW: Michael John LaChiusa Is a Giant Talent" theatermania.com, May 19, 2012
  10. Hetrick, Adam. "'Giant', Starring Kate Baldwin, Brian D'Arcy James and P.J. Griffith, Gets Extension at Public Theater" Archived 2012-11-22 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, November 19, 2012
  11. "Brian d'Arcy James, Kate Baldwin, Bobby Steggert, Michele Pawk to Lead Public Theater's 'GIANT'- Full Cast Announced!" broadwayworld.com, September 10, 2012
  12. Teachout, Terry. A" Really, Really Big Show". online.wsj.com, May 15, 2009
  13. Marks, Peter. "Article:Daring to Do A Texas-Size Task:Create a Giant of Note". Washington Post, May 10, 2009
  14. Marks, Peter. "Review:At Signature, Giant Finds Its Voice in an Oversize State". Washington Post, May 12, 2009
  15. Harris, Paul. "Regional Review: Giant ". Variety, May 13, 2009
  16. Hetrick, Adam and Gans, Andrew. "Billy Porter, Andrea Martin, 'Pippin', 'Matilda', 'Vanya and Sonia' Win Drama Desk Awards" Archived June 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, May 19, 2013
  17. "Outer Critics Circle Awards Nominations Announced" theatermania.com, April 22, 2013
  18. Suskin, Steven. "ON THE RECORD: Michael John LaChiusa's 'Giant; " playbill.com, May 26, 2013
  19. "'Giant' Original Cast Album Coming in Spring 2013!" broadwayworld.com, December 15, 2012
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