A true theatrical event, this legendary masterpiece is considered by many to be the greatest musical ever created.The time is 1971, and theatrical impresario Dimitri Weissmann (famous for his garish Weissmann Follies of yesteryear) hosts a reunion of ex-Follies performers in his crumbling theatre, setting the stage for a parade of brilliant ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s pastiche numbers that have become every bit as famous as their models: “Losing My Mind,” “I’m Still Here” and “Broadway Baby,” to name a few. Amid the reminiscing, two middle-aged couples confront some unpleasant truths about their past and present and come face to face with the future.
Surreal, sophisticated, compelling, heart-wrenching and epic in scope, “Follies” uses the musical theatre as a metaphor for the collapse of American innocence and naïveté in the post-Kennedy years. It is a showcase for powerful dramatic actors, featuring a large cast rich in character, which provides opportunities for seasoned older performers. Spectacular and grand in scale, “Follies” has also proven ideal for concert presentation and features many of Stephen Sondheim’s best-known songs and a thrilling book by James Goldman, the author of “A Lion In Winter.”A true theatrical event, this legendary masterpiece is considered by many to be the greatest musical ever created.
The time is 1971, and theatrical impresario Dimitri Weissmann (famous for his garish Weissmann Follies of yesteryear) hosts a reunion of ex-Follies performers in his crumbling theatre, setting the stage for a parade of brilliant ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s pastiche numbers that have become every bit as famous as their models: “Losing My Mind,” “I’m Still Here” and “Broadway Baby,” to name a few. Amid the reminiscing, two middle-aged couples confront some unpleasant truths about their past and present and come face to face with the future.
Surreal, sophisticated, compelling, heart-wrenching and epic in scope, “Follies” uses the musical theatre as a metaphor for the collapse of American innocence and naïveté in the post-Kennedy years. It is a showcase for powerful dramatic actors, featuring a large cast rich in character, which provides opportunities for seasoned older performers. Spectacular and grand in scale, “Follies” has also proven ideal for concert presentation and features many of Stephen Sondheim’s best-known songs and a thrilling book by James Goldman, the author of “A Lion In Winter.”
