3rd March – 10th April 2016
Upstairs at the Gatehouse
Bar Mitzvah Boy
Bar Mitzvah Boy – Jack Rosenthal adapted his award winning 1976 TV play (British Academy Best Play Award and Broadcasting Press Guild Best Play Award), for the musical stage with America’s Oscar and Tony award composer Jule Styne and lyrics by Britain’s Oscar and Tony award winner Don Black.
Rosenthal’s hysterical story of a North London family’s anxious build up to their only son’s Bar Mitzvah will resonate with many Jewish families, but this classic tale speaks loudly for any important family occasion – whatever the religion!
Bar Mitzvah Boy was composer Jule Styne’s only London musical. A prolific Hollywood and Broadway composer (Gypsy, Funny Girl, Bells Are Ringing and Gentleman Prefer Blondes), he collaborated with Britain’s own Don Black: (Sunset Boulevard, Tell Me On a Sunday, Aspects of Love – not to mention such classic hit songs: Thunderball, Tomorrow Never Dies, Diamonds Are Forever, The World Is Not Enough, To Sir With Love, Ben and Born Free – for which he won an Oscar).
This brand new production will be the first staging of Bar Mitzvah Boy since the original 1978 London production. For this presentation, Don Black has written new songs to unheard Styne compositions and a revised script has been written by David Thompson, author of The Scottsboro Boys, Steel Pier, And The World Goes ‘Round and the script adaptation of the hit musical revival of Chicago.
CAST
Eliot Green – Adam Bregman
Rita Green – Sue Kelvin
Victor Green – Robert Maskell
Lesley Green – Lara Stubbs
Rabbi Sherman – Jeremy Rose
Denise – Hannah Rose-Thompson
Harold – Nicholas Corre
Granddad – Hayward B Morse
Director and Musical Staging – Stewart Nicholls
Musical Director – Edward Court
Additional Musical Director – Neil MacDonald
Musical Supervisor, Orchestrator and Additional Musical Arrangements – Richard Healey
Set and Costume Designer – Grace Smart
Lighting Designer – James Smith
Assistant Director – Ruthie Osterman
Casting Director – Jane Deitch
“At 13 Adam Bregman is remarkably assured as the Bar Mitzvah Boy himself.”
SUNDAY EXPRESS ★★★★
“Adam Bregman brings a knowing mischievous wit and a strong singing voice to the title role.”
THE STAGE ★★★★
“Stewart Nicholls has helped Bar Mitzvah Boy finds its place in the world..”
MUSICAL THEATRE REVIEW ★★★★
“..for those who want to discover one of Jule Styne’s lesser known works, it’s unmissable.”
JONATHAN BAZ ★★★★
“..a fantastic example of what a great musical should be..”
LONDONTHEATRE1 ★★★★