The Best is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman, Rubicon Theatre Company, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura 93001. Plays Wed. 2 & 7; Thurs.-Fri., 8; Sat. 2 & 8; Sun. 2 & 7; through Aug. 2. Tickets: $20, Seniors: $15, Students: $10. 323.960.4451.
Cherry picking Cy Coleman favorites for a musical revue celebrating his life might seem like a dream job but for longtime collaborator and Tony Award winning lyricist David Zippel (City of Angels), the challenge wasn’t what to put in. It was what to leave out.
“I could do a whole other revue out of the things we didn’t include,” admits Zippel, who conceived and directed the world premiere production of The Best Is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman now playing at the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura until this Sunday. How did he choose from Coleman’s pop hit songbook and the musical theatre jewels performed in City of Angels, Sweet Charity, Barnum, The Life, Little Me and Will Rogers Follies?
Zippel and Cast
“I didn’t want it to be a ‘oh then he wrote’ show,” he emphasizes. “The idea was that a third of the songs would be Cy’s famous pop standards like ‘The Best is Yet to Come’ and ‘Witchcraft,’ then a third his well known theatre songs like ‘Big Spender’ with the final third being premieres of things less well known. Hence, the best is yet to come.”
The show features a cast and creative team of Broadway veterans with 32 Tony Awards between them. It stars David Burnham (The Light in the Piazza and Wicked on Broadway), Jason Graae (Grand Night for Singing, Falsettos and Forever Plaid on and off Broadway), Sally Mayes (She Loves Me at Roundabout and Urban Cowboy in New York), Julia Murney (Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway), Billy Stritch (42nd Street, Liza Minnelli’s musical director) and Tony winner Lillias White (The Life, Dreamgirls on Broadway). Both Mayes and White made their Broadway debuts in Coleman shows.
The creative team heavyweights include Stritch as musical director and arranger with orchestrations by Don Sebesky, choreography by Lorin Latarro, scenic design by Douglas W. Schmidt, costumes by legend William Ivey Long, lighting design by Michael Gillian and sound design by Jonathan Burke.
“We’ve been so blessed to get the designers we’ve got,” enthuses Zippel. “They’re all Broadway titans. They wanted to do it from the beginning so they were willing to come to the Rubicon as well.”
Zippel is no lightweight himself. His lyrics have earned a Tony Award, two Academy Award nominations, two Grammy Award nominations, and three Golden Globe Award nominations. He made his Broadway debut with City of Angels for which he received the Tony, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award and (in London) the Olivier Award and Evening Standard Award. He also wrote the lyrics to the Broadway musical of The Goodbye Girl plus the London and Broadway productions of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman in White. Zippel recently worked with Minnelli to write her show Liza’s at the Palace which received a 2009 Tony Award.
A film version of City of Angels starring Bruce Willis and directed by Barry Levinson is in development as is Pamela’s First Musical, based upon Wendy Wasserstein’s children book with music by Coleman and book by Wasserstein, which looks like it has a theatre on board.
Zippel had approached Coleman with the idea of the revue years ago but was told “that’s for after I’m gone.” In 2006, he revived the idea with Coleman’s widow Shelby in partnership with Larry Gelbart but wound up moving forward alone when their schedules wouldn’t intersect. He turned to Coleman devotees for his cast.
“The first people I thought of were Lillias, Billy and Jason because I’ve worked with them before,” Zippel explains via phone following a face-to-face discussion after a matinee performance. “Lillias is so attached to Cy as an artist. Cy admired Billy’s playing so much. I also felt his style as an arranger and pianist was so perfect for what I wanted to accomplish with the show. I called Billy really early on and said would you want to do this with me? He loved Cy as a person, loved his music and he saw what I saw–that he was the perfect person for the job. So they were part of the deal from the beginning.”
Zippel says he filled out the rest of the cast with people whose work he’d admired over the years. “Getting a stellar group like this to sing the songs is very exciting.” Zippel credits the Rubicon for suggesting David Burnham who he called both a “find” and a “superb singer.” It was herding everyone to Ventura that took longer than he expected.
“All these people are sought after and busy. Getting them to carve out the same period of time was very challenging. Everyone had to understand the economic situation. The Rubicon is such a nurturing place; they take good care of the artists. I have to say July by the ocean didn’t exactly dissuade anyone. It was just a good launching pad for the show.”
That launching pad came about via a brunch at Reprise! Broadway’s Best! founder Marcia Seligson’s house where he was introduced to Rubicon Producing Artistic Director Karyl Lynn Burns and its Co-Producer/Director of New Works Michael Jackowitz. They invited him to see a show the next time he was in town, which turned out to be Bus Stop starring Angela Christian, a friend of his from Woman in White. He liked what he saw.
“Karyl Lynn, her husband Jim and Michael are valued collaborators. As producers, they are a great sounding board and have been incredibly supportive. They’re also ambitious and totally committed to developing new work. It’s been a really nice experience.”
The revue contains the world premieres of four songs from a new musical called N, about the private lives of Napoleon and Josephine, with music written by Coleman, lyrics by Zippel and book by Gelbart.
“It was about two thirds written by the time Cy had died. Larry and I have a lot of things on our plate so hopefully one of us will get to it. We both loved these songs and felt they deserved a life. It’s satisfying to me as a writer to hear them sung so spectacularly.”
Liza Minnelli attended the show’s opening night to support her pals Stritch and Zippel as well as to host its Rat Pack themed gala, which doubled as a fundraiser for the Rubicon’s new works program and an 80th birthday celebration for Coleman. When asked what he learned working with Liza on her recent Broadway show, Zippel said “the importance of hard work. When you see a show that is polished and really thought through, it means everyone works really hard at it. Nothing is left to chance. Liza is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever encountered. She just wants to get it right. She rehearses over and over. It reconfirms that’s the way to make something good. You have to be dedicated to it.”
A favorite moment of Zippel’s, besides Lillias White bringing down the house with her show stopping signature song “The Oldest Profession” from The Life, is Stritch’s rendition of “It Amazes Me” with lyrics by longtime Coleman collaborator Carol Leigh.
“I could do this show just for that alone,” he confesses. “Just to hear him do it with that band. And that’s the luxury here. Having an eight-piece swing band with Don Sebesky orchestrations and Billy Stritch arrangements. It makes me melt.”
Songs with Leigh lyrics dominate the lineup, a testimony to the years she collaborated with Coleman on pop standards and musicals like Wildcat and Little Me. “Carolyn Leigh is someone I’ve admired so much. She’s one of the finest lyricists period. Her work is dazzling so it’s fun to be able to hear all these great lyrics.”
Another songwriter whose work Zippel thinks is dazzling is Joni Mitchell. “Her imagery is as good as I’ve ever heard.” But his real hero is Sheldon Harnick, best known for his collaborations with Jerry Bock on hit musicals like Fiddle on the Roof. “In addition to his incredible level of craft and wit, he creates characters who live through the songs so well. I really admire that.”
When asked how he would describe the characteristic of a David Zippel lyric, he took a moment to reflect. “That’s a good question. I like to think, like Cy, I don’t really have a definable style. I would say if there’s an element to what Cy did, that distinguished his work, it was the ability to be jazzy. For me I think, like Sheldon, I try to write for the characters and for the story more than anything else. My ability to tell a joke within a song may distinguish what I do. I’m proud of that.”
Lillias White: The Best Is Yet to Come
Lillias White
Lillias White won the Tony, Drama Desk, People’s Choice and Outer Critics Awards for her 1997 role as Sonja, the weary Times Square hooker in The Life, a part written for her by Cy Coleman. She is currently starring in the world premiere revue The Best Is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman at the Rubicon.
In 1990, White won the Obie Award for her portrayal of Hennie in Romance in Hard Times. In addition, she won a Drama-Logue Award for her role as Effie in the national tour of Dreamgirls. Other theatre credits include the Broadway productions of How to Succeed in Business, Once on This Island, Rock n’ Roll: The First 5,000 Years (Aretha Franklin), Barnum, Carrie and Dreamgirls as well as the off Broadway productions of Crowns, The Vagina Monologues, Waiting for Godot, The Princess & The Black-Eyed Pea and Dinah Was. She has also appeared in national and international tours for Ain’t Misbehavin’, Tintypes and The Wiz.
White talked recently with LA Stage about dealing with divas, calling out Shriners and how long she plans to sing about “the oldest profession.”
LAS: You just finished performing all across Australia for three weeks before coming to the Rubicon. How was it down under?
LW: It was absolutely fabulous. I had great houses. The people really enjoyed me being me and doing what I do! (laughs).
LAS: I’ve heard that Australia has a really vibrant cabaret audience scene.
LW: They do. They have a wonderful audience for musical theater and all kinds of music. I think they get some kind of help from the government for the arts. I know the Sydney Opera House, where I performed my show My Guy Cy, is supported in some way by the Australian government. I was surprised at how diverse the audience was. The only people I did not see in the house were the Aboriginal people. I had virtually none. I wasn’t introduced to any and none came backstage. That was disturbing.
LAS: Were you able to rehearse with the cast in New York before heading to Australia?
LW: I was. I listened to my tapes, learned my lyrics and studied my music. Then I flew here. The day after I arrived, we started tech rehearsals.
LAS: That sounds like a really tight turn.
LW: It was a tight turn as you say. I like that term. I think I’m just this week not feeling the jet lag.
LAS: David Zippel said he first asked Billy Stritch and you to be involved. Other than the obvious, what made you want to be part of this?
LW: I really love David. I really love Billy. And I really love this music. Cy was a really good friend of mine. I just thought it would be very fitting to do a musical like this of his work where his songs are showcased for the people to remember.
LAS: The matinee crowd I saw really enjoyed the choice of material.
LW: I really would like to see a lot more young people in the audience to get them familiar with this music. You can tell the older people know this stuff and they enjoy it. It’s great but I’d like to see more young people in there.
LAS: What do you like most about singing Cy Coleman songs versus other composers?
LW: First of all, it’s challenging because some of the melodies don’t flow the way typical music does. He uses very interesting intervals in the music. When you think they’re going to zig, they zag. So your ears have to be really in tune and attuned to what the music is. I like the fact he’s collaborated with the people he’s collaborated with to come up with these really witty lyrics. The way he places them in the music is very extraordinary and very interesting. It’s fun to do.
LAS: You get to do such good material in the show. “Don’t Ask a Lady” from Little Me is so rarely done but David said he thought it was a perfect fit for you. He also added he “hasn’t really encountered a song that isn’t perfect for Lillias.”
LW: Awww! He’s such a sweetheart! (laughs)
LAS: You do this great transition where you saunter down the stairs flirting with the band as you sing “Never Met a Man” before settling in downstage for “The Oldest Profession.” How is that for you? I love when you take the wig off. We were screaming from the balcony!
LW: Were you screaming? (laughs) We love that! Love that part. To be honest with you, I don’t like the stairs. They’re a little scary. But it is what it is. The musicians seem to like the number. It’s all good, especially the transition. Every time I pull off that hair, everybody just loses it.
LAS: What’s it like for you to be singing this song now? Your character Sonja is tired and looking back over her life when she sings it.
LW: It’s a funny thing with that song. There are certain parts of it I enjoy better than others. I still enjoy singing it because of the way it’s structured. The lyrics. People really have to listen to it to get the jokes. There are certain lyrical things that happen like where I sing about the Shriners. I get a kick out of that because somebody out there knows what I’m talking about. Somebody out there is a Shriner and he’s been to those conventions and wore those little hats. They’ve seen prostitutes on the scene. Or had dancers come and entertain them in the room, you know? A lot of them have been there and I like calling them out on it!
LAS: But do you find any parallels for you in your own life doing this song now versus when you did it in The Life? Do you find you bring more to it as you get older?
LW: I’m thinking, please God, when I get old–really, really old-that it will be…well, it is a signature song for me. Of course when I did it on stage, it was in the context of the show. It works on its own as well. What I put into it is a little bit of myself as I am now. I mean that was more than 10 years ago when I did it on Broadway. It still has a lot of, (laughs), a lot of juice for me!
LAS: Imagine the layers you’ll add in your 70s! It somehow reminds me of when Elaine Stritch mocked people in her one woman show for singing “I’m Still Here” while they were still in their 40s.
LW: You look at the world differently when you become older. You know what you know. So when you hear a young person try to deliver a song like that, it makes you laugh. It makes me laugh!
LAS: Or when they call themselves a diva after a few hits. That term used to be reserved for legendary performers.
LW: The word has been misused and overused for many, many, many years now. To me, a diva is not just someone who has done some things, recording or performing or whatever, but somebody who has lived some things. Unless you’ve lived a certain amount of life, you have nothing to sing or act about. For me, a lot of people are not believable. They have nothing to bring. They haven’t lived enough or they live in a coddled, protective environment. You don’t get the bumps that way.
LAS: How do you balance your theatre and cabaret life?
LW: I go with the flow. I really enjoy cabaret a lot. I’m able to be myself and express myself. Be funny and gaudy and bawdy. Poignant. And just do me. So I have a lot of fun doing that. But I love the experience of the Broadway stage because it is a different audience every night. Even though you’re doing the same show, it always changes. I love the challenge of that. I love the ensemble work of a Broadway show. When it’s working, it’s divine. When it’s not, it’s a pain in the ass.
LAS: Are you talking about divas?
LW: Yes! If you get people who are too diva-ish, it can be problematic. I’ve been very fortunate that I have not had very many of those experiences. So I enjoy it all. I really love what I do. If it makes people have joy in their hearts or be a balm to them in some way, I enjoy doing that whether it’s on the Broadway stage or in cabaret.
LAS: Do you have something coming up that you can talk about?
LW: I do but I can’t say what it is. We’re still in contract negotiations. I can tell you that it is something completely wonderful and new on Broadway. I’ll be glad to get home and hug my grandson. I’ve been gone since the beginning of June.
LAS: What do you want people to know about the Coleman show?
LW: I am having a great time! I’m encouraging everyone to come to the Rubicon. It’s not that far from LA. It’s not that far from anywhere. Just come on down and support the show and support live theatre. Support live artists! You know, people who do live shows without lip-synching! Aha! (laughs) People who can walk up and down stairs and who can catch their breath and still sing a song! How about that!
Feature image of Lillias White and Billy Stritch by Rod Lathim. Story Image of Zippel and cast by Carol Rosegg
