Legendary actress and singer Dame Julie Andrews has done it all in her decades-long career, including earning an Academy Award, two Emmys, three Grammys, and six Golden Globes.
She was one of the biggest box office draws in the 1960s, playing such iconic roles as Maria Von Trapp in the 1965 film adaptation of 鈥淭he Sound of Music,鈥� and the title role in the 1964 film 鈥淢ary Poppins.鈥�
This summer, Andrews, 88, will come to 黑料吃瓜网 to direct 鈥淭he Great American Mousical鈥� at Branford鈥檚 Legacy Theatre.
鈥淭o have this level of celebrity icon in the performing arts in this venue, working here with our Legacy Theatre family, and for our community is indescribable, really,鈥� said Keely Baisden Knudsen, the founder and artistic director of the Legacy Theatre.
鈥淭he Great American Mousical鈥� is a 2012 musical by Zina Goldrich, with lyrics by Marcy Heisler. It鈥檚 based on the 2006 children鈥檚 book of the same name, written by Julie Andrews and her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton. The musical had its debut at 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Goodspeed Opera House, directed by Andrews.
How did the Legacy Theatre, only in its fourth year of operation, manage to bring in Julie Andrews to direct a show? The answer 鈥� connections. This time, a friendship between Andrews and the Director of Development at the Legacy, Anne Runolfsson 鈥攁 broadway veteran in her own right 鈥� put the Legacy on the radar screen of Andrews' creative team.
Knudsen pointed out that staging 鈥淭he Great Mousical鈥� at Legacy鈥檚 intimate, state-of-the-art proscenium stage will be a stretch for her production crew.
鈥淚t's a big show for a small regional theater,鈥� said Knudsen. 鈥淏ut we did something of a similar pit size and cast size with 'Beauty and the Beast' last summer, and it went beautifully.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a win-win. We are helping our reputation and visibility as a new theater, and at the same time, we are giving Julie Andrews鈥� team the chance to develop 鈥淭he Great American Mousical鈥� even further. There will be brand new orchestrations for this production. There's some new scenes. it's been in development in the last 12 years, it won't be exactly the same thing that folks have seen before.鈥�
Currently, the Legacy and Andrew鈥檚 creative team are casting roles for the show. Knudsen said in production meetings, Andrews has been enthusiastic and gracious, and is eager to get started.
鈥淎fter every production meeting, she in particular will thank me personally. Just hearing my name in that beautiful English accent is a delight,鈥� Knudsen said. 鈥淚t's a privilege for all of us, but to hear that depth of gratitude and excitement. And the team reiterates how excited she is to be doing this project at this time. Yeah, I mean, everyone's thrilled, all of us.鈥�
Rehearsals begin June 17. Knudsen said Julie Andrews will stay in the Branford area during the rehearsal process. 鈥淭he Great American Mousical鈥� runs July 11-28 at the Legacy Theatre in Branford.
