Harold Prince to Restage Paradise Found?

Harold Prince would like to restage Paradise Found, the Arabian Nights-style musical he co-directed with Susan Stroman at London's  Menier Chocolate Factory earlier this year.

Prince is quoted as saying “We did it in London in a theatre that’s too small for it, and it really impeded my, if I will allow myself the word, vision and the author’s. But again, the only people who were willing to put money into it were willing to do it only in a small theatre. The material is great. But it should be big … Now I have to do it and do it somewhere where there’s a large chorus.

We had wonderful actors [in London], but everyone was doubling and tripling. We had Shuler Hensley and Mandy Patinkin and Judy Kaye and Kate Baldwin, just an extraordinary cast, but they were doing chorus work, as well. That’s not what the material demands, so now I have to do it that way. In fact, I’m meeting with the authors the week after next, and we’re going to aim for it.”

The London production was much anticipated and warmly received but the critics gave very negative reviews.

Paradise Found at Menier Selling Out

The world premiere of Paradise Found starts previews tonight at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

This new production is directed by Broadway legends Hal Prince and Susan Stroman and stars the fabulous musical theatre star Mandy Patinkin.

It’s therefore not surprising that many of the performances are sold out, but the good news it that two additional Sunday shows have been added on 23rd May and 20th June at 8:00 pm.

Will Menier’s La Cage Aux Folles get Tony nomination?

The Tony Award nominations naming the best shows on Broadway will be announced later today at The New York Public Library for Performing Arts.

There is no one show that is a clear leader this year, but it is pretty certain that the Menier Chocolate Factory's pared-down production of "La Cage Aux Folles” starring Douglas Hodge and Kelsey Grammer will be named.

Also expected to be among the nominees are August Wilson's "Fences," starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, "Red" and "Next Fall” and the new musical "Memphis".



The Menier's next production is a world premiere of Paradise Found which has an American cast led by Mandy Patinkin and has been  rehearing in New York.  The Broadway legends  Hal Prince and Susan Stroman are co-directing with the procution due to open later this month on 19th May.

Menier’s Paradise Found Cast Announced

The complete cast has now been announced for the world-premiere of Paradise Found, the new musical being co-directed by Harold Prince and Susan Stroman.  Following the rehearsal period which begins in Manhattan today, Paradise Found will play at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London from May 19th-June 26th.

Joining the already announced Kate Baldwin, Shuler Hensley,  Judy Kaye, Mandy Patinkin and John Cullum will be five-time Tony nominee John McMartin (Sweet Charity, Follies, Grey Gardens), Tony nominee Nancy Opel (Urinetown, Toxic Avenger) and George Lee Andrews (The Phantom of the Opera, A Little Night Music).

Also in the cast are Amanda Kloots-Larsen, Lacey Kohl, Herndon Lackey, Daniel Marcus, Jim Poulos, Martin Van Treuren and Pamela Winslow Kashani.

Hal Prince is 21-time Tony Award winner (the original productions of Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, The Phantom of the Opera, Company, Follies, Evita) and Susan Stroman is a five-time Tony Award winner (Crazy For You, Show Boat, The Producers, Contact). This is their first collaboration since their staging of the Tony Award-winning revival of Show Boat.

The production will feature scenic design by Beowulf Boritt (Love Musik, Spelling Bee, Rock of Ages), costume design by Tony Award winner Judith Dolan (Candide, Parade), lighting design by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Jersey Boys, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Memphis) and sound design by Gareth Owen (A Little Night Music). Music director is Charles Prince (James Joyce's The Dead).

Hal Prince and Paradise Found at the Menier Chocolate Factory

On the day that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies opens I found myself watching the documentary “Behind The Mask” which is about the months leading up to the opening night of Phantom of the Opera and the various disasters, hirings and firings that took place.

I had forgotten Cameron Mackintosh’s story about Hal Prince which is timely as he is about to come back to the UK to direct the world premiere of Paradise Found at the Menier Chocolate Factory.  Harold Prince was asked to direct Phantom of the Opera, agreed to do so and started work on it.  Messrs Lloyd Webber and Mackintosh became nervous as they were not convinced that he was able to devote enough time to its preparation with the other projects he also had on the go.  They were also enamoured with Trevor Nunn who was working for them on Les Miserables.

It was duly decided that Nunn would take over and Harold Price would be told his services were no longer required.  Bravery was summoned and Cameron and Andrew arranged a meeting with him in New York,  but come the appointed time there was no-one present from the Really Useful Group and Cameron had to do the dirty deed on his own.  Hal Prince was furious but recalls that he told his assistant to hold on to all the work he had already done as they would be back in a month!

Les Miserables subsequently transferred from the RSC to the Palace Theatre where it opened to horrendous reviews, Trevor Nunn was no longer the blue eyed boy and Hal Prince was reinstated!  Such is the fickleness of theatre.

Watching the Phantom documentary reminded me of what an extraordinary director Hal Prince is , so hopefully he will bring his magic to the Menier Chocolate Factory when Paradise Found previews there from Wednesday 19th May and runs until 26th June.  He is co-directing the production with another Broadway legend, Susan Stroman,  with a cast straight from New York including Mandy Patinkin, Kate Baldwin, John Cullum, Shuler Hensley and Judy Kaye.

Latest info on Paradise Found at Menier Chocolate Factory

The Menier Chocolate Factory has just announced their Spring/Summer season with more details of the new musical Paradise Found.

Harold Prince and Susan Stroman will direct a cast straight from New York including Mandy Patinkin, Kate Baldwin, John Cullum, Shuler Hensley and Judy Kaye in the world premiere of Paradise Found.

The musical tells the story of the Shah of Persia who is feeling low so to cheer himself up heads to Vienna with his Eunuch (Mandy Patinkin) in tow is search of new adventures. He promptly falls in love with the Empress of the Empire, much to the dismay of her husband.  A prostitute who is a double for the Empress is substituted for a night of passion but she’s in love with a Baron, who’s having an affair with the Soap Manufacturer’s Wife….  Following it so far?  ….

Based on the novel The Tale of the 1002nd Night by Joseph Roth and set to the music of Johann Strauss, Paradise Found will run from 19th May - 26th June at Menier Chocolate Factory.

Trevor Nunn returning to Menier Chocolate Factory

Trevor  Nunn is due to return to  the Menier Chocolate Factory later this year to direct another production which could well be another Sondheim musical to mark the composer's 80th birthday in March.

This would follow his award-winning revival of A Little Night Music last year which is currently running on Broadway with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury.

His new production is  likely to open in July, following Hal Prince and Susan Stroman's new musical Paradise Found which begins previews on 19th May and stars Mandy Patinkin

New Hal Prince/Susan Stroman Paradise Found musical opening at Menier Chocolate Factory

Paradise Found is now definitely going ahead at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Broadway star Mandy Patinkin will lead the jointly-directed Hal Prince and Susan Stroman production which will run  from May 19th until  June 26th. The show is based on Joseph Roth's novel The Tale Of The 1002nd Night which is about a visit the Shah of Persia made to Europe in 1873.
 
Patinkin will play the Shah's eunuch and more casting is expected to be announced shortly.

The music is by Johann Strauss Jr, which has been orchestrated by Jonathan Tunick with a book by Richard Nelson and lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh.

Hal Prince & Susan Stroman to direct “Paradise Found”

The musical "Paradise Found," which is being co-directed by Broadway legends Hal Prince and Susan Stroman, is due to preview at London's Menier Chocolate Factory in the spring before transferring to Broadway.

The Producers of the show ( John Cullum, Mandy Patinkin (pictured), Shuler Hensley, Judy Kaye and Emily Skinner)  are all expected to take lead roles.

Prince expects to go into rehearsal on April 12th for Paradise Found.   It is then planned to at the Chocolate Factory for just seven weeks.

"Paradise Found" is based on the novel, "The Tale of the 1002nd Night," which tells the story of an impotent Shah (Cullum) with 139 wives. The ruler's eunuch (Patinkin) convinces him to travel to Vienna, where the Shah falls in love with the empress of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Still no booking news on the Menier Chocolate Factory’s website so watch this space …

Hal Prince to Premiere “Paradise Found” Musical

Strong rumour has it that the Broadway legend Hal Prince is returning to London’s West End in 2010 to direct the world premiere of “Paradise Found” at the tiny 150 seater Menier Chocolate Factory in Southwark where it will run for seven weeks before transferring across the pond to New York

The musical is based on the 1939 novel “The Tale of the 1002nd Night” by Joseph Roth.The story line is set during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, centring on the Shah of Iran.He already has 139 wives, but apparently that is not enough as he falls in love with the empress. The musical’s book is by Richard Nelson with lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh, and is set to music by Strauss, adapted by Jonathan Tunick.

Other members of Prince’s creative team include Susan Stroman who is another Broadway legend, with John Cullum and Mandy Patinkin set to star as the Shah and his eunuch.