The Witches Of Eastwick (musical)
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''The Witches of Eastwick'' is a 2000
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
based on the 1984 novel of the same name by
John Updike John Hoyer Updike (March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009) was an American novelist, poet, short-story writer, art critic, and literary critic. One of only four writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once (the others being Booth ...
. It was adapted by John Dempsey (lyrics and book) and Dana P. Rowe (music), directed by Eric Schaeffer, and produced by
Cameron Mackintosh Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a British theatrical producer and theatre owner notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "th ...
. The story is based around three female
protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
s, the '
Witches Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have use ...
': Alexandra Spofford, Jane Smart, and Sukie Rougemont. Frustrated and bored by their mundane lives in the town of Eastwick, a shared longing and desire for "all manner of man in one man" comes to life in the form of a charismatic stranger, a
devil A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of t ...
-like character, Darryl Van Horne. Seducing each of the women in turn, Darryl teaches them how to expand the powers locked within, though their new unorthodox lifestyle scandalizes the town. As these powers become more sinister and events spiral out of control, the women come to realise that Darryl's influence is corrupting everyone he comes into contact with and resolve to use their new-found strength to exile him from their lives.


Productions


Original London production

Starring
Ian McShane Ian David McShane (born 29 September 1942) is an English actor, producer and director. He is known for his television performances, particularly as the title role in the BBC series ''Lovejoy'' (1986–1994), Al Swearengen in '' Deadwood'' (2004 ...
in the lead role of Darryl Van Horne and
Maria Friedman Maria Friedman ( Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director of stage and screen, best known for her work in musical theatre. She is an eight-time Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-wo ...
(Sukie),
Lucie Arnaz Lucie Désirée Arnaz (born July 17, 1951) is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of actors Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Early life Arnaz was born at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of acto ...
(Alexandra) and
Joanna Riding Joanna Riding (born Joanne Riding; 9 November 1967) is an English actress. For her work in West End musicals, she has won two Laurence Olivier Awards, and has been nominated for three others. Early life Riding was born in Preston, Lancashire, ...
(Jane) as the three witches, the show began its preview period in
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
's West End on June 24, 2000 at the
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...
. Opening on July 18 to mixed-positive reviews, the decision was taken to transfer to the more intimate
Prince of Wales Theatre The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre in Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in London. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner. The theatre ...
from March 23, 2001. Ian McShane left and was replaced by his understudy,
Earl Carpenter Earl Carpenter (born 9 May 1970) is an English musical theatre actor, recognised chiefly for his work in London's West End. He is known for his performances as Javert in the stage musical ''Les Misérables'' and as The Phantom in the London pro ...
, whilst the physical production was revised to fit in the smaller theatre. A number of lyrics and scenes were revised and the song 'Who's the Man?' was replaced with a rousing gospel number entitled 'The Glory of Me'. A general cast change from July 1, 2001 saw
Clarke Peters Peter Clarke (born April 7, 1952), known professionally as Clarke Peters, is an American-British actor, writer, and director. He is best known for his roles as Lester Freamon in the television series ''The Wire'' (2002–2008) and Albert Lambrea ...
lead the company, with Josefina Gabrielle and Rebecca Thornhill as Alex and Sukie respectively, joining Joanna Riding who stayed with the show after receiving the
Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...
nomination for the role. The show received generally favourable reviews with the second cast but, after a 17-month run, closed on October 27, 2001. ;Original London cast *
Ian McShane Ian David McShane (born 29 September 1942) is an English actor, producer and director. He is known for his television performances, particularly as the title role in the BBC series ''Lovejoy'' (1986–1994), Al Swearengen in '' Deadwood'' (2004 ...
as Darryl Van Horne *
Lucie Arnaz Lucie Désirée Arnaz (born July 17, 1951) is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of actors Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Early life Arnaz was born at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of acto ...
as Alexandra Spofford *
Joanna Riding Joanna Riding (born Joanne Riding; 9 November 1967) is an English actress. For her work in West End musicals, she has won two Laurence Olivier Awards, and has been nominated for three others. Early life Riding was born in Preston, Lancashire, ...
as Jane Smart *
Maria Friedman Maria Friedman ( Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director of stage and screen, best known for her work in musical theatre. She is an eight-time Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-wo ...
as Sukie Rougemont *
Rosemary Ashe Rosemary Ashe (born 28 March 1953) is an English stage actress and singer. Early life and training She was born to Philip Stephen Ashe and Dorothy May (née Watts). She attended Lowestoft Grammar School before studying at the Royal Academy of ...
as Felicia Gabriel *
Stephen Tate Stephen Tate is a British actor and musical theatre artist. Career Television He is possibly best known for his recurring role as Alan in the 1970s television drama '' Survivors'' and as Dick Meyer in the 1980s comedy drama '' Big Deal'' along ...
as Clyde Gabriel *
Caroline Sheen Caroline Sheen is a Welsh actress who has played leading roles on stage in the West End alongside TV and film appearances. She won a Helen Hayes award for playing the role of Mary Poppins on the National Tour of America. Background Born and ...
as Jennifer Gabriel *
Peter Jöback Peter Arne Jöback (born 4 June 1971 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish singer, actor and musical artist. Biography Early life and education Peter Jöback was born on 4 June 1971 in Stockholm. He spent his childhood in Värmland and Östergö ...
as Michael Spofford * Gee Williams as Fidel *
Sarah Lark Sarah Lark (born 28 January 1983) is a Welsh singer and actress who rose to fame when she competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series '' I'd Do Anything'' in 2008. Background Lark was born in Roath, Cardif ...
as Little Girl * Jasna Ivir as Gina Marino *Tim Walton as Joe Marino *Anne-Marie McCormack as Gretta Neff *Kevin Wainwright as Raymond Neff *Lisa Peace as Marge Persley *Shaun Henson as Homer Persley *
Earl Carpenter Earl Carpenter (born 9 May 1970) is an English musical theatre actor, recognised chiefly for his work in London's West End. He is known for his performances as Javert in the stage musical ''Les Misérables'' and as The Phantom in the London pro ...
as Reverend Ed Parsley *Kathryn Akin as Brenda Parsley *Jocelyn Hawkyard as Rebecca Barnes *Nick Searle as Toby Bergman *Valda Aviks as Eudora Bryce *Matt Dempsey as Curtis Hallerbread *
Scarlett Strallen Scarlett Aimee Vaigncourt-Strallen (born 3 July 1982) is an English stage actress, best known for her work in musical theatre productions in the West End and on Broadway. She has received two Olivier Award nominations, in 2006 for her portray ...
as Mavis Jessup *Julia Sutton as Franny Lovecraft *Chris Holland as Frank Ogden *Alison Forbes as Mabel Ogden *Maurice Lane as Dr Henry Pattison *Jean McGlynn as Marcy Wills ;London replacements *
Earl Carpenter Earl Carpenter (born 9 May 1970) is an English musical theatre actor, recognised chiefly for his work in London's West End. He is known for his performances as Javert in the stage musical ''Les Misérables'' and as The Phantom in the London pro ...
replaced Ian McShane as Darryl Van Horne on March 23, 2001 *Clarke Peters replaced Earl Carpenter as Darryl Van Horne on July 1, 2001 *Josefina Gabriel replaced Lucie Arnaz as Alexandra Spofford on July 1, 2001 *Rebecca Thornhill replaced Maria Friedman as Sukie Rougemont on July 1, 2001 *Paul Spicer replaced Peter Jöback as Michael Spofford on July 1, 2001 *Elizabeth Yeats replaced Jasna Ivir as Gina Marino on July 1, 2001 *Christopher Howell replaced Kevin Wainwright as Raymond Neff on July 1, 2001 *Amanda Villamayor replaced Kathryn Akin as Brenda Parsley on July 1, 2001


Australia, Russia, and Czech Republic

The first international production opened in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
at the Princess Theatre,
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. Starring
Paul McDermott Paul Anthony Michael McDermott (born 13 May 1962) is an Australian entertainer, best known both for ''Good News Week'' and for his role as a member of the musical comedy group the Doug Anthony All Stars. He has frequently appeared at the Melb ...
as Darryl van Horne, with
Marina Prior Marina Prior (born 18 October 1963) is an Australian soprano and actress with a career mainly in musical theatre. From 1990 to 1993, she starred as the original Christine Daaé in the Australian premiere of ''The Phantom of the Opera'', opposit ...
, Angela Toohey and Pippa Grandison as Jane, Alexandra and Sukie respectively, with Sabrina Batshon, future finalist of
Australian Idol ''Australian Idol'' is an Australian singing competition, which began its first season in July 2003 and ended its initial run in November 2009. As part of the ''Idol'' franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program ''Pop Idol' ...
season 7, as The Little Girl, and Matt Lee as Michael Spofford, the show began previews on 19 August 2002. Revisions made to the show included minor changes to lyrics, an extended dance break in 'A Little Town', and the excision of one number, 'Loose Ends'. The show closed in Melbourne on 17 November 2002, with the anticipated tour dates in Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney being cancelled. The Russian production opened in
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
on 12 March 2003 using new sets as well as on-stage rain and fire effects. The role of Darryl van Horne was double-cast with Dmitriy Pevtsov and Aleksey Kortnev sharing the part. Other roles were similarly played by two or three actors. A revival was staged in 2007, with scaled down sets and effects, and Pevtsov reprising his role. The premiere in the
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
opened in February 2007 at th
Brno City Theatre
directed by Stanislav Moša and choreographed by Igor Barberić. The show was translated into Czech by Jiří Josek and produced the first commercial recording since the Original London Cast album.


U.S. premiere (2007)

The American premiere opened at the Signature Theatre in
Arlington, Virginia Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county is ...
in a limited engagement from June 5, 2007, to July 15, 2007. Directed by Eric Schaeffer, the original director and Signature Theatre's Artistic Director, the cast starred
Marc Kudisch Marc Kudisch (born September 22, 1966) is an American stage actor, who is best known for his musical theatre roles on Broadway. Early life and education Kudisch was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the son of Florence and Raymond Kudisch. His fami ...
as Darryl Van Horne, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan as Sukie Rougemont, Emily Skinner as Alexandra Spofford, and
Christiane Noll Christiane Noll (born October 5, 1968) is an American actress and singer known for her work in musicals and on the concert stage. She originated the role of Emma Carew in Frank Wildhorn's '' Jekyll & Hyde'', and had roles in '' Urinetown'', ''Rag ...
as Jane Smart. Kudisch received the
Helen Hayes Award The Helen Hayes Awards are theater awards recognizing excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are named in tribute of Helen Hayes, who is also known as the "First Lady of American Theatre." They ar ...
, Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical. The authors made numerous changes to the show. Numbers were abbreviated ("Eastwick Knows"), cut ("I Love A Little Town") and added ("Your Wildest Dreams"). Scenes and songs were re-arranged, and the production received positive notices. ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' reviewer wrote that "The musical adaptation has way more kick than the wispy 1987 film.... It's on the technical level that ric Schaeffers production still has kinks to work out, for until the actresses are airborne... the mechanics look and feel clunky." BroadwayWorld.com stated that "director Eric Schaeffer certainly pulls ''The Witches of Eastwick'' all together... does it ever succeed." CultureVulture.net commented that the show is "full of body-shaking thunder, raunchy behavior, and surprises. Gut reaction based on the performance seen June 17 says this show will make it to Broadway and be reasonably successful there." Talkin' Broadway wrote that the "Broadway actors... give memorable and funny performances in the four lead roles.... Choreographer Karma Camp gets a chance to show off in this production." ;Original 2007 U.S. premiere cast *Marc Kudisch as Daryll Van Horne *Emily Skinner as Alexandra Spofford *Christine Noll as Jane Smart *Jacquelyn Piro Donovan as Sukie Rougemont *Karlah Hamilton as Felicia Gabriel *Harry A. Winter as Clyde Gabriel *Erin Driscoll as Jennifer Gabriel *James Gardiner as Michael Spofford *Scott J. Strasbaugh as Fidel *Brittany O'Grady as Little Girl *David Corington as Joe Marino *Tammy Roberts as Gina Marino *Jeremy Benton as Raymond Neff *Amy McWilliams as Gretta Neff *Ilona Dulaski as Marge Perley *Thomas Adrian Simpson as Reverend Ed Parsley *Sherri L. Edelen as Brenda Parsley *Diego Preito as Frank Ogden *Matt Conner as Toby Bergeman *Brianne Cobuzzi as Rebecca Barnes


UK tour (2008-2009)

A new, touring production opened on 23 August 2008 at the
Theatre Royal, Norwich The Theatre Royal is an art-deco theatre in Norwich, Norfolk, England. It is one of the country's oldest established theatres. It hosts a large range of touring productions. The theatre had a £10m refurbishment in 2007, designed by Tim Foster ...
. Directed by Nikolai Foster with design by Peter Mckintosh, choreography by Geoffrey Garratt and musical direction by Tom Deering, the production visited a further 26 cities before finishing at the
King's Theatre, Glasgow The King's Theatre is located in Glasgow, Scotland. It was built for Howard & Wyndham Ltd under its chairman Baillie Michael Simons as a sister theatre of their Theatre Royal in the city and was designed by Frank Matcham, opening in 1904. ...
on 9 May 2009. Marti Pellow starred as Darryl van Horne, Ria Jones as Alexandra, Poppy Tierney as Jane and, reprising her role from the London production, Rebecca Thornhill as Sukie. The creative team collaborated with the writers on further changes to the material, incorporating many of the rewrites from the American premiere, and making more, such as re-expanding "Eastwick Knows", adding a reprise of "Dance with the Devil" to close the exorcism scene, and reinstating "Loose Ends". ;Original 2008 UK tour cast *Marti Pellow as Darryl Van Horne *Ria Jones as Alexandra Spofford *Poppy Tierney as Jane Smart *Rebecca Thornhill as Sukie Rougemont *Rachel Izen as Felicia Gabriel *James Graeme as Clyde Gabriel *Joanna Kirkland as Jennifer Gabriel *Chris Thatcher as Michael Spofford *Oliver Walker as Fidel *Victoria Hay as Little Girl *Russel Leighton Dixon as Joe Marino *Ngo Omene Ngofa as Gina Marino *Gregory Clarke as Raymond Neff *Claire Platt as Gretta Neff *Julie Stark as Marge Perley *Ralph Birtwell as Reverend Ed Parsley *Samantha Mercer as Brenda Parsley *Ross Finnie as Frank Ogden *Oliver Watton as Toby Bergman *Vikki Lee Taylor as Rebecca Barnes


Brazil (2011)

The show opened at Teatro Bradesco in São Paulo on August 13, 2011. The production starred comedy actresses Maria Clara Gueiros and Fafy Siqueira as Alexandra and Felicia, respectively, and minor television actor Eduardo Galvão as Darryl. The show was unsuccessful and closed within a few months. ;Brazilian cast *Eduardo Galvão as Darryl Van Horne *Maria Clara Gueiros as Alexandra Spofford *Sabrina Korgut as Jane Smart *Renata Ricci as Sukie Rougemont *Fafy Siqueira as Felicia Gabriel *Renato Rabelo as Clyde Gabriel *Clara Verdier as Jennifer Gabriel *André Torquato as Michael Spofford *Ben Ludmer as Fidel *Isabella Moreira and Larissa Manoela as Little Girl


Slovenia (2012)

The show opened at Ljubljana festival 2012, where was a part of main festival events. It is the first Slovenian production, made by
Ljubljana City Theatre Ljubljana City Theatre (Mestno gledališče ljubljansko - MGL) is the second theatre building and company of Ljubljana after the Ljubljana branch of the Slovene National Theatre. Founded in 1949, Ljubljana City Theatre is the second largest drama ...
. The show was very successful and had a huge number of performances. It was directed by Stanislav Moša. ;2012 Slovenian cast *
Tanja Ribič Tanja Ribič (born 28 June 1968) is a Slovenian actress and singer. Biography Ribič graduated from the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana. She has been a member of Ljubljana City Theatre since 1992. She represented ...
as Alexandra Spofford * Viktorija Bencik Emeršič/Pia Zemljič as Jane Smart * Iva Krajnc Bagola as Sukie Rougemont * Mirjam Korbar as Felicia Gabriel * Gregor Gruden as Clyde Gabriel * Domen Valič as Michael * Viktorija Bencik Emeršič/Tina Potočnik Vrhovnik as Jennifer * Jure Kopušar as Fidel * Liza Humer as Girl * Tomaž Pipan as Joe * Boris Kerč as Raymond * Domen Anžlovar as Ed * Stannia Boninsegna as Brenda * Marijana Jaklič Klanšek as Greta * Maja Boh Hočevar as Gina


Austria (2013)

The show opened at the newly erected Musiktheater Linz on April 13, 2013. It was the first production of the new Musical Theatre Department of Landestheater Linz. It was translated into German by Roman Hinze, directed by Matthias Davids and choreographed by Melissa King. It was played in repertoire for 27 performances until January 26, 2014. ;2013 Austrian cast *Reinwald Kranner as Darryl Van Horne *Kristin Hölck as Alexandra Spofford *Daniela Dett as Jane Smart *Lisa Antoni as Sukie Rougemont *Karen Robertson as Felicia Gabriel *Rob Pelzer as Clyde Gabriel *Ariana Schirasi-Fard as Jennifer Gabriel *Oliver Liebl as Michael Spofford *Tina Haas as Little Girl


Norway (2014)

The show opened at Sandvika Teater in Bærum just outside Oslo on March 27, 2014. This was the first time the show was performed in Scandinavia. The Production was performed by a local Musical Theatre Company named BærMuDa. Directed and choreographed by Christer Tornell and Nina Lill Svendsen. It was a limited run and closed April 5, 2014 ;2014 Norwegian cast *Lars Arne Rinde as Daryll Van Horne *Cecilie Due as Alexandra Spofford *Kristin Rinde Sunde as Jane Smart *Marianne Snekkestad as Sukie Rougemont *Monica Berg Ludvigsen as Felicia Gabriel *Brynjar Lilleheim as Clyde Gabriel *Ida Rinde Sunde as Jennifer Gabriel *Christian Ranke as Michael Spofford *Håkon Steinsholt as Fidel *Sine Helene Strømberg as Little Girl


Poland (2018)

The show started a new season in the Syrena Theatre in the Polish capital Warsaw on March 3, 2018. It was translated into Polish and directed by Jacek Mikolajczyk, the Syrena Theatre's new director, and choreographed by Jaroslaw Staniek. Having received positive reviews of the critics and the audience it is still in the repertoire of the theatre. ;2018 Polish cast *Tomasz Steciuk / Przemyslaw Glapisnki as Darryl Van Horne *Olga Szomanska / Ewa Lorska as Alexandra Spofford *Barbara Melzer / Anita Steciuk as Jane Smart *Paulina Grochowska / Magdalena Placek-Boryn as Sukie Rougemont *Beata Olga Kowalska / Jolanta Litwin-Sarzynska as Felicia Gabriel *Piotr Siejka / Michal Konarski as Clyde Gabriel *Katarzyna Domalewska as Jennifer Gabriel *Maciej Pawlak as Michael Spofford *Jagoda Krol / Paulina Gorczyca / Pola Pilat / Lena Krawczyk as Little Girl


Other productions

The
Ogunquit Playhouse Ogunquit Playhouse is a regional theater at 10 Main Street (United States Route 1) in Ogunquit, Maine. Ogunquit Playhouse is one of the last remaining summer theaters from the Summer Stock which still produces musical theatre. The Playhouse is lis ...
staged the American Northeast premiere of ''The Witches of Eastwick'' musical at the historic southern Maine theatre September 3–27, 2014. Cast included
James Barbour James Barbour (June 10, 1775 – June 7, 1842) was an American slave owner, lawyer, politician and planter. He served as a delegate from Orange County, Virginia in the Virginia General Assembly, and as speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. ...
as Darryl Van Horne, Nancy Anderson as Sukie,
Sara Gettelfinger Sara Gettelfinger (born 1977 in Louisville, Kentucky) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Early life and education Gettelfinger was raised in Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana.
as Alexandra, Mamie Parris as Jane Smart, and
Sally Struthers Sally Anne Struthers (born July 28, 1947) is an American actress and activist. She played Gloria Stivic, the daughter of Archie and Edith Bunker (played by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton) on ''All in the Family'', for which she won two Emmy ...
as Felicia. Members of the creative team including director Shaun Kerrison, musical director and supervisor Julian Bigg, and authors John Dempsey and Dana P. Rowe revisited the material and made a number of changes. A new song for Darryl and Alexandra replaced "Your Wildest Dreams" and the number "I Love a Little Town" was re-instated. In April 2014, the Musical Theatre Strand at The BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon, UK staged a production of The Witches Of Eastwick as part of the Musical Theatre Final Major Project Season 2014. Cast included Tarrin Callendar as Daryl Van Horne, Sadie Shirley and Kiera Magurie as Alexandra Spofford, Katie Shalka and Erica Lebedeva as Jane Smart, Kirsty King and Eloise Rudkin as Sukie Rougemont, Jake Watkins and Daniel Maybury as Michael Spofford, Joseph Press as Clyde Gabriel and Eleanor Walsh as Felicia Gabriel. The production was staged in the BRIT Theatre. The Creative Team included Robert Holt (Director), Kerry Quinn (Musical Director) and Sam Spencer-Lane (Choegrapher). There were Student Creative Team Leaders including Dylan Lee (Assistant Director), Daniel Maybury (Vocal Leader), Joseph Press and Eleanor Walsh (Dance Captains). On the 20th June 2022, a concert version was staged at the
Sondheim Theatre The Sondheim Theatre (formerly the Queen's Theatre) is a West End theatre located in Shaftesbury Avenue on the corner of Wardour Street in the City of Westminster, London. It opened as the Queen's Theatre on 8 October 1907, as a twin to the n ...
, London, directed by
Maria Friedman Maria Friedman ( Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director of stage and screen, best known for her work in musical theatre. She is an eight-time Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-wo ...
who had originated the role of Sukie in the original London production. The concert starred John Partridge as Darryl van Horne, with Natasha J Barnes, Laura Pitt-Pulford, and
Carrie Hope Fletcher Carrie Hope Fletcher (born 22 October 1992) is an English actress, singer-songwriter, author and internet personality, having played the role of Éponine and Fantine in ''Les Misérables.'' She starred in the original production of ''Cinderell ...
as Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie respectively. Also featured in the cast were  Claire Moore as Felicia Gabriel, Nathan Amzi as Clyde Gabriel, Alfie Friedman as Michael Spofford, and Chrissie Bhima as Jennifer Gabriel. For this presentation, "A Little Town", "Eye of the Beholder", and "Who’s the Man" were restored to the score, and Maria Friedman and Carrie Hope Fletcher sung "Loose Ends" as an encore, accompanied by composer Dana P Rowe.


Readings and amateur productions

Prior to opening in London, a reading was held in New York on 5 March 1999 starring lyricist John Dempsey as Darryl van Horne with
Sandy Duncan Sandra Kay Duncan (born February 20, 1946) is an American actress, comedian, dancer and singer. She is known for her performances in the Broadway revival of ''Peter Pan'' and in the sitcom ''The Hogan Family''. Duncan has been nominated for thr ...
,
Ruthie Henshall Valentine Ruth Henshall (born 7 March 1967), known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End d ...
and Jacquelyn Piro Donovan as the three witches. In 2003 a staged reading took place at the
Manhattan Theater Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has gr ...
under the direction of Gabriel Barre, starring
James Barbour James Barbour (June 10, 1775 – June 7, 1842) was an American slave owner, lawyer, politician and planter. He served as a delegate from Orange County, Virginia in the Virginia General Assembly, and as speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. ...
, Emily Skinner,
Carolee Carmello Carolee Ann Carmello (born September 1, 1962) is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals and for playing the role of Maple LaMarsh on the television series ''Remember WENN'' (1996–1998). She is a three-time T ...
and Jennifer Laura Thompson.Jones, Kennet
"Is a U.S. Run of Witches of Eastwick Brewing?"
playbill.com, March 13, 2003
The show received its amateur premiere in Australia in July 2005. Over a dozen licensed productions followed in the UK and Ireland. The license was withdrawn due to the 2008 UK tour, with a single amateur company being permitted to stage a concurrent production in October 2008.


Plot

Setting: the
fictional Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places Place may refer to: Geography * Place (United States Census Bureau), defined as any concentration of population ** Census-designated place, ...
Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
town of Eastwick ;Act I A little girl sings the praises of her little town of Eastwick, Rhode Island, which she creates using her imagination, as well as its inhabitants who describe Eastwick as a town where everyone looks through their curtains at everyone else and where gossip is more powerful than the truth ("Eastwick Knows"). A forced parade led by and honouring self-appointed First Lady of Eastwick, Felicia Gabriel, overtakes proceedings but as she is about to receive her prize an unexpected thunderstorm forces everyone to run home. Alexandra (Alex), Jane and Sukie, the three Witches, have retreated to Alex's living room for peanut butter brownies, martinis and begin to complain. They talk about their boredom with their current relationships which include casual sex, abstinence and Sukie's affair with Felicia's husband, Clyde. Alex's son, Michael, enters with his girlfriend, Jennifer, who also happens to be Felicia's daughter. The teenagers are disgustingly in love with each other and the Witches, seeing how happy they are, sing about the kind of man they would like in their lives ("Make Him Mine"). In Felicia's kitchen, Felicia and Clyde show how truly unhappy they are and how Felicia is determined to keep her public face on their relationship. The phone rings; a man from New York has arrived and bought the deserted Lenox Mansion and is tearing down the trees in his backyard. Felicia, being the considerate soul she is, thinks of the snowy egrets that will lose their homes and decides to rally the town to stop him. Arriving at Lenox Mansion, Darryl Van Horne emerges from a puff of smoke and begins to charm all the residents except Felicia ("I Love A Little Town"). The "Eastwick Preservation Society" banner explodes in a fireball and everyone flees. Darryl meets Alexandra on the beach where she is sculpting in the sand. Embarrassed, she allows Darryl to take her back to his house. They discuss sculpture and Darryl begins his seduction ("Eye of the Beholder"). Gossip begins to work its way round the town and Darryl goes to Jane's studio where she is playing the cello. They discuss music and have a wild and sexual cello/violin duet which ends in the cello playing by itself and a massive musical and actual orgasm ("Waiting For The Music To Begin"). Clyde promises Sukie that he will leave Felicia but she enters with Jennifer and catches the two of them. Their excuse is that they're preparing research on Darryl and Lenox Mansion. When Sukie returns home Darryl is waiting for her. Darryl gets Sukie to break out of her introverted shell and talk to him ("Words, Words, Words"). Instead of sleeping with her, he invites her to a tennis game. It's only when Sukie arrives and sees Alex and Jane that all three realise that Darryl has been sleeping with all of them. He serves a ball which explodes in mid-air and says that he's the man they prayed for. Michael and Jennifer meet and sing their puppy-love duet ("Something") while the rest of the town meet to do laundry and gossip about Darryl and his conquests ("Dirty Laundry"). During the number, Felicia, to her horror, discovers Jennifer kissing Michael and immediately sends her away from Eastwick. Alex, Jane and Sukie enter, each wearing a stunning sexy dress singing about their childhood insecurities ("I Wish I May"). Darryl sweet talks the women and teaches them how to curse Felicia by throwing things into an enchanted cookie jar. They throw a tennis ball, a bracelet and some feathers into the jar and immediately, Felicia starts to throw up...a tennis ball, a bracelet and some feathers. Enchanted, the Witches turn to Darryl who tells them to close their eyes and suddenly they are flying high above the audience. ;Act II Darryl invites Alex to Mexican Night at his house and she reflects on her single-minded pursuit ("Another Night At Darryl’s"). At Nemo's Diner, Darryl bumps into Felicia and Clyde. He taunts her and she vomits a cherry pit. Seeing that Eastwick's men have no idea how to please their women Darryl teaches the town about how to have real sex ("Dance With The Devil"). The Witches go to Darryl's in coats and take them off to reveal matching lingerie. Just as they are about to have sex, Darryl's manservant, Fidel, delivers a letter from The Eastwick Preservation Society that says they are suing him for filling in the wetlands. In revenge, all four start throwing anything they can find into the cookie jar. In Felicia's kitchen, we see the result as she screams at the still bewitched Clyde ("Evil"). Eventually, she can no longer cope with the curse and tells Clyde to do something so he hits her with a frying pan. Suddenly free of Felicia he shouts that he's finally happy. However, with her dying breath, Felicia pulls Clyde's tie into the waste disposal unit and turns it on. The Witches start to avoid Darryl. When they return to Lenox Mansion, they tell Darryl that he has taken it too far. Furious, he screams at them but they run away and Darryl swears revenge. On the beach, Sukie bumps into the now orphaned Jennifer. She tries to offer advice but can't find the words ("Loose Ends"). Darryl enters once Sukie leaves and begins to seduce Jennifer. He tricks her into marrying him and this news prompts the Witches to send Darryl back where he belongs. Before the wedding Darryl leads the town in singing the praises of himself ("The Glory of Me"). The wedding begins but the Witches appear and, using a voodoo doll of Darryl they begin attacking him ("The Wedding"). Vowing revenge, Darryl is thrown back to Hell in a fireball and the church collapses. Michael and Jennifer are reunited ("Something" Reprise) and the Witches realise the error of their ways ("Look At Me").


Musical numbers


''London (as of closing night - 27 October 2001)''

;Act One: *Overture *Eastwick Knows *Make Him Mine *A Little Town *Eye of the Beholder *Waiting for the Music *Words, Words, Words *Something *Dirty Laundry *I Wish I May ;Act Two: *Entr’acte *Another Night at Darryl's *Dance with the Devil *Another Night at Darryl's (reprise) *Evil *Dirty Laundry (reprise) *Loose Ends *A Little Town (reprise) *I Wish I May (reprise) *The Glory of Me *The Wedding *Something (reprise) *Look At Me ;Cut Songs *Before the Night (cut in previews) *What about the Egrets? (cut in previews) *What Everyone Woman Wants (cut in previews) *Who's the Man? (cut when the show moved from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane to the Prince of Wales Theatre, replaced with 'The Glory of Me') *Loose Ends (cut during previews in Australia in 2002, as well as all subsequent amateur productions)


US premiere production

;Act One: *Overture *Eastwick Knows *Make Him Mine *Darryl van Horne *Waiting for the Music *Words, Words, Words *Your Wildest Dreams *Something *Dirty Laundry *I Wish I May *Finale - Act One ;Act Two: *Another Night at Darryl's *Dance with the Devil *Evil *Dirty Laundry (reprise) *Darryl van Horne (reprise) *The Wedding / Dance With the Devil (Reprise) - UK Tour 2008 *Look At Me


2014 New England premiere

;Act One: *Overture *Eastwick Knows - Citizens of Eastwick *Make Him Mine - Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie *Eastwick Knows (reprise) - Felicia and Townsfolk *I Love A Little Town - Darryl and Townsfolk *Waiting For the Music To Begin - Jane and Darryl *Words, Words, Words - Sukie and Darryl *The Feminine Mystique - Alexandra *Little Miracles - Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie *Something - Michael and Jennifer *Tennis - Darryl, Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie *I Wish I May - Alexandra, Sukie, Jane, and Darryl ;Act Two: *Another Night at Darryl's - Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie *Dance with the Devil - Darryl, Michael, and Townsfolk *Another Night at Darryl's (reprise) - Little Girl, Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie *Evil - Felicia *Dirty Laundry (reprise) - Alexandra, Sukie, Jane, and Townsfolk *Waiting For the Music To Begin (reprise) - Jane *Words, Words, Words (reprise) - Sukie *I Love A Little Town (reprise) - Darryl and Townsfolk *The Feminine Mystique (reprise) - Little Girl and Alexandra *I Wish I May (reprise) - Jennifer *The Glory Of Me - Darryl and Townsfolk *The Wedding - Company *Look At Me - Sukie, Jane, Alexandra


Awards and nominations

2001 Olivier Awards: *Best New Musical (nomination) *Best Actress in a Musical -
Joanna Riding Joanna Riding (born Joanne Riding; 9 November 1967) is an English actress. For her work in West End musicals, she has won two Laurence Olivier Awards, and has been nominated for three others. Early life Riding was born in Preston, Lancashire, ...
(nomination) *Best Supporting Actress in a Musical -
Rosemary Ashe Rosemary Ashe (born 28 March 1953) is an English stage actress and singer. Early life and training She was born to Philip Stephen Ashe and Dorothy May (née Watts). She attended Lowestoft Grammar School before studying at the Royal Academy of ...
(nomination) *Best Lighting Design (nomination)


References


External links


Information about "The Witches of Eastwick" from Maria Friedman's sitePlaybill.com article on American production, June 5, 2007Archived history of the London production from albemarle-london.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Witches of Eastwick 2000 musicals West End musicals Musicals based on novels The Witches of Eastwick