''The Last Smoker in America'' is a four-character, one-act

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

featuring book and lyrics by

Bill Russell William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most V ...

and music by Peter Melnick.About
lastsmokerinamerica.com ''The Last Smoker in America'' opened

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

at the

Westside Theatre The Westside Theatre is an off-Broadway performance space at 407 West 43rd Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The building houses two auditoriums: the Upstairs Theatre, which s ...

in 2012, after developmental readings in 2005 at the Rubicon Theatre Company, a workshop production at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2009, and having its world premiere at Contemporary American Theatre Company (CATCO), Columbus, Ohio in 2010.

Production history

Development

The show began its development at the Rubicon Theatre Company in

Ventura, California Ventura, officially named San Buenaventura (Spanish for "Saint Bonaventure"), is a city on the Southern Coast of California and the county seat of Ventura County. The population was 110,763 at the 2020 census. Ventura is a popular tourist des ...

in December 2005. ''The Last Smoker in America'' was part of an evening of readings of three one-act musicals by Russell (who had written ''

Side Show In North America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, traveling carnival, carnival, fair, or other such attraction. Types There are four main types of classic sideshow attractions: *The Ten-in-One offers ...

'') and Melnick, directed by Sheryl Kaller." 'The Last Smoker in America' and Other Short Musicals"
playbill.com Following the initial workshops at The Rubicon, two additional readings, produced by

Andy Sandberg Andy Sandberg is an American director, writer, actor, and producer. A 2005 graduate of Yale College, his Off-Broadway directing credits include ''Straight, Application Pending'' (also author), ''Shida, Craving for Travel'' (also author)'', Operat ...

were presented in New York in the fall of 2006 at the

York Theatre York Theatre is an off-Broadway theatre company based in East Midtown Manhattan, New York City. In its 50th year, York Theatre is dedicated to the production of new musicals and concert productions of forgotten musicals from the past. Each seas ...

"'Last Smoker in America' Reading with 'Avenue Qs' Belcon Presented Nov 6"
playbill.com and the spring of 2008 at

New World Stages New World Stages is a five-theater, Off-Broadway performing arts complex in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is between 49th and 50th Streets beneath the plaza of the Worldwide Plaza complex at Eighth Avenue. ...

." 'Last Smoker in America' Readings"
playbill.com Following additional readings, ''The Last Smoker in America'' received a workshop production as a part of The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) in October 2009. The NYMF production sold out and received an extension of one month prior to its first performance. ''The Last Smoker in America'' scheduled its pre-New York engagement at Contemporary American Theatre Company (CATCO) in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

for the fall of 2010. This production was co-produced by CATCO and Sandberg. In anticipation of the Ohio run, an industry reading was held in May 2010."Belcon Alexander Bolton and Iacono Sing About 'The Last Smoker in America' May 21"
playbill.com Following the reading, it was announced that producer Andy Sandberg, who had co-directed the reading, would assume sole directorial duties of the production as well. ''The Last Smoker in America'' began preview performances on September 29, 2010 at the

Vern Riffe Vernal G. Riffe Jr. (June 26, 1925 – July 31, 1997) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. Riffe served for many years in the Ohio House of Representatives and was the longest serving speaker of the Ohio House of Representative ...

Center in Columbus, Ohio. The official opening was on October 6, 2010. Due to strong sales and positive reviews, the show added additional performances to its run. The final performance of the CATCO run was held on October 24, 2010.

Cast history

; CATCO (World Premiere Cast) *Katy Blake – Pam *

John Bolton John Robert Bolton (born November 20, 1948) is an American attorney, diplomat, Republican consultant, and political commentator. He served as the 25th United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006, and as the 26th United Sta ...

– Ernie *

Natalie Venetia Belcon Natalie Venetia Belcon (born April 5, 1969) is a Trinidadian-born American actress and singer. She is best known for originating the role of former child television star Gary Coleman in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical '' Avenue Q''. Her ...

– Phyllis *Teddy Toye – Jimmy ; NYMF (Workshop Cast) *Felicia Finley – Pam *Marcus Neville – Ernie *

– Phyllis * Alex Wyse – Jimmy *

Alice Ripley Alice Ripley (born December 14, 1963) is an American actress, singer, songwriter and mixed media artist. She is known, in particular, for her various roles on Broadway in musicals, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning ''Next to Normal'' (2009 To ...

– Voice of ASPHYXIA

Reading casts

*2010 Industry Reading – Adinah Alexander (Pam),

(Ernie),

(Phyllis),

Paul Iacono Paul Stanley Iacono (born September 7, 1988) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying RJ Berger in the MTV scripted series ''The Hard Times of RJ Berger''. Early years Iacono was born in Secaucus, New Jersey, to Italian American pa ...

(Jimmy), Christina Bianco (Voice of ASPHYXIA) *2008 Reading – Rachel de Benedet (Pam),

Malcolm Gets Malcolm Gets (born December 28, 1963) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Richard in the American television sitcom '' Caroline in the City''. Gets is also a dancer, singer, composer, classically trained pianist, vocal direct ...

(Ernie),

(Phyllis),

(Jimmy) *2006 Reading – York Theatre Company Rachel de Benedet (Joyce), David McDonald (Ernie), Francesca Harper (Phyllis),

(Jimmy) *2005 Reading – Rubicon Theatre Company

, David McDonald, Julie Dixon Jackson and Nick Cearley.

Off-Broadway

On June 11, 2012 full cast and creative team for the production was announced. The show opened Off-Broadway at The Westside Theatre on July 11, 2012 (previews) and officially on August 2, 2012. The cast includes

Farah Alvin Farah Alvin (born September 28, 1976) is an American theatre actress. She is the daughter of cinematic poster artist John Alvin. Early life Alvin grew up in Los Angeles, the daughter of the artists John Alvin and Andrea Alvin. In 1993, at th ...

, and Jake Boyd. Again directed by Sandberg, the production features choreography by AC Ciulla. Other members of the creative team include Fred Lassen (music supervision), Charles Corcoran (sets), Michael McDonald (costumes), Jeff Croiter and Grant Yeager (lights) and Bart Fasbender (sound). The show closed on September 1, 2012.Gans, Andrew
"New Musical 'Last Smoker in America' to Close Off-Broadway; Cast Recording in the Works"
playbill.com, August 24, 2012

Synopsis

In a world where smoking has recently been outlawed and the penalties are growing stricter by the minute, Pam is having an impossible time trying to quit. Her husband Ernie dreams of being a rock star and relentlessly practices his guitar in the basement, while their videogame-addicted son Jimmy listens to so much rap music he thinks he's black. As if Pam isn't pushed to the edge of reason already, her nosy, anti-smoking zealot neighbor Phyllis is on a mission to catch transgressors mid-puff. Will Pam kick the habit or fight for her right to light up?

References

External links

Internet Off-Broadway Database

Official Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Last Smoker in America 2010 musicals