WHERE’S CHARLEY?
Book by George Abbott, Music & Lyrics by Frank Loesser / Based on Brandon' Thomas’ Charley’s Aunt
Choreographed by Alex Sanchez, Music Directed by Andrew Gerle, Scenery & Props by Megan Garner, Costumes by Martin Lara Avila, Lighting by Elizabeth M. Stewart
Presented by the Manhattan School of Music at The Riverside Theatre, October 2019
Where’s Charley? is a golden age musical disguised as a British farce. It’s set at Oxford University in 1892, where graduating roommates Charley and Jack intend to propose to the ladies they’ve been courting. Per society’s rules, they cannot be in the presence of Amy and Kitty without a guardian present, and so they’ve arranged for Charley’s mysterious rich aunt Donna Lucia from Brazil to pay a visit. Hilarity ensues when aunt doesn’t show, and Charley must disguise himself as the aunt in order to spend time with the ladies. Soon Mr. Spettigue (the ladies’ crusty guardian) and Jack’s father are both in hot pursuit of “Donna Lucia,” Charley can’t find a moment to get out of costume and return to the distressed Amy, and a mysterious widow from Brazil wanders into the Oxford Gardens. With the design of this production, we sought see through the farce of the play both literally and conceptually, to tap into the humor, vulnerability, and sexuality of walking out onstage in one’s underwear, and to create the blooming, hopeful beauty of early summer. At it’s core, Where’s Charley? is about the crazy things we will do for love, and we had a hilarious time creating the world of the show.
Photos by Brian Hatton