Last night marked the opening night of the Nashville run of the Broadway touring company of Happy Days: A New Musical at TPAC's Jackson Hall. A new musical, yes, but a very familiar story. This version of Happy Days, first workshopped in 2006, is just what you think it is, a musical retelling of the Garry Marshall-created 70s sitcom that took a sweetly nostalgic look at the 50s. The result is a family friendly romp thru the last year of the 50s as Jefferson High Senior Richie Cunningham, Ralph Malph, Potsie Webber, Mary Beth, Joanie, Chachi, Fonzie, Pinky Tuscadero and Mr. and Mrs. C discover the value of family and friends while saving their beloved Arnold's Drive-In from being demolished and turned into a parking lot.
Joey Sorge as The Fonz
Original series creator, Garry Marshal has said turning Happy Days into a musical has always been a dream. With the help of lyricist Paul Williams, the dream was first realized in 2006 when the show was workshopped at the Tony Award winning Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT. Among those involved in those early table-reads was Joey Sorge, who plays the ultimate king of cool, Arthur Fonzie Fonzarelli. Joey and the rest of the cast and crew of the touring company were the honored guests after last night's Nashville debut at a Cinco De Mayo-themed cast party hosted by TPAC for their Marquee Season Subscribers.
Joey reiterated Gary's bliss of turning the iconic series into a musical when I had the opportunity to ask him a few questions about the show earlier today by saying, 'It has been a joy (to work with Marshall and WIlliams). I have been blessed to be given the opportunity to carry on Garry and Paul's dreams of making this into a musical.'
SInce most of the cast is relatively young, I wondered just how familiar they were with the TV series from whence it came. 'I grew up watching the show so I was very familiar with the characters and their relationships,' said Joey. 'I also worked with Gary Marshall in finding my version of the Fonz,' revealed Joey, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Henry Winkler--his TV Fonzie counterpart.
The Happy Days gang at Arnold's
Last year as a statue of The Fonz was being dedicated in Milwaukee, the two Fonzie's met face to face for the first time. 'They had a ceremonial passing of the leather jacket from Henry to me. It was a special day. The TV cast was there including Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall from Laverne and Shirley,' remembered Joey. 'We (the musical cast) did a 15 minute presentation of the show for the crowd and the TV cast. They were all very please with how it all turned out,' he continued.
When I first heard there was a musical about the 50s featuring a dark-haired leather-clad hero with a girlfriend who wears Pink and has a female gang, I couldn't help but think of that other 50s musical. When asked about inevitable comparisons, Joey was quick to point out, 'There will always be comparisons to Grease. For me, our show really touches on something more innocent than Grease. There is more focus on family and friendship that is very nostalgic for people.' He elaborated, 'Whereas Grease is about friends, Happy Days is about family first.' He's absolutely right. I remember as a kid watching the show, how--if you'll excuse the phrasing--cool it was that Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham treated Fonzie as if he were one of their own kids--which is more than I can say for the way they treated Chuck.
Joey Sorge and Felicia Finley
Joey went on to explain, 'In it's musical form, we try to celebrate not so much the time period of the 50s, but the TV show and all the pop culture references that made it so successful. That is our target audience, the TV fans...everyone else should come along for the ride. So Sit on it.' he added with a laugh. Case in point, when confronting a serious problem in the context of the musical, Richie (played by Steven Booth) deadpans, 'Usually I can solve my problems in half an hour, but this one's a doozy.'--a wink and a nudge to the sitcom's tried-and-true half-hour-resolution-format.
Perhaps inspired by a dream sequence in the play which features Elvis--and with this tour marking the actor's first time in Music City--Joey admitted, 'I plan to visit the Country Music Hall Of Fame and hopefully Studio B and see Elvis' piano.' 'Plus I need to get to the Boot Country Store,' he smiled--So, by the time The Fonz leaves Nashville he just might have some cowboy boots to go along with that leather jacket.
Garry Marshall is the genius TV and Film producer/director responsible for everything from TV's The Odd Couple, Love American Style and Happy Days and all it's spin-offs: Laverne and Shirley, Blansky's Beauties, Mork & Mindy, Out of the Blue and Joanie Love Chachi to the films The Flamingo Kid, Overboard, Beaches, Pretty Woman and Princess Diaries 1 &2.
His lyricist for the Happy Days musical is Paul Williams, known for writing songs for everyone from Elvis, Barbara Streisand (Evergreen from A Star is Born)and The Carpenters (We've Only Just Begun)to Kermit The Frog (Rainbow Connection)and The Scissor Sisters (Almost Sorry from the deluxe edition of their 2006 Ta-Dah)Yes, you read correctly, Kermit the Frog and The Scissor Sisters.
With direction by Gordon Greenberg, musical supervision from John McDonald--the Emmy winning musical guru from The Rosie O'Donnell Show, musical director Bruce Barnes, costumes by David C. Woolard, Scenic designs by Walt Spangler, lighting design by Jeff Croiter and choreography by Michele Lynch, Happy Days are definitely here again!
Happy Days: A New Musical continues it's run in Nashville at TPAC's Jackson Hall
Tonight thru Sunday, May 10 with the following showtimes:
Wednesday, May 6 at 7:30pm
Thursday, May 7 at 7:30pm
Friday, May 8 at 8:00pm
Saturday Matinee, May 9 at 2:00pm
Saturday, May 9 at 8:00pm
Sunday Matinee, May 10 at 1:00pm
Sunday, May 10 6:30pm
Tickets range in price from $22.50-$68.50 depending on seat location and day and time of show.
