Video and Photo Montage: Sandi Durell
The night they invented champagne will be an extremely memorable one this winter, thanks to the talented cast and creators of “Gigi,” a re-imagined musical version of the classic Colette story, played the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. January 16 through February 12 and is set to begin Broadway previews on March 19th.
Made famous as an Oscar-winning MGM film, “Gigi” features the songs of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe such as “Thank Heaven for Little Girls,” “I Remember It Well,” and “Gigi”. This production includes some of the pair’s beautiful tunes that were not used either in the film or the 1973 Broadway version, as well as a new book by Heidi Thomas (best known for TV’s “Call the Midwife”). Eric Schaeffer (“Follies”) directs the show, which features substantial choreography by On the Town’s Joshua Bergasse.
“High School Musical” star Vanessa Hudgens takes on the title role, a young Parisian woman on the verge of a new life, and the accomplished cast also features Broadway favorites Victoria Clark as Mamita Alvarez, Dee Hoty as Aunt Alicia, Corey Cott as Gaston Lachaille, Howard McGillin as Honore Lachaille, and Steffanie Leigh as Liane d’Exelmans.
At a meet and greet at New 42nd Street Studios, Theater Pizzazz spoke to the cast and creative team about this heavenly endeavor. Ooh la la!
(Photographed & Filmed at New 42nd Street Studios)