Legs Diamond (musical): Difference between revisions

*Legs Diamond*
Legs Diamond
	Original Cast Album
Music	Peter Allen
Lyrics	Peter Allen
Book	Harvey Fierstein ; Charles Suppon
Basis	The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond ; by Joseph Landon
Productions	1988 Broadway

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Legs Diamond is a musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein and Charles Suppon based on the Warner Brothers film The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond (1960), with a screenplay by Joseph Landon. The music and lyrics are by Peter Allen, who starred as the title character in the Broadway production.

The "Almost Totally Fictitious Musical History" of Legs Diamond follows the travails of its title character, a Depression-era mobster who wants to break into show business.

Production

The musical opened on Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on December 26, 1988 and closed on February 19, 1989 after 64 performances and 72 previews (far more than the usual 16-24 preview periods). Directed by Robert Allan Ackerman with choreography by Alan Johnson, the scenic design was by David Mitchell, costume design by Willa Kim, and lighting design by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (Associate). The cast included Peter Allen (Jack Diamond), Julie Wilson (Flo), Randall Edwards (Kiki Roberts), Brenda Braxton (Madge), Joe Silver (Arnold Rothstein), Jim Fyfe (Moran), Christian Kauffmann (Bones), Pat McNamara (Devane), and Raymond Serra (Augie), Jonathan Cerullo (Tango Dancer).

The reviews were unanimously negative, with particular disbelief at Peter Allen's attempts to play so totally against type as a suave lothario. Frank Rich commented that the evening's most compelling drama was watching Allen figure out "what to do with his hands".^[1] The failure of the musical was so total that it compelled the Nederlander Organization to finally sell the beloved but flop-prone Mark Hellinger Theatre to the Times Square Church, which still owns it.^[2]

On Sunday, December 3, 2017, Legs Diamond celebrated its 30th anniversary with a reunion concert at Feinstein's/54 Below, and many of the original cast members reunited to perform. It was directed and produced by original cast member Jonathan Stuart Cerullo and starred Christine Andreas, Brenda Braxton, Randall Edwards, and Bob Stillman.

Song list

Act One

Prelude/When I Get My Name in Lights - Orchestra, Jack, Ensemble
Speakeasy - Madge, Ensemble
Applause - Flo, The Hotsy Totsy Girls
Knockers - Jack, The Hotsy Totsy Girls
I Was Made for Champagne – Kiki, The Tropicabana Dancers
Tropican Rhumba – Jack, Kiki
Sure Thing Baby – Jack
Speakeasy Christmas – The Hotsy Totsy Girls
Charge It to A. R. – Augie, Bones, Moran, A. R., A.R.'s Gang
Only an Older Woman – Jack, Flo
Taxi Dancers' Tango – Jack, Ensemble
Only Steal from Thieves – Jack, Kiki
When I Get My Name in Lights (reprise) – Jack, Company

Act Two

Cut of the Cards – Jack, Company
Gangland Chase – Orchestra
Now You See Me, Now You Don't – Jack, Kiki, Ensemble
The Man Nobody Could Love – Kiki, Flo, Madge
The Music Went Out of My Life – Flo
Say It Isn't So – Jack, Company
Say It Isn't So (reprise) – Ensemble
All I Wanted Was the Dream – Jack
Finale – Jack, Flo, Company

"Come Save Me", a song cut from the show, had been recorded by Allen and Niki Gregoroff on one of Allen's albums in 1985. It also was included in The Boy from Oz, a musical about Allen.

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result
1989	Tony Award	Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical	Julie Wilson	Nominated
		Best Choreography	Alan Johnson	Nominated
		Best Costume Design	Willa Kim	Nominated
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Costume Design	Willa Kim	Nominated

Discography

The original Broadway cast recording was released by RCA Victor (RCA Victor 7983-2-RC), and it now is out of print. The most famous song "When I Get My Name in Lights" was re-done by Allen and his friend Harry Connick, Jr. on Allen's last album Making Every Moment Count. It also was included in the stage musical "The Boy from Oz," where it’s sung by the young Peter.^[3]

Standard Edition

Peter Allen - "Prelude/When I Get My Name in Lights" (4:56)
Brenda Braxton - Speakeasy" (4:11)
Julie Wilson & Peter Allen - "Applause/Knockers" (5:41)
Randall Edwards - "I Was Made for Champagne" (5:07)
Peter Allen - "Sure Thing Baby" (3:58)
Carol Ann Baxter, Colleen Dunn, Deanna Dys, Gwendolyn Miller & Wendy Waring - "Speakeasy Christmas" (0:44)
Raymond Serra, Christian Kauffmann, Jim Fyfe & Joe Silver - "Charge It to A.R." (2:21)
Peter Allen & Julie Wilson - "Only an Older Woman" (3:39)
Peter Allen & Randall Edwards - "Only Steal from Thieves" (3:28)
Peter Allen - "When I Get My Name in Lights (Reprise)" (1:42)
Peter Allen - "Cut of the Cards" (2:25)
"Gangland Chase (Instrumental)" (3:40)
Peter Allen & Randall Edwards - "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" (3:37)
Randall Edwards, Julie Wilson & Brenda Braxton - "The Man Nobody Could Love" (4:25)
Julie Wilson - "The Music Went Out of My Life" (4:40)
Peter Allen - "Say It Isn't So" (4:46)
Legs Diamond Original Broadway Cast - "Say It Isn't So (Reprise)" (1:12)
Peter Allen - "All I Wanted Was the Dream" (2:58)
Peter Allen & Julie Wilson - "Finale" (1:43)

References

^ Rich, Frank (December 27, 1988). "Review/Theater; 'Legs' Opens After 9-Week Preview". The New York Times. p. C13. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
^ Collins, Glenn (December 7, 1991). "Hellinger Theater Sold To Church". The New York Times. p. 13.
^ "Peter Allen Original Broadcast "Legs Diamond"". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.

External links

Internet Broadway Database listing

[1] Rich, Frank (December 27, 1988). "Review/Theater; 'Legs' Opens After 9-Week Preview". The New York Times. p. C13. Retrieved August 4, 2022.

[2] Collins, Glenn (December 7, 1991). "Hellinger Theater Sold To Church". The New York Times. p. 13.

[3] "Peter Allen Original Broadcast "Legs Diamond"". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|1988 Broadway musical}}
 {{Infobox Musical
 |name= Legs Diamond
 |image=
 |caption= Original Cast Album
-|music= [[Peter Allen]]
+|music= [[Peter Allen (musician)|Peter Allen]]
 |lyrics= Peter Allen
 |book= [[Harvey Fierstein]] <br> [[Charles Suppon]]
-|basis= [[Joseph Landon]] film <br> ''[[The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond (film)|The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond]]''
+|basis= ''[[The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond]]'' <br> by Joseph Landon
 |productions= 1988 [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]
 <!-- Please do not include production-specific (acting, directing, etc.) awards -->
 |awards=
 }}
-'''''Legs Diamond''''' is a [[musical theatre|musical]] with a book by [[Harvey Fierstein]] and Charles Suppon based on the Warner Brothers film "The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond" (screenplay by Joseph Landon). The music and lyrics are by [[Peter Allen]].
+'''''Legs Diamond''''' is a musical with a book by [[Harvey Fierstein]] and [[Charles Suppon]] based on the [[Warner Brothers]] film ''[[The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond]]'' (1960), with a screenplay by Joseph Landon. The music and lyrics are by [[Peter Allen (musician)|Peter Allen]], who starred as the title character in the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] production.
-''The Almost Totally Fictitious Musical History of [[Jack Diamond (gangster)|Legs Diamond]]'' follows the travails of its title character, a depression-era mobster who wants to break into show business.
+The ''"''Almost Totally Fictitious Musical History" ''of [[Jack Diamond (gangster)|Legs Diamond]]'' follows the travails of its title character, a [[Great Depression|Depression-era]] mobster who wants to break into show business.
 ==Production==
-The musical opened on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] at the [[Mark Hellinger Theatre]] on December 26, 1988 and closed on February 19, 1989 after 64 performances and 72 previews (far more than the usual 16-24 preview periods). Directed by Robert Allan Ackerman with choreography by [[Alan Johnson (choreographer)|Alan Johnson]], the scenic design was by David Mitchell, costume design by [[Willa Kim]], and lighting design by [[Jules Fisher]] and [[Peggy Eisenhauer]] (Associate).  The cast included Peter Allen (Jack Diamond), [[Julie Wilson]] (Flo), [[Randall Edwards]] (Kiki Roberts), Brenda Braxton (Madge), Joe Silver (Arnold Rothstein), [[Jim Fyfe]] (Moran), Christian Kauffmann (Bones), Pat McNamara (Devane), and [[Raymond Serra]] (Augie).
+The musical opened on Broadway at the [[Mark Hellinger Theatre]] on December 26, 1988 and closed on February 19, 1989 after 64 performances and 72 previews (far more than the usual 16-24 preview periods). Directed by Robert Allan Ackerman with choreography by [[Alan Johnson (choreographer)|Alan Johnson]], the scenic design was by David Mitchell, costume design by [[Willa Kim]], and lighting design by [[Jules Fisher]] and [[Peggy Eisenhauer]] (Associate).  The cast included Peter Allen ([[Jack Diamond (gangster)|Jack Diamond]]), [[Julie Wilson]] (Flo), [[Randall Edwards (actress)|Randall Edwards]] (Kiki Roberts), [[Brenda Braxton]] (Madge), Joe Silver ([[Arnold Rothstein]]), [[Jim Fyfe]] (Moran), Christian Kauffmann (Bones), Pat McNamara (Devane), and [[Raymond Serra]] (Augie), [[Jonathan Stuart Cerullo|Jonathan Cerullo]] (Tango Dancer).
+The reviews were unanimously negative, with particular disbelief at Peter Allen's attempts to play so totally against type as a suave lothario. [[Frank Rich]] commented that the evening's most compelling drama was watching Allen figure out "what to do with his hands".<ref>{{cite news |last=Rich |first=Frank |title=Review/Theater; 'Legs' Opens After 9-Week Preview |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/27/theater/review-theater-legs-opens-after-9-week-preview.html |access-date=August 4, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=December 27, 1988 |page=C13}}</ref>  The failure of the musical was so total that it compelled the [[Nederlander Organization]] to finally sell the beloved but flop-prone Mark Hellinger Theatre to the [[Times Square Church]], which still owns it.<ref>{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Glenn |title=Hellinger Theater Sold To Church |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/07/theater/hellinger-theater-sold-to-church.html |work=The New York Times |date=December 7, 1991 |page=13}}</ref>
+On Sunday, December 3, 2017, ''Legs Diamond'' celebrated its 30th anniversary with a reunion concert at [[Feinstein's/54 Below]], and many of the original cast members reunited to perform. It was directed and produced by original cast member [[Jonathan Stuart Cerullo]] and starred [[Christine Andreas]], Brenda Braxton, Randall Edwards, and [[Bob Stillman]].
-The reviews were unanimously negative, with particular disbelief at Peter Allen's attempts to play so totally against type as a suave lothario. [[Frank Rich]] commented that the evening's most compelling drama was watching Allen figure out "what do do with his hands".<ref>Rich, Frank[http://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=940DE1DA163EF934A15751C1A96E948260 "Review/Theater; 'Legs' Opens After 9-Week Preview"]''The New York Times'', December 27, 1988</ref>  The failure of the musical was so total that it compelled the [[Nederlander Organization]] to finally sell the beloved but flop-prone Mark Hellinger Theatre to the [[Times Square Church]], which still owns it.
 ==Song list==
 {{col-begin}}
@@ Line 28: / Line 31: @@
 *Applause - Flo, The Hotsy Totsy Girls
 *Knockers - Jack, The Hotsy Totsy Girls
-*I Was Made for Champagne - Kiki, The Tropicabana Dancers
+*I Was Made for Champagne &ndash; Kiki, The Tropicabana Dancers
-*Tropican Rhumba - Jack, Kiki
+*Tropican Rhumba &ndash; Jack, Kiki
-*Sure Thing Baby - Jack
+*Sure Thing Baby &ndash; Jack
-*Speakeasy Christmas - The Hotsy Totsy Girls
+*Speakeasy Christmas &ndash; The Hotsy Totsy Girls
-*Charge It to A. R. - Augie, Bones, Moran, A. R., A.R.'s Gang
+*Charge It to A. R. &ndash; Augie, Bones, Moran, A. R., A.R.'s Gang
-*Only an Older Woman - Jack, Flo
+*Only an Older Woman &ndash; Jack, Flo
-*Taxi Dancers' Tango - Jack, Ensemble
+*Taxi Dancers' Tango &ndash; Jack, Ensemble
-*Only Steal from Thieves - Jack, Kiki
+*Only Steal from Thieves &ndash; Jack, Kiki
-*When I Get My Name in Lights (reprise) - Jack, Company
+*When I Get My Name in Lights (reprise) &ndash; Jack, Company
 {{col-break}}
 ;Act Two
-*Cut of the Cards - Jack, Company
+*Cut of the Cards &ndash; Jack, Company
-*Gangland Chase - Orchestra
+*Gangland Chase &ndash; Orchestra
-*Now You See Me, Now You Don't - Jack, Kiki, Ensemble
+*Now You See Me, Now You Don't &ndash; Jack, Kiki, Ensemble
-*The Man Nobody Could Love - Kiki, Flo, Madge
+*The Man Nobody Could Love &ndash; Kiki, Flo, Madge
-*The Music Went Out of My Life - Flo
+*The Music Went Out of My Life &ndash; Flo
-*Say It Isn't So - Jack, Company
+*Say It Isn't So &ndash; Jack, Company
-*Say It Isn't So (reprise) - Ensemble
+*Say It Isn't So (reprise) &ndash; Ensemble
-*All I Wanted Was the Dream - Jack
+*All I Wanted Was the Dream &ndash; Jack
-*Finale - Jack, Flo, Company
+*Finale &ndash; Jack, Flo, Company
 {{col-end}}
-A song cut from the show "Come Save Me" had previously been recorded by Allen and Niki Gregoroff on Allen's 1985 Carnegie Hall album. It was later included in the Allen bio musical "The Boy From Oz".
+"Come Save Me", a song cut from the show, had been recorded by Allen and Niki Gregoroff on one of Allen's albums in 1985. It also was included in ''The Boy from Oz'', a musical about Allen.
 ==Awards and nominations==
-*[[Tony Award]] for Best Featured Actress in a Musical ([[Julie Wilson]], nominee)
+===Original Broadway production===
-*Tony Award for Best Costume Design (Willa Kim, nominee)
+{| class="wikitable" width="95%"
-*Tony Award for Best Choreography (Alan Johnson, nominee)
+|-
-*[[Drama Desk Award]] for Outstanding Costume Design (Willa Kim, nominee)
+! width="5%"| Year
+! width="20%"| Award
+! width="45%"| Category
+! width="20%"| Nominee
+! width="10%"| Result
+|-
+| rowspan="4" align="center"| 1989
+| rowspan="3"| [[Tony Award]]
+| [[Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical|Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical]]
+| [[Julie Wilson]]
+| {{nom}}
+|-
+| [[Tony Award for Best Choreography|Best Choreography]]
+| [[Alan Johnson (choreographer)|Alan Johnson]]
+| {{nom}}
+|-
+| [[Tony Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]]
+| rowspan="2"|[[Willa Kim]]
+| {{nom}}
+|-
+| [[Drama Desk Award]]
+| [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design|Outstanding Costume Design]]
+| {{nom}}
+|}
 ==Discography==
-The Original Broadway Cast recording was released by RCA Victor (RCA Victor 7983-2-RC), now out of print. The most famous song "When I Get My Name in Lights" was re-done by Allen and his friend [[Harry Connick, Jr.]] on Allen's last album ''Making Every Moment Count''. It was also included in the stage musical "The Boy From Oz" where the young Peter Woolnough (later Allen) sang it.
+The original Broadway cast recording was released by RCA Victor (RCA Victor 7983-2-RC), and it now is out of print. The most famous song "When I Get My Name in Lights" was re-done by Allen and his friend [[Harry Connick, Jr.]] on Allen's last album ''Making Every Moment Count''. It also was included in the stage musical "The Boy from Oz," where it’s sung by the young Peter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Peter-Allen-Original-Broadway-Cast-Legs-Diamond/master/655381|title=Peter Allen Original Broadcast "Legs Diamond"|publisher=www.discogs.com|accessdate=11 September 2015}}</ref>
+; Standard Edition
+# Peter Allen - "Prelude/When I Get My Name in Lights"	(4:56)
+# Brenda Braxton - Speakeasy" (4:11)
+# Julie Wilson & Peter Allen - "Applause/Knockers"	(5:41)
+# Randall Edwards - "I Was Made for Champagne" (5:07)
+# Peter Allen - "Sure Thing Baby" (3:58)
+# Carol Ann Baxter, Colleen Dunn, Deanna Dys, Gwendolyn Miller & Wendy Waring - "Speakeasy Christmas" (0:44)
+# Raymond Serra, Christian Kauffmann, Jim Fyfe & Joe Silver	- "Charge It to A.R." (2:21)
+# Peter Allen & Julie Wilson - "Only an Older Woman" (3:39)
+# Peter Allen & Randall Edwards - "Only Steal from Thieves" (3:28)
+# Peter Allen - "When I Get My Name in Lights (Reprise)" (1:42)
+# Peter Allen - "Cut of the Cards" (2:25)
+# "Gangland Chase (Instrumental)" (3:40)
+# Peter Allen & Randall Edwards - "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" (3:37)
+# Randall Edwards, Julie Wilson & Brenda Braxton - "The Man Nobody Could Love" (4:25)
+# Julie Wilson - "The Music Went Out of My Life" (4:40)
+# Peter Allen - "Say It Isn't So" (4:46)
+# Legs Diamond Original Broadway Cast	- "Say It Isn't So (Reprise)" (1:12)
+# Peter Allen - "All I Wanted Was the Dream" (2:58)
+# Peter Allen & Julie Wilson - "Finale" (1:43)
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
+{{Peter Allen}}
 ==External links==
@@ Line 69: / Line 119: @@
 [[Category:1988 musicals]]
 [[Category:Broadway musicals]]
+[[Category:Musicals based on films]]
+[[Category:Cultural depictions of Legs Diamond]]
+[[Category:Cultural depictions of Arnold Rothstein]]
+[[Category:Biographical plays about criminals]]
+[[Category:Musicals set in the United States]]

v t e Peter Allen
Studio albums	Peter Allen (1971) Tenterfield Saddler (1972) Continental American (1974) Taught by Experts (1976) I Could Have Been a Sailor (1979) Bi-Coastal (1980) Not the Boy Next Door (1983) Making Every Moment Count (1990)
Compilation albums	It Is Time for Peter Allen (1977) The Very Best of Peter Allen (1982) Captured Live at Carnegie Hall (1985) The Very Best of Peter Allen: The Boy from Down Under (1992) The Ultimate Peter Allen (2006)
Notable singles	"Tenterfield Saddler" (1972) "I Honestly Love You" (1975) "The More I See You" (1976) "I Go to Rio" (1976) "Don't Cry Out Loud" (1978) "I Still Call Australia Home" (1980)
Productions	Soon (1971) Legs Diamond (1988) The Boy from Oz (1998) Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door (2015)
Related articles	The Allen Brothers Liza Minnelli Bernadette Peters "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love" (1979) "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (1980) "I Don't Go Shopping" (1981) ARIA Hall of Fame