Assassins (musical)

Assassins is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by John Weidman and was based on an idea by Charles Gilbert, Jr. It uses a revue-like style to examine the men and women who have attempted and/or succeeded in assassinating a U.S. President. The style of the music varies widely, reflecting the different styles of music popular at the times of the events depicted.

Production

Assassins opened off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons on January 27, 1991, and played 73 performances.

Related Topics:
Off-Broadway - Playwrights Horizons - January 27 - 1991

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The cast included Victor Garber, Terrance Mann, Patrick Cassidy, Debra Monk, and Annie Golden.

Related Topics:
Victor Garber - Terrance Mann - Patrick Cassidy - Debra Monk - Annie Golden

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The musical was supposed to have its first Broadway production in 2001, but the show was postponed after the events of September 11, 2001.

Related Topics:
Broadway - September 11, 2001.

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Assassins received its Broadway debut on April 22, 2004. The Roundabout Theater Company opened the show on Broadway at Studio 54. After a limited run of 101 performances, it closed on July 18th, 2004. The performance starred Neil Patrick Harris, who is best known for his title role in the television series Doogie Howser, M.D., as the Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald; it also featured Michael Cerveris as John Wilkes Booth, for which he received a Tony Award. The production was noted for a coup de theatre in which the Zapruder film of the assassination of John F. Kennedy was projected on the t-shirt of Lee Harvey Oswald.

Related Topics:
Broadway - Debut - April 22 - 2004 - Studio 54 - July 18th - Neil Patrick Harris - Doogie Howser, M.D. - Ballad - Lee Harvey Oswald - Michael Cerveris - John Wilkes Booth - Tony Award - Zapruder film

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The 2004 production won six out of seven 2004 Tony Awards for which it was nominated (Best Revival of a Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Michael Cerveris), Best Lighting Design (Peggy Eisenhauer and Jules Fisher), Best Direction of a Musical (Joe Mantello), and Best Orchestrations (Michael Starobin).

Related Topics:
Tony Award - Michael Cerveris - Peggy Eisenhauer - Jules Fisher - Joe Mantello - Michael Starobin

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