'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Pretty self-explanatory
sweetest punch
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by sweetest punch »

It looks like The Painted From Memory musical is almost ready: http://www.lapresse.ca/arts/festivals/f ... iberte.php

(...)
Costello a également renoué avec Burt Bacharach, avec qui il avait créé l'album Painted From Memory. Chuck Lorre, créateur des sitcoms Two and a Half Men et The Big Bang Theory, a proposé d'écrire une comédie musicale inspirée de cet album de 1998, et Bacharach et Costello en ont profité pour pondre ensemble de nouvelles chansons pour ce spectacle.

«Je ne pourrai pas les jouer à Montréal parce qu'on les garde en réserve pour la première du spectacle, dit Costello. Mais vous devriez pouvoir les entendre sous peu.»
(...)
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Google translation:

(...)
Costello has also returned to Burt Bacharach, with whom he created the album Painted From Memory. Chuck Lorre, creator of sitcoms Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, proposed to write a musical based on the 1998 album, and Bacharach and Costello took the opportunity to lay all new songs for the show.

"I can not play in Montreal because they are kept in reserve for the premiere of the show, said Costello. But you should be able to hear shortly. "
(...)
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sweetest punch
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by sweetest punch »

Burt talks about the new musical: http://www.ilmattino.it/SPETTACOLI/MUSI ... 3389.shtml

(...)
«Un nuovo musical per Broadway scritto con Elvis Costello, un autentico genio. Sedici anni fa abbiamo scritto insieme un album, ”Painted from memory”, che ci ha dato molte soddisfazioni, compreso un Grammy Award. Le canzoni di quel disco sono davvero riuscite, non a caso sono rimaste in scaletta sino ad oggi nei concerti di Elvis come nei miei, ora le vogliamo riprendere, aggiungendone sei o sette nuove. Abbiamo realizzato qualche provino con una vocalist per capire come potrebbe venire imbastita musicalmente la storia di un pittore che cerca una madre per il suo bambino, ma... È presto, però, per parlarne. Il libretto dovrebbe essere di Chuck Lorre, il creatore di sitcom come "The Big Bang Theory; l’idea di partenza è stata suca. La canzone centrale di tutto è una delle perle di ”Painted from memory”, ”I still have the other girl”. Dobbiamo ancora trovare il regista giusto, e poi iniziare il work in progress che ci porterà allo spettacolo».
(...)
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Google translation:

(...)
"A new Broadway musical written by Elvis Costello, a true genius. Sixteen years ago we wrote an album together, "Painted from Memory", which gave us a lot of satisfaction, including a Grammy Award. The songs on that album are really successful, not surprisingly remained in the lineup so far in the concerts of Elvis as in my, now we want to take, adding six or seven new ones. We made some sample with a vocalist to understand how it could be basted musically the story of a painter who is looking for a mother for her child, but ... It's early, though, to talk about it. The book should be of Chuck Lorre, the creator of sitcoms like "The Big Bang Theory, the original idea was suca. Central to everything The song is one of the pearls of" Painted from Memory "," I still have the other girl. "we still have to find the right director, and then begin the work in progress that will take us to the show."
(...)
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
sweetest punch
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by sweetest punch »

http://cinema.nouvelobs.com/articles/31 ... -le-cinema

(...)
En ce qui me concerne, je mets désormais mon énergie créatrice au service du musical. Je m’étais juré de ne plus jamais en composer après "Promises Promises", en 1968, mais c’est là que je me sens bien aujourd’hui. J’ai deux projets avec Elvis Costello, dont un adapté de notre album "Painted from Memory". Nous avons fini dix nouveaux titres et étions en studio la semaine dernière pour les mettre en place. Au moins, pour la scène, j’ai encore l’impression d’écrire de vraies chansons.

Où en est votre projet de comédie musicale inspirée d’"Austin Powers" ?
On a bien avancé sur l’écriture, seize morceaux sont prêts. Mais Mike (Myers, ndlr) a quelques problèmes avec le studio. New Line, qui possède les droits des films et est aujourd’hui une filiale de Warner, s’inquiète de ne pas retrouver certains personnages comme Mini-Me et Fat Bastard. Or Mike tient à contrôler le projet, il ne veut avoir personne sur le dos.
(...)

Google translation: http://translate.google.be/translate?sl ... -le-cinema

(...)
In my case, I now put my creative energy to the music. I swore never to compose after "Promises Promises" in 1968, but this is where I feel good today. I have two projects with Elvis Costello , one adapted from our album "Painted from Memory". We ended ten new titles and were in the studio last week to put in place. At least for the scene, I still feel to write real songs.

What is your musical project inspired by " Austin Powers "?
Progress was made on writing, sixteen pieces are ready. But Mike (Myers, ed) has some problems with the studio. New Line, which owns the film rights and is now a subsidiary of Warner, worries about not finding some characters like Mini-Me and Fat Bastard. Now Mike wants to control the project, he wants to have no one on the back.
(...)
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
scielle
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by scielle »

Just saw Burt in concert at Royal Festival Hall. No mention of either of the musicals but they did do God Give Me Strength.
johnfoyle
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by johnfoyle »

Thanks to Nick for this -

Extracted from an Interview with Burt Bacharach in this week's Time Out London:

"How’s your Austin Powers musical going?

‘It’s a little bit at a standstill. Mike [Myers] is very involved with the documentary he did on Shep Gordon. I brought him some songs in April and he seemed to love them. But these things take time. Elvis [Costello] is on tour this summer too, and he’d like to sing one of the songs we’ve written, and I’d like to sing one of the songs we’ve written, but [Mike] says no. We mustn’t do that before they see the light of day in context. Our other musical, “Painted from Memory”, is making great strides towards a production.’


http://www.timeout.com/london/music/bur ... one-it-all
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by MOJO »

Mike Myers on WTF this week. Good interview. No mention of this musical, but Maron asks about his reputation as being difficult to work with. Seems like a nice guy, actually. Humble.

Listen here:
http://www.wtfpod.com/
sweetest punch
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by sweetest punch »

Footage from Burt's concert in the Royal Festival Hall this summer: it includes God Give Me Strength (partial): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mcruwBjMjc
God Give Me Strength at the Nuits des Fourvière Lyon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpW2izbwhm0
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sweetest punch
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

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http://blogs.indiewire.com/mediamatrix/ ... n-broadway

How Will Elvis Costello/Burt Bacharach/Chuck Lorre's Painted From Memory Fare on Broadway?

Elvis Costello's fans got some exciting news recently.

The Associated Press has reported that sit-com king Chuck Lorre wants to make a Broadway production out of the brilliant 1998 album Painted From Memory by Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach. http://www.hitfix.com/news/chuck-lorre- ... ay-musical

Lorre chose shrewdly. Painted From Memory offers a rich story. It s one of my three favorite Costello albums (right up there with two of the early hard-rocking ones, This Year's Model and Get Happy!!). Painted From Memory is a collection of 12 jazzy-pop ballads, all sung wonderfully by Costello and co-written by Costello and Bacharach, about a broken-hearted man who knows he must somehow summon the strength and purpose to go on after a devastating romantic break-up.

Many of the evocative song titles themselves give away the story: In the Darkest Place, I Still Have That Other Girl (in my head), This House Is Empty Now and God Give Me Strength.

How will it fare on the Great White Way? Broadway can be a snobbish, clubbish scene, where stars from other entertainment corridors get diminished by the critics, who probably resent their appearances on Broadway in the first place.

For instance, Lucky Guy, starring the ever-popular two-time Best Oscar winner Tom Hanks, received less than effusive praise this season. Still, the production has done well at the box office.

Would Costello & Co. have a hard time winning over critics and customers?

Painted From Memory would appear to have the goods to be a success, considering the creative firepower present here. Lorre created CBS' runaway hit sit-coms Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory. Bacharach is a genuine pop-music icon, with a boatload of hit songs to his name. Costello has been making great music of all kinds since 1977. He also has shown the versatility to host a weekly musical talk show and even once pinch-hit for an ailing David Letterman as the host of the late-night show on CBS.

I should know. I first saw Costello and his first band, The Attractions, rock the Riviera Theater in Chicago on Dec. 2, 1977, on his initial U.S. tour. It took place a few weeks after I first heard his remarkable debut album My Aim Is True.

Maybe I'm not objective here. I have seen Costello perform about 80 times on stage since that night in Chicago. The man is a total crowd-pleaser, whether he goes on as a soloist or has a band (The Imposters, since 2002) or (my preference) features only his excellent keyboard maestro Steve Nieve accompanying him.

He knows how to make a crowd happy. I last saw Costello and the Imposters open for The Who last February in Manhattan. It was as if they let Elvis out of a cage for 45 minutes -- he was on fire. By comparison, The Who delivered a perfectly acceptable but emotionless set.

But a rock and roll concert isn't a Broadway stage -- although Costello did, it must be pointed out, perform at the Broadway Theater for five shows in late October 1986, with two separate backing bands. He memorably did a show on Oct. 24, 1986 in which many of his best known song titles were printed on a colorful wheel, and he invited audience members to spin the wheel and see which song he and the Attractions would play.

It was a great night. The audience members loved it (I was one of them).

The Broadway scene has appeared to lack excitement lately. The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy has hurt attendance figures. Audiences don't seem inspired much by the current offerings. The nation's economic woes have made it tough, too, for Broadway to appeal to large numbers of people, what with those gargantuan ticket prices. http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/06/02/ ... nce-drops/

The question will be whether all of the star power of Costello, Bacharach and Lorre can translate into success at the box office and acceptance by those snobby critics.
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sweetest punch
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/re ... 7041365024

Elvis Costello has two projects with Burt Bacharach in the pipeline

Readers may have spotted Elvis Costello lurking in the pages of Review last week, waxing lyrically, as it were, about the new music he and a handful of colleagues have welded to words Bob Dylan ditched 47 years ago.

This will emerge as Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes Vol 1, in November. That’s not the only endeavour that has been keeping Costello busy of late, as he explained in some detail after he had finished talking about His Bobness. Aside from being on the road this year, including in Australia, the prolific songwriter has been reunited for weeks at a time with Burt Bacharach, the veteran American craftsman with whom Costello created the album Painted From Memory in 1998.

In the past year the two men have embarked on a couple of projects in tandem. The first is a new album, to be released next year, which Costello says is “based on turning the corner from the story we told on Painted from Memory”. The other is a tad more left-field. The Bacharach-Costello songwriting partnership is behind the music of a Broadway musical based on the Mike Myers spoof spy vehicle Austin Powers. The musical has been in the pipeline for three years but there is no word on when it is likely to go into production. Costello, however, is happy with the change of pace and how their contribution to it has progressed.

“It was great of Mike to invite us into the process,” Costello says. “It’s just a great licence to write all kinds of wild songs, from heartbreaking ballads to psychedelic rock ’n’ roll songs. The lyrics have to come out of the characters, so it’s a different kind of discipline. It’s not like making a record.” If nothing else it has given Costello another opportunity to work with one of the most lauded pop songwriters in history, who at 86 shows no sign of slowing down.

“He has the energy of a man many years his junior,” says Costello. “And he still has a phenomenal gift for melody. We wrote these songs for Painted from Memory that I’m really very fond of and that people seem to still hold with a lot of affection. So to write more of them and then have something totally in contrast like Austin Powers is fantastic. We’ve written about 30 songs since November.”
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sweetest punch
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by sweetest punch »

Burt talks about the new musical: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m2KrlbEDQI
Audra May sings God Give Me Strength: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvlPY9Ocov0
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sweetest punch
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

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Another clip of Audra May singing "God Give Me Strength": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gDXK2puI24
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Neil.
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by Neil. »

I presume this is one of the songs from the new musical:

http://youtu.be/1io5y7m7k9w

("He's Given Me Things")
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by cwr »

I love hearing EC back in this dramatic mode with Bacharach.

I wonder if he will ever find his way back into a recording studio to produce definitive versions of the many lost pop songs and ballads he's written in this style, like "Suspect My Tears" and "Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter." (I still find it astonishing that he has sat on the latter song, a collaboration with Carole King, for 15 years now...)
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by Neil. »

"Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter." (I still find it astonishing that he has sat on the latter song, a collaboration with Carole King, for 15 years now...
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Ditto, Cwr!
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by docinwestchester »

Nice version from Vienna:

sweetest punch
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

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http://www.sfgate.com/music/article/Bur ... 948326.php

Burt Bacharach: Pop composer also a hit as performer

(...)
His latest project is a musical based on the Grammy-winning 1998 album with Elvis Costello, “Painted From Memory.” With a book by Steven Sater and “The Big Bang Theory” creator Chuck Lorre, the project is deep in the workshop phase.

“Elvis and I have written eight or nine new songs, and we’ll use five or six from the original album,” Bacharach says. “My musical energy now is toward the theater world.”
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by MOJO »

Just came back from seeing Burt Bacharach w/ the SF Symphony Orchestra. He did God Give Me Strength with a male vocalist, backed by SF's finest. Incredible! He mentioned Elvis as his collaborator... Very cool... Obviously , it would have been better if EC actually did the vocals, but damn - Burt Bacharach my friends!!! Excellent show. I shed tears because it was every song I've known, loved, and grew up with. If BB ends up in your town, GO TO THIS SHOW. I bought a CD for my mother. I can't wait to listen to it with her.
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by scielle »

Any idea who might be producing this?
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by Neil. »

MOJO wrote:Just came back from seeing Burt Bacharach w/ the SF Symphony Orchestra. He did God Give Me Strength with a male vocalist, backed by SF's finest. Incredible! He mentioned Elvis as his collaborator... Very cool... Obviously , it would have been better if EC actually did the vocals, but damn - Burt Bacharach my friends!!! Excellent show. I shed tears because it was every song I've known, loved, and grew up with. If BB ends up in your town, GO TO THIS SHOW. I bought a CD for my mother. I can't wait to listen to it with her.
God, yeah, he's written some amazing stuff, hasn't he, ol' Burt? Elvis will (unless something earth-shattering happens) always be my favourite songwriter, but Burt's songs have entered the popular consciousness in a way that Elvis's probably never will. I wish it was otherwise, but that's how it is. Whatever - they're both geniuses!

I really hope this musical makes it to the stage, and that it's great. I have everything crossed for it (I know they've also been working with Mike Myers on an Austin Powers musical, but I really don't think this is a good idea. The films were already retro 60s spoofs, but to add another retro spoof to the many retro spoof musicals (Hairspray, Grease, Little Shop of Horrors etc etc) that have already been on Broadway seems like a bad idea. I also don't think Austin Powers is a character that people would want to flock to a musical for... but I hope they prove me wrong and that BOTH musicals are a smash hit!)
MOJO
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by MOJO »

God, yeah, he's written some amazing stuff, hasn't he, ol' Burt? Elvis will (unless something earth-shattering happens) always be my favourite songwriter, but Burt's songs have entered the popular consciousness in a way that Elvis's probably never will. I wish it was otherwise, but that's how it is. Whatever - they're both geniuses!
This is still possible. EC (his management team) has been on top of the a social media thing which I believe is helping attract younger listeners. The touring helps, too, I believe. My gut feeling is that he will reach popular consciousness in the next 10 years and that's all I have. My gut feeling is usually on target and I am feeling positive about the EC train / future. Whatever. I'm old, so what do I know. Peace.
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

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http://www.petergallagher.com/blog/

December 23, 2014

Had another peak show biz experience last week - apparently it really 'tis the season! Was invited to participate in a "29 hour" workshop to further develop a show with music by Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello written by Steven Sater and Chuck Lorre, directed by John Doyle. It took me all of a half second to say yes. So glad I did. I think I love work like this as much if not more than performances. A "29 hour" workshop (no more than 29 hours of rehearsals or readings) is an Actor's Equity sanctioned way to work on a show, see where you're at and where you can go - see what you've got under the hood. Like most great experiences it was all about the people in the room and we had a room full of great ones. Unfortunately Elvis couldn't be there but his music and lyrics were always powerfully and beautifully present. It was hard enough singing Burt Bacharach's music in front of him...if Elvis had been there too, I might've had a heart attack. The rest of the cast were amazing as well: Marin Mazzie and I had last worked together on the workshop for Stephen Sondheim's "Passion" (another peak show biz experience!). Also singing and acting beautifully were Jessica Molaskey, Jennifer Damiano and Molly Gordon. Hearing and seeing Burt Bacharach solve problems on his feet, at the piano, give notes, listen and ultimately give a couple of thumbs-ups will always be among my treasures. For me, it's those moments that sustain you, endure and mean the most. it's not so much about how things turn out as long as you get another chance at it. By the time this pic happened most of the cast, staff and our fearless and inspired leader John Doyle had already left but it's still pretty cool.

Image

From left to right: Chuck Lorre, Steven Sater, PG, Burt Bacharach and legendary agent Bob Broder. Cheers!
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by Neil. »

Interesting! God, I hope this happens. Sting's musical is closing after only a few months, so times are tough for new shows, but still... Fingers crossed.

Sting story: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/j ... on-theater

Broadway plays it safe: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/j ... -lion-king
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

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http://www.broadway.com/buzz/179584/pet ... tury-more/

Peter Gallagher on His 'Astounding' Chemistry with Kristin Chenoweth in On the Twentieth Century & More

(...)
What’s up with the workshop you recently did of a new musical by Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello?

That was phenomenal. It’s based on their album Taken from Memory, [with a book] by Steven Sater and [Two and a Half Men creator] Chuck Lorre. It’s about a husband and wife and their daughter, and how people who pursue artistic professions can sometimes miss the most important things right in front of them. John Doyle directed, and Marin Mazzie, who did the workshop of Passion with me years ago, was in it. It needs more work, but La Jolla is interested.
(...)
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by Neil. »

sweetest punch wrote:It needs more work, but La Jolla is interested.
Okay, so it might be a while yet. Though I think Elvis isn't touring at the mo, so perhaps they're making all the fixes they need to make. Could 'La Jolla' be this California theatre? http://www.lajollaplayhouse.org/ I think Burt lives in Calif, so it'd be a lot more convenient for him than Broadway.
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Re: 'Painted From Memory' on Broadway

Post by johnfoyle »

It’s about a husband and wife and their daughter, and how people who pursue artistic professions can sometimes miss the most important things right in front of them
Interesting. That makes me think of the lines from My Three Sons -

Here's a fragment
Between the shame and the sentiment
For all the years that I might have been absent
I can't do what can't be undone
Oh no, my three sons


Perhaps Elvis is thinking of the first time he was a parent, gender changed of course , and incorporating it into the PFM narrative.
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