(The Actors Studio Workshop production, May, 2005, directed by Carlin Glynn)

From left: Lorinda Lisitza (Marie-Laure), Marni Nixon (Charlotte), Lucille Patton (Lili),

 Erik Lautier (Chéri), Elena Shaddow (Edmée)

 

CHÉRI

 

Music by Michael Dellaira   Libretto by Susan Yankowitz

 

Chéri was a finalist for the 2006 Richard Rodgers Award in Musical Theater,

administered by The American Academy of Arts and Letters

 

Production History

 

 

2000: Composer’s Chamber Theater, New York City

Reading of Léa’s aria “The Stranger, Grief”

Janice Meyerson, mezzo-soprano, Jennifer Peterson, piano

 

2001: American Opera Projects, New York City: reading of Act I, Scenes 3 & 4

            Léa:                 Janice Meyerson

            Chéri:             John Bernard

            Edmée:           Jody Scheinbaum

            Charlotte:      Patricia Coffin

            MUSIC DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Hastings

 

2002:  The Center for Contemporary Opera, New York City:

The Clark Theater, Lincoln Center:  readings of Act I with both music-theater and opera casts (music-theater cast before intermission, opera cast after.)

Léa:                 Ann Crumb               Marion Capriotti

Chéri:             Erik Lautier                Nicholas Phan

Edmée:           Kelly Smith                Melody Alesi

Charlotte:      Wendy Hill                Deborah Ann Faw

Patron:           Larry Picard               Derrick Ballard

Marie-Laure:  Joy Hermalyn            Ory Brown

MUSIC DIRECTOR: Mark Shapiro

 

Read New York Times article about this performance

 

2003   The Actors Studio, New York: Reading

            DIRECTOR:   Carlin Glynn

            ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Christopher Presley

            Léa:                 Maggi-Meg Reed

            Chéri:             Lucas Steele

            Edmée:           Elena Shaddow

            Charlotte:      Susanne Fletcher

            Marie-Laure:  Barbara Marineau

            Patron:           Mark Womack

            Chanteuse:    Charlotte Cohn

            Pianist:           Michael Pilafian

           

            Read article in The New Music Connoisseur about this reading

 

2004 The Actors Studio, New York: Reading

            DIRECTOR:   Carlin Glynn

            ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Christopher Presley

            Léa:                 Maggi-Meg Reed

            Chéri:             Erik Lautier

            Edmée:           Elena Shaddow

            Charlotte:      Denise Lute

            Marie-Laure:  Andrea Leigh

            Lili:                 Lucille Patton

            Patron:           Kevin Stapleton

            Chanteuse:    Charlotte Cohn

            Pianist:           Michael Pilafian

 

 

2005:  Workshop production; The Actors Studio (Lee Strasberg Theater), New York City

            DIRECTOR:   Carlin Glynn

            ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Christopher Presley

 

            Léa:                 Maggi-Meg Reed

            Chéri:             Erik Lautier

            Edmée:           Elena Shaddow

            Charlotte:      Marni Nixon

            Marie-Laure:  Lorinda Lisitza

            Lili:                 Lucille Patton

            Patron:           Kevin Stapleton

            Chanteuse:    Charlotte Cohn

            Prince Guido: Lucas Blondheim

            MUSIC DIRECTOR/keyboards/conductor: Mark Shapiro

                        Christopher Miele: clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone

                        Katrin Stamatis: violin

                        Emily Schaefer: cello

 

            SET DESIGN:  Shawn Lewis

            LIGHTING DESIGN: Nick Keslake

            COSTUME DESIGN:  Angie Kahler

            HAIR DESIGNER: Herve Bauge

            PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER: Theresa Hartmann

           

           

            Read review of this production from "Talkin Broadway" web site