Vanessa Claire Smith, who wrote ‘Louis & Keely’ and stars as Keely Smith.
After my story about “Louis & Keely” ran last week, I heard from a lot of readers who couldn’t catch the bio-musical about fabled crooner Louis Prima and his famous Vegas act with his wife, Keely Smith, when it was (ever so briefly) in Orange County.
There are a lot of Prima fans out there, I discovered, who are willing to move heaven and earth to see this act, which tells the story of Prima’s tumultuous life and his marriage to Keely, the fourth of five wives and the other half of his Vegas routine.
Well, here’s your chance. Film director Taylor Hackford caught “Louis & Keely” up in L.A. He became so enamored with it that he’s staging a new, revamped version of the show this spring at the Geffen Playhouse.
Here are the details from the Geffen.
The Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse welcomes a new production of 2008’s lauded musical, Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, which will be helmed by acclaimed Hollywooddirector/biographer Taylor Hackford. The play, co-written and starring Jake Broder and Vanessa Smith, won the 2008 Ovation Award for Best Musical, is nominated for five LA Weekly Theater Awards – including Musical of the Year, and four Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nominations – including Best Production and Best Actor. Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara, which follows the life and love of Vegas’ infamous onstage couple Louis Prima and Keely Smith, will open on March 19, 2009.
“I saw Louis & Keely during its initial run at Sacred Fools, and was immediately struck by the music, the story, and most of all, by its stars and creators – Jake Broder and Vanessa Smith,” said director Taylor Hackford. “This was a wonderfully entertaining piece of theater that came together through will and sheer talent, and I wanted to help Jake and Vanessa expand and develop this show so it could reach its ultimate potential.”
Hackford is most well-known for his film work, including An Officer and a Gentleman, Against All Odds, The Devil’s Advocate,La Bamba, Proof of Life and most recently Ray, which was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. While Hackford has helmed many films about musicians and their art, including the aforementioned Ray and La Bamba as well as the documentary Chuck Berry: Hail!, Hail! Rock n’ Roll, Louis & Keely Live at the Saharamarks Hackford’s stage directorial debut.
Hackford, who has joined forces with Broder and Smith to guide the revision process, estimates about 40 percent of the script is different from the original production. This includes the addition of six new songs – “I Wish You Love,” “Hey Boy, Hey Girl,” “What is this Thing Called Love,” “Night Train,” “Ai, Ai, Ai” and “I Can’t Believe that You’re in Love with Me,” as well as new characters, including ol’ blue eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. Creators Broder and Smith revisit their roles as Louis and Keely respectively, and new cast members Nick Cagle and Erin Matthews play various other characters in the couple’s story. In addition to the four actors, Louis & Keely Live at the Saharafeatures a seven-piece live swing band that brings down the house as the orchestra for the play and as well as Louis Prima’s Vegas band ‘The Witnesses.’
The original production of Louis & Keely, which was produced by the Sacred Fools Theatre Company and directed by Jeremy Aldridge, opened in June 2008. After an extended summer run at Sacred Fools, the production found a new home at Hollywood’s Matrix Theater in October of last year where it ran for 15 weeks of sold-out performances.
Louis & Keely Live at the Sahara is set to run at the Geffen Playhouse’s Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater from March 15 through April 26, with the possibility for extension pending audience demand. The intimate Audrey Skirball Theater will be configured with four rows of premium stage-front seating ($65) in addition to the standard orchestra seating ($55). Ticket prices for preview performances – March 15 at 2:30pm & 7:30pm, March 17 at 8pm and March 18 at 8pm – will be $55 for premium seats and $45 for standard seats.
