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Lazarus (musical)

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Lazarus
Off-Broadway promotional poster
MusicDavid Bowie
LyricsDavid Bowie
BookEnda Walsh
BasisThe Man Who Fell to Earth
by Walter Tevis
Productions

Director Ivo van Hove
Musical Director Henry Hey

Arranger Henry Hey

Lazarus is a jukebox musical featuring the music of David Bowie with a book by Enda Walsh. Inspired by the 1963 novel The Man Who Fell To Earth by Walter Tevis, Lazarus continues the story of Thomas Newton, a humanoid alien who is stuck on Earth, unable to die or return to his home planet. Lazarus had its world premiere Off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop on 18 November 2015 and played until 20 January 2016. The show then made the transfer to the West End at King's Cross Theatre in London, playing from 25 October 2016 to 22 January 2017.

Lazarus was one of the last works Bowie completed before his death on January 10, 2016. Bowie's last public appearance was when he attended the 7 December 2015 opening night of the off-Broadway production.[1] The New York City Mayor's office declared 20 January 2016 - closing night of the off-Broadway production - to be David Bowie Day; the proclamation was presented to managing director Jeremy Blocker at the curtain call of the final show.[2]

The original cast album was scheduled to be recorded on 11 January 2016, the day following Bowie's death.[3] The cast and musicians were informed of his death upon arriving at studio before recording.[4]

Cast and characters

[edit]
Off-Broadway (2015-2016) West End (2016-2017)
Thomas Jerome Newton Michael C. Hall
Valentine Michael Esper
Girl, later Marley Sophia Anne Caruso
Elly Cristin Milioti Amy Lennox
Teenage Girl 1 Krystina Alabado Maimuna Memon
Teenage Girl 2 Krista Pioppi Gabrielle Brooks
Teenage Girl 3 Brynn Williams Sydnie Christmas
Zach Bobby Moreno Richard Hansell
Ben Nicholas Christopher Jamie Muscato
Michael Charlie Pollock Tom Parsons
Maemi Lynn Craig Julie Yammanee

Productions

[edit]

Off-Broadway (2015)

[edit]

The musical was staged for a limited run at New York Theatre Workshop in Manhattan, directed by Ivo van Hove.[5][6] Henry Hey, who previously played keyboards on Bowie's 2013 album The Next Day, served as musical director and arranger/orchestrator for the production and worked closely with Bowie during its development.[7] Like Bowie's contemporary album Blackstar (with which it shares the song "Lazarus"),[8] much of the production of the musical was kept secret until its first preview in November 2015. The musical opened on 7 December 2015[9] with a planned run through 17 January 2016,[10] although the production was extended to 20 January 2016.[11] Tickets to the entire run of the musical sold out within hours of being made available.[12]

West End (2016)

[edit]

A London production of the musical ran at the King's Cross Theatre from 8 November 2016 to 22 January 2017, with previews beginning the week of 25 October.[13][14] Ivo van Hove again directed the London production, and Henry Hey was the musical director and arranger/orchestrator.[15][16] The London production was produced by Robert Fox Ltd. and Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment.[17]

Film

[edit]

A performance in London was recorded for a Lazarus film; the film was shown in New York for one night in May, 2018,[18] and was later livestreamed worldwide online in January, 2021 for the fifth anniversary of David Bowie's death.[19]

Prague

[edit]

A Prague production premiered on 12 October 2019 at Divadlo Komedie.[20]

Amsterdam

[edit]

An Amsterdam production of the musical premiered on 13 October 2019 at the DeLaMar Theater. Henry Hey was again musical supervisor and arranger/orchestrator. Ivo van Hove, after having directed the runs in New York and London, once again directed.[21][22][23]

Musical Numbers

[edit]

Lazarus features a number of songs from Bowie's back catalogue as well as four new tracks ("Lazarus", "No Plan", "Killing a Little Time", "When I Met You").[24]

Original cast recording

[edit]

On 21 October 2016, the original cast recording, Lazarus, was released. The album was produced by Henry Hey, who was the musical director and arranger/orchestrator of the original New York production and subsequent productions in London and Amsterdam.[25] The album also features three previously unreleased songs from Bowie, among the last he recorded prior to his death.

Reception

[edit]

Lazarus met with a mixed critical reception; while some critics praised the concept and performances, others found it pretentious and difficult to follow.[26]

Ben Brantley said in his review of the production in The New York Times that "Ice-bolts of ecstasy shoot like novas through the fabulous muddle and murk of Lazarus, the great-sounding, great-looking and mind numbing new musical built around songs by David Bowie."[27] Rolling Stone called the musical a "tour de force" and "theater at its finest."[28]

Among the negative reviews, Ann Trenemen of The Times called the play "pretentious rubbish" and "nonsense on stilts",[29] while Dominic Cavendish of The Telegraph wrote that he was "disappointed" in Bowie's final project, and that "it’s hard to engage head or heart when there’s so much enigma".[30]

Awards and nominations

[edit]

Original Off-Broadway production

[edit]
Year Award Category Nominee Outcome
2016 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Actor in a Musical Michael C. Hall Nominated
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical Brian Ronan Nominated
Outstanding Projection Design Tal Yarden Nominated
Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance Michael C. Hall Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical Nominated
Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) Enda Walsh Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Michael Esper Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Sophia Anne Caruso Nominated
Outstanding Projection Design (Play or Musical) Tal Yarden Nominated
Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical Michael C. Hall Nominated
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical Sophia Anne Caruso Nominated

Original West End production

[edit]
Year Award ceremony Category Nominee Result
2017 WhatsOnStage Awards Best Actor in a Musical Michael C. Hall Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Amy Lennox Nominated
Sophia Anne Caruso Nominated
Best Video Design Tal Yarden Nominated

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Adams, Char. "Bowie's final public appearance". People. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Mayor's Office Declares Wednesday 'David Bowie Day'". CBS Local – New York. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  3. ^ "David Bowie's Lazarus Musical Records Cast Album". Playbill. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Lazarus album". Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  5. ^ Kurutz, Steven (16 January 2016). "David Bowie: Invisible New Yorker". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Lazarus". Lortel.org.
  7. ^ Larson, Sarah (11 January 2016). "Ground Control: Bowie, Off Broadway". The New Yorker. New York. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  8. ^ Holland, Eric (6 January 2016). "Producer Tony Visconti Talks David Bowie and Blackstar". Hollandude.com. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  9. ^ Dizon, Jan (13 January 2016). "Off-Broadway Play Lazarus Is David Bowie's Swan Song". Tech Times. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  10. ^ Clement, Olivia (7 December 2015). "David Bowie's Lazarus Opens Off-Broadway Tonight". Playbill.com. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  11. ^ "New York Declares 'David Bowie Day' as Final Play Ends". movies.ndtv.com. 21 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  12. ^ Clement, Olivia (7 October 2015). "Tickets to David Bowie's Lazarus Sell Out Within Hours". Playbill.com. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  13. ^ "David Bowie musical Lazarus to open in London". BBC. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  14. ^ Longman, Will (15 September 2016). "Full cast announced for David Bowie's Lazarus". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  15. ^ Shea, Christopher (25 July 2016). "Lazarus, a Musical by David Bowie and Enda Walsh, to Open in London". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  16. ^ Inman, Matt (25 April 2018). "Henry Hey on the Return of Lazarus and Working with David Bowie". Relix. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  17. ^ Lee, Ashley (25 July 2016). "It's Official: David Bowie's Lazarus Musical Sets London Run". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  18. ^ Seymour, Corey (2 May 2018). "David Bowie's Lazarus Rises Again in Brooklyn". Vogue. Retrieved 8 May 2018 – via MSN.com.
  19. ^ Kreps, Daneil (8 January 2021). "Watch London Production of David Bowie's 'Lazarus' in Honor of Icon's Birthday". Rolling Stone.
  20. ^ https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/bowie-lives-pragues-hottest-ticket-is-a-multilingual-lazarus
  21. ^ Hetrick, Adam (7 December 2018). "David Bowie's Lazarus is Bound for Amsterdam". Playbill. New York. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  22. ^ "Noortje Herlaar speelt hoofdrol in Bowie-productie Lazarus". deVolkskrant (in Dutch). 3 June 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  23. ^ "Lazarus". stage-entertainment.nl.
  24. ^ Bonner, Michael (8 December 2015). "David Bowie's Lazarus musical: song titles revealed". Uncut. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  25. ^ "David Bowie’s Parting Gift: Inside New ‘Lazarus’ Soundtrack", "Rolling Stone", San Francisco, 20 October 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  26. ^ "Lazarus: David Bowie musical receives mixed reviews on London transfer". BBC. London, England. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  27. ^ Brantley, Ben (8 December 2015). "Review: David Bowie Songs and a Familiar Alien in 'Lazarus'". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  28. ^ Grow, Kory (7 December 2015). "David Bowie's Lazarus Is Surrealistic Tour de Force". Rolling Stone. New York City: Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  29. ^ Treneman, Ann (9 November 2016). "Theatre: Lazarus at King's Cross Theatre, N1". The Times. London, England. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  30. ^ Cavandish, Dominic (8 November 2016). "Lazarus review – Bowie musical lands in London, but does it really make the grade?". The Telegraph. London, England: Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
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