The Pursuit of Persephone
The Pursuit of Persephone is a musical with music and lyrics by Peter Mills and book by Cara Reichel.[1] The show details F. Scott Fitzgerald's time at Princeton University, and his love for Ginevra King.[2] Elements of the plot are loosely adapted from This Side of Paradise (Fitzgerald's own fictionalized account of his time at Princeton).
Productions
[edit]The show premiered at the Connelly Theatre in New York City in 2005, featuring Chris Fuller as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jessica Grové as Ginevra King.[2][3]
In 2006 much of the original cast returned for a concert reading of the show at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.[4] That same year, a production of the show was staged at the University of Michigan, starring Justin Paul as F. Scott Fitzgerald.[5]
In 2014 the show was reworked and presented by the Prospect Theater Company under the name "The Underclassman".[6][7]
Cast
[edit]| 2005
Off-Broadway[8] |
2006
Concert Reading[4] |
2014
Prospect Theater[7] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| F. Scott Fitzgerald | Chris Fuller | Matt Dengler | |
| Ginevra King | Jessica Grové | ||
| Marie Hersey | Piper Goodeve | ||
| Edmund Wilson | David Abeles | ||
| John Peale Bishop | Benjamin Sands | Marrick Smith | |
| Trip Everett | Jordan Bondurant | ||
| "Ham" Samuels | Jeremy Morse | ||
| Clive Bagby | Jason Edward Cook | ||
Reception
[edit]The show received some praise for its music, costuming, and casting, but often received criticism for its book.[9][8]
The 2014 production similarly was praised for its music, while critics felt the underlying story was not interesting enough to captivate audiences.[6][7]
Awards
[edit]| Award | Category | |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Drama Desk Awards[10] | Best Music | Nominated |
| Best Orchestrations | Nominated |
External links
[edit]- The Pursuit of Persephone Review from Broadway World
- The Pursuit of Persephone Review from Paradise Revisited
- The Pursuit of Persephone Review from The New York Times
References
[edit]- ^ Paradise Revisited. "Paradise Revisited Review of The Pursuit of Persephone". Retrieved 2007-12-14.
- ^ a b The New York Times (2005-05-10). "New York Times Review of The Pursuit of Persephone". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
- ^ Jones, Kenneth (30 April 2005). "New Musical Pursuit of Persephone Tracks Romance of F. Scott Fitzgerald, April 30-May 22 in NYC". Playbill. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ a b "The Pursuit of Persephone, a concert reading at the Lucille Lortel Theatre on the 26 Jun 2006". New York Theatre Guide. 2017-10-19. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ "Duet for Broadway's next pair of star songwriters". Australian Financial Review. 2016-12-02. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ a b Feldman, Adam (21 November 2014). "The Underclassman". Time Out New York. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ a b c Karam, Edward (23 November 2014). "This Side of Princeton". Off Off Online. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ a b Hoban, Phoebe (2005-05-10). "Fitzgerald's Romance Puts a Song (or 26) in the Heart". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ Fox, Jena Tesse. "The Pursuit of Persephone". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ^ "Peter Mills". NewMusicalTheatre. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
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