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Dirty Blonde (play)

January 06, 2023

Dirty Blonde is a play by Claudia Shear. The play ran Off-Broadway and on Broadway in 2000. It involves two fans of Mae West who discover their shared passion for her, and for each other.

Background

Conceived by Shear and James Lapine and featuring songs from I'm No Angel and She Done Him Wrong, it explores the phenomenon of the legendary Mae West, one of America's most enduring and controversial pop culture icons. The play, which draws its title from the West film quip "I made myself platinum, but I was born a dirty blonde",[1] tells the story of Jo, an office temp and aspiring actress, and Charlie, who works in the New York Public Library's film archives, both lonely and obsessive West fans who meet at her grave and form a unique relationship as they swap stories about the career highlights and eventual decline into parody of the woman they worship.

Productions

The play premiered Off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop on January 10, 2000, running to February 13, 2000.[2]

The play then opened on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre on May 1, 2000 after previews from April 14 and closed on March 4, 2001 after 352 performances. The play was directed by James Lapine, with Shear as Jo/West and Kevin Chamberlin and Bob Stillman.[3][4]

Kathy Najimy replaced Shear on January 9, 2001. Tom Riis Farrell replaced Chamberlin on July 6, 2000.[5] Najimy reprised her role at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California, in July to August 2003, along with original actors Chamberlin and Stillman.[6]

Shear played the role in London, opening at the Duke of York's Theatre on June 16, 2004. Kevin Chamberlin and Bob Stillman reprised their roles also.[7] It has been produced in by regional theatres throughout the United States. For example, it ran in Chicago in 2011 at the BoHo Theatre.[8] The play ran in Los Angeles at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2004, with Shear reprising her role.[9]

The play is one of the few in Broadway history to have its entire cast nominated for a Tony Award.

Song list

  • "Dirty Blonde"
  • "A Guy What Takes His Time"
  • "Cuddle Up and Cling to Me"
  • "I Found a New Way to Go to Town"
  • "I'm No Angel"
  • "I Love It"
  • "I Want You, I Need You"
  • "I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone"
  • "Oh My, How We Pose"
  • "Perfect Love"

Critical reception

Ben Brantley, in his review for The New York Times of the Off-Broadway production, called it "a beautifully written work... with a shiver-making pinnacle..."[10]

The CurtainUp reviewer of the Off-Broadway production wrote: " 'Dirty Blonde' ...is very much a play; in fact, it has enough music, including Bob Stillman's eponymous original song, to be classified as a play with music The monologist has become a mature playwright. The stand-up comic has developed enough depth to render two engaging character portraits. Her Mae may not be true blue West but she's caught the essence of 'the movie equivalent of Venice.'"[11]

Awards and honors

Source: PlaybillVault[4]

Original Broadway production

References

  1. ^ Lazere, Arthur. " Dirty Blinde - Claudia Shear" culturevulture.net, accessed May 3, 2015
  2. ^ " Dirty Blonde Listing" 2012-06-16 at the Wayback Machine lortel.org, accessed May 2, 2015
  3. ^ McBride, Murdoch. "Shear's 'Dirty Blonde' Begins Bway Previews At Helen Hayes April 14"[permanent dead link] playbill.com, April 14, 2000
  4. ^ a b " Dirty Blonde Broadway Production and Awards" May 26, 2015, at the Wayback Machine playbillvault.com, accessed May 2, 2015
  5. ^ McBride, Walter. "Kathy Najimy Steps Into Starring Role in 'Dirty Blonde', Jan. 9" playbill.com, January 9, 2001
  6. ^ Hernandez, Ernio. "Kathy Najimy Is 'Dirty Blonde' with Kevin Chamberlin and Bob Stillman in CA, July 20-Aug. 30" playbill.com, July 20, 2003
  7. ^ Inverne, James. "Claudia Shear Makes London Debut with 'Dirty Blonde' June 16" playbill.com, June 16, 2004
  8. ^ Metz, Nina. "Review. 'Dirty Blonde' provides just a peek at Mae West" Chicago Tribune, April 5, 2011
  9. ^ Boehm, Mike. "At the root of 'Dirty Blonde' " Los Angeles Times, March 5, 2004
  10. ^ Brantley, Ben. "Review. Dirty Blonde " The New York Times Theatre Reviews 1999-2000, (books.google.com) January 11, 2000, p.236
  11. ^ Sommer, Elyse. "Review. Dirty Blonde " curtainup.com, January 8, 2000

External links

  • Internet Broadway Database listing
  • New York Times review (subscription required)
  • Dirty Blonde at Samuel French

January 06, 2023
dirty, blonde, play, dirty, blonde, play, claudia, shear, play, broadway, broadway, 2000, involves, fans, west, discover, their, shared, passion, each, other, contents, background, productions, song, list, critical, reception, awards, honors, original, broadwa. Dirty Blonde is a play by Claudia Shear The play ran Off Broadway and on Broadway in 2000 It involves two fans of Mae West who discover their shared passion for her and for each other Contents 1 Background 2 Productions 3 Song list 4 Critical reception 5 Awards and honors 5 1 Original Broadway production 6 References 7 External linksBackground EditConceived by Shear and James Lapine and featuring songs from I m No Angel and She Done Him Wrong it explores the phenomenon of the legendary Mae West one of America s most enduring and controversial pop culture icons The play which draws its title from the West film quip I made myself platinum but I was born a dirty blonde 1 tells the story of Jo an office temp and aspiring actress and Charlie who works in the New York Public Library s film archives both lonely and obsessive West fans who meet at her grave and form a unique relationship as they swap stories about the career highlights and eventual decline into parody of the woman they worship Productions EditThe play premiered Off Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop on January 10 2000 running to February 13 2000 2 The play then opened on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre on May 1 2000 after previews from April 14 and closed on March 4 2001 after 352 performances The play was directed by James Lapine with Shear as Jo West and Kevin Chamberlin and Bob Stillman 3 4 Kathy Najimy replaced Shear on January 9 2001 Tom Riis Farrell replaced Chamberlin on July 6 2000 5 Najimy reprised her role at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego California in July to August 2003 along with original actors Chamberlin and Stillman 6 Shear played the role in London opening at the Duke of York s Theatre on June 16 2004 Kevin Chamberlin and Bob Stillman reprised their roles also 7 It has been produced in by regional theatres throughout the United States For example it ran in Chicago in 2011 at the BoHo Theatre 8 The play ran in Los Angeles at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2004 with Shear reprising her role 9 The play is one of the few in Broadway history to have its entire cast nominated for a Tony Award Song list Edit Dirty Blonde A Guy What Takes His Time Cuddle Up and Cling to Me I Found a New Way to Go to Town I m No Angel I Love It I Want You I Need You I Wonder Where My Easy Rider s Gone Oh My How We Pose Perfect Love Critical reception EditBen Brantley in his review for The New York Times of the Off Broadway production called it a beautifully written work with a shiver making pinnacle 10 The CurtainUp reviewer of the Off Broadway production wrote Dirty Blonde is very much a play in fact it has enough music including Bob Stillman s eponymous original song to be classified as a play with music The monologist has become a mature playwright The stand up comic has developed enough depth to render two engaging character portraits Her Mae may not be true blue West but she s caught the essence of the movie equivalent of Venice 11 Awards and honors EditSource PlaybillVault 4 Original Broadway production Edit Year Award ceremony Category Nominee Result2000 Tony Award Best Play NominatedBest Actress in a Play Claudia Shear NominatedBest Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play Bob Stillman NominatedKevin Chamberlin NominatedBest Direction of a Play James Lapine NominatedDrama Desk Award Outstanding Play Claudia Shear NominatedOutstanding Actress in a Play NominatedOutstanding Actor in a Play Kevin Chamberlin NominatedOutstanding Lighting Design David Lander NominatedTheatre World Award Theatre World Award WonReferences Edit Lazere Arthur Dirty Blinde Claudia Shear culturevulture net accessed May 3 2015 Dirty Blonde Listing Archived 2012 06 16 at the Wayback Machine lortel org accessed May 2 2015 McBride Murdoch Shear s Dirty Blonde Begins Bway Previews At Helen Hayes April 14 permanent dead link playbill com April 14 2000 a b Dirty Blonde Broadway Production and Awards Archived May 26 2015 at the Wayback Machine playbillvault com accessed May 2 2015 McBride Walter Kathy Najimy Steps Into Starring Role in Dirty Blonde Jan 9 playbill com January 9 2001 Hernandez Ernio Kathy Najimy Is Dirty Blonde with Kevin Chamberlin and Bob Stillman in CA July 20 Aug 30 playbill com July 20 2003 Inverne James Claudia Shear Makes London Debut with Dirty Blonde June 16 playbill com June 16 2004 Metz Nina Review Dirty Blonde provides just a peek at Mae West Chicago Tribune April 5 2011 Boehm Mike At the root of Dirty Blonde Los Angeles Times March 5 2004 Brantley Ben Review Dirty Blonde The New York Times Theatre Reviews 1999 2000 books google com January 11 2000 p 236 Sommer Elyse Review Dirty Blonde curtainup com January 8 2000External links EditInternet Broadway Database listing New York Times review subscription required Dirty Blonde at Samuel French Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dirty Blonde play amp oldid 937907749, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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