''Platinum'' is a musical with a book by

Will Holt Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...

and

Bruce Vilanch Bruce Gerald Vilanch (born November 23, 1948) is an American comedy writer, songwriter and actor. He is a two-time Emmy Award-winner. Vilanch is best known to the public for his four-year stint on ''Hollywood Squares'', as a celebrity participan ...

, music by

Gary William Friedman Gary William Friedman is an American musical theatre, symphonic, film and television composer. His career began in the 1960s in New York City as a saxophonist in an improvisational ensemble and as a composer for experimental theater. Friedman's ...

, and lyrics by Holt. Set in a Hollywood recording studio, it centers on Lila Halliday, a star of 1940s and 1950s movie musicals who is attempting a comeback. In the process, she falls for a young rock star named Dan Danger.

Production history

''Platinum'' was originally titled ''Sunset'' when it had its world premiere in 1977 at the Studio Arena Theater in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...

. The production, with a book by Louis LaRusso II, was directed by

Tommy Tune Thomas James Tune (born February 28, 1939) is an American actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, producer, and choreographer. Over the course of his career, he has won ten Tony Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and a star on the Hollywood Wal ...

. When the musical evolved into ''Platinum'' and moved to

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

, only the songwriters, Alexis Smith,

Lisa Mordente Lisa Mordente (born July 30, 1958) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Born in the Long Island village of New Hyde Park, to choreographer and television director Tony Mordente and actress/dancer Chita Rivera (her birth postponed her mot ...

, and ensemble member Christine Faith remained with the production. Directed and choreographed by

Joe Layton Joe Layton (May 3, 1931 – May 5, 1994) was an American director and choreographer known primarily for his work on Broadway.Dunning, Jennifer. (9 May 1994). Page B7.'Joe Layton, Choreographer And Director, Is Dead at 64' Obituary. New York Ti ...

, the Broadway production of ''Platinum'' opened on November 12, 1978, at the

Mark Hellinger Theatre The Mark Hellinger Theatre (formerly the 51st Street Theatre and the Hollywood Theatre) is a church (building), church building at 237 West 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, which forme ...

, where it closed on December 10, 1978, after 33 performances and 12 previews. Despite its short run, it garnered

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

nominations for Smith and Richard Cox and Drama Desk Award nominations for Cox and Mordente. (A revised version of the original ''Sunset'' was presented off-Broadway at the

Village Gate The Village Gate was a nightclub at the corner of Thompson and Bleecker Streets in Greenwich Village, New York. Art D'Lugoff opened the club in 1958, on the ground floor and basement of 160 Bleecker Street. The large 1896 Chicago School structu ...

in November 1983. Starring

Tammy Grimes Tammy Lee Grimes (January 30, 1934 – October 30, 2016) was an American film and stage actress. Grimes won two Tony Awards in her career, the first for originating the role of Molly Tobin in the musical '' The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' and the ...

and directed by Andre Ernotte it closed after one performance and 13 previews.) In August 2010, a revised version of ''Platinum'' developed by UnsungMusicalsCo. Inc. played the

New York International Fringe Festival The New York International Fringe Festival, or FringeNYC, was a fringe theater festival and one of the largest multi-arts events in North America. It took place over the course of a few weeks in October, spread on more than 20 stages across sev ...

. It was directed by Ben West with choreography by Rommy Sandhu.

1984 Village Gate NYC production

;Musical Numbers * Living on Sunset * Nothing But * The Funky * Destiny * Back With a Beat * Standing In Need * Rock is My Way of Life * Sunset Dreams * Dan's Rap * Cheap Chablis * Bug On The Windshield Of Life * 1945 * Retreat * I Am The Light * Moments * Old Times, Good Times * This One's for Me ;Cast * Lila Halliday -

* Danger Dan -

Kim Milford Richard Kim Milford (February 7, 1951 – June 16, 1988), known professionally as Kim Milford, was an American actor, singer-songwriter, and composer. He was known for his stage acting in musicals such as ''The Rocky Horror Show'' and ''Jesu ...

* Marta Gibson -

Ronee Blakley Ronee Sue Blakley (born August 24, 1945) is an American actress, singer-songwriter, composer, producer and director. She is perhaps best known for her role as the fictional country superstar Barbara Jean in Robert Altman's 1975 film ''Nashville ...

* Jamie - Walt Hunter

1978 Broadway production

;Musical Numbers ;Act One * Back With a Beat/Nothing But * Sunset * Ride Baby Ride * Destiny * Disco Destiny * I Am the Light * Movie Star Mansion ;Act Two * Platinum Dreams * Trials and Tribulations/I Like You * 1945 * Too Many Mirrors * Old Times, Good Times ;Cast * Lila Halliday - Alexis Smith * Dan Danger - Richard Cox * Crystal Mason -

* Jeff Leff - Stanley Kamel * Schultz - Tony Schultz * Snake - Ronnie B. Baker * Minky/Alan Fairmont - Jonathan Freeman * Boris - John Hammil * Avery - Avery Sommers * Robin - Robin Grean * Wenndy - Wenndy Leigh Mackenzie * Christine - Christine Faith * Damita -

Damita Jo Freeman Damita Jo Freeman is an American dancer and actress, who started her career on the TV show ''Soul Train''. In 1973 Freeman became a featured dancer on ''Soul Train'' after only her second appearance on the show, when Joe Tex Yusuf Hazziez (bo ...

1977 world premiere production

;Musical Numbers * Sunset City * Nothing But * Back With a Beat * Rock is My Way of Life * Destiny * Disco Destiny * Waltz * Retreat * Moments * Montage * Trials and Tribulations/I Like You * True Music * Retreat (Reprise) * Good Time Song * Finale ;Cast * Lila Halliday - Alexis Smith * Randy Gold - Buddy Vest * Crystal Newcomb -

* Jamie Bradbury - Bill Starr * DJ Rollins - Ronald Perlman * Twin - Yolanda Ray Raven * Twin - Terry Rieser * Session Singer - Cheryl Alexander * Session Singer - Christine Faith * Session Singer - Diva Gray

Awards and nominations

;1978 Tony Award nominations * Best Actress – Alexis Smith * Best Featured Actor – Richard Cox ;1978 Drama Desk Award nominations * Best Featured Actress – Lisa Mordente * Best Featured Actor – Richard Cox

1978 critical reception

Douglas Watt, reviewing in the '' New York Daily News'' said the musical was "full of electricity and sends you into the night charged up." ''Platinum'' was "the first big fat hit" of the Broadway season, and Smith was "vibrant and smashing looking." He singled out the songs "Destiny" and "Movie Star Mansion." In all, the show was "a triumphant piece of musical staging" that achieved "pure excitement."

Martin Gottfried Martin Gottfried (October 9, 1933 – March 6, 2014) was an American critic, columnist and author. He was born in Brooklyn, New York. Biography Early career Gottfried was a 1959 graduate of Columbia College in New York City, and attended Columb ...

called Friedman's music, "excellent - melodic, ambitious, ingenious, and decidedly theatrical", and Holt's lyrics "clean and crafty." On the flip side,

Walter Kerr Walter Francis Kerr (July 8, 1913 – October 9, 1996) was an American writer and Broadway theatre critic. He also was the writer, lyricist, and/or director of several Broadway plays and musicals as well as the author of several books, genera ...

said, "I have a feeling that if ''Platinum'' could just get rid of its book, its songs, its microphones and its almost arrogantly messy setting, it would be light miles ahead."

Contemporary Literary Critique

In his 2015 reference compilation ''The Complete Book Of 1970's Broadway Musicals'', author Dan Dietz said that the lyrics by Will Holt and the Music by Gary William Friedman "offered an array of clever and melodic songs, and their ''Platinum'' score is one of the most underrated of the era."Dietz, Dan, ''The Complete Book of 1970's Broadway Musicals''. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers 2015. , p. 416

Notes

References

* Mandelbaum, Ken, ''Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops''. St. Martin's Press 1991. * Suskin, Steven, ''More Opening Nights on Broadway: A Critical Quotebook Of The Musical Theatre from 1965 Through 1981''. Schirmer Books 1997. * Mordden, Ethan, ''One More Kiss: The Broadway Musical in the 1970s''. Palgrave Macmillan 2004. * ''Sunset'' ''Playbill'', Studio Arena Theatre, Buffalo, New York, 1977

External links

*
Gary William Friedman official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Platinum 1978 musicals Broadway musicals