Theater News

Dead Again: Lestat to Close on May 28

Hugh Panaro in Lestat
(Photo © Paul Kolnik)
Hugh Panaro in Lestat
(Photo © Paul Kolnik)

The Broadway musical Lestat will close on Sunday, May 28. At that time, it will have have played 33 previews and 39 regular performances.

Inspired by the vampire novels of Anne Rice, the critically reviled production features the first theatrical score by the pop songwriting duo of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Lestat‘s creative team also includes book writer Linda Woolverton and director Robert Jess Roth. Heading the cast are Hugh Panaro in the title role; Carolee Carmello, who received a Tony Award nomination for her performance as Gabrielle; Drew Sarich as Armand; Jim Stanek as Louis; Roderick Hill as Nicolas; and Allison Fischer as Claudia. The show has scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Susan Hilferty (who also received a Tony nomination for her work on the production), lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Jonathan Deans, visual concept design by Dave McKean, and hair design by Tom Watson.

In his review of the show for TheaterMania, Peter Filichia wrote, “Is it too late for Elton John and Bernie Taupin to join the BMI-Lehman Engel workshop? They didn’t know that, for the moments when the action of their musical shifts to Paris or New Orleans, they needn’t have written songs that list the charms of those cities. Taupin may have eclipsed the Bingo folks as the creator of this season’s most seriously misrhymed and misaccented lyrics. John’s music comes off better, but what’s passable in the theater won’t get many spins on a CD player.”

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Lestat

Closed: May 28, 2006