The Scarlet Pimpernel
COMPOSER - Frank Wildhorn
LYRICIST AND LIBRETTIST - Nan Knighton
Synopsis:
Paris, 1794. The French Revolution has reached its bloody climax and “Madame Guillotine” is in full force. The beautiful actress, Marguerite St Just, marries the dashing Sir Percy Blakeney after a whirlwind romance and travels with him to England. However, their wedding night is interrupted by news of Marguerite’s indirect involvement in the execution of Blakeney’s friend, the Marquis de St. Cyr. Fearing that his new wife might be a French spy, Percy resolves to rescue as many innocent men and women from the guillotine as he can. Disguising himself as the heroic Scarlet Pimpernel and recruiting a select group of friends to assist him, Percy travels to and from France, carrying out increasingly daring rescue missions. Meanwhile Chauvelin, a prominent member of the Revolutionaries, is determined to catch and unmask the elusive Pimpernel. He blackmails Marguerite (who is his former lover) and uses her and her brother, Armand, as bait. His plan reaches a climactic showdown as Chauvelin and Percy finally come face to face in the ultimate sword fight. Despite facing his death at the hands of “Madame Guillotine”, Percy manages to outwit Chauvelin one final time.
Broadway Premiere:
THEATRE - Minskoff Theatre, Neil Simon Theatre
OPENING NIGHT - Nov 9, 1997
TOTAL PERFORMANCES - 772
ORIGINAL CAST - Christine Andreas, Terrence Mann, Douglas Sills, Eric Bennyhoff, Bill Bowers, Pamela Burrell, Gilles Chiasson, Dave Clemmons, David Cromwell, R. F. Daley, Ed Dixon, James Dybas, William Thomas Evans, Allen Fitzpatrick, Jeff Gardner, Philip Hoffman, Marine Jahan, James Judy, Ken Labey, Adam Pelty, Sandy Rosenberg, Ron Sharpe, Tim Shew, Elizabeth Ward
DIRECTOR - Peter Hunt
CHOREOGRAPHER - Adam Pelty
PRODUCERS - Pierre Cossette, Bill Haber, Hallmark Entertainment, Ted Forstmann and Kathleen Raitt
MUSICAL DIRECTOR - Ron Melrose
ORCHESTRATIONS - Kim Scharnberg
SCENIC DESIGN - Andrew Jackness
COSTUME DESIGN - Jane Greenwood
LIGHTING DESIGN - Natasha Katz
SOUND DESIGN - Karl Richardson
“A lavish musical, blazing with adventure and bursting with resplendent music.”
“You will love it! Wow!”
Awards:
1998 Tony Award Nominations: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Actor in a Musical - Douglas Sills
1998 Drama Desk Award Nominations: Outstanding Actor in a Musical - Douglas Sills, Outstanding Music
1998 Theatre World Award Nominations: Douglas Sills