The Right Girl, a new musical based on the real-life story of former screenwriter Louisette Geiss and the sexual harassment by Harvey Weinstein, who she believes has ended her film career (and is co-written by her), will be presented live in a film version Audience for the first time next month. The production features music by eleven-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Susan Stroman.
The filmed performance will be shown on Sunday, November 1st at the Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. For the first time the musical is seen by the public.
Geiss, a former actress who went public a few years ago with her report on Weinstein masturbating while the two were meeting in his Sundance Film Festival office, ostensibly to discuss her hopes for the script, wrote the book for the new musical with Howard Kagan and the lyrics with Warren and Kagan.
Related story
Harvey Weinstein met new sexual assault charges from LA County DA; Already imprisoned producer has been behind bars for 140 years if found guilty
In the production’s official synopsis, The Right Girl is described as the story of “Eleanor Stark”, whose “entire life has led to this moment: her first day as Chief Creative Officer of the legendary film studio Ambrosia Productions. As Eleanor has stood side by side with the most respected men in the business at the top of her game for years, we learn that one of them has molested women all along. What role does she play in the history of Hollywood’s most closely guarded secret? “
“The right girl”
Courtesy photo
Kagan said in a statement: “Although the story is fictionalized, almost all dialogue, text and situations came directly from these contributors and publicly reported stories. Our goal from day one has been to expand and honor these women stories and encourage audiences to help them change the world. “
The Right Girl’s cast includes Alysha Umphress, Jenna Ushkowitz, Tony Yazbeck, Heath Calvert, Steve Rosen, recently Tony nominee Robyn Hurder (Merle Dandridge, Polly Baird, Jessica Bishop, and Jim) Borstelmann, Joshua Buscher, Richard Gatta, Leah Hoffmann, Jolina Javier, Donald Jones Jr., Bryonha Marie, Sarah Ann Masse, Anthony Wayne and Cory Lingner.
“Creating this musical in the last two years has been cathartic,” said Geiss. “The creative team was made up of more than twenty of my fellow survivors, women who are the victims of about a dozen different men in the entertainment industry. So far, only parts of their stories have been told in the press. By presenting these women’s stories in their own words in a fun format like musical theater, we hope they appeal to an even wider audience and empower other survivors to express themselves.
“I worked hard to regain my creative spirit,” continued Geiss, “and to let the audience see my work. I’m especially grateful to all of the women who came to us as contributors and told us their stories and who will share in the financial success of this show when tickets go on sale. “
The Barrington audience will be invited industry professionals and members of the general public.
Goat
Courtesy photo
According to Geiss, her screenwriting career ended in 2008 after she was sexually molested by Weinstein. Geiss went public in 2017 and joined dozens of other Weinstein prosecutors with their report on an incident in which the then Miramax boss invited them to his Sundance office to discuss their new script, but then undressed and closed them began to masturbate. Geiss fled the room.
According to the creative team, the new musical had planned a live theater premiere before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Had it not been for the pandemic, we would have planned this show to premier off Broadway or a regional theater,” said Kagan. “When the world changed in March, we changed course to rehearse and film this live theatrical performance in a way that everyone involved was safe, socially distant, and we all had the opportunity to work in the theater industry we love . “
Barrington Stage has upgraded its 520-seat theater with socially distant seating for 160 people, improved audience flow by removing every other row, new ventilation and a filter system with MERV-13 filters. According to theater officials, all theater air is cleaned after every performance, and masks are required for all staff and spectators. The theater will be redeveloped with electrostatic sprayers, disinfectant sprays, and wipes, and a scheduled post-film feedback session with the creative team will position the speakers at least 12 feet from the audience.
Barrington Artistic Director Julianne Boyd called the event “the first new American musical in front of a live indoor audience since the pandemic began.”
“We have been ready to welcome the audience back safely since the summer,” said Boyd. “After the state of Massachusetts and its citizens gained some control over the spread of viruses, the state moved to Phase 3 / Step 2 of.” Reopening and we can open our beautiful indoor theater and safely gather to enjoy this great American art form as a community again. “
Warren, whose 11 Oscar nominations include her songs for RBG, The Hunting Ground and Pearl Harbor, said, “Live theater allows us to laugh, cry and examine unpleasant messages that are important to them to hear while we manage to chat. I’ve always believed that anything worth saying is worth singing. Musical theater is the perfect medium to tell this story and I love that the audience will experience it with my songs. I am so grateful to be working on such important subjects and to have joined this creative team to mark my debut as a writer in this art form. “
Stroman said, “Whenever you’re doing a piece, big or small, there comes a time when you need to see it in front of a live audience. This is the only way this strange, wonderful art form works. Barrington Stage helped us create a scenario where we can do just that and we couldn’t be more excited. “
The right girl will be featured at the Barrington Stage Company on Sunday, November 1st at 2 p.m. ET.
Comments are closed.