A TASTE OF CHAMPAGNE: THE MUSICALS OF LERNER
AND LOEWE

Sheryl Flatow

DESCRIPTION: From the mid-1940’s to the mid-1960’s – the so-called Golden Age of the Broadway musical – this country’s finest composers and lyricists wrote a few dozen shows that are now considered classics. Among the most successful contributors were the team of Alan Jay Lerner (book and lyrics) and Frederick Loewe, who wrote two of the greatest Cinderella stories ever, My Fair Lady and the movie musical Gigi. Their other most notable musicals, Camelot and Brigadoon, delved into legend and fantasy. Camelot, of course, took on a legend of its own, as it became and remains closely associated with John F. Kennedy. Using video of Lerner & Loewe’s shows and films, including rarely seen footage, this lecture will examine all four of these works and share behind-the-scenes stories. Along the way,we will also explore the lives of Lerner & Loewe.

FOUR LECTURES:

1. Brigadoon
   
2. My Fair Lady
   
3. Gigi
   
4. Camelot

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Sheryl Flatow has written about theatre and dance for more than 30-years. She curated major exhibitions in San Francisco on Stephen Sondheim, Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin, George Balanchine, and several others. She has led pre-performance talks; moderated panel discussions on theatre and dance; and conducted public interviews with leading figures in the arts, including Patti LuPone, Barbara Cook, Natalia Makarova and Judith Jamison. She also wrote the CD liner notes for Into the Woods and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway.