FREE ONLINE ANNIVERSARY EVENT
ON MARCH 8 INCLUDES SONDHEIM
Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins premiered Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons on December 18, 1990, and closed on February 16, 1991, after 73 performances. With sharp characters and fabulous songs, the simple premise has nine people who have tried to kill or who actually have killed an American president try to persuade us of his or her higher purpose. It is an entertainment — in the bygone sense of revues and follies built around specialty acts — and a state fair/carnival atmosphere prevails. But the dark material — even as it can be bitingly funny — contains a lack of narrative surprise and the material didn’t offer many true insights into the minds of those who dream of killing a president, so it ends up feeling more like a series of sketches.
But what an entertainment! Rightfully, from regional and Broadway to The West End, the show keeps being produced, especially due to Sondheim’s numbers, with sticky tunes and clever, eviscerating lyrics. These more than make up for Weidman’s problematic book, which albeit has great moments. This historical “revusical” explores the dark side of the American experience, especially relevant right now. From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, Sondheim and Weidman bend the rules of time and space, taking viewers on a nightmarish roller coaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and inspire each other to harrowing acts in the name of a warped version of the American Dream.
STEPHEN SONDHEIM.
Now Patrick Cassidy, who originated the role of the Balladeer, has organized a star-studded 30-year reunion of the original cast and creative team of the now Tony Award-winning musical (Best Revival). The free online event will take place on Monday, March 8, 2021, at 7pm CST, as part of the “Studio Tenn Talks: Conversations with Patrick Cassidy” series. It will be available at www.studiotenntalks.com, a professional regional theatre company based in Franklin, Tennessee where Cassidy is Artistic Director.
ASSASSINS ORIGINAL CAST, 1991.
Original cast members Cassidy, Victor Garber, Greg Germann, Annie Golden, Lyn Greene, Jonathan Hadary, Eddie Korbich, Terrence Mann, Debra Monk, William Parry and Lee Wilkof will join Sondheim and Weidman, director Jerry Zaks, musical director Paul Gemignani, and orchestrator Michael Starobin, among others. They will share how the show was created and provide behind-the-scenes stories of the first production, as well as rarely seen clips and photos.
PATRICK CASSIDY.
“The original cast of Assassins was the most talented and celebrated team I have ever been a part of, and to have everyone back in one forum for the first time is almost beyond imagination,” said Cassidy. “Having Steve and John discuss the vision behind the story, which is very relevant even 30 years later, will provide fans a very unique experience. The cast will offer personal, probably never-heard, stories from the production, and several of us will even perform songs.”
Cassidy, the son of Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy, hosts the Studio Tenn Talks. In its inaugural season, the show featured exclusive interviews with acclaimed performing artists from Broadway, film, and music such as Kristin Chenoweth, Norm Lewis, Patti LuPone, and John Doyle, whose planned 2020 Off-Broadway production of Assassins was cancelled due to COVID-19 (but it’s coming back). The series is streamed live on Studio Tenn’s Facebook and YouTube pages on Mondays at 7, and all episodes can be found at their YouTube page.
Past Episodes:
Episode 1: Rex Smith
Episode 2: Susan Egan
Episode 3: Adam Pascal
Episode 4: Emily Skinner
Episode 5: Jason Danieley
Episode 6: Joely Fisher
Episode 7: Scott Ellis
Episode 8: Mike Isaacson
Episode 9: Norm Lewis
Episode 10: Karen Ziemba
Episode 11: Ken Page
Episode 12: Victor Garber & Paul Vasterling
Episode 13: Branden and James & Denice Hicks
Episode 14: Treat Williams & Becki Baker
Episode 15: Kelly O’Hara & Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva
Episode 16: Jason Alexander & Ernie Nolan
Episode 17: Gary Cole & Nancy Allen
Episode 18: Adam Pascal
Episode 19: Jake Speck & Matt Logan
Episode 20: Looking Back On Our First 20 Weeks!
Episode 21: Patti Lupone & Jennifer Turner
Episode 22: Chita Rivera, Lisa Mordente, & Casey Hebbel
Episode 23: Debbie Gibson & Drew Ogle
Episode 24: Michael Feinstein
Episode 25: Adam Guettel
Episode 26: Judy Kuhn
Episode 27: Goldrich & Heisler and Michael Ingersoll
Episode 28: Phil McKinley & Kenny Dozier
Episode 29: Michael Riedel
Episode 30: Melora Hardin
Episode 31: Thanksgiving Special
Episode 32: Patti LuPone (Replay)
Episode 33: STE Recital Show
Episode 34: Jason Alexander (Replay)
Episode 35: Patrick Joins Jim Caruso’s Pajama Pants Party
Episode 36: Kristin Chenoweth
Episode 37: Norm Lewis
Episode 38: John Stamos
Episode 39: Susan Egan & Sierra Boggess
Upcoming Episodes:
3/1 – Jenny Powers & Matt Cavenaugh
3/8 – Assassins Original Cast Reunion
3/15 – Studio Tenn Talks Dance
3/22 – John Doyle
3/29 – Shoshana Bean
