Footlight honors Kleban with 'A Class Act'

A theater historian once said, "There are no great unknown musicals. If they were great, we'd all know them."

However, the musical "A Class Act" may be an exception to this axiom.

A memorial to the life of lyricist and composer Ed Kleban, who won the Tony Award in 1976 for his lyrics to "A Chorus Line," this musical contains stunningly complex and memorable songs that explain why Kleban was such a frustrated composer despite high honors for his lyrics.

Wrapping up the Footlight Players' season, "A Class Act" opens Friday, which, coincidentally, is the same day as Kleban's birthday.

After his death from cancer in 1987 at age 48, Kleban's friends decided to show that the lyricist was more than just a one-hit wonder and that he deserved recognition for composing the music and lyrics to nearly a dozen shows that never gleamed before the footlights.

A former Broadway dancer, Robert Ivey says he chose to direct this show because, "I have personally been there and felt the pain, the joy, the disappointment and the elation of those who create Broadway musicals; I'm so happy to direct this show."

To showcase the publicly unperformed songs, Linda Kline and Lonny Price blended fact and fiction for "A Class Act." Listening to Kleban sing on his cassette tapes, they noticed he was always writing about himself, as in "Better," a comic song that Stephen Sondheim placed on his list of 100 songs he wished he had written.

After Kleban's friends strived for six years to concoct a libretto for pre-existing songs, they and others produced the show in 2001 at The Ambassador Theatre on Broadway, where my husband and I saw it one snowy evening.

One of the show's main fictional characters is Sophie, created as Kleban's soulmate and as an amalgam of several of his friends. Playing Sophie is Elizabeth Ferraro, who notes another coincidence: She graduated from the theater program at Wagner College in New York, as did actress Randy Graff, who originated the part of Sophie on Broadway.

"I'm amazed I had never heard of any of these songs before," says Ferraro. "They are so terrifically beautiful and insightful, especially 'The Next Best Thing to Love,' which I sing."

She adds, "I believe Ed resembled a lot of creative people: very talented, very inventive and slightly insane."

After a breakdown in college, Kleban spent time in a mental hospital, where he composed the number "One More Beautiful Song," which he played on a hospital piano for Sophie when she visits him.

Asked by Michael Bennett to write the lyrics for "A Chorus Line," at first Kleban had a difficult time collaborating with composer Marvin Hamlisch. However, they eventually worked together to help the show win the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for drama.

Portraying Lucy as Kleban's best friend and then lover is Caroline Boegel, who explains, "Lucy is a Broadway dancer who aspires to be a songwriter. She and Kleban met when they were young in a songwriting workshop, and she encouraged him in his work for the rest of his life."

A theater major from the University of Georgia, Boegel says her most difficult number is "Broadway Boogie Woogie."

"It's a song and dance solo, and it's very hard to belt out those high notes while dancing," she says. "I guess I should start doing what Frank Sinatra did to increase his lung capacity: run and sing at the same time!"

Serving as music director for her first Footlight production is pianist Marsha Goldsmith, who moved here from Annapolis, where she taught music and was music director for community and professional theaters. She says she relishes working with her daughter, singer Jennifer Goldsmith Morlan, who portrays Felicia in "A Class Act."

Ivey notes that one reason Kleban's friends were so determined to carry out their arduous, ambitious mission was because Ed once remarked: "Words and music. I love them. Especially what happens when you put them together and sing them in a large building, as part of a play with a lot of people listening, who have all paid a great deal to get in."

In the role of Kleban is Robbie Thomas. Other cast members are Katie Koehler, Terry Terranova and Antonio Nappo.

"A Class Act" will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, continuing May 6-8 and 13-15, with 3 p.m. matinees May 9 and 16 at the Footlight Players, 20 Queen St. Tickets are $30 general admission, $25 for senior citizens and $15 for students. For tickets, call 722-4487, visit www.etix.com or purchase at the door.

Reach Dottie Ashley at dottieashley@gmail.com.