Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon is the world's longest-running musical revue. The show began its run in 1974, at the Savoy Tivoli and has since moved to the larger Club Fugazi in the North Beach district of San Francisco.
The show was created by Steve Silver (1944-1995) and continues under the direction of his widow, Jo Schuman Silver, with frequent changes and spoofs of pop and political culture. Performers wear disproportionately large hats/wigs and gaudy costumes while performing satirical renditions of popular songs.
Video Beach Blanket Babylon
Plot summary
Beach Blanket Babylon follows Snow White as she takes a fast-paced journey around the world in search of her "Prince Charming." Along the way she encounters a large group of figures from popular culture, who together perform satirical songs. Figures lampooned include politicians and political figures from the San Francisco, California and U.S. governments, film and television stars, famous singers and athletes, and others who have been in the news. Also present are long-running characters such as Glinda the Good Witch, Mr. Peanut, Louis XIV, Oprah Winfrey, James Brown, Tina Turner, Carmen Miranda, Elvis Presley, a band of dancing French Poodles, and Snow White's tour guide, a female narrator who takes on several incarnations from an Italian pizza lady to a cowgirl. A song parodying Peggy Lee's "I'm A Woman, W.O.M.A.N." sung by a man in drag as Caitlyn Jenner was added to the show in 2015.
Maps Beach Blanket Babylon
Reviews
The show was described as "A constant cascade of showstoppers" by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2010.
Awards and accolades
In 1996, the 600 block of Green Street, between Columbus Avenue and Powell Street, was renamed "Beach Blanket Babylon Boulevard" in honor of Steve Silver.
Current cast
Current production team
Former cast and alumni
- Brent Holland, 1984-1990 1998-2000,(performer) - Originated the role of King Louis
- Michael Benbrook, 1986-1993 (performer) - King Louis XIV
- Nancy Bleiweiss, 1974-1977 (performer) - Carmen Miranda, Opera divas, Glinda the Good Witch
- Roberta Bleiweiss, 1974-1977 (performer)
- John Bush, 1980-1981 (Performer)
- Val Diamond, 1979-2009 (performer) - Alexis Carrington Colby, Gidget, Mahatma Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth II, Jewish mother, Marie Antoinette, French whore, "San Francisco" Finale Chanteuse
- Glenda Glayzer, 1975-1979 (performer)
- Alan Greenspan, 1978- Hat-Maker (Finale Hats Creator/Executor, Special Effects, Props)
- Teresa Leonard, 1980-1981 (performer)
- Chris March, 1990-2000? (costume/hat/wig designer; performer) - Elizabeth Taylor, Wonder Woman, Monica Lewinsky
- Ellyn Marie Marsh, 2002-2003 (performer) - Barbra Streisand, Britney Spears, Hillary Clinton, Pineapple Princess
- Armistead Maupin, 1974 (writer)
- Tony Michaels, 1974 (performer) - Beach Blanket Babylon at Club Olympus
- Tony Michaels, 1975-1978 (performer) - Beach Blanket Babylon Goes Bananas!
- Skye Dee Miles
- Shoni Mero (performer) Hillary Clinton
- Robin Murray stage manager 1980-1988
- Jeff Robertson, 1980-1981 (performer)
- Rick Roemer, 1977-1979 (performer) - Beach Blanket Bablyon Goes to the Stars!
- Jill Shutt, 1989-1992 (Val Diamond's understudy)
- Ledisi Young, 1990-2001 (performer)
- Jeffrey Scott Adair 1988-1989 (performer, hat maker)
Tours
Two tours were produced, in London and Las Vegas, in celebration of Beach Blanket's 20th and 25th anniversaries. The show also has a smaller touring cast that caters primarily to corporate events and parties around the world.
London:
- Val Diamond
- Doug Magpiong
- Tony Stroh
- Erica Wyman
- Dana Adkins
- Tony Tripoli
- Renee Lubin
- Cristina VanValkenburg
- Lisa Burnett Bossi
- Stirland Martin
- Kenny Mazlow
Las Vegas:
- Jeffrey Scott Adair (performer)
- Shelley Werk (performer)
- David Reynolds (performer)
- Kenny Mazlow (performer)
- John Paul Almon (performer)
- Robin Cohen (performer)
- Patrick Reese (performer)
- Richard Pardini (performer)
- Robert Hempstead (performer)
- Janice Sands (performer)
- Joan Benson (performer)
- Stuart May (performer)
- Wanda Houston (performer)
- Sylvia MacCalla (performer)
- Holly Vonk (performer)
- Clay Adkins (performer)
- Jacqui Marshall (performer)
- Diane Ellis (performer)
- Richie Sacks (performer)
Beach Blanket Babylon, London, Restaurant
Not to be confused with the unrelated Beach Blanket Babylon, a Notting Hill, London, Restaurant.
References
External links
- Beach Blanket Babylon Official Website
- San Francisco Chronicle Review - 4/29/2010
- Early Video
- "Savoy Tivoli". vimeo.com. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- "Snow's Turn Penny Hamilton". vimeo.com. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- "New York Ending". vimeo.com. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- "Happy Trails". vimeo.com. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- "Up the Lazy River Phil Tobus". vimeo.com. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- "As Time Goes By Steve Scott 1979". vimeo.com. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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