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SPIN OF THE WHEEL


Musical with music and lyrics by Geoff Morrow and book by Timothy Prager.

Palace Theatre Watford
Opened 11 March 1987
Closed [date unknown]

Comedy Theatre London
Previewed 2 April 1987
Opened 7 April 1987
Closed 2 May 1987

Spin of the Wheel is the extraordinary musical saga of Janie Jones and her search for the answer; the nebish Chester and his search for love, and the disgustingly sleazy Game Show host Danny Lemon, and his search for cash.
In a bigger than average American City, Horatio Daly presents the almost adequate Game Show, Spin of the Wheel. Not surprisingly, the show is in danger of being pulled of the air due to its ever shrinking viewing audience.
The prospect of unemployment has tweaked the anxiety of the Show's staff. The writers, Sammy and Louie and the key production personnel, Ralph and Jacko desperately try to remain sane. This is difficult.
The Game Show's hostess, Regina, prepares for a career on posters or at least as a newsreader. And the show's host, Danny Lemon, the kind of man our parents warned us about, remains oblivious to his falling popularity and looks to even more visible and meatier opportunities on Dynasty...


Cast
Danny LemonNEIL McCAUL
Janie JonesMARIA FRIEDMAN
ChesterTEDDY KEMPNER
ReginaERIN DONOVAN
Ralph DylanMATT ZIMMERMAN
Sammy ClassJEREMY SINDEN
Louie Marder/
Horatio Daly's Voice
RAYMOND BRODY
Jack O'NeilSTEPHEN HOYE
DoloresSUSIE FENWICK
Hiram RossDOUGLAS ANDERSON
RandyMARK HEENEHAN

Production Team
DirectorTIMOTHY PRAGER
DesignerGERALD HOWLAND
OrchestrationsDAVID FIRMAN
Musical StagingPETER WALKER
LightingMARK HENDERSON
SoundRICK CLARKE
VideoMARK HUFFINGTON

Musical Numbers
ACT ONE 
Spin Of The WheelDanny
That's A Long StoryJanie
It's Only A Game ShowDanny, Ralph, Sammy, Jacko, Louie
He Likes The GirlDanny, Ralph, Sammy, Jacko, Louie
LuckyChester, Janie
What Would You Do Without Me?Regina, Danny
One More PostcardChester
He Loves The GirlDanny, Ralph, Sammy, Jacko, Louie
Life Is Aa Citrus TreeJanie
Life Is A CarouselChester
The Largest Known ButterflyCompany
Lucky (reprise)Janie
Life Is (reprise)Chester
He Hates The GirlDanny
ACT TWO 
Minding The StoreChester
Dirty WorkDanny, Ralph, Sammy, Jacko, Louie, Chester
IfDanny, Regina
When I Came Out Of The CellarJanie
The Largest Known Butterfly (reprise)Company
What Would You Do With Me? (reprise)Janie, Regina
Imagine ThisSammy
IfDanny, Janie
That's A Long Story (reprise)Chester
Lucky (reprise)Chester
Daly Is The NameChester, Janie

Pictures


Quotes From The Press

"...This musical is fortunate in having in Maria Friedman, as Janie, an actress with a bright, vacuous charm of a Goldie Hawn who can brighten a stage even when she is up to her neck in fatuity..." Multon Shulam, The London Evening Standard (8 April 1987)

"...The plot deals with dumb blonde Janie Jones who is manipulated then discarded by the commercial sponsors of a quiz game show. The part recalls the invincible innocence and sublime daffiness of Judy Holliday whom the splendid Maria Friedman here occasionally resembles - with a dash of Goldie Hawn and a belting mellifluous way with the songs thrown in..." Martin Hoyle, The Financial Times (8 April 1987)

"...The satire Spin of the Wheel is so bland that the show is virtually indistinguishable from the ghastly world of TV light entertainment which is its subject... Maria Friedman brings an agreeable singing voice to the role of Janie..." Charles Osborne, The Daily Telegraph (9 April 1987)

"...Maria Friedman, a delightful actress with a great voice..." Lester Middlehurst, Today (10 April 1987)


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