NEW ORLEANS, USA, 2009
"From the moment I first heard this wonderful music and read the powerful script, I knew I had to bring the show to the United States."
So said Maestro Dennis Assaf (Co-founder and Artistic Director of Jefferson Performing Arts Society) and it was through his passion and determination that the show received its United States premiere in March 2009.
This was an exciting and significant step forward in the musical's progress.
Staged at the Jefferson Performing Arts Centre in New Orleans, with a cast of twenty-one, an orchestra of fourteen and full sets and costumes, it was the grandest production to date.
See further down this page for more details about JPAS and Maestro Dennis Assaf.
The international cast were truly exceptional - with Broadway's Bart Shatto (Les Miserables, Civil War, Dracula, War Paint et al) and London West End's Lindsay Hamilton (Les Miserables, Evita, Showtune et al) brilliantly portraying the lead roles of Lawrence and Frieda.
The audience response was tremendous - with standing ovations and shouts of "more" every night.
This proved what the authors suspected, that their musical could be a big hit on both sides of the proverbial pond!
The production received the Marquee Theatre Award for Best Original Musical, as well as nominations for Best Actress in a Musical and Best Direction. The JPAS production also received a Storer Boome Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical and nominations for Best Musical, Best Musical Director, Best Actor and Best Actress.
Composer Glyn Bailey (right) accepts the New Orleans Marquee Theatre Award for Best Original Musical, from Jay Stanley.
“… given the highest rating of Four Claps.”
AL SHEA - Actor, Theatre & TV Critic
“... a wonderful and invigorating evening in the theatre! With a totally compelling treatment of the elusive character of D.H. Lawrence, the book and very appealing music offer vivid musical theatre - both entertaining and engaging. I predict its continuing success.”
ROBERT LYALL, General and Artistic Director, The New Orleans Opera Association
“... the score is as good, if not better, than just about anything playing on Broadway today ... a delightful evening of theatre that lifts Lawrence from the page and from stodgy surveys of British literature to bring him vividly to life ... an epic musical ...”
THEODORE P. MAHNE, Times Picayune, New Orleans
“This is among the very best musicals I have ever seen ... the show is a smash ... enchanting and compelling music.”
ALAN SMASON, Big Easy Theatre Committee, New Orleans
“I laughed and I cried. My emotions were pulled in every direction. It was nothing less than brilliant.
I hope to see this show go far.”
JACKIE BANKSTON, Entertainer
“A perfect looking-glass into the complex world of D.H. Lawrence, poignant and powerful, lyrical and satirical at all the right moments. The music illuminates its subject brilliantly. With every song, Glyn Bailey hits the mark ... over and over again!”
DR. RON BERMINGHAM, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Video highlights from New Orleans production
THE THEATAH
An Academic’s Love Affair with the Wicked Stage
In my last trip back to New Orleans for the ’09 Tennessee Williams Festival, my old friend Sallie and I attended a world premier try-out performance at the Jefferson Performing Arts Society. It was a new British/American musical venture that was headed, hopefully, for greener pastures in New York or London. Called Scandalous!, (previous title) it was based on the life of D. H. Lawrence with book by Bailey, Thomas, and Tuohy and music and lyrics by Glyn Bailey. (Co-incidentally, I was just reading a biography of Lawrence.) What a rich, exciting evening.
When I got home, I simply had to jot down my impressions (three pages worth) and send them off to British director Stephen Duckham. Though mostly laudatory, I did have some reactions and suggestions about characterization, use of slides and scenic effects, which I thought he might appreciate. That letter dispatched, memories of the evening have me pulling everything I own on D. H. Lawrence down off my shelves to read - as I keep a weather eye and ear out for news of the fortunes of this excellent production. DR JACK BROOKING
DENNIS G. ASSAF: JPAS co-founder/artistic director, conductor
Under Dennis G. Assaf's artistic vision and community leadership through JPAS, the cultural climate of Jefferson Parish was born in 1978.
In the ensuing years, Assaf has created educational outreach programmes for children and adults alike and introduced the Metro New Orleans community to stars from the world of the performing arts and literally from the world at large.
As well as his extensive work in the USA, he is a frequent guest conductor around the globe and has conducted with The Croatian National Theatre Opera Orchestra, Rijeka, Croatia; The Solisti dell’ Orchestra Filarmonica di Roma, Italy; The Cairo Symphony, Egypt; and The Orchestra Fiorentina da Camera of Florence, Italy.
Assaf holds a BME from Loyola University and a Master of Music in Conducting from the University of New Orleans.
He has studied at the prestigious Conductor's Institute, Westminster Choir College and the Conductor's Workshop with the Gregg Smith Singers.
Assaf’s entrepreneurial spirit and artistic vision are evident in his working relationship with other regional producers and cultural organisations that extend throughout the Gulf South Region. Each season JPAS tours several productions to venues throughout the state and the Gulf South.
Assaf also looks forward to expanding to new venues, exploring new works and collaborating with new artists. His passion to nurture and promote local creative talent was once again seen when Assaf appointed Glyn Bailey as Composer-in-Residence for Jefferson Performing Arts Society. Both Assaf and Bailey look forward to a continuing creative collaboration in the future, with several new works already in development.
The new Jefferson Performing Arts Centre on Airline Highway opened its doors in 2015 and JPAS is the resident company in this beautiful, brand new, state-of-the-art theatre. Assaf was the instigator and driving force behind the creation and actualisation of this project and over the years prior to its completion, he has raised millions of dollars towards the building costs. He looks forward to bringing first-class, ground-breaking entertainment to JPAS’s new home in the coming years and to continuing to bring the arts and cultural enrichment to the community as a whole.
JEFFERSON PERFORMING ARTS
Jefferson Performing Arts (JPAS) is a non-profit professional arts organisation whose mission is to promote arts performance, training, and outreach by providing a diverse range of quality programmes that entertain, educate and enrich the cultural and economic vitality of Jefferson Parish, Greater New Orleans and the Gulf South.
JPAS has rightfully earned the reputation as “Louisiana's Cultural Leader.”
One of the goals of JPAS is to be a “proving ground” for original works of musical theatre. Supporting that goal, JPAS co-founder/artistic director, Dennis G. Assaf, chose to include Scandalous! (previous title) in the organization's 2008-2009 season.
By producing this historic American Premiere in March 2009, JPAS has positioned itself for national recognition when the musical goes on to Broadway and further London success.
Maestro Assaf is a true believer in the unlimited potential of the show and sees JPAS’s continued involvement with the show as a valuable opportunity for the growth of the organisation’s outreach and the continued fulfilment of its mission.
Website: www.jpas.org