Two small-town kids from the middle of nowhere became the biggest folk heroes in all America. They craved adventure—and each other. Their names were Bonnie and Clyde.
LAURA OSNES (Grease, Anything Goes) and JEREMY JORDAN (Newsies, West Side Story) star as the 20th century’s most infamous duo, as the daring story of love and crime that captured the imagination of a country takes aim at a whole new generation.
Featuring music by Tony® nominee Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde), lyrics by Tony® and Oscar® winner Don Black (Sunset Boulevard), a book by Emmy® Award nominee Ivan Menchell and direction by Tony® nominee Jeff Calhoun (Newsies) this sexy new musical has claimed the Schoenfeld Theatre as its hideout. And after stealing hearts—and rave reviews—from the La Jolla Playhouse to the Asolo Rep, there may just be no stopping BONNIE & CLYDE.
You’ve read the story of Jesse James,
of how he lived and died.
If you’re still in need
Of something to read,
Here’s the story of Bonnie and Clyde.
Bonnie Parker, 1934
These gifted performers are given songs that dip into bluegrass or country, gospel or rock, not to mention that ubiquitous Wildhorn favorite, the blustery power ballad. But the composer and lyricist show little flair for marrying story with song. And while several of them are catchy, the numbers mostly remain derivative pseudo-pop, too often regurgitating the same ideas. That and the superficial book drain the blood from what should be a dynamic story of fugitive lovers on a date with death.
Boy meets girl on a deserted road in Depression-era West Dallas, and sooner than you can say 'Warren Beatty,' they're rolling in the hay -- or rather, the dust. Seeing as how his name is Clyde and hers is Bonnie, the eventual outcome is no surprise here, and indeed the dead-end story trajectory grows burdensome, as does the fact that unschooled white-trash gunslingers generally aren't loquacious enough to steal the spotlight. For all that, three exciting performances and a better-than-usual score from Frank Wildhorn combine to make this an arresting if problematic new musical.
2009 | New York |
Roundabout Reading New York |
2009 | Regional (US) |
La Jolla Playhouse World Premiere Regional (US) |
2010 | Regional (US) |
Asolo Repertory Theatre Regional (US) |
2011 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Melissa van der Schyff |
2012 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lyrics | Don Black |
2012 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music | Frank Wildhorn |
2012 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Musical | 0 |
2012 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | John McDaniel |
2012 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Jeremy Jordan |
2012 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Melissa Van Der Schyff |
2012 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | 0 |
2012 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | 0 |
2012 | Theatre World Awards | Outstanding Debut Performance | Jeremy Jordan |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | Frank Wildhorn |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | Don Black |
2012 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical | Laura Osnes |
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