Country, Country/rock musicals??

Joel Newman · Post by **Joel Newman** » 9 Dec 2005 8:27 am

I did a search and came up with only one, "best little whorehouse". I was just curious, does anyone know of any other country oriented musicals out there? Thanks in advance . . . .

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 9 Dec 2005 9:38 am

There are two Patsy Cline-based musicals - "Just a Closer Walk With...", and the ubiquitus "Always - Patsy Cline".

The playwright of 'Always - PC' (Ted Swindley) also wrote 'Honky Tonk Angels' - that one is fun to play, even if it hasn't proved quite as popular as his 'Patsy' show.

"Stand By Your Man" is a well-written Tammy Wynnette 'bio'; it's controlled by the Goodspeed Theatre Co in CT, but has had little exposure so far. It did open at the Ryman after a short run at the Flatrock Playhouse, NC, but I've yet to hear of another run of the show.

Then, of course, there are a couple of Hank Williams stories out there - 'Lost Highway' seems to be the best known.

Back in the late '70s, the writers of 'The Rocky Horror Show' produced a similar venture loosely based on the Tarzan story. It was called "T-Zee", and there's a steel guitar 'chair' in that show - I know, 'cause I played its first (and only?) run at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 1976.

Roger R.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 9 Dec 2005 10:23 am

OK, Roger, I'm dying to know what kind of steel parts are in a "tarzan" show. Details?

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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 9 Dec 2005 2:35 pm

Mark, I can barely remember any of it, but it was pretty bizarre! There was at least one monumental gliss that I had to play as Our Hero swung from one fake tree to another, but actual melodies escape me after all this time (maybe there weren't any!)....

Bear in mind that 1976 was the height of the Great Country-Rock Scare, and those Rocky Horror guys figured that my talents were an essential - and topical - ingredient. The public, however, thought differently, and stayed away in droves.

We had some 'star power', too, with singer Paul Nicholas, and a fine actor, Warren Humphries, in his finest loin-cloth. (No flying monkeys, though

)

Oddly enough, I had an e-mail not long ago from a guy who was researching the show for a web-site; he asked for any memories I might have had, but, as you've just read, they're fairly sparse....

RR

Joel Newman · Post by **Joel Newman** » 10 Dec 2005 8:53 am

Thanks Roger, I had no idea they even existed . . . <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Joel Newman on 10 December 2005 at 08:53 AM.]</p></FONT>