Mainstage Series to present “Victor/Victoria”

Fredonia, N.Y — April 14, 2008 — The upcoming Walter Gloor Mainstage Series production of “Victor/Victoria” will be a large undertaking in every sense of the word.

The show opens April 25 in Marvel Theatre and features a cast of 30, a crew of 40, a 26-person orchestra, a production and design crew of 16, nine different full sets — including a one that depicts two floors of a hotel — and 16 scene changes.

“It is a very large show,” said Dr. Jessica Hillman-McCord, who will be directing the Department of Theatre and Dance production. “It’s definitely a big undertaking. We have a large set, a large cast and a large crew. We have some very talented students here, and a show like this offers more of them an opportunity.”

Show dates and times for Victor/Victoria are April 25-26 at 8 p.m., April 27 at 2 p.m. and May 1-3 at 8 p.m. For tickets, call 1-866-441-4928 (or 716-673-3501), go online to the Ticket Office or visit the office in the Williams Center. 

The plot of “Victor/Victoria” centers around a struggling female singer in 1930s-era Paris who colludes with a struggling gay impresario to disguise herself as a male named Victor who entertains as a female impersonator known as Victoria – and as a result becomes the toast of Paris. Complications arise when a Chicago mobster sees the act and finds himself attracted to the star.

“Victor/Victoria” began as a 1982 musical comedy film starring Julie Andrews, James Garner and Robert Preston. Lesley Ann Warren, Alex Karras and John Rhys-Davies were also featured in the film. The screenplay was adapted by Blake Edwards (who also directed) and Hans Hoemburg from a 1933 German film titled “Viktor und Viktoria.”

In 1995, Edwards did another adaption, this time turning the show into a stage musical. The stage version features music by Henry Mancini and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. Julie Andrews again played the lead and the show ran on Broadway for 734 performances.

Hillman-McCord noted this is one of the early examples of a hit film being turned into a full Broadway production. “The show is different than the movie,” she said. “There is a lot more music in the stage version.”

The featured musical numbers will include “Le Jazz Hot,” “Crazy World” and “Paris by Night” from the score created by Mancini.

Hillman-McCord said the stage version is a farce that features the physical, “Pink Panther”-style comedy Edwards is known for.

Working with a production based upon a popular film — “Victor/Victoria” won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score and was nominated in several other categories — brings the challenge of meeting people’s vision of what the show should be. At the same time, one of the benefits is name recognition.

“People know and love the movie,” Hillman-McCord said. “It’s a funny film.”

The Mainstage production is sponsored by Midtown Realty as part of the Lake Shore Savings Season. Department of Theatre and Dance Chairman Stephen E. Rees said the department is very appreciative of the support from Midtown Realty, and previous Mainstage show sponsors M&T Bank, Coldwell Banker Phil Mathyer Real Estate and Niebel Realty, that has helped make the season a success.