lli he story of
King David is
about to be told
in a new concert —
first on Broadway
and then through
. excerpts on a cast
recording.
Composer Alan
Menken and lyricist Tim Rice
originally intended to complete
the King David concert for the
Israeli celebration of the 3,000-
year anniversary of Jerusalem,
but logistical and scheduling ob-
stacles got in the way.
The two found a clearer path
in New York, where more than
100 singers and musicians in for-
mal wear will debut King David
with the reopening of the New
Amsterdam Theatre.
"More than any other musical
that I have ever done, this at-
tempts to capture a life,"
Menken said about the show
that runs for nine performances
May 15-23. "Yes, it is a specific
life, but it is everybody's life as
well.
"Just as King David achieved
greatness as a man and king
and suffered because of his great
dreams, we all have great
dreams and great accom-
plishments and prices to
pay for them.
"We start with Saul as
king and David as just a
shepherd boy and go all the
way to the death of David
and the succession of
Solomon."
This concert event will
be the third collaboration
of Menken and Rice. They
have worked together on
Beauty and the Beast for
the stage and Aladdin for
animated film.
"King David is not writ-
ten for children," said
Menken, 47. "I think that
children who love musicals
may get a lot from this, but
it is really an adult expe-
rience. It's important to
make a distinction between
what is in this and what is
in Beauty and the Beast.
"One of the big themes
we're emphasizing is suc-
cession — David succeed-
ing Saul, Solomon suc-
ceeding David and Absa-
lom trying to succeed
David."
To gain insight into
David's life, Menken and
Rice read about their sub-
ject, who ruled Israel for 40
years, united the tribes of
Israel, made Jerusalem
their capital and authored
the Psalms.
The writing team visited
Israel to speak with bibli-
cal scholars, discussing
what is literal in the Bible

ri

poser explained. "Mu-
and what can be inter-
sic always raises the
preted differently.
stakes. The emotions
"As a composer, I did
that people normally
not have to do extensive
feel or should feel are
research," Menken
heightened.
said. "It became an in-
"Music can take a
ternal development
situation that makes
process."
people feel emotional
As the score devel-
and put them over the
oped, the composer cap-
edge into tears or
tured Semitic melodies
laughter. Both as a
that at times sound
Jewish person and
Mideastern and at oth-
simply as a person, I
er times sound like
find the emotions in
songs heard in syna-
the story of David very
gogues. There are mo-
powerful.
ments when the music
'There are the emo-
becomes rock 'n' roll
tions of father and son
and other instances
as well as husband
when the classics are
and lover. A lot of
recalled.
what is very emotion-
Mideastern-sounding
al and tragic is the sto-
instruments add to the
ry of Saul; his love and
authenticity, particu-
support shown toward
larly during the por-
David contain the
tions interpretive of
seeds of his own de-
David's playing the
struction."
lyre. They are part of an
King David is being
orchestra twice the size Alan Menken: King David is about "a specific life, but it is
directed by Mike Ock-
of the ones usually ap everybody's life as well."
rent, whose previous
pearing in a Broadway
will play a pretty big role in the credits include Crazy for You,
house.
`The sound of the instruments telling of the story," the com- Me and My Girl and Big. But

-

this time, there will not be the
usual play form, and there will
not be scenery and costumes of
ancient times.
Taking the role of David is
Marcus Lovett, who recently
portrayed the title character in
The Phantom of the Opera. He
also has appeared in Aspects of
Love, Carousel and Les Miser-
ables.
"The character of Joab func-
tions somewhat as a narrator,"
Menken explained. "He talks di-
rectly to the audience at some
points in the musical much in
the same way that the charac-
ter of Che Guevara talks to the
audience in Evita."
Stephen Bogardus, who plays
Joab, was recently seen in the
Tony Award-winning play Love!
Valour! Compassion! and por-
trayed Whizzer in Falsettos.
The producers of King David
are not looking for an extended
run at the Amsterdam Theatre.
The next show opening at the re-
furbished Disney-owned venue
will be a stage version of the an-
imated film The Lion King.
"While I'm sure The Lion King
will be an absolutely spectacu-
lar extravaganza and a wonder-
ful musical, I also think it's great
for the theater to open with a se-
rious production that has a clas-
sical nature," Menken said.
"King David is as close to clas-
sical as I've gotten."

❑

King David runs for nine
performances May 15-23 at
the New Amsterdam Theatre
in New York. For informa-
tion, call (800) 755- 4000.

Cast members from King David
gather at the New Amsterdam
Theatre: (from-left) Stephen
Bogardus (Joab), Alice Ripley, Peter
Samuel, Marcus Lovett (David),
Roger Bad, Judy Kuhn and Martin
Vidnovic.