‘Bandstand’ coming to Proctors Theatre this weekend
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. » It would not be too much of an exaggeration to call “Bandstand,” a cult musical.
The musical, which plays Proctors Theatre for three performances Friday and Saturday had a relatively short run of about 6 months on Broadway in 2017.
Since then, a film of the production has played 750 movie theaters throughout the country and this national tour has been mounted. This doesn’t normally happen to shows that were not blockbuster hits.
“Bandstand” is a show about six troubled soldiers returning home after World War II. They form a swing band to compete in a national contest and it begins to heal their wounds. Their singer is the widow of a comrade that was killed in battle. Obviously, though set in the mid-40s, this is a work that honors all veterans as it uses traditional music theater to show the difficulties of those who return from war - and it’s accomplished without pandering.
The work should have special interest to area audiences because one of the creators, Rob Taylor, is the co-lyricist and book writer. He was raised locally and was an important part of the local performing arts community.
Taylor, a prodigy who started playing the violin at 8 years of age, was a member of the Albany Symphony as a teenager. He attended Niskayuna High School and was a Union College graduate. He studied abroad, graduating from Holland’s Royal Conservatory and the University of Bonn. By the time he was in his midthirties, he was playing violin for St. Cecilia’s Chamber Orchestra in Troy, an organization he founded.
He was involved in local theater. He moved to New York City and for the past couple of decades, he has been a musician for several Broadway shows. Most notably, he was, for years, concertmaster for “The Lion King,” alternating between New York and Las Vegas.
Until last year, Taylor maintained a house in the Stockade section of Schenectady and is a frequent visitor to the area. His 94-year-old father, a World War II veteran, lives in Duanesburg and will attend Friday’s opening, as will Taylor.
He and his writing partner, Richard Oberacker, have written five musicals. All were highly regarded, and still alive in various stages of production, but only “Bandstand” has been on Broadway. They have just completed another show, “Bruce,” which also has Broadway potential. It has already been booked at two prestigious regional theaters for 2020 and the spring of 2021.
Both are noted for being launching pads for future Broadway productions. Taylor says he is not at liberty to discuss the show until the regional theaters announce their season in the coming weeks.
Since “Bandstand” closed, he’s been associated with several Broadway shows, including “Beetlejuice,” “Kiss Me Kate,” and “SpongeBob Square Pants.” Last weekend he was in Las Vegas, serving as concertmaster for the orchestra honoring Neil Diamond at a Las Vegas Keep Memories Alive, Power of Love Gala.
Taylor says he and Oberacker have made some “editorial adjustments” to “Bandstand” that he feels have really helped the pace of the show.
“We attended the very first preview of the tour and we were blown away. It’s amazing what a few minor changes can do to illuminate a show.” One thing he feels they accomplished is making the female lead more of a force in driving the show. “I think it’s important that ‘Bandstand’ give credit to strong women as well as to all our veterans who serve our country in war and peace.”
The Broadway production won a Tony Award for the choreography of Andy Blankenbuehler, who is also the director of the production. It was Blankenbuehler’s third win. The others were for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” and “In the Heights.”
Taylor was candid as he admitted he was skeptical about the touring production. He wondered if they would equal the talent of his Broadway team. He was especially concerned about them being able to master Blankenbuehler’s dances which feature swing, bebop, and jitterbug.
“I was so wrong,” he says. “This is a young cast, with amazing talent and unlimited energy.” He says this tour and cast validates what the creators discovered during the Broadway run. “This is not a nostalgia piece. Our most rabid fans were between high school age and those in their 30s. They really related to the characters, the music and they love the high-energy dancing.”
He laughed when I asked him if he felt seeing one of his creations at Proctors made him feel like a conquering hero returning home? A down-to-earth, humble man, Taylor answered, “I’m no hero. The heroes are the characters in the show and the actors who bring them to life. I’m proud of this show and happy that I can share it with the area I think of as home.”
“Bandstand” at Proctors Theatre, Schenectady. Performances 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday. For tickets, call 518-346-6204 or go to proctors.org