Biography of James Cagney
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Book by Music and Lyrics by Arrangements by Peter Colley Robert Creighton and Christopher McGovern Christopher McGovern Spotlight September 20 - October 5, 2019 Cagney follows the life of the 20th-century movie star James on Learning Cagney—from the streets of New York to his song-and-dance vaudeville tour; a Pioneer Theatre Company from his time as a Hollywood tough guy to his testimony before the House Classroom Companion Committee of Un-American Activities; from his USO tours to accepting a Lifetime Achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild. Pioneer Theatre Company’s Student Matinee Program is made possible theatres outside of Toronto). New through the support of Salt Lake Director’s Note dances (Josh). Riverside Theatre in County’s Zoo, Arts and Parks Program, By Bill Castellino Vero Beach, Florida (2010). With each Salt Lake City Arts Council/Arts Learn- opportunity, we rethought, reimagined, ing Program, The Simmons Family It was not a dark and stormy night, it restaged, rewrote, rewrote, rewrote. Foundation, The Meldrum Foundation was a dark and stormy, soaked-to-the- Endowment Fund, George Q. Morris bone mid-morning. I asked Jim Morgan to have a look: Foundation, and R. Harold Burton Cagney premiered off-Broadway (2015) Foundation. We—Bobby [Creighton], Peter [Colley], at the York Theatre. Rewrite. Riki Kane Chris [McGovern] and I—had an outline Larimer moved us across town to the and an empty white board. I picked West Side Theater (2016); there, we up a dry marker and asked, “What is played for 15 months. In 2017: four this play about?” Pause. Discussion. weeks in Los Angeles (half a mile from I wrote on the board: Self-identity v. Warner Brothers Studios). public-identity. We spent a rainy week digging into James Cagney’s past, For a decade, the audience appre- union organizers, last century New ciated, applauded, and awarded our York, politics, corny jokes, idol makers, efforts. movie stars, the studio system, tap shoes, gangsters, facts, guesses and Then we dared to consider our idea George M. Cohan. worthy of the Broadway stage. Provocative… especially when talking Karen Azenberg invited us to Pioneer about a humble vaudevillian (who Theatre Company to explore that no- shoulda been a boxer) turned world-re- tion… our lucky day! Here, we double nowned Oscar winner. Attending this our cast (from six to twelve), grow our brainstorm (it was raining outside): a physical production (to suit this formi- gifted actor obsessed with an ambi- dable stage), and continue to refine tious idea, an experienced playwright (more rewrites!) our uniquely American committed to thorough research, a story of an underdog, patriot, sing- Approx. running time: theatre composer devoted to sol- ing-and-dancing, tough guy. 2:30 hours, which includes one id structure and true rhymes, and a fifteen-minute intermission. director/dramaturg specialized in new There is no way to measure my musicals. gratitude for the many miracles that Student Talk-Back: bring Cagney to Salt Lake City. From Location? Palm Beach where Lou Tyrell rain-soaked Florida to dry-moun- There will be a Student Talk- asked us to be part of the 2009 Florida tained Utah, I heartily exclaim Back directly after the Stage Season. Cagney played to sold thanks to all our miracle workers! performance. out houses and won the Carbonelle Award for Best New Work. Rewrite. On to Drayton (a circuit of seasonal Tap Terms Ball Change: Weight alternates on the balls of the feet. Ball Heel: The ball strikes the floor and the heel is dropped. other roles, and received good Biography reviews, before getting the lead Barrel Roll: in the 1929 play Penny Arcade. This is a 360-degree turn of the After rave reviews, Jack Warner body while the arms are extend- of James —of Warner Brothers—signed ed in a “windmill.” him for an initial $500-a-week, Brush: Cagney three-week contract to reprise his role; this was quickly extend- Standing on one leg, sweep the James Francis Cagney Jr. (July ed to a seven-year contract. opposite leg forward or back- 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was ward from the hip striking the an American actor and dancer, Cagney’s seventh film, The Pub- ball of the foot. both on stage and in film. Known lic Enemy, became one of the Double Irish: for his consistently energetic most influential gangster mov- A shuffle-hop-step then a shuf- performances, distinctive vocal ies of the period. Notable for a fle-ball-change—done in that style, and deadpan comic tim- famous scene in which Cagney particular order. ing, he won acclaim and major pushes a grapefruit against Mae awards for a wide variety of per- Clarke’s face, the film thrust him Flap: formances. He is best remem- into the spotlight. He became A quick brush step to the front. bered for playing tough guys in one of Hollywood’s leading stars Strike forward to the floor, then films such as The Public Enemy and one of Warner Brothers’ step forward and put weight on (1931), Taxi! (1932), Angels with biggest contracts. In 1938, he re- the working foot. Usually done Dirty Faces (1938), The Roaring ceived his first Academy Award forward but can be done in oth- Twenties (1939) and White Heat for Best Actor nomination for er directions as well. (1949), finding himself typecast his subtle portrayal of the tough Heel (drop): or limited by this reputation guy/man-child Rocky Sullivan in Standing on the balls of one or earlier in his career. In 1999, the Angels with Dirty Faces. In 1942, both feet, “drop” the heel on the American Film Institute ranked Cagney won the Oscar for his floor, with or without change of him eighth among its list of energetic portrayal of George M. weight. greatest male stars of the Gold- Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy. en Age of Hollywood. He was nominated a third time Hop: in 1955 for Love Me or Leave Standing on one foot, jump up In his first professional acting Me. Cagney retired from acting and land on the same foot. performance in 1919, Cagney and dancing in 1961 to spend Shuffle: was costumed as a woman time on his farm with his family. when he danced in the chorus He came out of retirement 20 Combine two brushes, one for- line of the revue “Every Sailor.” years later for a part in the mov- ward and one backward. He spent several years in vaude- ie Ragtime (1981), mainly to aid Step: ville as a dancer and comedian, his recovery from a stroke. Place the ball of the foot on the until he got his first major acting floor with a change of weight. part in 1925. He landed several Page 2 The House Committee on Un-American Activities In 1938, the HCUA was created to investigate alleged disloyalty and rebellion on the part of pri- vate citizens, public employees, and organizations suspected of having communist ties. It was chaired by Martin Dies, Jr., a Senator from Texas. Under him, The Golden Age of Hollywood the HCUA was known as the The “Golden Age” of American film refers roughly to the period Dies Committee. (Pronounced between 1930 and 1960, or a span of time in which movies were the “deez.”) most popular form of entertainment and studios produced dozens of movies per year. The HCUA is recognized mainly for the hundreds of subpoenas Major figures of the “Golden Age” include Charlie Chaplin, James issued to Americans during Cagney, Bettie Davis, and Marilyn Monroe. Famous directors from the Second Red Scare. At that the era are D.W. Griffiths, Orson Welles (who wrote, directed, and time—the 1950s—the commit- starred in Citizen Kane at age 25), and the master of thriller Alfred tee was led by Senator Joseph Hitchcock. McCarthy. The term “McCarthy- In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked James Cagney eighth ism” came out of this era, a word among its list of greatest male stars of the Golden Age of Holly- meaning “the practice of making wood. Orson Welles said of Cagney, "[he was] maybe the greatest accusations of subversion or actor who ever appeared in front of a camera.” treason without proper regard for evidence.” A historical drama called The Crucible, by Arthur Vaudeville Miller, was inspired by McCarthy Vaudeville was a form of variety entertainment born in France in the and the HCUA. late 18th century and remaining popular through the early 20th cen- tury. A typical American vaudeville show consisted of music, dance, Cagney was accused of sup- comedy, trained animals, magicians, ventriloquists, strongmen, male porting communism in 1934 and and female impersonators, acrobats, jugglers, and one-act plays again in 1940, and was called or scenes from plays, athletes, lecturing celebrities (such as Mark before the Dies Committee. Twain), minstrels, and movies. A vaudeville performer is referred to The accusations stemmed from as a “vaudevillian.” his donation to striking cotton workers in California. No criminal For decades, vaudeville was regarded as the heart of American charges were brought against entertainment. Cagney. A few of the best known vaudevillians are: the magician Harry Hou- dini; the comedy duo Abbot and Costello (who famously performed the act “Who’s on First?”); the dancer and actress Gypsy Rose Lee; the Marx Brothers comedy team; and the actor/singer/comedian/ social commentator Will Rogers. Page 3 OUR EQUITY CAST BILL CASTELLINO (Director) has directed world premieres of Cagney, Soulmates, Great Divorce, Grumpy Old Men, Christmas in Hell, Jolson, Dr. Radio, Lizzie Borden, Heartbeats, I Spy a Spy, Presidents, and more. He has been with Cagney since the beginning.