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1.10.2006 DATEBOOK Section D

Darryl Bush / The Chronicle Lestat, sung by Hugh Panaro, prepares to sink his teeth into Louis (Jim Stanek) in “Lestat,” at the Curran Theatre. The musical is scheduled to run on Broadway in the spring.

REVIEW K The vampire Lestat has settled in San Francisco. Lestat: Musical. And he’s singing in a new musical. Quick! Book by Linda Woolverton, adapted from Anne Rice’s “The Someone fetch the garlic and a wooden stake! Vampire Chronicles.” Music by Elton By Robert Hurwitt In “Lestat,” Elton John Palace Theatre. The world-premiere run at the Cur- John. Lyrics by Chronicle Theater Critic ran is a shakedown cruise, after all. But “Lestat” has Bernie Taupin. Directed by and Bernie Taupin have combined been in previews since Dec. 17, during which one Robert Jess The creatures of Anne Rice’s “The Vampire major supporting actor has been dismissed and pre- Roth. (Through Chronicles” have survived many things — fire, fam- their talents for a toothless act. sumably other changes have been made. It needs Jan. 29. Curran ine, dismemberment, even a couple of regrettable much more work. Theatre, 445 Hollywood movies. Whether they can survive “Les- Part of the problem may be the source. “Lestat” Geary St., San tat,” the Broadway-bound musical at the Curran “Lestat” was put together by director Robert Jess is adapted from the first two books of “The Vampire Francisco. Two Theatre, is more open to question. Roth, who staged Disney’s first theatrical venture, Chronicles” — 1976’s “Interview With the Vam- hours, 40 Didactic, disjointed, oddly miscast, confusingly “Beauty and the Beast,” now in its 12th year on pire” and 1985’s “The Vampire Lestat” — which minutes. Tickets designed and floundering in an almost unrelenting- Broadway. Linda Woolverton, who wrote the book, offer very different, often conflicting versions of $30-$90. Call (415) ly saccharine score by Elton John, “Lestat” opened adapted “Beauty” from her own Disney screenplay. three key characters. Woolverton and lyricist Bernie 512-7770 or Sunday as the latest ill-conceived Broadway hopeful John, who composed the score for Disney’s ani- Taupin, John’s longtime pop song collaborator, visit www.shnsf. in the Best of Broadway series (following on the mated hit “The Lion King,” did the same for the have to make those characters consistent and create com). heels of “Lennon” and “Mambo Kings”). It’s the vapid Disney musical “Aida.” But where “Aida” can a unified tone for the narrative. They’re also busy — first stage production of the new Warner Bros. The- be enjoyed for its excessive bad taste, “Lestat,” for very busy — trying to cram as many incidents and atre Ventures, and if that sounds as if Bugs Bunny’s the most part, is simply not quite undead. as much information from both books into one company is trying to follow in the footsteps of There may still be time to breathe some life into libretto as possible. Mickey Mouse, it’s no accident. it before its scheduled April opening at New York’s 1 “LESTAT”: Page D3

Pleased to meet you, Mr. Capote — You can call me Ms. Naive

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of Truman Capote has gener- ated renewed interest in the eccentric writer. Hoffman has received many honors so far, including a nomination for a Golden Globe (the awards show is next Monday). Below is a reminiscence of Ca- pote by Laura Deutsch, a Mill Valley writer who interviewed Ca- pote in his New York City apartment when she was an intern with Mademoiselle magazine in 1968.

By Laura Deutsch gay man or woman. Special to The Chronicle Fresh from a year in Europe, I was Daisy Miller Innocent Abroad, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art “I look like a tough little bitch back home. I didn’t get that I was “Multiple Grotto,” a sculpture by Olafur Eliasson in that one.” Truman Capote talking to one of the greatest writ- acquired by SFMOMA, allows viewers to enter it. cocks his head, flips his hand over ers of my time. In fact, I was a bit his shoulder and points to his full- disappointed because I’d been length oil portrait. It hangs adja- looking forward to interviewing cent to a wall of windows over- John Lindsay, New York’s hand- SFMOMA’s new acquisitions looking Manhattan south. some star mayor, on his way to I was a nice Bryn Mawr girl great things. Lindsay had canceled; on view — one from the inside (in 1968 we weren’t called wom- Capote pinch-hit. I was young and en), unprepared for this out- knew nothing. The San Francisco Museum of burst, let alone his oddity. Ca- If I were interviewing Capote Modern Art has purchased two Kenneth Baker pote was a miniature man com- today, I’d be aware of his brilliance important contemporary art- pared to the lanky guest editors and breadth, from “Breakfast at works, extending a strong run of Art Notes from Mademoiselle magazine, Tiffany’s” to “In Cold Blood.” I’d collection building that, though it five college girls, bright, ener- be familiar with his background, has slowed, stretches back a de- A spiky sphere, 15 feet in diam- getic, with questions prepared. might ask how being abandoned cade. The museum characteristi- eter, composed of what look like I took in his mannerisms and by parents and left with eccentric cally refuses to discuss the cost of rosettes of slightly truncated stain- speech — theatrical, sardonic. elderly cousins affected his deci- the acquisitions, though each less steel tail fins, “Multiple Grot- Thirty-seven years later, Phil- sion to be a writer, his choice of would probably have a six-figure to” stands open at one side. The ip Seymour Hoffman is a material. Or maybe not. His sharp retail price. viewer who enters it sees glowing, dead ringer for the baby- sibilant tongue, whether slicing “Multiple Grotto” (2004), an translucent polyhedrons in every voiced author. himself or others, was evident enterable stainless steel sculpture direction. The light that enters In the ’70s, I moved to San 1 CAPOTE: Page D3 by Olafur Eliasson, foreshadows each tailfin through the small Francisco, where a waiter the survey show — his first in the opening at its end ricochets with cherry-red lipstick and Philip Seymour Hoffman: United States — that SFMOMA among the form’s reflective interi- Carmen Miranda earrings City Arts & Lectures appearance will devote to the Scandinavian or surfaces, generating the illu- served me dinner on Castro hosted by Roy Eisenhardt, with film artist in 2007. Visitors can see the sion of a radiant, faceted solid. As was the first gay man or woman Street. But before that one- clips. 8 p.m. Jan. 19 at Davies Sym- piece on the fifth floor, among a the shapes of the tail fins and their Truman Capote hour visit with Capote, I phony Hall, San Francisco. Tickets: new rotation of works from the apertures vary, so do the shapes of one young interviewer had knowingly met. had never knowingly met a $25. (415) 392-4400, cityarts.net. permanent collection. 1 ART NOTES: Page D2