"The midsummer night's moon smiles on foolish lovers in "A Little Night Music," Goodspeed Musicals' final offering of the year. Audiences are likely to smile just as luminously at this elegant production, which continues through Dec. 16 at the Goodspeed Opera House."
 

"Brad Little brings Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm to the edge of hyperbolic narcissism. Blessed with a Robert Goulet-like voice, Little is also a strong enough actor to put over his transition from comically loathsome chauvinist to faithful husband."
 
 

Michael P. Price has been in no hurry to mount a Goodspeed production of Stephen Sondheim's 1973 "A Little Night Music," a musical that has already established itself as a classic worldwide. But some things are worth waiting for: The finesse of this delicately passionate production significantly enhances Goodspeed's stature. Particularly in act two, director Darko Tresnjak reveals something Harold Prince didn't in his otherwise incomparable original Broadway production -- heart.

"A Little Night Music" is by no means easy to mount, especially on the Goodspeed's small stage. All the more credit to Tresnjak, his cast and the design team he often works with, and to Peggy Hickey, whose choreography is more deftly dove-tailed movement than actual dance.
 

Amanda Naughton is all elegance as embittered Countess Charlotte, and Brad Little is aptly tall, big-voiced and pea-brained as her two-timing husband.

Throughout, Sondheim's ravishing score continues to amaze while his lyrics are, of course, word perfect.
 

By MALCOLM JOHNSON
The Hartford Courant
October 15, 2001
 

"The military man, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, is described as having a brain of pea-size, and sings ragingly of his suspicions in "In Praise of Women." "

"As the Count, Brad Little sings with operatic power, and comes across as every inch the weapons-happy, womanizing officer, though Cho has given him a too silly uniform."

Darko Tresnjak Directs Stephen Sondheim’s A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

Enjoy a weekend in the country when Goodspeed Musicals presents Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award-winning musical A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn., September 28 ­ December 16. The original Broadway production collected six Tony Awards in 1973, including best book by Hugh Wheeler and score, featuring Sondheim’s Grammy Award-winning “Send in the Clowns.”

Based on Ingmar Bergman’s film “Smiles of a Summer Night,” A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC is set in Sweden at the turn of the century. A stylish celebration of romantic love, this delightful musical comedy concerns three mismatched couples whose lives intersect during a weekend holiday. Desiree Armfeldt, an actress, is seeing Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, who is married to Charlotte Malcolm but catches Desiree with her former lover Fredrik Egerman. Fredrik is married to the still-virginal Anne, who is half his age and is the object of affection of his son Henrik, a divinity student. Desiree makes plans to keep Fredrik in her life, but romantic chaos ensues when the group of lovers meet at Madame Armfeldt’s country home.

Goodspeed’s production will be directed by Darko Tresnjak. His work as a director has been acclaimed in both theatre and opera venues. Earlier this year, he directed ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD at Long Wharf Theatre and previously at Williamstown Theatre Festival. Recent opera credits include the American Premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov’s MAY NIGHT, LA TRAVIATA and THE FLYING DUTCHMAN. Mr. Tresnjak grew up in Yugoslavia, the United States and Poland and is a recipient of an N.E.A. New Forms Grant, two Individual Artist Fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and a Boris Sagal Directing Fellowship from the Williamstown Theatre Festival.

Peggy Hickey, recipient of the Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Choreography of Goodspeed’s BRIGADOON and ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, will choreograph. In addition to many musicals and operas, Hickey choreographed Beck’s music video “New Pollution,” winning an MTV Award, “The Brady Bunch Movie,” and several episodes for ABC’s daytime drama “General Hospital.”

John Herrera, who appeared on Broadway in THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, 1776, EVITA, GREASE, CAMELOT (revival with Richard Burton) and most recently TOM SAWYER, will star as Fredrik Egerman. Kristin Huxhold will play Anne, directly from the Broadway cast of LES MISERABLES where she understudied and performed the role of Cosette. Desiree Armfeldt will be played by Leslie Denniston, who has appeared in a variety of Broadway shows, including CITY OF ANGELS, TO GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE WE GO, HAPPY NEW YEAR, COPPERFIELD and SHENANDOAH.

Other principal cast members include Nora Blackall (Stonington, CT), who appeared in Broadway’s THE SOUND OF MUSIC and Goodspeed’s 20th Anniversary Production of ANNIE, as Fredrika Armfeldt; the role of Petra will be played by Lisa Brescia, who appeared in Broadway’s revival of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and Goodspeed’s BRIGADOON; Madame Armfeldt will be played by M’el Dowd, whose Broadway credits include CAMELOT, SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH, AMBASSADOR and NOT NOW DARLING; Joe Farrell (Redding, CT), who appeared in the national tour of TITANIC, as Henrik Egerman; Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm will be played by Brad Little, who appeared in Broadway’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA; and Amanda Naughton as Countess Charlotte Malcolm. The cast of 18 also includes José “Chach” Francisco, Eric Grundy (Groton, CT), Cristin J. Hubbard (Goodspeed’s MAN OF LA MANCHA), T. Doyle Leverett, Stephanie Lynge, Greg Roderick (Goodspeed’s BRIGADOON), Matt Stokes, Jennifer Sharon Taylor (Goodspeed’s GEORGE M!, BRIGADOON) and Melanie Vaughan (Goodspeed’s BRIGADOON).

The musical supervisor for A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC is Michael O’Flaherty, with musical direction and orchestration by Christopher Jahnke, sets by David Gordon, costumes by Linda Cho, and lighting by Christopher Landy. A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC is produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price.

Goodspeed Musicals is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theatre, producing six musicals each season at the historic Goodspeed Opera House and The Norma Terris Theatre, opened in Chester, Conn., in 1984 for the development of new musicals. In addition to its onstage productions, Goodspeed also maintains the Library of Musical Theatre and publishes SHOW MUSIC, The Musical Theatre Magazine. A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC is sponsored by The Hartford. Goodspeed gratefully acknowledges the support of media sponsor WFSB-TV3 and American Airlines, the official airline of Goodspeed Musicals.

The cast of Goodspeed Musicals' upcoming revival of A Little Night Music includes M'el Dowd as Madame Armfeldt, John Herrera as Fredrik and Leslie Denniston as Desiree, Playbill On-Line has learned.

Darko Tresnjak's staging of the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler musical at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT, Sept. 28-Dec. 16, will also feature Nora Blackall as Fredrika, Joe Farrell as Henrik, Kristin Huxhold as Anne, Lisa Brescia as Petra, Brad Little as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm and Amanda Naughton as Countess Charlotte Malcolm.

The rarified 1973 tuner has a score in variations of three-quarter time, as lovers circle one another and ruminate about the foolishness of love. The musical is drawn from Ingmar Bergman's film, "Smiles of a Summer Night," and is set in Sweden.

The cast also includes T. Doyle Leverett as Mr. Lindquist, Stephanie Lynge as Mrs. Nordstrom, Cristin J. Hubbard as Mrs. Anderson, Greg Roderick as Mr. Erlanson, Melanie Vaughan as Mrs. Segstrom, Jennifer Sharon Taylor as Ossa, Matt Stokes as Frid and Jose Francisco as Bertrand.

Little has played Raoul in Broadway's The Phantom of the Opera, Herrera appeared on Broadway in the recent 1776 revival and was Tony Award-nommed for The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Naughton appeared on TV's "Remember WENN" and recently in Off-Broadway's Mr. President. Huxhold toured in Titanic and appeared in the Broadway ensemble of Les Miserables. Denniston appeared twice as Anna in the St. Louis Muny's The King and I, and in City of Angels in Broadway. Brescia appeared as a disciple in the recent Broadway Jesus Christ Superstar.

A Little Night Music won six Tony Awards in 1973, including Best Book and Best Score. The show produced "Send in the Clowns."

For information about Goodspeed Musicals, call (860) 873 8668.