Le monde des musicals

Buddy is of course the story of one of popular music’s leading lights who despite only having been famous for eighteen months of his life, had a great influence on many subsequent music legends, such as Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Jeremy Spencer and of course Don McLean, who wrote his classic song ‘American Pie’ about the day Holly, Ritchie Valens and JP ‘The Big Bopper’ Richardson were killed in a plane crash.
Buddy Holly was only 23 when he died, yet his prolific recording career meant that he was still promoted by Coral records as an active artist, with his last original album ‘Giant’ being released a whole ten years after his death. For over fifty years, Buddy Holly has maintained a faithful and ardent following which goes some way to explain the success of Buddy.

The West End production, with Paul Hipp as Holly and directed by Rob Bettinson, opened on October 12, 1989, at the Victoria Palace Theatre, where it remained for six years before transferring to the Strand Theatre. It ran for another six years and five months for a total of more than 5,000 performances, making it one of the longest-running musicals in London history. The West End London revival opened on August 3, 2007, at The Duchess Theatre where it continues to run. This version, directed again by Rob Bettinson, is scaled down from its previous incarnations

1 Buddy peut-être considéré comme un juke-box musical autour de la musique de Buddy Holly

Early productions )
The West End production, with Paul Hipp as Holly and directed by Rob Bettinson, opened on 12 October 1989, at the Victoria Palace Theatre, where it remained for six years before transferring to the Strand Theatre.[1] It ran for another six years and five months for a total of more than 5,000 performances until 3 March 2002, making it one of the longest-running musicals in London history. Later in the run, Chip Esten played Holly.
Two London cast albums were released, an original cast recording in 1989, and a live recording made during a performance at the Strand Theatre in 1995. Both were released on the First Night label.[2].
After a Toronto tryout and 15 previews, the Broadway production, also directed by Bettinson and starring Hipp, opened on November 4, 1990, at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 225 performances. Jill Hennessey played a number of roles, including Holly's wife Maria Elena.

Subsequent productions
The cast of Buddy in Pacific Repertory Theatre's San Francisco production
The show has also toured extensively throughout the UK and U.S.A., as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Holland, Finland, Ireland, Japan, and Singapore.[3] A 27-city U.S. tour was mounted in 2000, and tours were mounted in the UK in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011.[4]
A U.S. West Coast production, directed by Stephen Moorer and starring Travis Poelle, opened on June 6, 2003, at the Golden Bough Playhouse in Carmel, California, moving to San Jose on August 13, playing at the San Jose Stage. The success of the production led to a revival, beginning on June 8, 2004, at the Post St. Theatre in San Francisco, garnering positive reviews[5] and Bay Area Critics' awards for Best Musical, Best Ensemble, and Best Actor in a Musical (Travis Poelle).[6] Maria Elena Holly attended the show at each location, dancing onstage with the cast at curtain call.[7] This production later returned to Carmel for several runs, most recently in 2008.
The West End London revival opened on August 3, 2007, at The Duchess Theatre where it ran until 7 February 2009 ensuring that the 50th Anniversary of Holly's death was honoured on 3 February with a special performance incorporating several new numbers for that one night. This version, directed again by Rob Bettinson, is scaled down from its previous incarnations, and the role of Buddy Holly was equally shared by Dean Elliott and Matthew Wycliffe, who played the role in the 2007 UK touring company[8]. Ritchie Valens was played by Puerto Rican actor Miguel Angel, and J.P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper) by actor Lee Ormsby. The 50th Anniversary Tour played concurrently across the UK and starred Oliver Seymour-Marsh and Glen Joseph as Buddy, with Chris Redmond and Dan Graham as the Crickets.
Wycliffe and Elliott later reprised their role as Buddy in Lubbock - Buddy Holly's hometown - in 2009, in a production staged by Lubbock Moonlight Musicals [9].
To commemorate 50 years since the Day the Music Died, an Australian tour was also mounted, opening at Star City's Lyric Theatre in Sydney on February 3, 2009, and starring Scott Cameron as Buddy, Luke Tonkin as the Big Bopper and Flip Simmons as Ritchie Valens. In attendance at the opening night were Bob Montgomery and Peggy Sue Gerron.
The first UK fringe production Upstairs at the Gatehouse was produced by Ovation Theatres in spring 2010, featuring Roger Rowley as Buddy Holly (who went on to share the lead role in the 2011 UK tour[10]) and Jos Slovick (Spring Awakening) as Ritchie Valens.
"Buddy", as the show is often abbreviated to, is currently touring the United Kingdom in 2011, with Buddy being played by both Glen Joseph and Roger Rowley, with Steve Dorsett as the Big Bopper and Miguel Angel as Ritchie Valens.

Acte I
Rose of Texas
Flower of My Heart
Rip It Up (UK version) /Ready Teddy (U.S. version)
Changing All Those Changes
That'll Be The Day
Brown Eyed Handsome Man
Everyday
Shout (UK tour)
Good Time (U.S. version)
Party
Not Fade Away
Peggy Sue
Words Of Love
Oh, Boy
Acte II
Think It Over
True Love Ways
Star Spangled Banner
Why Do Fools Fall in Love
Chantilly Lace
Maybe Baby
Peggy Sue Got Married
Heartbeat
La Bamba
Raining in My Heart
It Doesn't Matter Anymore
Rave On
Johnny B. Goode
Oh, Boy (encore)

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