Actor's Gavin Creel, left, and Will Swenson carry out throughout the "Hair" gown rehearsal on the Al Hirschfeld Theater, in New York, on Thursday, March 5, 2009. (AP Picture/Peter Kramer)
NEW YORK --
A musical about Neil Diamond has discovered the polished theater gem who will play the icon onstage -- Will Swenson.
Swenson has been tapped to guide "A Lovely Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical" this summer time when it makes its debut at Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre. Swenson calls it a not easy musical. "It is unconventional and it is stunning," the actor informed The Related Press.
Swenson's Broadway credit embody "Waitress" reverse Sara Bareilles, creating the function of Javert within the 2014 revival of "Les Miserables," and starring in "Priscilla: Queen of the Desert" and "110 within the Shade."
Diamond, 81, is the singer and songwriter of huge hits like "Candy Caroline," "Music Sung Blue" and "Cracklin' Rosie." He is additionally written hits recorded by different artists, comparable to "I am a Believer" by the Monkees, "Purple Purple Wine" by UB40 and "You Do not Deliver Me Flowers" by Barbra Streisand.
The musical has a narrative by four-time Academy Award-nominee Anthony McCarten ("Bohemian Rhapsody," "Darkest Hour"), course by Tony-winner Michael Mayer and choreography by four-time Tony-nominee Steven Hoggett. It'll play the Emerson Colonial Theatre from June 21-July 31, and tickets go on sale Friday.Swenson says Diamond was his dad's favourite artist, and he grew up understanding each Diamond tune. Swenson's dad went to Diamond concert events and had a signed poster up within the storage. "Certainly one of my earliest reminiscences is carrying out the `Scorching August Evening' eight-track tape," he says, laughing.
"I by no means had a music rehearsal as a result of I got here in and I knew all of the songs by coronary heart, and I am not even exaggerating," he mentioned. "I simply had all of it in my DNA as a result of it was such part of my upbringing, simply continuously on within the automotive and continuously on at dwelling."Swenson has turn into so adept at singing Diamond that he developed an impression, utilizing it in live performance together with his spouse, Audra McDonald, and at cabarets. So when it was time to play Diamond in entrance of the person himself, Swenson had an "out-of-body expertise."
"If you wish to discuss a surreal second, attempt singing 30 Neil Diamond songs whereas portraying Neil Diamond, 10 ft away from Neil Diamond. It was probably the most loopy, loopy expertise of my life.
"It is becoming that the musical of Diamond will premier in Boston, the place Purple Sox followers have embraced "Candy Caroline." Swenson grew up in California and roots for the Dodgers. "I am not a Yankee fan, although. So it is not as harsh," he mentioned.
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